Most People Unprepared for Y2K

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

We read story after story of the measures being taken by individuals, corporations and governments for the impending possible disaster of Y2k meltdown and disruption worldwide. No matter what these people do, I am positive that most will not be ready for Y2K even if they have the most sophisticated and comprehensive hardware and software fixes available and teams of engineers and technicians. No matter what they do it will likely be far too late for them by the time Y2K rolls around and they will have the utmost regret for not having properly taken into account the gravity of the situation beforehand. They will have already met their destruction as will have most of their children. I am as sure of this as sure as I am of the sun rising in the East. Read the following list of Y2K preparedness questions to evaluate if you have taken proper measures before the occasion of Y2K and then judge for yourself if most people are ready.

Y2K Preparedness Questionnaire

Have You:

1. Recognized the One and Only True Provider, Creator and Sustainer, Allah?
2. Committed yourself to serving Him and willfully submitting to His commands?
3. Recognized that Muhammad the son of Abdullah and Aminah was the final Prophet and Messenger of Allah to all mankind?
4. Submitted to the fact that Muhammad (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was the absolute correct speech and given the best of guidance and way of life in the form of the Qur'an and his way, the sunnah?
5. Saved your data (Ctrl+S = confess and submit) to prevent total loss by knowing the above and realizing there is a Hereafter and a questioning you will face about who your Lord, His Prophet and His Din are and also knowing that even if you didn't save, it has all been recorded?
6. Turned to Allah in repentance for your sins?
7. Backed up your data and deeds by doing your best to pray the obligatory prayers (in congregation whenever possible as men and as women strived to do so on time in their homes or elsewhere)?
8. Backed up your data and deeds by doing as many extra, non-obligatory acts of worship as you could?
9. Fasted sincerely in the month of Ramadhan and outside it?
10. Used your money to go to the Holy places to perform your obligation of Hajj and 'Umrah when you were able instead of spending thousands on hi-tech hardware you didn't need or vacations to far away places that had no benefit other than fulfilling your desires?
11. Disrespected your parents and rushed headlong into every evil they warned against?
12. Neglected the parents that cared for you, especially your mothers, in their old age?
13. Taken the time to learn Islam from the scholars of Islam and not merely the claimants to it?
14. Put the good and correct things you learned into practice like practicing all the five pillars?
15. Done all that was within your ability to convey the message of Islam to those who did not know or tried to teach other Muslims?
16. Neglected your spouse? In the case of women: not obeying the lawful wishes of the husband and guarding yourselves and his property and putting aside his rights upon you? In the case of men: verbally or physically abused your wives, given them little quality time, treated them like maids or sex slaves and did nothing or little to educate them?
17. Neglected your children by leaving their upbringing to others especially the worst among them, including the mechanical babysitters and educators such as the TV, the radio, the cinema and the Internet?
18. Doing all you could to leave behind righteous children who could benefit you after Y2k?
19. Spent most of your time worrying about the latest gadget, clothes, software, hardware or underwear to the neglect of giving some of that extra money in sadaqah?
20. Made a mockery of Islamic practices and morality such as removing your Islamic garb in imitation or emulation or self-consciousness before those who disbelieve?
21. After claiming Islam nevertheless continued to lie, cheat, steal, or commit other major sins?
22. Assisted your Muslim brethren who were starving, suffering from disease, attacks from their enemies by praying for them, sending them food, clothing, or money on their behalf?
23. Made a pastime of backbiting and belittling believers, and making the worst of their intentions or taking more time to figure out how to overcome other Muslims and find them blameworthy than in self-examination and rectification?
24. Aided and abetted the enemies of Islam by promoting their causes, habits and values before those of Islam?
25. Sought out to indulge every pleasure in your youth and did nothing to nourish your soul?
26. Used your technological saavy to produce to listen to, spread or view the immoral behavior of actors, actresses, singers, athletes, dancers, fashion models, porn stars and the like?
27. Read far more and gained more knowledge of entertainers of all types than you had of the best of people, starting with the prophets ('alayhimus salam) and then the noble companions of Muhammad (radiallahu 'anhum) and the righteous scholars who followed their way?
28. Looked down upon Muslims who strived hard in their lifetimes to adhere to Islam in word, deed, letter and spirit?
29. Been unforgiving to your brothers and sisters for their mistakes?
30. Lived a life that you would be confident in standing before your Creator on the Day that is incomparable to anything that may occur in any millenium and will be equal to 50K?

What in the world is the relationship between these questions and Y2K preparedness you ask? Perhaps you have forgotten that Y2k on the Islamic calendar comes in 500 years and surely most anyone who can read this at this time will be in their graves.

nasihah (sincere advice)