Many of us are scared of time.  When we have long periods of time we have to wait or if we are left alone or have run out of plans, we panic and think- how can I pass the time?

In Islam, we know that time is very valuable.  Our lives are actually made of time.  There is a statement: “Do not squander time, for that is the stuff of life.” and it is true- we are nothing but time.

In fact, Allah swears by time and lets us know that in reality we are subjugated to it:

By the Time, truly man is in sure loss.

Have you ever seen an orange?  At first it is full, round, and bright.  As time passes, we notice it begins to shrivel and turn white.  Although we feel invincible, we are just as subject to time as that orange- we are in essence on our way to rotting.  A lot of people spend an enormous amount of time and money trying to keep their skin and meat “fresh” - moisturizers, lotions, etc. just like people find ways to preserve fruit or prolong the age of flowers.  Yet in the end everything shrivels and dies.  As it says in the Quran:

Every soul shall taste death.

Yet there is hope- we can do more than site idly as that orange does.  Allah continues in Suratul-’Asr:

Except for those who believe,
do righteous deeds,
enjoin each other to the Truth,
and enjoin each other to patience.

So Allah is saying in reality a believer does NOT lose- he/she actually gains.  This is opposed to the disbeliever, often referred to in the Quran as the “losers” because they are the ultimate bearers of loss- they only took what they could of this material life, and when that material life is demolished they are left with nothing.  The believers on the other hand can use time to their advantage- we can fill it and utilize it instead of being cursed by it.

And the best things we can do are already mentioned by our Lord:

* believe (increase your faith, learn your religion, ponder, reflect)
* do righteous deeds (pray, fast, read quran, make dhikr, give charity, etc.)
* enjoin to the Truth (call non-Muslims and Muslims alike to Islam, spread knowledge, inspire action)
* enjoin patience (we need it as do many of our sisters and brothers who are troubled, so remind one
another that relief is coming)

This surah was so profound the Companions radhi’allaahu ‘anhum would not leave one another without reminding each other of it.  One of the great scholars of the past, when he would recite a portion of the lesson and would wait as his students were writing it down, could be seen moving his lips and whispering the adhkaar- he did not waste a second.  What a beautiful life if someone only realizes that time is only on your side if you utilize it wisely! 

So the next time you have a “boring weekend”, have to wait “forever” at the doctor’s office, or are “stuck”
in rush hour traffic, try racking up some good deeds.  Inshallah you may even reach a level of imaan where you look forward to nothing better than having some “free time”, some “alone time”, some “me time” to remember the greatness of your Lord and earn His Pleasure.

Subhaanallah…
Alhamdulillah…
Laa ilaaha illallaah…
Allaahu akbar…