By Zubair Khan
As you know by now (especially if you’re living in the US), the Boston Celtics are the 2008 NBA Champions. Even if you don’t follow the NBA, read on, I will inshaAllah give you enough background information that you need to know. KG (Kevin Garnett), who was with the Minnesota Timberwolves for 12 years, got traded to the Boston Celtics this season. KG, with the help of Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, led Boston to the biggest turnaround in NBA history: they won 24 games last season, and 66 this season! In 12 years with the Timberwolves, KG (despite being an amazing player) was unable to even win one championship.
Enough of the NBA gibberish (to those who don’t follow basketball). From what was just mentioned above, you can imagine how desperately Kevin Garnett wanted to win a championship this year, and how happy he was when he was able to do it! Here’s a short clip of his reaction immediately after winning the championship:
A person who has spent his whole life trying to achieve one goal: to win the NBA Championship, and his reaction when he achieves it. It is as if his life’s purpose is accomplished!
Alhumdulillah that we have been blessed with Islam! We are here striving everyday towards Jannat-ul-Firdous (the highest level of Paradise), and everyday is a new game for us, and every game gets us that much closer to winning the ultimate Championship (with Allahu subhanahu wa ta’ala). And wallahi, our life’s purpose is infinitely better and nobler than pursuing an NBA Championship Trophy!
Dear brothers and sisters, just take a moment and imagine with me how happy we are going to be when (inshaAllah) we enter Jannah. How happy will we be when Allah (swt) says to us:
يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي
“O reassured soul; Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him]; And enter among My [righteous] servants; And enter My Paradise.”
Subhanallah! At that point, we will be sooo happy that we prayed our prayers on time, that we were kind to our parents and we obeyed them, that we stayed away from the clubs and girls (or guys), that we didn’t use bad speech and whatever came out of our mouth was pleasing to Allah (swt), and the list goes on! If KG can be so happy (to a point where it seems that he has completely lost himself) with his life’s purpose being fulfilled (which is nothing when compared to Jannat-ul-Firdous, which Allah is preparing personally for us EVERYDAY!), JUST IMAGINE HOW HAPPY WE WILL BE WHEN WEREALIZE THAT WEFINALLY MADE IT, INSHALLAH!
Let us then not neglect our prayers starting RIGHT NOW. Let us, starting today, pray all of our prayers on time. Let us develop a connection with the ultimate playbook, the playbook that will lead us to Jannah, the Qur’an! Let’s strive hard and not become lazy and become distracted and start indulging in the lowly desires of this life and focus on our ultimate goal.
May Allah grant us Jannat-ul-Firdous and may Allah allow us to be with the Prophet (sw) on the Day of Judgment and near him in Jannah. May Allah allow us to strive hard in pleasing Him. May Allah forgive all of our sins that we have committed in the past, and those that we will commit in the future, whether they are major or minor sins. May Allah allow us to win the ultimate Championship of all, His pleasure and His Jannah! May Allah save us from the punishment of the grave and Hell-Fire. May Allah guide us to the straight path and allow us to be steadfast upon the straight path. Ameen, Ya Rabbil ‘Alameen.
Zubair Khan
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