and through it he attains both kinds of happiness: the happiness of this world and the happiness of the Hereafter.

As for the one who grows heedless, feigns indifference, and treats matters lightly—letting the days slip by without acting—he forfeits both worlds. Allah the Exalted says, “Say: The losers are those who have lost their own souls and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Truly, that is the manifest loss.” ⦗Al-Zumar 39:15⦘. He also says, “By the declining day! Surely mankind is in loss, except those who believe, do righteous deeds, exhort one another to truth, and exhort one another to patience.” ⦗Al-‘Asr 103:1-3⦘.

Thus every descendant of Adam is in loss except those who combine these four traits: they believe, perform righteous deeds, enjoin one another to follow the truth, and enjoin one another to remain patient. May Allah make us and you among them.

9/465 – Abū Dharr al-Ghifārī, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I was walking with the Prophet ﷺ on the lava plain of Madinah when Mount Uhud came into view. He said, “O Abū Dharr!” I replied, “Here I am, Messenger of Allah.” He then said, “Nothing would please me more than to possess gold equal to this mountain of Uhud, if three days were to pass and I still kept a single dinar of it—apart from something set aside to settle a debt—without having distributed it among Allah’s servants like this, and this, and this,” pointing to his right, his left, and behind him.

We walked on, and he added, “Those who have much will be the least on the Day of Resurrection, except those who spend their wealth like this, and this, and this,” again gesturing to his right, his left, and behind him—“and how few they are.” Then he said to me, “Stay where you are; do not move until I return to you.”

He set off into the darkness of night until he disappeared from sight. I heard a raised voice and became afraid that someone had confronted the Prophet ﷺ. I wanted to go to him, but I remembered his instruction: “Do not leave until I return to you.”