The 2013 Youth!

So who is cooler and who makes more sense?! You decide!

So this first guy is your typical everyday 19-year-old Pakistani guy living in Islamabad and Lahore or any other major city in Pakistan.

He gets up every morning, shaves.. Because all ‘young’ people have to shave right ?! Because EVERYONE does it and says so right? .. The scratches, the itchiness, the stress on the face  is all worth it because then he’ll get looked at by mates at Uni and if lucky, a pretty girl will stare at him and fall in love with him, yeah?!  Hmmm.. Spends over 2 hours getting ready, combing every strand of his hair to perfection..! Creams his face.. Stares at the mirror almost asking the question.. “Mirror mirror on the wall..”!! He wears his tight jeans ’cause you know that’s the ‘in’ fashion nowadays! Doesn’t matter if they are uncomfortable..
Gotta look good !
Gotta look sharp!!
Puts on his best shirt, perfumes himself, bye to the family, catch the ‘wagon’.. Maybe stare at the pretty girl! You know, cheap thrills, yeah! Hoping she would look back! But no she doesn’t!! Oh well, plenty more fish in the sea (Uni), he thinks.
Gets to campus.. Meets his mates! High fives as  if they are Americans – accidentally happen to be in Pakistan(!). Gets invited to a party or 2.. Then talk about cricket.. “What a shot, what a chakka!!”.. Followed by “The government is so messed up man.. Followed by “Did you see that girl in that lecture?” .. Followed by “Let’s go Munchies/Savour/McDonald’s later yaaaaaaaar!!”.. Followed by “Oh this amazing song in that Aamir Khan movie.. Wow yaaar!” or “Have you downloaded that new track by Radiohead/Rihanna/Atif Aslam?!”
He misses all the prayers because none of his ‘friends ‘ are going to pray.. Plus he thinks he has got all his life to pray right?! Go Hajj when aged 40 and then pray regularly.. But right now I’m young! I’m cool! Wanna enjoy life! Death doesn’t come to youngsters at all right(!) right?!
Then he talks about exams stress. Lack of money.. Wish he had a Bollywood-type girl friend, had a car.. And just complain about life.. Go to the lectures.. Chill out with mates.. Go home.. More studies.. Sleep.. But before he sleeps he thinks what a boring life.. Everyday a let-down.. Why am I not at peace..? Everyday I try hard to impress the people  but the demands get higher!
Next day he goes through the same routine. Excited in the morning followed by disappointment towards the end of the day.. Same conversations. Same complaints.. Same have-to-get-this-and-that-but-can’t-get-it thinking! Frustration.. Lack of peace.. Working hard to please people.. Neglecting his duties towards the ONE that made him and therefore risking…

HELLFIRE!

OR

This other guy, who is also 19, that wakes up every morning to worships his Creator. He also goes to Uni dressed nicely, clean, without the intention of impressing his mates.
HE decides what he wears and not be dictated by some freak obscure designer in Lahore, Milan or New York. He has a beard because he wants to emulate the greatest human being that ever lived!
He goes to Uni and studies hard..
Greets his friends with greetings of peace and hand-shakes!
The kind of mates he meets are those that are thinking deeply about life! The type of conversations he engages in are:
“There is an Islamic lecture organised by YC [Youth Club].. Shall we go? We could all chip in for the taxi ride.” Followed  by “Do you have any suggestions for concentrating during Salah [prayer]?”
Followed by “Did you listen to that beautiful recitation by Qari so-and-so?”.. Then discuss a few points raised by a closet atheist.
Conversations but intellectual productive ones.
He prays his Salah.. He attends amazing thought-provoking, inspiring lectures after Uni. He has a vision for life based around worshiping the Creator. He is young, has feelings.. Wants a beautiful girl.. Some money.. Nice house.. To chill and relax.. But he knows not yet.. Not in this life.. He knows he needs to struggle and follow the commands of Islam on a daily level. His focus is excellence in worship because he knows that the wealth, the women, the fame, the compliments from people, the good food will either be given to him in this life, or better still, in..

JANNAH!

So which guy do you want to be? The one that tries hard to please this world and tragically doesn’t get what he wants and potentially loses his hereafter?
Or
The guy who is at peace, looking beyond what the people think and more concerned about what the creator of those very people thinks and is aiming to get to Paradise?

YOUTH CLUB

(Street Da`wah Team)