Hazrat Abu ad-Dardā رضي الله عنه said; “What an excellent monastery a home is for a person. (By remaining in his house), he safeguards his self, eyes and private part in his house. Beware of sitting in the marketplaces because they cause a person to engage in futile conversations and they divert him (from Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله).” (Maqasidul Hasanah #1258)
The Sahaba رضوان الله عليهم اجمعين are the yardstick for the protection of Deen. Unfortunately, the Ummah has deviated from their noble advices and invited calamities. Amongst the evils that are prevalent in society, we witness the disease nowadays of excessive visiting to shopping malls and attending fairs. This is indeed a great tragedy in that we are frequenting places (shopping malls, etc) which are despised and detested without any real need. We need to introspect and ask ourselves whether we are true trustees of Deen. What example are we leaving for our children? Do we experience an increase in our Imān when visiting the marketplace?
Hazrat Abu ad-Dardā رضي الله عنه has advised that we remind ourselves of the severity of the accounting of our deeds before Allah Ta’ala جل جلاله. Have we forgotten that the earth that we are walking on will soon become our graves? Have we deceived ourselves that we are merely a collection of days; a part of us departs with each passing day. Why have chosen a life of destruction and allowing our Aakhirah to be compromised?
Hazrat Abu ad-Dardā رضي الله عنه further admonished; “The best of you is the one who says to his friend: ‘Come, let us fast before we die.’ The worst of you is the one who says to his friend: ‘Come, let us eat, drink and enjoy ourselves before we die.'” (Hilyatul Awliyaa 1/281)
It is therefore a plea to one and all; let us exercise caution in our lives and frequent those places that will protect and preserve our Imān. Let us continuously remind ourselves that we are very soon going to leave this world and face reckoning in the Aakhirah. Have we truly prepared for the guaranteed interrogation?