How Can a Muslim Use Time?

Time is more precious than everything. The fact that Muslims posses the book full of wisdom could mean that Muslims understand the true importance of time. Unfortunately, it is just the opposite that we, Muslims nowadays, are among the laziest people ever existed on the face of the Earth.

Time is like wealth and capital, you can invest it.  Depending on the method you use when investing your wealth or capital you end up either with win or loss. Unlike any other capital you may think of, ‘time’ is such a precious and unique capital such that it is impossible to add to it when it’s over because every minute that passes can never come back even if you were to spend all the wealth of this world. Therefore, every believer should be very careful when it comes to time.

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) talked about the importance of time in very clear phrases so that this ummah should benefit from.

He  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Make the most of five things before five others: life before death, health before sickness, free time before becoming busy, youth before old age, and wealth before poverty.” See Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 1077.

Nevertheless, most people are unaware of the importance of this blessing and are neglectful of their duties towards it, namely to fill it with acts of gratitude and obedience towards Allaah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also said:

“There are two blessings which many people do not make the most of and thus lose out: good health and free time.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6412.

We, Muslims, are always misusing time because we do not understand the value of time. So you will hear a Muslim saying ‘I want to kill time’, but if someone may ask, how will you kill time?. Then that’s  when “important stuffs’’ come out e.g. chatting long hours on Facebook, spending five hours in front of TV screen, backbiting, watching movies, having a date, attending parties,  and so on. This is not killing time but rather killing oneself. The same person always claims she or he is too busy to attend Islamic functions!

A Muslim must understand the verse which says “And I have not created the Jinn or humans except to worship Me.” [adh-Dhaariyaat (51):56]. Hence one should use time in the best possible way and not be heedless about it. The best way to spend time is in obeying Allah Ta`ala. One will never regret time spent in such acts of obedience.

These are some of the activities that a Muslim brother or sister may do in order to utilize each and every minute of his or her life span.

The points are backed by authentic sayings of the prophet and their references are aligned on the bottom of this article:

1 – Praying in congregation in the mosque

2 – Attending funerals and offering the funeral prayer

3 – Saying “Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer (There is no god but Allaah alone, with no partner or associate; His is the Dominion, to Him be all praise, and He is able to do all things)” one hundred times each day.

4 – Upholding the ties of kinship

5 – Observing voluntary fasts, visiting the sick and giving charity.

6 – Saying Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdih (Praise and glory be to Allaah) one hundred times

7 – Tasbeeh, tahmeed and takbeer, and enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and praying Duha.

8 – Reading Qur’aan.

9 – Doing other good deeds e.g. seeking knowledge by reading and studying different Islamic books, watching and listening to lectures, memorising the Quran, etc. These good deeds may be small but the most important thing is that they should be continuous.

It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“O people, you should do whatever good deeds you can, for Allaah does not get tired (of giving reward) until you get tired. And the most beloved of good deeds to Allaah is that in which a person persists, even if it is little. If the family of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) started to do something, they would persist in it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 43; Muslim, 782.

Islam wants the Muslim, after fulfilling his obligatory duties, to use his spare time for beneficial and fruitful pursuits which will help him to draw closer to Allaah, from the moment he wakes until he goes to sleep. This will leave him with no free time to pose a problem whereby he feels a need to fill it with activities that will drain his energy or squander it in inappropriate ways.

This does not mean that human beings are to be kept busy in a way that will exhaust and drain them… that is not one of the aims of Islam, as Islam calls man to enjoy the good things and remember his share of enjoyment in this world.

Not everything with which a person may fill his time is exhausting and energy-draining. One thing we may do is to spend time in quiet worship, remembering Allaah in our hearts.

Other things include taking a nap after Zuhr when it is hot; spending time chatting about decent topics with family or friends in the evening; visiting one another; joking in gentle and polite ways, and other forms of relaxation.

May Allah make us successful in this world and hereafter.

{references from where the  the above listed points have been taken from 1): al-Bukhaari, 631; Muslim, 669 2): al-Bukhaari, 1261; Muslim, 945 3): al-Bukhaari, 3119; Muslim, 2691 4): al-Bukhaari, 5639; Muslim, 2557. 5): Muslim, 1028 6): al-Bukhaari, 6042; Muslim, 2691 7): Muslim, 720 8): al-Tirmidhi, 2910; he said it is hasan saheeh. Also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi}