The Enduring Good Deeds

“Life begins in a weak stage during adolescence, then reaches strength in youth, and finally descends into old age—a time when the body weakens, strength diminishes, hair turns gray, bones grow frail, and one’s standing before Allah and their meeting with Him draws nearer.

When gray hair starts to appear, the veil that distracts [so many] is lifted from one’s eyes. [Realizing that the end is inevitable], they recognize that their time in this world is temporary, and nothing but a fleeting moment.

Such a person realizes that their life has passed by so quickly, as though it were nothing but brief moments in time, just like a short dream. They reflect on how fast time has flown by, leaving them with a sense of urgency.

They say to themselves, “If people only knew that this world is a temporary dwelling—fleeting, and doesn’t last for anyone.”

Gray hair is like a secret message; it acts as a reminder for a person to turn to Allah (in forgiveness), making repentance the greatest concern in their heart. Holding themselves to account (in how they spent their lives) becomes a constant habit for them, while becoming closer to Allah is their ultimate goal.

For them, this is their last chance to take advantage of their remaining days of life and prepare for their meeting with Allah, who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. It is worth noting that having gray hair doesn’t mean that one becomes weak or that they should just give up and withdraw from life altogether.

Rather, it marks the beginning of a new chapter, a chapter illuminated by wisdom, enriched by life experiences, and refined through the trials (they’ve) experienced. During this phase, elders become a source of guidance, lighting the way for the youth while laying the foundation for future generations to come.

They inspire others to be ambitious, breathing optimism into their aspirations. Having gray hair doesn’t bring an end to one’s work, nor does it signal the end of giving, for as long as the heart beats with iman (faith) and one’s determination is driven by yaqeen (certainty).”

[Translated from a Madeenah Jumu’ah Khutbah by Sheikh Abdul Bari Thubaity dated 17th Rajjab 1446 | 17th January 2025.]