on the right time to be good?

When is the right time to change and be good?

i've heard this question lots of times from the actions of people. Well, heard it from their actions, because not many people would ask such a question. What would you think if somebody asked you this question?

"when should i be good?"

what your answer be?

"erm..now?"

but it's okay, on Reflective Perspectives we don't get flabbergasted at such obvious enquiries, because "kebenaran itu hakmilik setiap insan" (truth is the right of every individual).

But everyone can answer that question, d'oh, you say. Yes, everyone can answer that question, it's clear as night and day. Allah says

"There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Tâghût and believes in Allâh, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower." (2:256)


There is no compulsion, because truth is clear, and falsehood is clear.we know that it is false when we open dodgy websites when no one is watching. we know that all the idle entertainment we enjoy is just for pleasure, and not remembering Allah. we know that our wasting time isn't going to help us in the hereafter. we know all this.


 The only thing left is which path are we going to take. But there are lots of good people out there, aren't there? Lots of people i know pray 5 times a day, and fast in ramadhan, and perform hajj, some do it once every few years. the default malay setting of a good person is


"asalkan tak menyusahkan orang sudahlah" (as long as you don't cause trouble to other people okaylah)


but our scales are not according to what our ancestors say. We have the manual of all manuals, which say


"O you who believe! Enter perfectly in Islâm and follow not the footsteps of Shaitân. Verily! He is to you a plain enemy." (2:208)


Enter perfectly.

'i love Allah, but i love my lifestyle/worldly things/entertainment as well'?

We'll take a samurai sword and slice the sentence into two.

*swooshhhhh!~*

'i love Allah'

as in a previous post, things are good if you do it solely for Allah, and impure if otherwise. The problem most people have today is, they love good things, and want to be good, but mix a bit of this here, a bit of this there, and when entering perfectly means they have to give up some things they love, they say

"im not ready yet, maybe when im older and more stable, have finished studying, have lots more knowledge etc"

Fair enough, but subject to one caveat, that is assuming we know our precise time of death. One normal day you can be walking from your house to the local runcit store, crossing the street, when

*vroooooooom!!!!*

a car comes out of nowhere and hits you, and the next day your mum will tell harian metro

"that morning before he went out he hugged me..who knew it was going to be his last hug"

And even if you live a bit longer, probably some other things will come and you will say

"im not ready yet, i have my family, maybe when im older and the kids have all gone and i have retired from work etc"

and before you know it death comes and your family weeps and you are in the ground and they all come and pay last respects and then they go home and you are all alone, saying

"And spend of that with which We have provided you, before death comes to one of you and he says: "My Lord! If only You would give me respite for a little while then I should give Sadaqah of my wealth , and be among the righteous." (63:10)


So when is the right time to change and be righteous?


When you feel like you really want to go to heaven and really don't want to spend an eternity in the burning fire.