A man is moving in a direction that immediately leads to a very big ditch. His clothes are torn, he has no shoes on his feet, he is very hungry and thirsty, he is also ill, and he has a minor injury on his hand.
Now, what would the most sensible and sincere person like to do first ? Feed him ? give him medicine ? give him new clothes and shoes ? No right ! the most sensible person would FIRST try to prevent him from falling into that ditch (to save his life) and then try to give him other facilities.
Now, in the present state of Ummah, people try to emphasize on food, economy, technology,…etc. more than on “IMAAN”. Our first and foremost duty is to save ourselves and our Muslim brothers and sisters from the “ditch” of hell, through connection with Allah (swt) by namaz, and other basic duties. Because death can come next second, and if it arrived with disobedience to Allah (swt) without repentance, then all the food, clothes, technology and medicine can’t prevent the fire in his grave. The most effective tool is “Dawah” (encouraging good and discouraging bad) through Hikmah (wisdom) and sincere prayers filled with tears.
A mother whose child is lost (or left her) wouldn’t want us to give food, clothes,…etc. to her child BUT she would first want us to reunite her child to her and then give him all the facilities of life.
The best way of preventing ourselves from a sin is to politely discourage it to others (it would automatically protect us from that sin). The best way to adopt a good quality is to politely encourage it to others, it would make it easy for us to adopt it as well, by the grace and mercy of Allah (swt). InshaAllah!
*
May Allah (swt) bless us with the wisdom to be able to spread good and forbid bad through our words, actions and sincerity by the grace and mercy of Allah (swt).*