Time Management and its' Importance in Islam

Salaamu Alaykum brothers and sisters in Islam,

Today I will be discussing time management and its’ importance in Islam.

Alhamdulillah, time is a gift from Allaah subhanahu wa ta’ala, all praise is due to him. Allaah subhanahu wa ta’ala brought us into existence in this world at a specified time and within a specific time frame. He has kept for everyone something known as “a door of death” which everyone will cross. From the minute we are born, the clock starts ticking and it does not stop- when you are sleeping, it ticks, and when you are walking, it ticks.

So let us not waste this time that Allaah subhanahu wa ta’ala has given us, as He( subhanahu wa ta’ala)  already warned us that time is of essence. Every moment you have should be utilized in a beneficial way so that the day you meet with your creator, you will be proud of how you used that moment. This is something that Allaah subhanahu wa ta’ala mentioned in the Quran in so many places and Muhammad sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa salam being the final messenger, the greatest and the most noble of all, subhanAllaah reminded us constantly not to waste our time.

 He (the messenger of Allah, peace and blessing be upon him) mentioned that  there are two gifts of Allaah subhanahu wa ta’ala that many are deceived about and many take for granted, and this is the value of time and health.

A person takes his health for granted until the day it starts to diminish. May Allaah grant cure/ shifa’a to those struggling with their health. The little time we have- let us utilize it properly, and use it positively. We should be reading the Quran, we should be learning why we are here in this world. Some people leave this world without knowing the reason for their existence which is  not good enough. Allaah has blessed us with so much, it is not all about telemundo, zeeworld or earning money.

 If life was all about wealth and materialistic items, we would be taking those straight through with us into the Aakhira – The afterlife, but  reality is when we are buried, it is done without our phones, without our cars, without our homes, without our houses, without anything that we've had, no clothing, no perfumes, not anything! All of these are left behind.

This shows that there is a greater picture. In fact, we leave behind our bodies as well- they are in the graves and perhaps decompose in a short time. Therefore, the gift of time is such that we should utilize it in order to know reasons for our creation.

Why did Allaah create me? I need answers, and to get those answers, I need to spend some time.I need to make an effort, and this is when I will be able to understand the gift of Allaah upon me, which is the gift of time.

My brothers and sister, dear readers, let us understand this gift of Allaah.

 Not a day should go by without having worshipped Allaah(correctly), in the way that he wants us to worship him. Not a single prayer should be missed, we are to be fulfilling all five prayers, not three, not four but five! After those five are fulfilled, we need to understand that the rest of the time we have should be used in order to gain closeness to Allaah. This is what will help us on the day, when time is no more, when time is eradicated and literally destroyed by Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala ), for there will be nothing known as time when in paradise. 

 What happens when time is destroyed? Eternity! Eternity comes to existence. At That time, it would be incorrect to ask, what the time is, because it no longer exists. 

For now, we do have some time- use it, do not abuse it, and do not waste it.

 May Allaah help myself and yourself to utilize every moment, everyday, every week, every month that we have in a way that when years has passed, I can see my achievement and progress when I meet with Allaah. I would be the happiest through the mercy of Allaah, may he grant us paradise – Ameen.

I would like to conclude this with the noble verses of the Quran that speaks about time;

[It will be said to the losers of the judgment day]. "Were not My verses recited to you and you used to deny them?"

They will say, "Our Lord, our wretchedness overcame us, and we were a people astray.

Our Lord, remove us from it, and if we were to return [to evil], we would indeed be wrongdoers."
He(Allaah) will say, "Remain despised therein and do not speak to Me"

Indeed, there was a party of My servants who said, 'Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us and have mercy upon us, and You are the best of the merciful.'

But you took them in mockery to the point that they made you forget My remembrance, and you used to laugh at them.

Indeed, I have rewarded them this Day for their patient endurance - that they are the attainers [of success].

[Allaah] will say, "How long did you remain on earth in number of years?"

They will say, "We remained a day or part of a day; ask those who enumerate."

He will say, "You stayed not but a little - if only you had known.

Then did you think that We created you uselessly(just for fun without any purpose) and that to Us you would not be returned?

So exalted is Allaah , the Sovereign, the Truth; there is no deity except Him, Lord of the Noble Throne.{Quran 23:100-116}

Salaam alaykum WarahmatAllaahi wa barakaatuhu.

Guest author: Anonymous