Opportunities that cannot be compensated

these are opportunities that cannot be compensated, and gains that cannot be recaptured. The fortunate are those who seize them, and the deprived are those who neglect them. They are five opportunities that the Prophet ﷺ mentioned in his saying:"Seize five things before five others: your youth before old age, your health before sickness, your wealth before poverty, your free time before being preoccupied, and your life before your death".

And the essence of the hadith is that persisting in a certain state is impossible, taking the initiative to seize opportunities, preparing for the Day of Judgment, and hastening towards acts of goodness should be done before unexpected events occur.

The first opportunity is the opportunity of youth:

It is the flower of life, the treasure of time, an opportunity that does not repeat itself, and its departure brings unimaginable pain. Allah, the Almighty, says: 'You exhausted your pleasures during your worldly life.' Some of the interpreters said: your pleasures: refer to youth and strength!'

The duration of youth is short, like the blossoming of spring(similar to how flowers bloom and flourish during the spring season). When it withers and turns white, its departure has come. Allah says: 'And Allah caused you to grow from the earth a [progressive] growth. Then He will return you into it and extract you [another] extraction'.

Youth and good health do not prevent sudden death! Ibn al-Jawzi says: 'It is necessary for whoever does not know when death will come upon him to be prepared and not be deceived by youth and health, for most of those who die are young.'

The second opportunity is health and strength:

The discerning believer increases in righteous deeds when he is healthy and strong, so that he is credited with full rewards even when he is ill. The Prophetﷺ said: 'When a servant of Allah falls ill or travels, he will be credited with the reward of what he used to do when he was healthy.'

Ibn 'Uthaymeen said: "It is appropriate for a wise person, as long as they are in a state of health and leisure, to be eager in performing righteous deeds. This way, when theybecome incapable of doing them due to illness or occupation, full rewards will be recorded for them."

The third opportunity, The opportunity of wealth :

its spending in the cause of Allah's pleasure. The Prophetﷺ was asked, "Which charity produced the greatest reward?" He replied, "To give charity when you are healthy and شَحِيحٌ [refers to stinginess coupled with excessive eagerness to hold onto wealth], fearing poverty, and hoping for wealth, and not delaying until you are on the verge of death, saying, 'Give so much to so-and-so, and so much to so-and-so,' when it has already become the property of so and so."

The scholars have said: "Stinginess is predominant when one is healthy. So, when a person gives charity in such a state, their intention is more sincere and their reward is greater. This is in contrast to those who wait until they are close to death and then assign their wealth to others."

And the intended meaning of wealth is its spending throughout one's lifetime. When a lifetime is spent solely in the pursuit of acquiring wealth, both objectives are lost altogether. "And spend [in the way of Allah] from what We have provided you before death approaches one of you, and he says, 'My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be among the righteous".

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "He is a believing person who, when death approaches him and he possesses wealth that he has not purified and has not given the right of Allah in it, he asks for a delay in his death to give charity from his wealth and purify it."

The fourth opportunity: the opportunity of free time!

It is a great blessing, the value of which is known to only a few. The Prophet ﷺ said: "There are two blessings in which many people are deceived: health and free time."

Some scholars say: "I have observed that most people try to avoid time in a strange manner. If the night is long, they engage in useless talk, and if the day is long, they resort to sleep. But I have seen those who possess insight understand the essence of existence. They are busy preparing provisions and getting ready for the journey. So, let's hasten and make the most of the opportunities in life, and let's be diligent and proactive before our time runs out!"

the fifth opportunity: the opportunity of life:

When a person's feet settle in this world, they are like a traveler heading towards their Lord. The duration of their journey is their life and the time they have.

Al-Hasan said: "O son of Adam, you are nothing but days. Whenever a day passes, a part of you also passes".

And the predecessors used to seize their lives, and occupy their time, in accumulating good deeds and elevating their ranks, aiming to reach the highest levels of paradise. Al-Hasan al-Basri said: " I have met people who were more diligent in making the most of their time than you are in making the most of your wealth."

Abdul-Rahman ibn Mahdi said: "If it were said to Hammad ibn Salama, 'You will die tomorrow,' he wouldn't have been able to increase anything in his deeds." Al-Dhahabi commented: "His time [i.e. Hammad ibn Salama] was filled with worship and devotion."

Worshippers of Allah, whoever wastes their life will regret it upon their death! They will wish for even a brief moment to catch what has passed, but alas, it will be too late! Allah says: "And Allah does not delay a soul when its time has come. And Allah is Aware of what you do".

Some of the righteous predecessors said: " When a door of goodness is opened for any of you, then hasten to it, for you do not know when it will be closed!"

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