Deferring a good deed

[Elham S.]

Salam everyone. 

About that phrase “I will change tomorrow but the decree of death was for today.”





We believe intention matters a lot.  Will such a person’s good intention bring him or her maghfirah after the final journey even though they died short of achieving their goal?

[Ruhi_Rose]

Walaykum as Salam.    Answers to such questions are known to Allah alone.  It’s not as simple for us to decide as it may seem at face value.  Yes, intention (niyyah) is very important but what might have been each person’s intention is known to Allah only.

If a believer genuinely decides to carry out a righteous deed and suddenly or unexpectedly passes away prior to it, it’s very likely Allah will accept their good deed based on their good intent.

But your query is different, which is about reaching out to Allah’s guidance for the future benefit of the soul so we can get maghfirah on the Day of Decision. It’s a very significant and vital issue because without maghfirah we fail utterly on the Day of Decision.  That’s the ultimate loss.  Therefore if a person has awakened and is truly looking for guidance with sincere intent, they will rush to grasp guidance as soon as they awaken without any timeframes for the change.  This is about guidance and maghfirah, not renewing your passport or driver’s license.  When a person is trying to turn their lives around for the better, sincerely deciding to find guidance, whether they are 20-years-old or 80, they will always feel enough time has been wasted and will want to move ahead with their new plans at that very moment.  No one with the right intent in such a situation would say “I’ll change tomorrow or next month or next year” or make it a “new year resolution” etc.  These are generally the signs of laggards who are taking it easy without the seriousness required. They haven’t yet perceived that the next day or the next month, much less next year, are never promised to anyone. 

But like I said, only Allah has the final answer as each individual case is different and only He knows the inside story of every soul.

[Maroof Ali]

I agree with Sister Ruhi Rose.  She said it right.