Hadrat Amr ibn Aas Radiallahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam had advised one person by telling him, “Value five things before five conditions come upon you.”

1.       Your youth before old age.

2.       Good health before sickness.

3.       Good conditions before poverty.

4.       Your free time before becoming occupied.

5.       Your life before Death.  (Tirmidhi)

Valuing these five things actually means that they should not be destroyed in play, amusement and useless activities. One’s youth, health, wealth, free time and life should be valued before these bounties are snatched away due to old age, sickness, poverty, occupation and death. These moments should be used to do good deeds which will become a provision for the hereafter.

It is apparent that one has the desire to carry out good actions in old age but where will one acquire the strength that one had possessed in his youth. Similarly, even though one remembers Allah Ta’ala more during sickness, but doesn’t have the strength any longer to worship Allah Ta’ala. The grief and sorrow remains in the heart. Similarly, in a state of poverty the heart is concerned of earning livelihood but the heart of a person longs to worship Allah Ta’ala at such a time. In a like manner one can understand the free time before being occupied and life before death.