Time is one of the most complex, known and yet unsolved phenomenon in the universe. There is no way it can be changed or blocked or reversed or stopped. Time is explained as a dimension in science. What is time? Is it the same complex known but unexplainable phenomenon in islam as it is known? Before going into further detail of concept of time, first see what Allah swt has called time in Quran:
History shows that what humans did the most was waste of time. What they incurred most was loss and damage. This is why Allah swt sworn on time. Nothing is hidden from Allah swt, He is creator of all and time does not mean anything for Him. So, this limit is actually the past events and habits of people which let them fall prey for satan. Satan has the most useful tool against human being in the form of time wastage. Once the useful time is wasted, is gone. There is no way it can be back and there is no way it can be reversed. So, this is the only useful tool satan has to make human beings indulge in useless things. In a verse Allah swt say;
There is no free time. Time is simple an opportunity to get the benefits of the hereafter. Time is not something to pass. Rather time is to opt it. Just like one cannot simply throw his money away, one should not throw this opportunity away. We are created as humans, and we are given with an opportunity to show our worth, why not, then, just show it rather then being lazy and complaining about it.
[103:001] By (the Token of) Time (through the ages),In this verse, Allah swt has sworn on time. This means that time has huge importance. It is not simly passing minutes but it contains a lot in it. Since the birth of Adam AS, we know that satan has taken it his task to distract humans from the path they are suppose to choose. We are given a small part of life to spend in this world. This small part of life is bounded by time. So time is the limit, just like a debit card has a limit. Once time is out, there is no way to get it back. Time contains in it the events on past. Time is the record of all what has happened and what men did.
History shows that what humans did the most was waste of time. What they incurred most was loss and damage. This is why Allah swt sworn on time. Nothing is hidden from Allah swt, He is creator of all and time does not mean anything for Him. So, this limit is actually the past events and habits of people which let them fall prey for satan. Satan has the most useful tool against human being in the form of time wastage. Once the useful time is wasted, is gone. There is no way it can be back and there is no way it can be reversed. So, this is the only useful tool satan has to make human beings indulge in useless things. In a verse Allah swt say;
[054:003] They reject (the warning) and follow their (own) lusts but every matter has its appointed time.That is, everything that is going to happen has been recorded. We do not know it, but it is known to Him. So, everything has its appointed time and nothing can happen before or after the point when it is bound to happen. This is where satan takes advantage. He known that and he wants us to forget this simple fact. If we only realise the importance of this most useful tool, we would never fell for the traps of satan. The following hadith explains it in best possible way;
The Prophet pbuh said:”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.”(Narrated by Ibn Abbas in Mustadrak of Hakim and Musnad Ahmad, Sahih)ponder on everything mentioned in the hadith, every event that happens brings with it an opportunity. If wasted, the opportunity is lost and there Is no way to get it back. Time is a treasure if taken seriously and it is nothing if taken non seriously. A very easy explanation of time spending is given in theory of relativity by Einstein. He said that time spent in favourite things or things of interest is not felt, it pasts swiftly. But time spent in those things of dislike can be felt and it does not pass quickly. Today, we look for those activities with which we can pass our time, rather then taking time as a great opportunity to worship Allah for the hereafter which would be ever after in its real meaning. In another hadith it is said about time;
“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).It has another explanation to it. As said earlier, Allah swt is beyond the need of time, because HE is the creator of time, still it is wrong to curse time. But He changes the events with time. Imagine if there was no time, would we be able to bear the difficulties without the knowledge that it would pass? Would we be able to look forward? No. so why curse time, instead look forward and be objective about it. Islam is all about being objective and reasonable. Just like we set goals for everyday and every week, we have to set goals for hereafter, which is an event of future.
There is no free time. Time is simple an opportunity to get the benefits of the hereafter. Time is not something to pass. Rather time is to opt it. Just like one cannot simply throw his money away, one should not throw this opportunity away. We are created as humans, and we are given with an opportunity to show our worth, why not, then, just show it rather then being lazy and complaining about it.