How Should We Spend the Year 2022?

How should we spend the year 2022?

Bint Ashraf Attariyyah Madaniyyah

(Jami’ah Naqshbandiyyah Jalaliyyah Kanz-ul-Iman, Gojra, Pakistan)

Allah Almighty has created humans for a specific purpose: to worship Him. It is stated in Surah al-Zariyaat:

وَ مَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَ الْاِنْسَ اِلَّا لِیَعْبُدُوْنِ(۵۶)

And I have created Jinn and human beings only for this, that they should worship Me.^[1]

Humans have come into this world and forgotten the purpose of their creation. Man has become heedless of worshipping Allah Almighty and overlooked the fact that he will die one day and be held accountable for his actions. Life in this world is temporary, and so is everything in it.

However, we have made enhancing our worldly affairs the motive of our lives! We spend our days, nights, months and years in making the life of this world better for ourselves. We have wasted our valuable time in futile acts. Time is a great blessing that Allah has granted to us. However, regretfully, we have not appreciated its value and spend it in negligence. One can only regret the time that has passed. Nevertheless, let us make an intention to spend our future in performing actions that please Allah and His Messenger. Many years have been spent in heedlessness and sin. Let us make an intention to spend the upcoming year in worshipping Allah and doing righteous acts, اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه.

Worshipping Allah

From today onwards, we should set our goals for 2022 that we will not miss any prayer unless there is a valid reason as per Shar’iah. We should intend to carry out all obligations (Faraaid) and necessities (Wajibat). Additionally, we should intend to make up for all our missed (Qada) prayers and fasts. We should intend to spend our time in reciting the Quran, remembering Allah Almighty and sending peace and blessings (Salat) upon the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Intend on spending not only this year, but every moment of our time, in actions that will earn the pleasure of Allah.

Rights of people

Make the intention that in the year 2022, we will be mindful of people’s rights. We should set a goal to fulfil any rights of others that we have violated and seek forgiveness from them. We should intend to fulfil the rights of our parents, relatives and neighbours and also strive to make our society a peaceful place.

Education and learning

Aim to make education accessible for all and reduce the country’s illiteracy rate. Learn about the religion yourself and teach others too.

Good company

To live a good life, one should choose the company of knowledgeable people and scholars. Remaining in the company of people who possess great wisdom and understanding in worldly and religious matters increase one’s knowledge and actions many fold. Thus, we should make an intention to remain in the company of righteous people.

Refraining from keeping bad company

Those who spend their time in bad company begin to hold corrupt beliefs and tread the wrong path in life. We must protect ourselves from keeping bad company and should intend to refrain from spending time with people whose company may lead us to adopt corrupt beliefs and do wrong actions.

Avoiding actions that are futile and haram

Intend on spending 2022 void of useless and unlawful acts. In fact, we should intend to refrain from such things for the rest of our lives. Intend on steering clear of everything that is a means of displeasing Allah and His Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

Time is going by quickly, and the days of our lives are passing by swiftly. We should make an intention to not commit the same mistakes that we did last year; we ought to learn from past mistakes. Make the intention to thank Allah for every New Year and day. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Barzah Aslami رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ that the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said a person will remain standing in the court of Allah on the Day of Judgement until he is questioned about four things:

1.   Which actions he spent his life doing.

2.   How much one acted upon his knowledge.

3.   How wealth was earnt and where it was spent.

4.   What one’s body was used for.^[2]

Let us make an intention that we will spend the upcoming year, rather every moment of our lives, in a way that will enable us to answer these questions and be successful in the tests of the Day of Judgement by Allah’s mercy.

To answer these questions, each one of us must evaluate our current state and progress towards what is right. It is by virtue of this that we will be able to avoid embarrassment on the Day of Judgement.

We pray to Allah Almighty to allow us to spend every moment of our lives in a way that He becomes pleased with us forever.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ النَّبِیِّ الْاَمِیْن صَلَّی اللہ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلہٖ وَسَلَّم