Importance of Time in Islam

We all are familiar with the most famous proverbs “Time is money” and “Time is Gold”. Time has great importance in the life of human being. Humanity has always been anxious with time, the passage of time, the measurement of time, and the scientific qualities of time. Time is a blessing on all of us. We should concentrate on how we use time according to Islamic perspective. Allah Almighty has clearly stated the value of time in Quran. We should make the use of time wisely to increase our faith in this life and the hereafter too.

Our beloved Prophet (SAW) said about time in Hadith: “There are two blessings which many people lose: (They are) health and free time for doing good” (Bukhari). From this saying, we can conclude that we should utilize our time for doing good deeds for the sake of Almighty Allah’s pleasure. We order our lives around time, in Islam lives are structured around the daily prayers.

We should offer prayers on time which are obligatory on every Muslim. In Islam believers are encouraged to be certain of time, to know its importance and to organize it intelligently.  If human beings do not waste or abuse time, but rather think of it as a blessing from Lord then they have every reason to hope for success both in this life and in the hereafter.

Importance of Time in Quran

Allah Almighty has mentioned everything in Quran which is the source of Guidance for us. Similarly, Allah has stated the importance of time in Holy Quran that we will discuss below:

Indeed, we displease Allah the Most High when we misuse time. We must remember that time must be spent to fulfill our very purpose in life that is to worship Allah during our lives. Allah makes the importance of time very clear in the Quran when He says:  “I have only created Jinns and Men that they may serve Me. No Sustenance do I require of them, nor do I require that they should feed Me. For Allah is He Who gives (all) Sustenance, Lord of Power, Steadfast forever).” (Quran, 51:56-58). From this verse we can say that we should use our time to worship Allah instead of doing some other useless things.

For every true believer knows that life on earth is temporary and its eternal accomplishment lies in terms of pleasing Allah (SWT) and living its life according to His Commandments. The Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran in Chapter Al-Asr about the importance of time: “By time, indeed, mankind is in loss, Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.” (Quran, 103: 1-3).

The Ayahs explain the worth of time in life of a Muslim. The Creator of the world of the worlds declares time as a great measure of one`s success or failure. The Exalted One says that with every advancing moment of existence, human has a great warning that is associated with it.

Time is one of mankind’s most precious resources since it can never be replaced or renewed once it has passed. When we waste our time it is much like someone investing his capital impulsively and not using it to generate profit. Invest time in Good deeds, our beliefs form the basic foundation of our life, and those, whose beliefs are established on the Quran, are normal to act on those beliefs by giving themselves to doing good deeds or we can say by investing their time in doing good deeds. 

Allah Almighty says in Holy Quran: “O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the messenger, and make not vain your deeds!” (Quran, 47:33). From this verse we can say that we should do our best to utilize our time in doing good deeds instead of wasting in useless deeds.

Importance of Time According to Sunnah of Prophet (SAW)

We have so many examples from the life of our Beloved Prophet (SAW) to know about the importance of time. Below we will discuss some of them so we can take lesson and can utilize our time in best manner.

The Prophet Mohammad (SAW), used to call on Muslims to take the initiative to do good deeds before any obstacles arise. He (SAW) said, “Lose no time to do good deeds before you are caught up by one of seven calamities awaiting you: a starvation which may impair your wisdom; a prosperity which may mislead you; an ailment which may damage your health; an old age which may harm your senses; a sudden death; the Dajjal (Antichrist); or Doomsday, which is indeed the hardest and most bitter.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Prophet (SAW) also said in one of His Hadiths: “Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth before you become old; your health, before you fall sick; your wealth, before you become poor; your free time before you become preoccupied, and your life, before your death” (Musnad Imam Ahmad). The whole hadith is about the limited nature of our life and how the time is running out. We should utilize the time in best manner before it’s too late.

In another Hadith Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “Allah said, ‘The son of Adam wrongs me for he curses Ad-Dahr (Time); though I am Ad-Dahr (Time). In My Hands are all things, and I cause the revolution of day and night’” (Al-Bukhari). The one who is  misusing the time is doing things that are beyond Allah’s commandments. And those who act against Allah’s commandments will be in loss in this life and in the Hereafter too.

In short, humankind is told to be conscious of time.  Allah Almighty reminds us that life in this world is but temporary and we do not know our appointed time of death.  We should utilize our time in doing good deeds in best manner. As believers we must never waste or misuse time, instead we must value it as a blessing from Almighty Allah.

We must all understand that wasting even a single moment is an opportunity gone, never to return. We are accountable to everything that we did in this life and when our time in this world will be up we can’t do anything because our time in this world is up and that time will never going to come back. Time is precious we should try to invest it in best manner!