It’s always time to be righteous

Acting under the influence of man’s worst enemy, the Shaytan, who whispers rebellion in to the hearts of mankind; some people erroneously believe that there is specific period in their lifetime within which to be righteous and another during which unrighteousness should be the norm. Those caught up in this false impression are mostly young boys and girls who think that old age is a better time for a believer to be pious and dutiful.
Given the natural stages of development after birth, man grows from fragility at infancy to strength as a young man or woman and back to fragility at old age. Allah (SWT) affirms in Qur’an 30:54 “It is Allah who created you in a state of (helpless) weakness, then gave (you) strength after weakness; then after strength gave (you) weakness and a hoary head: He creates as He wills and it is He who has all knowledge and power”. Every task is best performed when the physical body and the mind both have the capacity to undertake it and not when the body is weak or exhausted and the mind psychologically unfit.
A young person presumably has the propensity to observe more religious duties and for a longer time than when, at old age, his joints are weak, the back is hunched and waist is bowed; restraining his ability to stand without support. This, thus, cannot be the best time to undertake extensive religious duties such as observing superogatory (nafilat) prayers in the teensy weensy hours of the night. Sustained activity of the human body and mind cannot be guaranteed when old age is already taking its toll through some obvious physiological and other changes on the body. Getting closer to Allah (SWT) cannot be when the ears are less efficient to listen to preaching and sermons, or when the body system is generally too weak to stand the vigour of fasting.
Worship and devoution to religious duties is better achieved when a person is young and has the overall capacity to withstand the effects of sleeplessness arising from the observance of prayers at night; endure the long period of standing especially in the recitation of long chapters (surahs) of the Qur’an during night prayers; and also maintain long hours of sustained interest in glorifying Allah (SWT)’s name through tasbih (saying of ‘Subhana llah’); tahlil (saying of ‘La ilaha ila llah’); tahmid (saying of ‘Alhamdu Lillah’), and takbir (saying of ‘Allahu Akbar’). The danger in procrastinating righteousness is the possibility of death overtaking such a person before reaching old age. After all, no living soul knows its appointed time and place of death on earth. It would be double tragedy then for an individual to waste his youthfulness in the pursuit of the mundane comforts of this life to the detriment of the blissful life of the hereafter that is everlasting.
One other misguided group is of those who remember the path of righteousness only when misfortune befalls them. For this group, God and religion are less important as long as life remains full of roses. Those who share this opinion get carried away by their wild love for and pursuit of wealth and power; two of the three most powerful non-alcoholic intoxicants, the third being women. Allah (SWT) says in Qur’an 3:14 “Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: women and sons; heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth of) cattle and well-tiled land. Such are the possessions of this world’s life; but in nearness to Allah is the best of goals (to return to)”.
When the wind begins to blow hot instead of cold, the once defiant and supercilious individual suddenly remembers Allah just as he recalls that He (SWT) deserves to be worshiped piously and constantly. He thus becomes devouted to religious duties as he turns to Allah (SWT) for help. This is when you see such a hypocritical character observing the daily obligatory prayers regularly as you could also notice him become more concerned in issues that are of common interest to the ummah. Allah (SWT) states in Qur’an 89:15, 16 “Now as for man, when his lord tries him giving him honour and gifts; then he says (puffed up), ‘my lord has honoured me’; But when he tries him restricting his subsistence for him; then he says (in despair), ‘my lord has humiliated me”.
This is a demeaning perception and undignified estimation of the worth of Allah (SWT); the only divine being worth worshipping. It is also a gross misrepresentation of what Islam truly symbolises as a religion. Whether in prosperity or in poverty, in health or in illness, it is always time to be righteous. The uprightness of a believer should not be a matter of choice that is determined or dependent on ego or desire.
Prosperity and hardship are instruments used by Allah (SWT) to try man and his faith. In the case of prosperity, a believer is required to show humility and kindness; remaining dedicated and sincere in his worship. In the case of hardship, a believer is expected to patiently persevere; remaining devouted and faithful. Unfortunately, man most often gets puffed up in prosperity as he gets depressed in adversity; placing false values on the commodities of this mortal life. May Allah (SWT) guide us to remain righteous at all times and under all circumstances, friendly as well as unfriendly, amin.