One thing which everyone has, is time. Time is something which we should value, but we often neglect and allow ourselves to waste it. There is a lovely chapter of the Holy Qur’an Sura Asr (chapter 103) which explains how best to utilise our time. The translation is:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful. By the Time. Surely, man is ever in a state of loss. Except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and exhort one another to preach Truth, and exhort one another to be steadfast.
In this chapter, it begins by referring to this blessing of time, but then says that we are wasting our time, misusing it and so man is ever in a state of loss. It then relates that only those people who use their time well, is time when you believe and do righteous deeds, when you exhort one another to preach truth and when you remain steadfast in Allah.
If we do not use our time to do these noble things, then we are wasting our time. As the verse tells us – man is ever in a state of loss – why?
Because most of our time is wasted pursuing worldly things, things that ultimately are only a benefit for a short time. Things which will all remain behind, we cannot take to the next life.
Therefore, it is something which we should ponder over and reflect over how we have been spending our time during the past year. Has it been time spent for gain or loss?
Then after reflecting over the past year, we should think about the future, how are we intending to spend our time? Are we going to learn from the past or not?
For a person who does not believe in God or does not worry about the next life, then they feel it is best to use their time in this life. Run after things which will give you pleasure and happiness, whilst you are still having time. But for a believer in God, then they know that this physical world is only just the beginning of a long journey, one which will go on forever and that this life is just like an hour in your life. It may seem important, but an hour compared to your whole life, is nothing. Still in that hour, you could do things which affect your live, therefore, it is not to be dismissed, just used properly.
For a believer in God, they will feel that this time we have should be used to get closer to God, which will then continue forever. This is the main purpose of a religion, to build and develop you as a person and help you develop that close relationship with God. Through doing so, you will then help serve God’s wonderful creation to try and improve life for all.
As Muslims, we are fortunate to have the Holy Qur’an as guidance and the example of the Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his companions, but to have guidance and to use it is two separate matters. Many Muslims have the Holy Qur’an with them and have been granted wisdom by Allah to use it but fail to do so. The ultimate teaching of religion is to develop your relationship with Allah. We all have the means, the time and the ability, but we still neglect this basis duty. We need to understand that the only thing that really matters in life is your relationship with your maker.
The best way to spend our time is in Prayer. Prayer is a one-to-one relationship that you have with God. We all express ourselves differently, we all have our own ways to show our love – for this reason we know that Allah has different kind of relationship with every one of His followers.
The Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) relates:
Allah says “I treat My servant in accordance with his understanding of Me. I am with him whenever he remembers Me.”
Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a servant of His than one of you would be if he were to lose his camel in a barren desert and then find it unexpectedly.
Allah says:
Whoever moves towards Me by the span of an open hand, I move towards him by half an arm’s length. And whoever moves towards Me by half an arm’s length, I move towards him by the length of an arm. When he comes walking towards Me, I run to meet him.
The most important thing to remember is that God is always there waiting for you and that real peace can only be obtained through our love and our worship of God. Knowing this, then the best way to spend your time is in your prayers. In our prayers, we should be totally lost in the love and presence of God. When they are finished, we should be at peace, at one with our Maker. The prayers are the essence of religion. We are asked to give up some of our precious time in a day for God. That time should be looked upon as God’s time. A time that is totally for God. A time to cut off all thoughts of the world and be totally focused on speaking to God.
But all too often we lose the moment, in our rush to fill out our busy day; we can’t afford to spend enough quality time with our maker. To ponder over His greatness and His attributes. That is the starting place.
If we look at all the Prophets, they always had time for their Maker. And that is what rubbed off on their companions. The whole point of the religion is to have that close relationship with your Maker to develop that love of God. Once that is there then everything else falls into place.
One thing that is important is to build up the community. That is important as we all need to be part of a community. Islam centres on unity and brotherhood and we should not only develop our own relationship with Allah, but also work together and help each other.
Likewise, we should be concerned for others, others who have not found this path to God. They are lost, groping in the dark, searching for God. There is no doubt that they need to find God, for they will never be content with what they have, if they do not have God. But how are they going to find God unless you help them?
Naturally, it is very difficult to approach friends or strangers and talk about God? But it they see your shining example, that will draw them to you. If they see something which they do not have but want.
Another way of spending your time properly, is striving in the way of Allah. We should keep trying to win Allah’s pleasure and serve mankind. One of the main ways is by your financial sacrifices. Times are very hard, and everyone is feeling it, but Allah is the best provider and what we get from Allah is far better than any material things.
The early companions of the Holy Prophet strove hard and spent dearly in the way of Allah and they received a great reward from Allah. We should also strive for those blessings.
It is related:
O Messenger of Allah, which act of charity has the greatest reward?
The Messenger of Allah answered, “that you give charity when you are in good health, when you yourself stand in need, and when you are afraid of poverty and desire to become wealthy”
The Holy Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) further explained this:
By Allah, I am not afraid that you will become poor, but I am afraid that worldly wealth will be given to you in abundance as it was given to those (nations) before you, and you will start completing each other for it as the previous nations competed for it, and then it will divert you (from good) as it diverted them
When you face poverty and difficulties, then due to your situation, it develops a strong attachment and reliance to Allah. But when you are in a good condition, you may become lost to worldly things and forget about your Maker.
Again, the Holy Prophet ((may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
There are two blessings which many people lose: they are Health and free time for doing good
We should use our good health to keep doing good deeds and not waste our time. But if you expect to do good deeds when old, then your health may have gone, and it will be too late.
We should never take life for granted, instead make most of your time and don’t miss any opportunity to do good. This is one of the beauties of Islam, that whatever we do, can be a form of worship, if done for Allah. This is why we begin every action with Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem – In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful and then that action becomes a form of worship as well.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Imam Mahdi and Promised Messiah has said:
Look at the Companions of the Holy Prophet. Is it because they were lovers of luxurious lives that they won a victory against their opponents? No, it was not so.
Even in the previous scriptures, it is mentioned that these people would be the worshippers of God during the night and they would be fasting during the day. They spent their nights in the remembrance of Allah
It is important that we use the time that God has given us to get close to Allah, whilst you have health and free time for doing good. Enjoy the blessings of Allah of wealth and the pleasures of the world, but never lose sight of your main goal in life – to strive after the pleasure of Allah