We have all witnessed the final moments of the great martyr leader Yahya Sinwar, sitting alone, injured in his arm, armed only with a stick to throw at the cowardly enemy who didn’t even bother to confront him man to man. He knew these were his last breaths, feeling the end near, and aware that this stick would neither kill the enemy nor bring down the drone. However, he refused to die before teaching us all an unforgettable lesson. Yahya threw his stick as his last act of defiance in this world, deciding to resist until the last breath, to plant his sapling, and to follow the command of his Prophet. He knew that our Creator, the Almighty, does not judge us by results but by our efforts.
Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If the Final Hour comes while you have a shoot of a plant in your hands and it is possible to plant it before the Hour comes, you should plant it.” (Sahih Al-Albani)
In this noble hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) encourages us to plant a sapling, which is a small plant that grows into a palm tree, even at the end of the world, despite the fact that this sapling will not have the chance to grow or benefit anyone. Some might think that in such a situation, one should pray or beseech Allah for salvation and forgiveness, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded us to plant as much good as we can until the last moment, not to await results, but because Allah judges us by our efforts. As Allah the Almighty says, “And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives. And that his effort is going to be seen.” (An-Najm: 39-40)
There is no separation between this world and the Hereafter; what we do in this world leads us to the Hereafter. This hadith teaches us many lessons, especially at a time when our Ummah suffers from a separation in the sense of work and worship. This hadith reminds us that man is in a state of continuous worship and that work is a form of worship for which one is rewarded if his intentions are sincere. It also dispels the fallacy that one is rewarded based on results rather than efforts. We are required to strive for what Allah created us for. If we die on this path, we will be rewarded. Preoccupying oneself with the obstacles that may hinder us only dampens our resolve and weakens our spirit, which is not part of our religion. We are commanded to reject laziness and low ambition and to strive in the way of Allah until our last moments. Allah says, “And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways.” (Al-Ankabut: 69)
This hadith also reminds us that good deeds, even if they seem insignificant, might be the cause of one's salvation. A person does not know which act may be the cause of his forgiveness or entry into Paradise. Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as saying, “Do not consider any act of kindness insignificant, even meeting your brother with a cheerful face.” (Sahih Muslim)
As Dr. Khalid Hamdi said: “Do not say, 'What will my sapling do? Who will benefit from it? Where will I find the psychological strength to plant and water it while the world is ending around me?' You are required to do good and to offer kindness even if you are near the end, and even if the world around you is in great turmoil, even if it’s the turmoil of the Day of Judgment! Because Allah does not want the reformers to stop. A reformer does not let go of his sapling of goodness unless he dies. Other than that, even the Day of Judgment does not justify leaving the sapling!”
Mohammed Qutb said in his book “How to Invite People to Islam”: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) directed the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and the Ummah after them, to persist and persevere, even if the fruit seems far-fetched. He urged them to maintain their work even if it is little, without interruption. He constantly sought refuge from incapacity and laziness.”
The noble biography of our Prophet's Companions and the great tabi’een (followers) is full of wonderful and honorable examples that have left its imprint until today.
Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari, at the age of eighty, set out with the army of Constantinople, knowing he had an excuse due to his old age, seeking to fight in the cause of Allah. However, he fell severely ill and was confined to bed. Yazid visited him and asked if he had any needs. Abu Ayyub said, “Convey my salaams to the Muslim armies and say to them: Abu Ayyub urges you to penetrate deeply into the territory of the enemy as far as you can go, that you should carry him with you and that you should bury him under your feet at the walls of Constantinople.” The Muslim army fulfilled his wish, fought the enemy until they reached the walls of Constantinople carrying his body, and buried him there.
Abu al-Darda, may Allah be pleased with him, planted a walnut tree while being very old. Someone asked him, “Why do you plant this walnut tree when you are old, and it will not bear fruit for many years?” He replied, “So what if I have its reward and someone else benefits from its fruit?”
We also remember the noble Companion Ja'far ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Battle of Mu'tah, who held the banner, after the martyrdom of Zaid ibn Haritha, with his right hand until it was cut off, then held it with his left hand until it was cut off, then embraced it with his upper arms until he was martyred. Similarly, Mus'ab ibn Umair (may Allah be pleased with him) carried the banner in the Battle of Uhud after the Prophet (peace be upon him) assigned it to him. A polytheist came and cut off his right hand. Mus'ab held the banner with his left hand, which was also cut off, so he held the banner between his upper arms until the polytheist killed him.
We conclude with the story of the boy from the story of the trench, who was certain of his death and even guided the king on how to kill him because he knew the great impact it would have on his people when they saw the signs of Allah with their own eyes. His death was life for him and his people. He said to the king, “You cannot kill me until you do what I ask you to do. And he said: What is that? He said: You should gather people in a plain and hang me by the trunk (of a tree). Then take hold of an arrow from the quiver and say: In the name of Allah, the Lord of the young boy; then shoot an arrow and if you do that then you would be able to kill me. So he (the king) called the people in an open plain and tied him (the boy) to the trunk of a tree, then he took hold of an arrow from his quiver and then placed the arrow in the bow and then said: In the name of Allah, the Lord of the young boy; he then shot an arrow and it bit his temple. He (the boy) placed his hands upon the temple where the arrow had bit him and he died and the people said: We affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man, we affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man, we affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man. The courtiers came to the king and it was said to him: Do you see that Allah has actually done what you aimed at averting. They (the people) have affirmed their faith in the Lord. He (the king) commanded ditches to be dug at important points in the path. When these ditches were dug, and the fire was lit in them it was said (to the people): He who would not turn back from his (boy's) religion would be thrown in the fire or it would be said to them to jump in that. (The people courted death but did not renounce religion) till a woman came with her child and she felt hesitant in jumping into the fire and the child said to her: 0 mother, endure (this ordeal) for it is the Truth.” (Sahih Muslim 3005)
These honorable stories teach us that the struggle of a servant in the way of Allah does not cease until the soul departs to its Creator because our great religion is one of relentless movement and great striving that never stops. And good deeds are never insignificant, no matter how small.
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- aljazeera.net
- saaid.org, Dr. Khalid Hamdi.
- Official website of Sheikh Ibn Baz.
- Siyar A'lam al-Nubala' by Imam Al-Dhahabi.
- Al-Bidaya wa l-Nihaya by Ibn Kathir.
- Islamqa.
- Alukah.net, benefits from the Hadith: “If the Final Hour comes while you have a shoot of a plant in your hands.”
- Program “Between Me and You,” episode “Let Him Plant It” by Dr. Mohammed Al-Awadi.
- Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum by Al-Mubarakpuri.
