With the exception of time, all that has been lost can be recovered. There’s no way to get it back once it’s gone. As a result, time is the most valuable asset somebody may have.
Islam is a religion that recognizes and values the value of time. Allah Almighty says (what means):
Islam divided its great acts of worship among the hours of the day and seasons of the year to create an exact, precise system that organizes and measures Islamic life in minutes, from sunrise to sunset. Allah the Almighty says:
On the Day of Judgment, man’s lifespan will be questioned concerning his vast capital. He’ll be questioned about how he spent it and handled it. It was narrated in Jami‘ At-Tirmithi that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: “The feet of a slave will not move on the Day of Judgment until he has been questioned about four things: his life – how he spent it; his youth – how he consumed it; his wealth – from where he earned it and how he spent it; and his knowledge – how he acted upon it.”
Time has characteristics that are specific to it. The following are some of them:
– It has a short passage: Time flies by like clouds. Death is the end of every living being, thus no matter how long a man lives in this world, his life is brief. “O the longest living prophet, how did you find this world?” was questioned of Nooh (i.e. Noah), may Allah raise his mention. He stated, ” “It’s similar to a two-door house. I entered through one and exited through the other.” This is what the Quran meant when it said that one’s lifespan is limited after death and on the Day of Judgment. Allah Almighty says:
– Whatever passes does not return and cannot be compensated for: each day, hour, or instant that passes cannot be recovered or compensated for. “Every day calls, saying: ‘O son of Adam, I am a new creation and a witness on your acts, so take provisions from me for if I pass, I do not return till the Day of Judgment,” stated Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him.
– It is the most valuable asset a person may possess: the value of time is ascribed to the fact that it is the container of all actions. In truth, it is man’s true capital, whether he is an individual or a civilization. Time is not just gold, but it is more valuable than gold, pearls, and coral, as the proverb goes. Life is defined by the passage of time. Indeed, a man’s life is nothing more than the time he is granted from the moment he is born to the moment he dies. May Allah have mercy on Al-Hasan Al-Basri, who said: “Indeed, you are nothing but several days, O son of Adam… When a day passes, a part of you passes with it.” That is why we should be eager to take advantage of time. ‘ “Night and day consume you, so consume them,” Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez, may Allah have pity on him, remarked. “I witnessed a lot of people who were keener on their times than you are on your money,” Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may Allah have pity on him, said. When night fell, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, would hit his feet with his whip and ask himself, “What did you do today?”
The benefit of leisure is one of the blessings that many people are unmindful of, ungrateful for, and unaware of its significance. It is reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah have mercy on him.
Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: “There are two blessings in which many people incur loss: health and free time.” [Al-Bukhari]
That is why the forefathers despised a man who was free and unconcerned about his faith or his worldly affairs. ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I dislike that a man is free and not preoccupied by the matter of his religion or the matter of his worldly life.”
The same is true in our own day. We undervalue its immense worth, and when it’s gone, we feel robbed because we didn’t get everything we could out of it. He can’t get his house back and sell it for what it’s worth, just like the person who sold it for less than it’s worth. It’s the same thing; we can’t go back in time and do more with what we’ve already accomplished. We shall not be able to travel back in time and relive our lives at the end of our lives. We shall not be given additional time to perform good things and make up for the time we have wasted.
The truth is that a man’s true life is not measured by the number of years he spends from birth to death. Rather, Allah Almighty determines his true age based on the good actions he has performed. ‘ Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I never regretted something like I regretted a day whose sun has set in which my life decreased and my good deeds did not increase.”
