The Messenger* said: “Take benefit of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free-time before your preoccupation, and your life before your death.” (Hakim)
*peace be upon him
The first time I heard this hadith was a number of years ago, during several weekend seminars organised by MJD, the Muslim Youth/Student Association of Germany.
Strangely enough it resonated strongly within me then, the wisdom inherent in the messenger's (pbuh) words obvious, years on however, I feel I can appreciate its layers more clearly, beyond merely grasping their content, but realizing that the words reflect the experience of the time spent in London. Has it not, if nothing else, been time spent in 'pre-occupation'?
