The Importance of Time and the Meaning of the Hadith: “Two Blessings in Which Many People Are Deprived”
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The Shaykh:
May Allah greet you and bless you.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you and reward you with good. We begin this session, may Allah bless you, with this question sent by its author, who asks, may Allah preserve you, about the importance of time for the Muslim. He says: What is the meaning of the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hadith narrated by Ibn 'Abbas:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2304Sahih (Darussalam).
The Shaykh:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. As for what follows, time is of great importance. It is the opportunity in the hand of the servant to utilize it in what benefits him before it is lost and expires. Indeed, the people of the Fire on the Day of Resurrection will regret what they missed:[Al-An'am 6:27]. Allah gave them this time, but they neglected it, and they regretted it and wished to make up for it, but it had already passed. And because of the importance of time, Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, swore by it in His saying, the Exalted: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful: [Al-'Asr 103:1-3]. So whoever wastes his time is a loser, and no one is excepted from this. Everyone who wastes his time is a loser, either a great loss that cannot be repaired, or a loss less than that, but in any case, it is a loss. [Al-'Asr 103:3] So whoever benefits from and invests his time in these four matters—faith, righteous deeds, enjoining one another to truth, and enjoining one another to patience—he will be saved from this loss.
And as for his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2304Sahih (Darussalam) and leisure, because health is an opportunity of strength. The servant can work, he can earn, and he can do so, but the sick person cannot; the illness incapacitates him. For this reason, it came in the hadith encouraging a person to seize his health before his illness.
The second is leisure from occupations. If a person is occupied with his worldly affairs, his matters, and his problems, he will leave off righteous deeds, or reduce them, or be unable to do them. So if Allah spares him from distractions and problems, he should utilize his leisure in the obedience of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, in what benefits him. For this reason, Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):[Ash-Sharh 94:7-8]. When you are free from the occupations and works of the world, then devote yourself to worship in the obedience of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and seek nearness to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh
May Allah greet you and bless you.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you and reward you with good. We begin this session, may Allah bless you, with this question sent by its author, who asks, may Allah preserve you, about the importance of time for the Muslim. He says: What is the meaning of the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hadith narrated by Ibn 'Abbas:
Two favors that many of the people squander are health and free time.
نعمتان مغبون فيهما كثير من الناس الصحه والفراغThe Shaykh:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. As for what follows, time is of great importance. It is the opportunity in the hand of the servant to utilize it in what benefits him before it is lost and expires. Indeed, the people of the Fire on the Day of Resurrection will regret what they missed:
Oh, would that we could be returned [to life on earth] and not deny the signs of our Lord and be among the believers."
يَا لَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(1) By time, (2) Indeed, mankind is in loss, (3) Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.
وَالْعَصْرِ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِExcept for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِAnd as for his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
Two favors that many of the people squander are health
نعمتان مغبون فيهما كثير من الناس الصحةThe second is leisure from occupations. If a person is occupied with his worldly affairs, his matters, and his problems, he will leave off righteous deeds, or reduce them, or be unable to do them. So if Allah spares him from distractions and problems, he should utilize his leisure in the obedience of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, in what benefits him. For this reason, Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
(7) So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship]. (8) And to your Lord direct [your] longing.
فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانصَبْ وَإِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبThe presenter:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh
Source
نور على الدرب - الفوزان - 02/216 — archive.org (0:52)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.