About Good Planning

The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “There is no wisdom equal to good planning.” [Mishkat]

Commentary: Although Rasul Allah was Allah’s Messenger he planned. Angels came to assist him but after he had planned to the best of his ability with the best resources that he could muster. This is because he had to set a precedent for us.

Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) does not need us to carry out His plans, or to serve His Deen. The reason we work for Allah’s Deen is only to give Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) an excuse to put us in Jannah. So also for Allah’s pleasure we plan, in order to do our best possible, and thus to show our sincerity.

Suppose you invite 30 people over for dinner. But you don’t plan a menu, don’t do groceries according to the menu, don’t clean the house, don’t make any seating arrangements and don’t prepare any food. The doorbell rings and your first guest arrives. Will you be considered sincere in your invitation when your guests find out that you are not prepared to receive them and have no food to serve them?

Sincerity shows in planning, while the outcome is always in Allah’s Hands. While we plan extensively for our education, careers, and holidays, should we not also plan for getting to Jannah?

To have no plan is to have a plan for failure. What’s your plan?

Make a list of things that you should be doing/want to do, make a plan, and then set out to do them! Whether it's reading the Qur'an daily, Sunnah fasting, waking up for tahajjud, not using foul language, etc, make a plan to be better and get closer to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).