What is the advice for one who wastes much of his time without benefit?
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Question:
Some of the youth spend much of their time in things that are of no benefit. When you speak to them about their obligations, such as calling people to Allah, they make excuses citing a lack of time. So how do you direct these people?
Answer:
It is obligatory for the young man, and for the non-young man, such as the old man, the man, and the woman, to occupy their time in the obedience of Allah, in benefiting the servants of Allah, and to be cautious of wasting it in things that are of no benefit. Time has a precious value. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2500Sahih (Darussalam) So time has a status: [Q: 18] [al-Qasas: 50].
So my advice to the youth, to the elderly, to the men and the women, my advice to everyone is: occupy your time in the obedience of Allah, in the remembrance of Allah, in memorizing the Qur'an, in reciting the Qur'an, in glorifying and praising Allah, and in speaking with your family about the needs of the home in a way that brings about good and peace of mind, without sin or severing family ties. Speak with your family, discuss the needs of the household in matters where there is no harm in good companionship, with your children, in good, in advice, with your companions. Occupy your time; time is preserved in what is beneficial. Allah the Exalted said: [al-Zukhruf: 36] And He the Exalted said: [al-Kahf: 28] meaning lost.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was in a constant state of remembrance, meaning in all his times. He remembered Allah in all his states, (peace and blessings be upon him). He did not neglect it, in his home, on the road, standing and sitting. This was how he was, (peace and blessings be upon him). He remembered Allah in all his states, (peace and blessings be upon him), with his heart and his tongue. So the believer is to be thus, remembering Allah wherever he is. He remembers His greatness, He remembers His right, He remembers the right of the servants, He remembers the right of his family, the right of his children, and the right of his wife. And thus he does not waste anything. With his wife, he is of good character, noble character, good conduct, and a pleasant face. With his children, likewise. With his good companions, and with the Muslims, he is of good speech and good manner, reminding them of Allah and calling them to Him, enjoining good and forbidding evil, with good speech, with a pleasant face, with good phrases, with a good manner, with gentleness; so that he has an effect on those he speaks with.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith:Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 27:14 And he, (peace and blessings be upon him), said: Sunan Abi Dawud 4809Sahih (Al-Albani) And Allah the Exalted says in describing His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): [Ali 'Imran: 159] And He, (Exalted and Majestic is He), said to Musa and Harun when He sent them to Pharaoh: [Ta-Ha: 44] And He the Exalted said: [al-'Ankabut: 46] Even the People of the Book, and they are disbelievers, in the best manner, except for one who wrongs. One who wrongs has another status.
Some of the youth spend much of their time in things that are of no benefit. When you speak to them about their obligations, such as calling people to Allah, they make excuses citing a lack of time. So how do you direct these people?
Answer:
It is obligatory for the young man, and for the non-young man, such as the old man, the man, and the woman, to occupy their time in the obedience of Allah, in benefiting the servants of Allah, and to be cautious of wasting it in things that are of no benefit. Time has a precious value. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
And whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, then let him say what is good or remain silent.
من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليقل خيرًا أو ليصمتMan does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record].
مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌBut if they do not respond to you - then know that they only follow their [own] desires
فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَكَ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُونَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْSo my advice to the youth, to the elderly, to the men and the women, my advice to everyone is: occupy your time in the obedience of Allah, in the remembrance of Allah, in memorizing the Qur'an, in reciting the Qur'an, in glorifying and praising Allah, and in speaking with your family about the needs of the home in a way that brings about good and peace of mind, without sin or severing family ties. Speak with your family, discuss the needs of the household in matters where there is no harm in good companionship, with your children, in good, in advice, with your companions. Occupy your time; time is preserved in what is beneficial. Allah the Exalted said:
And whoever is blinded from remembrance of the Most Merciful - We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion.
وَمَنْ يَعْشُ يعني يغفل عَنْ ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَانًا فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌand do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect.
وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَنْ ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًاAisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was in a constant state of remembrance, meaning in all his times. He remembered Allah in all his states, (peace and blessings be upon him). He did not neglect it, in his home, on the road, standing and sitting. This was how he was, (peace and blessings be upon him). He remembered Allah in all his states, (peace and blessings be upon him), with his heart and his tongue. So the believer is to be thus, remembering Allah wherever he is. He remembers His greatness, He remembers His right, He remembers the right of the servants, He remembers the right of his family, the right of his children, and the right of his wife. And thus he does not waste anything. With his wife, he is of good character, noble character, good conduct, and a pleasant face. With his children, likewise. With his good companions, and with the Muslims, he is of good speech and good manner, reminding them of Allah and calling them to Him, enjoining good and forbidding evil, with good speech, with a pleasant face, with good phrases, with a good manner, with gentleness; so that he has an effect on those he speaks with.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith:
Whenever there is compassion in something, it adorns it, and whenever it is removed from something it disgraces it.
إن الرفق لا يكون في شيء إلا زانه ولا ينزع من شيء إلا شانهHe who is deprived of gentleness is deprived of good.
من يُحرم الرفق يُحرم الخير كلهSo by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you.
فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ لِنْتَ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ كُنْتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانْفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَAnd speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allah]."
فَقُولَا لَهُ قَوْلًا لَيِّنًا لَعَلَّهُ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَىAnd do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them
وَلَا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.