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How To Make Your Life Count

How To Make Your Life Count

March 20, 2025 • Est 10 minutes

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Bismillah. Welcome to DailySunnah.

You see, life has this funny way of feeling both impossibly long and startlingly brief.

When you're stuck in traffic or sitting through a boring meeting, time crawls.

But then you blink, and somehow, another year has vanished.

How much time do we really have?

🧠 Make Your Life Count
👶 SunnahStories: The Crow and The Pitcher
📚DeenDigest: The Dead Teach Us Much About Life (3 Pgs)
🌍️ Ummah Spotlight: The NBA and Israel Connection
🍉 WatermelonWatch: Day 530
😆 Wholesome Meme of the Day
🤲 Du’a for Mahida

Have you ever held a diamond?

Even a tiny one commands attention, sparkling with possibility and promise.

Now, imagine this: if you took every week of a 90-year life and turned each one into a small diamond, all 4,680 weeks would fit into just under a tablespoon.

That’s it—your entire life, measured in precious stones you could hold in your palm.

Your childhood summers, first job, greatest achievements, and moments of heartbreak and triumph—all contained in something you could balance on your finger.

The only appropriate word to describe what you’re holding is precious.

And with each passing day, those gems slip away, never to return.

In the sunnah, this concept of limited time isn’t just philosophical—it’s fundamental.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emphasized that being mindful of death brings focus and purpose.

❝

Remember frequently the destroyer of pleasures (death).

– Sunan Ibn Majah 4258

When was the last time you attended a funeral?

Think about the atmosphere when you walked into that room.

There’s that unmistakable hush, the heaviness that descends.

Every person there shares the same sobering thought:

“One day, this will be me.”

We chase wealth, status, and pleasure so intensely that we forget our fleeting stay here.

But death is the ultimate reality check.

When it approaches, no amount of worldly gain can help. At that moment, thehe angel of death comes to claim the soul.

For those who lived a life of purpose and faith, the soul leaves the body peacefully, like a drop of water sliding away.

But for those who lived heedlessly the experience is intensely terrifying.

The soul clings to the body, unwilling to leave and face what lies ahead.

Extracting it is like pulling a thorny branch through wool—the ripping and tearing mirror how the soul shreds through our bodies. (Mishkat al-Masabih 1630)

Next, you hear the footsteps of loved ones leaving the grave.

Think about that moment—the same people who were your entire world, walking away, returning to their lives while you begin your new one.

As psychiatrist Irvin D. Yalom notes, "Though the physicality of death destroys us, the idea of death may save us."

Mortality gives life meaning.

In accepting this truth, we become more mindful, present, and conscious of our limited time.

Studies show that people contemplating their finite existence tend to prioritize meaningful relationships, contribute more to society, and experience greater life satisfaction.

Looking at your tablespoon of time, there’s only one question worth asking:
“Are you making the most of your weeks?”

Are you filling them with what truly matters—strengthening your relationship with Allah, spreading kindness, seeking beneficial knowledge, maintaining family ties, and leaving a positive legacy?

Without pausing to evaluate our direction, we can easily fall into unconscious routines, letting those precious gems slip through our fingers without purpose or meaning.

This tablespoon metaphor isn’t meant to be morbid but to inspire urgency and intentionality.

When we genuinely internalize how limited our time is, we naturally become more selective about spending it.

So, what will you do with your remaining time?

PS: You can measure your life here to get a calendar similar to the image above.

Reflection Questions:

If you could see your life's remaining weeks, how would it change your decisions about how you spend tomorrow?
Which activities or relationships truly deserve your precious time, and which might you be giving too much importance to?

What did you think of today's reflection?

(We interrupt this broadcast with an effective remedy against our egos)

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Islamic Ummah Relief is on the ground, actively providing aid.

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👶 SunnahStories:

The desert burned, the air was dry,

A crow flew low beneath the sky.

His throat was parched, his wings were weak,

"Oh, where is water?" he cried in seek.

Upon the sand, a jug stood tall,

With water deep—but hard to haul.

The crow looked in, but oh, too tight!

His beak could not reach down the height.

He pushed, he pulled, he tried his best,

Yet not a drop met his request.

Then pausing deep in thought, he knew—

"There must be something I can do!"

He saw some pebbles near the land,

And picked them up with beak and hand.

One by one, he dropped them in,

And watched the water rise within!

At last, he drank with heart so bright,

Refreshed and strong, his wings took flight.

"For Allah guides the hearts that strive,

With patience, wisdom, faith alive!"

Reflection Questions:

1️⃣ Why couldn’t Ameen drink from the jug at first?

2️⃣ What mistake did Ameen almost make before he thought of a solution?

3️⃣ How does Islam teach us to approach challenges with wisdom and effort?

4️⃣ Can you think of a time when patience and thinking helped you solve a problem?

5️⃣ How can we trust in Allah while also working hard?

What did you think of today's SunnahStories?

We'll use your feedback to improve them!

🌎️ Ummah Spotlight:

📚DeenDigest

🍉 WatermelonWatch: Day 530

‼️ Israel breaks ceasefire & launches new ground invasion — reoccupying Netzarim Corridor splitting Gaza in half again after its withdrawal a month ago, blocking movement

‼️ Sporadic explosions in eastern areas of Deir el-Balah + escalating expansion in Nuseirat adjacent to Netzarim

🇵🇸 70 Palestinians killed in Gaza today

🇵🇸 Israel targeted a group of mourners in Beit Lahia (north), massacring 16+ Palestinians. Airstrikes targeting homes in Gaza City killing 2 people in Zeitoun & 3 people in Sabra

🇺🇳 Explosive ordinance targeted UN-staff building in Deir el-Balah killing 1 Bulgarian staff member, injuring 5

🚗 IOF bombed vehicle in Rafah (south) killing 5+ people; drone strike targeted tent in Khan Younis killing 4 people incl. 2 y/o & injured another toddler

🇾🇪 US strikes target Yemen’s capital for 6th day, injuring 9+ people

🇵🇸 West Bank: IOF special forces raided al-Ein camp in Nablus, fired at car killing 1 Palestinian, injuring 3 & forcibly displaced 80+ families

🇵🇸 Heavy attacks on north Gaza, bombed nearby specialized Gaza City hospital, killing many

🚩 Al-Quds Brigades spokesperson killed alongside family in IOF attack on Nuseirat

🇵🇸 IOF targeted a car in Khan Younis killing 6 family members

🇵🇸 West Bank (WB): IOF shot & killed 25 y/o Palestinian, injured 3 others amid Qalqilya raid

🤐 Palestinian Authority destroyed resistance explosives planned to target IOF in Tubas (WB)

⛓️ IOF abducted 40 Palestinians in overnight WB raids

🇵🇸 57 more bodies recovered from al-Shifa Hospital mass grave, incl. 40 unidentified; estimated 160+ buried in the area from Israeli attacks

🥘 Only 2 charity food kitchens in Gaza operating due to 16-day Israeli total aid blockade

🏚️ 3-story building sheltering displaced in Jabalia (north) collapsed from previous IOF attacks

“م” of the Day

It’s A Classic

🤲 Make Dua for Madiha

﷽

O Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate, please bless Madiha with a loving and caring spouse who brings peace and happiness into her life. Ease her anxiety, heal her heart, and guide her toward a future filled with Your blessings.

Open the doors of Your infinite mercy for her, protect her from the harm of the evil eye, and surround her with sincere and loving friends. Remove from her life any insincerity or pain, replacing it with genuine care and support.

Grant her strength, patience, and tranquility as she navigates life's challenges, and let her feel Your comforting presence every step of the way.

Ameen, Ya Rabb al-'Alamin.

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