SCHOOL SPORTS DAY isn’t complete without the egg and spoon race.
Watching children compete (my own and others) over the years, I’ve made an interesting observation.
Those who look back to see where others are, don’t do well in the race.
Unsurprisingly, you can’t move forward if you are looking backward. Whilst focusing on others means less focus on yourself and your actions.
A useful metaphor then for life!
If we are constantly thinking about our past, then we can’t move forward towards our future. If we are fixated on what others are doing, then we lose focus on what we are doing.
How many times have we seen this? People stuck in the past. Stuck in what they did, or what others did to them. They just can’t seem to let go and move forward.
This is not the attitude of the believer.
In a longer hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said: “…If anything afflicts you do not say: ‘If I had done such and such things, such and such would have happened.’ But say: ‘Allah decrees and what He wills He does,’ for (saying) ‘If I had’ provides an opening for the deeds of shaytaan.” (Muslim)
Whilst Hasan al Basri advised: “The world is three days. As for yesterday, it has vanished along with all that was in it. As for tomorrow, you may never see it. As for today, it is yours, so work on it.”
And how many people are fixated with others? Constantly busy trying to find fault with everything and everyone but themselves. Instead of contributing positively themselves, it becomes a life sapping negativity about others.
This is not the attitude of the Believer.
Allah ﷻ says in hadith Qudsi: ‘O my servants, it is only your deeds that I record for you and then recompense for you, so let him who finds good praise Allah and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself.’ (Muslim 2577)
Someone asked ‘Ali (ra): ‘Why do the people disagree concerning you, and why did they not disagree concerning Abu Bakr(ra) and Umar(ra)?’ He replied: ‘Because Abu Bakr(ra) and Umar(ra) were in charge of men like me, and I today am in charge of men like you.’
These are but some of the ideas that Islam gives us in order to find happiness and resilience to life’s trials.
Essential ideas needed in ourselves and to be built in our children.
So, moving forward, don’t dwell on the past except to take heed from it. Don’t dwell on others except to fulfil your responsibility to them. Be optimistic and create positive change for yourself and those around you.
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