Allah almighty has bestowed upon us so many gifts that even if you try your hardest, you cannot count them all:
He gave you all that you had asked Him. If you enumerate Allah’s blessings, you will not be able to count them. Indeed, man is most unfair and ungrateful! (Holy Quran, 14:34)
However, if you reflect further, you will realize that the greatest favor of Allah to us is the opportunity to use these gifts. Life is a priceless blessing that many people often overlook. We must appreciate this precious gift from Allah and use it in the best way possible. Regarding this, Allah Almighty warns us about wasting our time in the Holy Quran,
I swear by Time! * Mankind is indeed in loss, * except those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and enjoin one another to [follow] the truth, and enjoin one another to patience. (103:1-3)
This life is short yet crucial because it’s all we have got. Allah almighty says,
On the Judgement Day, He will gather them [it will be] as if they had not remained [in the world] except for a moment of the day getting acquainted with one another. They are certainly losers who deny the encounter with Allah, and they are not guided. (10:45)
Imam Ali (AS) also states,
Your opportunities pass just like the clouds pass; therefore use the good opportunities. (1)
Those who wasted their time in this world on trivial matters will lament on the Judgement Day:
They are certainly losers who deny the encounter with Allah. When the Judgement Day overtakes them suddenly, they will say, ‘Alas for us, for what we wasted in the world!’ And they will bear their burdens on their backs. Look! Evil is what they bear! (6:31)
Giving the importance of time, Islam has set some principles to make the most efficient use of it
Many of the activities we engage in during the day are unproductive. In the Islamic view, it is crucial to understand the importance of spending time on beneficial things. Imam Sadiq (AS) says,
One of the signs of a good Muslim is that he avoids things that have nothing to do with him (2)
Imam Ali (AS) says:
It is so necessary for one to have a time during the day allocated for self-Assessment so that they could see what they have done during the day and the night that had benefit or damage for them. (3)
Imam Kazim (AS) advised his pupil Hisham:
O Hisham! He is not one of us who doesn’t assess himself every day. (4)
Imam Ali (AS) said,
God bless the one … who sets goals. (5)
Imam Ali (AS) said,
For achieving success, manage your time, and to manage your time, think clearly, and for thinking clearly, hide your secrets. (6)
To effectively manage time the most important thing is to know how to allocate every part of our daily life for something needed. In this regard Imam Kazim (AS) says,
Try to divide your time into four parts: one for praying and talking to Allah, another for work, one for spending time with your friends and trustworthy individuals who let you know about your faults and imperfections and who sincerely love you. The last part is for your lawful pleasures and by this last part, you get ready for the other three parts.
Don’t talk with yourself about poverty or length of lifetime. Because anyone who thinks about poverty will become miserly and anyone who thinks about the length of life will become greedy. Give yourself your share of this world by pleasing yourself with lawful things which don’t harm your character or waste your time. (7)
Imam Ali (AS) said:
Thinking before acting saves you from regretting. (8)
One of the best ways to save time is to think carefully before taking any action. Some people think that acting impulsively leads to faster success. They think that overthinking is a sign of fear, so they advocate for thinking less and acting more. However, Islam doesn’t support this notion as it encourages thoughtful consideration and reflection before taking any action.
In this regard, Imam Ali (AS) said,
Every movement requires knowledge. (9)
Imam Sadiq (AS) also said,
The one who acts without needed insight is like a passenger on the wrong road. The faster he goes, the farther he gets from his destination. (10)
The holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) said:
When you want to do something, think about its results, if it brings benefits or progress, act and if it is harmful or causes regression, refrain from doing it. (11)
We only live this life once, but its consequences will remain in the Hereafter. Don’t squander this opportunity and by making the best of it, secure a better life for yourself in the Hereafter.
Resources
- Nahj al-Balaghah, Sayyed Razi, sayings no.12
- Vasa’il ash-Shia, Sheikh Hurr al-Ameli, vol.12, pg.199
- Ghorar al-Hikam, Amodi, pg.896
- Mustadrak al-Vasa’il, Muhaddith an-Nuri, vol.12, pg.153
- Bihar al-Anvar, Allamah al-Majlesi, vol.75, pg.51
- Nahj al-Balaghah, SAyyed Razi, sayings no.84
- Tohaf al-Uqul, Harrani, pg.409 & 410
- Bihar al-Anvar, Allamah al-Majlesi, vol.68, pg.337
- Tohaf al-Uqul, Harrani, pg.171
- Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.1, pg.43
- Al-Faqih, Sheikh Saduq, vol.4, pg.410 & 411
"Although most modern dogs are kept as pets, there are still a tremendous number of ways in which dogs can and do assist humans, and more uses are found for them every year" [1]. This animal is used in many activities such as rescuing, herding, sledding, hunting, guarding, tracking, and Human Remains Detection.There are also war and police dogs, which all indicate the versatility of this animal. But in Islam, there are some restrictions regarding the relationship with this useful creature.The term "impure" (Najis) in Islamic jurisprudence refers to things that are avoided because of the intensity of filth in them, one of which is dogs. The religion of Islam has warned Muslims to keep dogs “as pets” since they are deemed dirty. Now, let’s see why:
Unless properly trained, dogs will defecate and urinate where ever they please; they also slobber everywhere, which doctors say is the cause of many diseases and infections.
Even though the level of awareness about the hazards of having a dog has increased among dog owners and necessary precautions about keeping it as a pet have been taken by them, dog bites continue to be a public health problem in the USA [1].
Doctors always warn about diseases we may catch from dogs: “Hookworms and roundworms (Ancylostoma and Ascaris) are common nematodes of dogs. When a human accidentally eats something contaminated with worm eggs from a pet’s stool, the eggs hatch in the intestines and begin migrating throughout that person’s body” [2].
From the viewpoint of Islam, when we speak about the impurity of the dog, we mean its "outward" filth and all its organs including skin, flesh, and hair. So, everything is considered as "impure" in contact with a wet dog or vice versa (a wet thing in contact with a dog). Almost all Muslim scholars do not doubt that dogs are impure animals. There are many narrations (Hadiths) about the impurity of dogs in authentic narration books, including:
“Allah has not created a creature more impure than dogs” [3].
“If your clothes get dampened by a dog, then you must wash them” [4].
Perhaps, one of the reasons for Islam to prohibit Muslims from keeping dogs as pets [3] is due to the high fidelity of these animals. The bond between dogs and their owners has an important impact on family relationships in a way that the dog owner may forget his family members and relatives, adore his/her pet, and neglect God’s worship as well.
It has been reported that “More and more US women are forgoing motherhood and getting their maternal kicks by owning handbag-size canines” [5].
There are possibly two reasons for a person to have a dog: affection for the animal or security.
In the first case, the dog will most probably live with you in your house, which is prohibited according to Islamic law.
And in the second one, the case of security, the dog is mostly kept on the periphery of your house or property; like the dogs that are held for hunting, guarding livestock, crops, and for guarding houses, etc. These dogs are called trained dogs (Kalb-e-Moallam) in Islam and the rules regarding them are different from the ones for the other kinds of dogs.
There are exceptions to them, and they are not considered “impure” because of their skills. This fact has been mentioned in the Holy Quran directly: “As for what you have taught hunting dogs [to catch], teaching them out of what Allah has taught you, eat of what they catch for you and mention Allah’s Name over it …” (5:4)
But do Muslims consider dogs as filthy and useless creatures? No. because these animals are also creatures of God. Similarly, despite its many benefits and its importance for human life, human blood is also regarded as impure in Islamic teachings.
In other words, dogs’ impurity does not deny the existence of their good features such as loyalty or innocence, just as the impurity of human urine, feces, and blood has nothing to do with his/her humanity.
On the other hand, Islam has proposed very detailed rights for all kinds of animals including dogs, which a Muslim must respect and observe. For example, one day when Imam Hussain (AS) saw his servant sharing his food with Imam’s garden guard dog, he highly admired the servant for his kind behavior, rewarded him with 1000 Dinars and even donated the garden to him just for observing the right of a dog [6].
The words mentioned above reveal the Islamic view of dogs. But is that all? Have we successfully and thoroughly looked into it to reach firm ideas about dogs?
To tell you the truth, we are not always able to understand the essence of Islamic rules and guidelines. More importantly, Muslims have learned to fully observe the practices ordained by God because they believe these practices are best for them, just like following the instructions that come with the electronic devices without questioning them.
If God, the Prophet (PBUH&HP), and infallible Imams (AS) prohibit specific practices, it is definitely because they have certain harmful effects on us that may or may not be immediate or measurable.
“…while He has already elaborated for you whatever He has forbidden you, excepting what you may be compelled to [eat in an emergency]? Indeed many mislead [others] by their fancies, without any knowledge. Indeed your Lord knows best the transgressors.” (6:119)
It is permissible to keep dogs for security purposes in Islam, but you cannot let them inside your house. However, this does not mean we can harm dogs or hate them, Not at all; on the contrary, we should always be compassionate with dogs as much as we should be with any other living kind.
References:
- Nicolae Sfetcu, About Dogs.
- keep pets
- All Creatures Health Care
- Vasael Alshia, vol. 1, p. 220 Hadith 560, Imam Sadiq (AS)
- Vasael Alshia, vol. 1, p. 225 Hadith 571, Imam Sadiq (AS)
- al about pets
- Mustadrak Alvasayel, vol. 7, p. 192
On a cold winter day, I left the house for work while I really wanted to get back into bed. Cursing the heavy traffic, the crowded subway, and the noisy girls laughing loudly next to my ears, I finally arrived at my workplace, where my colleagues were talking about a thing called “Coronavirus.” At that moment, I never thought the issue might be so important. So, I ignored my colleagues and started to work.
A few days later, we heard about the lockdowns, the increase in the number of deaths caused by Covid-19, aka coronavirus. People were losing their dear ones, and they were afraid to participate in their burials and funerals. I could see with my own eyes the verses of the Holy Quran that say, “The day when a man will evade his brother, his mother and his father, his spouse and his sons, each of them will have a task to keep him preoccupied on that day.” (80: 34- 37)
We experienced days where everyone was worried about him/herself. Trying our best to buy and compile masks, soaps, and alcohol-based cleansers, we still thought that one of those Hollywood superpowers or the armies that save the world during the Armageddon would come and save the world. But, no one could do anything against these small viruses. That was where I could feel these verses of the Quran: “He had no party to help him, besides Allah, nor could he help himself. There, all authority belongs to Allah, the Real. He is best in rewarding, and best in requiting.” (18: 43-44)
Gradually, we stopped fighting the situation. We stopped panicking. We stayed home. Works and businesses were shut down. Schools and universities were closed. Visiting relatives and friends were forbidden. We were given some time for seclusion, some time to contemplate and come up with “what if” questions.
What if going to work and school and university are no more important? What if the isolation continues forever? What if the hospitals won’t let you in, even if you pay a significant amount of money? What if fame and wealth would no more be important?
Do we still care about what to wear in front of others or how to talk to present ourselves as high-class people?
All our routine acts become meaningless. Our social norms and behaviors are questioned. We realize that none of our worldly habits were worthy enough to hurt ourselves or others. Things should change.
In Coronavirus days and nights, we see ourselves so close to death. Any moment we may be diagnosed with Covid-19. When it attacks us, the worldly longings and belongings are not worthy anymore.
If we are influenced by the signs and messages that God is sending us through this disease, we don’t care about collecting more wealth. We don’t think about becoming more famous. The only One left for us is God. He is the one that won’t leave us alone in the hardest situations: the one “who created me, it is He who guides me and provides me with food and drink, and when I get sick, it is He who cures me; who will make me die, then He will bring me to life” (26: 78-81).
By these little viruses, as coronavirus, Allah (SWT) teaches us the most important lessons of life. He reminds us that we were not brought into this world to take the game so seriously since we should keep in mind that “The life of this world is nothing but diversion and play, but the abode of the Hereafter is indeed Life (itself)” (29: 64), and that we live in this world for a small amount of time to be prepared for our real life in the hereafter. So, Allah tells us: “…And whatever good you do, Allah knows it. And take provision, for indeed the best provision is God wariness. So be wary of Me, O you who possess intellects!” (2: 197)
The best provision is not what we keep compiling in our daily life. Money, positions and promotions, university degrees, social popularity, followers and likes on social networks, etc. are not what we have come to this world for. If they become our life priorities, we may become among those that Prophet Noah (PBUH) mentioned them as the one “… whose wealth and children only add to his loss.” (71: 21)
In many chapters of the Quran, Allah tells us the story of people of different nations who disobeyed their prophets, and the punishment of God destroyed them. However, Allah also mentions that to get out of the hardest situations you need to turn toward God: “If the people of the towns had been faithful and Godwary, We would have opened to them blessings from the heaven and the earth. But they denied, so We seized them because of what they used to earn.” (7: 96)
Therefore, the only way to escape the current situation is to return to God and live the way He wants us to live, for the best life in this world and the hereafter.
Returning to God does not mean to pray to him and ask for forgiveness and keep on having the same behavior as we had. To return to God is to try to quit our bad habits, revise our false behaviors, stay away from the forbidden acts, and stay committed to the obligatory commands and orders of Allah.
“Whoever is wary of Allah, He shall make for him a way out [of the adversities of the world and the Hereafter].” (65: 2)