THE REPORT CARD

THE REPORT CARD

It's that time of year again. The spring frosts are over. The blossoms and fruits of the new season are all blooming and growing. The major wedding season of the year is once again creeping upon us. Students of all levels are in a feverish preparation and cramming review in anticipation of the final exams of the school year.

The long break of the summer is almost here!!

We all look forward to summer vacation. As students, it was a well-deserved break after a year (the school year being in all actuality only 9 months) of hard-and much of the time-monotonous work. And now, as parents of the newer batch of students, we also look forward to the summer in grand anticipation as a break from the tug-of-war job of waking unresponding adolescents in the mornings, and constant reminding and nagging for them to study in the evenings.

For all the generations concerned-parents and children alike-the summer break is a well-deserved vacation. The icing on the cake after a year of long and hard work.

And a very famous precept as to the quality of enjoyment of that hard-earned vacation is the end-of-the-year report card. The final accumulative results of the whole previous year's school work is the grand opener to set the mood for the upcoming months of the summer vacation.

If the scores are good, then everyone is happy, and summer vacation kicks off with a bang. But if the scores are poor, then that sets the atmosphere for tension, anger, and the promising threat of the onslaught of punishment of some sort.

But forget about school for a moment. Let's look at the much wider and excessively more serious picture of life and our relationship to the Creator.

He has given us a Book of Directive Guidance. He has mercifully sent to us fine exemplary role models in the long historical procession of prophets and messengers. And we ourselves pass through an ongoing test. This whole earthly life is merely a grand succession of tests.

And so what will our final grade be?

On that infamous Day to come-do you suspect you will be handed your report in your left hand or the right? Do you suppose you will be presented with the report in front of you or behind your back?

On that Day of Reckoning, there will be no chance to return to re-do things. Nor will there be a second chance for a re-make on any of the tests. Nor will there be any cheating on the resulting grades. What you will see of the results will be your fair share of what you deserve in accordance with your performance in this life.

Prepare yourselves well, my dearly beloved brethren! In this day and age, with the grand advantages we have to achieve knowledge and awareness, there is little excuse for not knowing the truth and the guidance. Seek out, learn, and then implement that Divine Guidance. It is within easy and affordable reach of us all, if only we will make the effort.

Make the best use of the time and blessings and forturne you have been granted in this life. Seek Allah's help, His guidance, and His protection from Satan, deviation, and laziness. And pray for His mercy that you will find solace and promise in a good passing report, in order that your eternity shall be spent in happiness and tranquility.