There are two blessings in which many people incur loss: health and free time

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Hadith
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Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There are two blessings in which many people incur loss: health and free time."
Authentic hadith - Narrated by Bukhari

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed about two great blessings that Allah bestows upon man, in which many people suffer loss because they use them inappropriately. When a person is blessed with both health and free time but is overcome by laziness in worship, he is among the losers, and this is the case with most people. However, if a person uses his free time and health in obeying Allah, he is the winner, for this world is the cultivation ground for the Hereafter, and in it lies the trade whose profit will be realized in the Hereafter. Free time is followed by preoccupation, and health is followed by sickness; and if nothing else except old age, it would suffice as a reminder.

Benefits from the Hadith

  1. The person who is held accountable for religious duties is likened to a merchant, and health and free time are compared to capital; whoever makes good use of his capital will attain success and profit, while whoever wastes it will incur loss and regret.
  2. Ibn al-Khāzin said: A blessing is something a person enjoys and finds pleasure in, and 'ghabn' (deception) refers to buying something for much more than its worth or selling it for less than its actual value. So, whoever has a healthy body and is free from burdensome tasks but does not strive for the betterment of his Hereafter is like someone deceived in a sale.
  3. Keenness on benefitting from health and free time to draw closer to Allah Almighty and perform good deeds before they are lost.
  4. Expressing gratitude to Allah for His blessings is by utilizing them in obeying Allah Almighty.
  5. Al-Qādi and Abu Bakr ibn al-‘Arabi said: There is a difference of opinion regarding the first blessing that Allah bestows upon the slave. Some say it is faith, others say it is life, and some say it is health. The first opinion is more correct, as it is an absolute blessing, whereas life and health are worldly blessings. They are only considered true blessings if accompanied by faith, and here many people are deceived regarding these blessings, i.e., their profit is lost or diminished. Whoever indulges in his evil-commanding soul that seeks only comfort, neglecting the observance of boundaries and steadfastness in obedience, is deceived. Likewise, if a person has free time, he is more accountable than someone who is busy, as the busy person might have an excuse, but the one with free time has no excuse and is informed beyond the excuse of ignorance.

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