Hal Anta min al-Musariin ila al-Khayrat
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- Dar Ibn Khuzaymah
Hal Anta min al-Musari'in ila al-Khayrat (Are You Among Those Who Hasten to Good Deeds?) is a short hortatory Islamic treatise by Azhari Ahmad Mahmoud dedicated to encouraging believers to expedite righteous actions, practice self-reckoning, and overcome procrastination in religious devotion .
Overview and Purpose
The treatise frames the swift pursuit of righteous deeds as a defining hallmark of spiritual success and divine guidance . The author warns that worldly life is fleeting and that every passing day brings a person closer to death and the Hereafter, cautioning against squandering time in worldly preoccupation while neglecting eternal preparation . The work emphasizes that while deliberation is commendable in general matters, haste is uniquely praiseworthy when performing deeds for the afterlife, citing the Prophetic tradition: التؤدة في كل شيء خير إلا في عمل الآخرة ("Deliberation in all things is good except in deeds of the Hereafter") .
Scriptural Foundations and Practical Duties
The text derives its themes from Quranic verses and hadith reports that praise those who take the initiative in worship:
- It highlights God's praise for the prophet Zechariah and his household for hastening in good works, as well as righteous individuals among the People of the Book .
- It reflects on the divine commandment in Surah Al 'Imran: وَسَارِعُوا إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ("And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous"), quoting Anas ibn Malik's gloss referring to catching the opening takbir of prayer and Sa'id ibn Jubayr's interpretation regarding hastening with righteous deeds .
- Citing Ibn Rajab, the work stresses taking advantage of life and health before sickness, death, or tribulations hinder one from righteous conduct .
The author outlines practical avenues for seizing opportunities for good, beginning with prompt repentance (tawbah) without postponement . Other recommended practices include heading swiftly to the mosques upon hearing the call to prayer, striving for the front rows, increasing prostrations and the remembrance of God (dhikr), performing voluntary prayers (sunan), assisting the weak, relieving the distress of the needy, and abstaining from idle distractions .
Historical Exemplars
To illustrate the practice of hastening toward obedience, the treatise cites historical anecdotes from early Islamic figures:
- Umar ibn al-Khattab attempting to outpace Abu Bakr al-Siddiq in charity, only to find that Abu Bakr had donated his entire wealth for the sake of God and His Messenger .
- The Companions in Medina hastening to the pillars of the Prophet's Mosque upon the call to the Maghrib prayer to perform two voluntary rak'ahs in such numbers that newcomers thought the congregational prayer had already concluded .
- The devotee 'Amir ibn 'Abd Allah shortening his conversation to return immediately to prayer, explaining that he was racing against the arrival of the Angel of Death .
- Al-Junayd reciting the Quran as his soul was departing, remarking that he was hastening to conclude his record of deeds with worship .
The treatise concludes by reminding the reader that human beings are travelers in this world who must gather sufficient spiritual provisions before entering the grave .
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