What defines you? What legacy have you left behind?

"Think farming. What do you do if you want a great harvest? Plant lots of good seed.

What happens if you eat up the seed? No harvest. Life is farming" (Yawar Baig, "Thought share - life lessons of 55 years")

Have we ever allowed others to reap the benefits of the seeds we have planted?

"It is your character, your actions, what you stand for, your principles and your values, which define you.

Not what you possess. What you possess can be stolen or taken away from you.

Your character, your values, your principles - these are the stuff of memories that you leave behind.

By these you will be remembered, honorably or otherwise.

Live a life such that you will be remembered with honor.

Anyone sensible enough will seek to add value to himself, not cost. Possessions add cost, not value.

People who believe that possessions add value, or seek to convince others of this, seemingly have no value for themselves.

The 'awesomeness' of your car, your house, your watch, your clothing - none of these define you, are not statements, nor indicators of what human being you are." (Mirza Yawar Baig, "Bringing Up a Muslim Child")

We tend to deceptively drive ourselves into the mentality that our significance is marked by the physical magnitude of the wealth and richess we leave behind.

Let's take a step back and evaluate for ourselves - how do you measure the significance of a person? Let's take an easy example, the Top 100 Most Influential Persons in History, by Michael Hart. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_100

And you will see that, this contemporary historian acknowledges that, throughout the course of human history - all the 100 most influential people, are not recognized for the material wealth that they leave behind. It's always the contribution, the role and effect they have have on society - and the footprint they leave behind on the hearts and minds of other men - men and women who have never met them - many many years after their death.

Which really puts into perspective, the authentic hadith narrated in Sahih Muslim, where the Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"When the son of Adam dies, all of his good deeds are cut off except three:

1) a perpetual charity (which continues to benefit others)

2) good knowledge which benefits others; and

3) the prayers of a righteous child/progeny for his parents"

When you leave this material world, the Prophet tells us that the only thing that is of any avail to us, is of the positive things that we have left behind - the beneficial contributions to society, and the righteousness of our children (who, in turn, will continue to benefit others too!)

and you see, in some way or another, those 100 men were listed there, due to the significance of one or a combination of the three aspects listed above.*pls read disclaimer below

... Which of course, isn't surprising that this amazing statement came from the very same man - Muhammad - whom Michael Hart placed as the Number 1 most influential person in the history of mankind

Read the newspapers - memorials of people who have passed away. Who cares what physical riches they have gathered? What earned them a page in the newspaper is the true value that they've brought to the society and people around them.

Who cares about the jaded pop star who owns a 15-million dollar mansion by the sea who died because of drug overdose?

So let's take a backseat, reflect, and ask ourselves - what defines us?

What have we left behind for others?

When you go, will you be loved, or hated?

When you go, will people be relieved, or grieved, at your absence?

All that wealth and possessions that we have hoarded and amassed today - is it really that important?

Begin with the end in mind: what we do today - will these be of any avail to us tomorrow? Or even after we pass away?

..Or are we heedlessly enjoying fleeting things that will be a cause of regret, when we come back to our senses some day?

There will come, a time to change to a better person, and that time is NOW.

"Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe to be affected by Allah's Reminder, and that which has been revealed of the truth?

Lest they become as those who received the Scripture before, and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened?

And many of them were rebellious and disobedient" (Al-Hadid 57:16)

And Allah knows best.

- Why Islam? Why not!

"And remind them - for verily, the reminder profits those who believe" (Adz-Dzariyat 51:55)

*Disclaimer: before some of you jump on your seats, i fully acknowledge the fact that some of the people in Michael Hart's top 100 list (and some amongst the honourable mention) are not good people... in fact some of them are downright evil. No, I didn't say Hitler - but you get the point.

The point is to show the significance of the legacy we leave behind - the reason they have had such an influence is because of what they did - not what they owned.

And indeed, this also shows that conversely, any significant evil which you have caused in society will also leave a mark on them for many, many years to come.