Continuing to Plant in Dark Times
"If the end times come and you're planting a seed, carry on planting."
This is one of my all time favourite hadith and one we can learn a huge deal from.
One of the many core lessons we can derive is the importance of ihsan (excellence).
Why bother planting a seed that won't grow to its full potential, after all?
The effort required to harmoniously place the seed into its rightful place into the earth so that it may fulfil its purpose and grow and benefit others is an act of goodness.
Because of this, we must strive to do it with the utmost excellence.
The fruits of planting a seed are not only the fruit yielded when it branches out and eventually blossoms.
The effort to place every stone in its rightful place is in itself a fruit — an end result — a job well done.
Let us recognise each milestone and celebrate the successful completion of each stage.
Reaching the final destination is not the actual aim, but to walk on the path toward the destination with the grace and dignity that the destination deserves, knowing you have done your absolute best.
Allah knows everything, after all. He sees you. He knows your effort.
This positive orientation is evident in elevating the mastery of one’s work to the level of obligation and worship.
Remember, the outcome is not the objective, but to tread the steps leading to the aim with delicacy, diligence and care.
After all, how can those who cannot give their all whilst travelling to the destination ever deserve to reap the full rewards upon their arrival?
Planting as Resistance
This has actually become more poignant and relevant given the recent news of the killing of 19 year old Gazan Mohammad “Medo” Halimy from an airstrike.
On his Instagram, he had a wonderful ‘Planting Daily Until the Genocide is Over’ series.
For him, planting seeds was a form of ‘resistance’ - in his small but significant way, he was giving life whilst others around him were killing and being killed.
A small but symbolic act. It gave him a crumb of comfort, it gave him meaning and purpose. It was something worth fighting for, a defiant act.
He was an inspirational, thoughtful brother who stayed strong despite the direst of circumstances and tried to spread light and hope even in the bleakest of times.
He really did justice to this Hadith.
The end times came for him and he continued to plant.
We are all capable of this. It might not be the literal planting of a seed, but when our own dark times hit, we need to continue to find meaning in the struggle, to continue to do beneficial work instead of playing small and letting the difficulties consume us.
Imam Shafi once said:
“If you are on the path towards Allah, then run. If it is hard for you, then jog. If you get tired, then walk. And if you can’t, then crawl. But never go back or stop.”
That’s powerful and a great lesson for us all. Keep moving forward, even if in tiny tiny steps.
I pray Allah grants him the highest heaven and his seeds grow tall and benefit many future generations to help his legacy live on and keep his good deeds accumulating forever, ameen.
Please remember him in your duas and let us learn the lesson, in our own darkest times, what is the symbolic seed you can keep planting, to continue to add value and benefit around you?