ِ ِ‫إِضِاعِةِِ ِالوقِت‬

Wasting Time
From an Islamic Perspective

”The two feet of the slave will remain standing on the Day of
Judgement until he is asked about four things. About his life, how
did he spent it? About his youth, how did he use it? About his
wealth, how did he earn it and what did he spend it on? And about
his knowledge, what did he do with it?”

Prophet Muhammad

Al-Aqeedah
 Wasting time

Wasting time

Wasting time is a disease today that many people have been infected by. Even the
muwahhidūn indulge in an abundance of time-wasting every single day. The Prophet
(sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said:

ِ‫نعمتانِمغبو ٌنِفيهماِكثريٌِمنِالنَّاسِالص َّحةِوالفراغ‬

”There are two blessings that many people do not take advantage of; Good health and free
time.”

(Sahīh Al-Bukhārī)

Useless activities – such as surfing the internet, checking social media and watching
videos with no benefit in – claim hours and hours from the lives of the Muslims. These
hours will become a regret for the Muslims in the ākhirah.

Mu’ādh ibn Jabal – radiAllāhu ’anhu – said:

َّ ‫ِليسِي تح َّسرِأهلِاْلنَّةِإََّّلِعلىِساعةِِمَّرتِِبمَِلِيذكرو‬:ِ‫ىِاَّللِعليهِوسلَّم‬
‫اِاَّللِفيها‬ َّ َّ‫ِاَّللِصل‬
َّ ‫قالِرسول‬

”The Messenger of Allah (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said: ’The people of paradise will
not regret anything except an hour that passed them by, in which they did not remember
Allah.”

(At-Tabarānī and Al-Bayhaqī – classified as da’īf)

Al-Munāwī – rahimahullāh – said in explanation of this hadīth:

ِ‫(ليس يتحسر أهل اجلنة على شيء) ِمماِفاهتمِيفِالدنياِ (إال على ساعة مرت هبم مل يذكروا هللا عز وجل فيها) ِأي‬
ِ‫احتساابِوتقرابِإليهِوذلك ِألهنمِملا ِعرضت ِعليهمِأايمِالدنياِوماذاِخرجِهلمِمنِذكرِهللاِتعاىل ِمثِنظرواِإىلِالساعة‬
ِ‫األخرىِاليتِحرمواِفيهِالذكرِمماِتركوهِمنِذكرهِفأخذهتمِاحلسراتِلكنِهذهِاحلسراتِإمناِهيِيفِاملوقفَِّلِيفِاْلنةِكما‬
‫بينهِاحلكيمِوغريهِوالغرضِمنِالسياقِأنِتعلمِأنِكلِحركةِظهرتِمنكِبغريِذكرِهللاِفهيِعليكَِّلِلك‬

“’The people of paradise will not regret anything’, from what have passed them by in dunyā
‘except an hour that passed them by, in which they did not remember Allah the Mighty
and Majestic.’ This means: Expecting a reward (from Him) and seeking nearness to Him. And
this is because when the days of dunyā are presented to them and what has come from them of

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remembrance of Allah the Exalted, and then they look at the other hours in which they forbade the
remembrance of that which they left of His remembrance. Then they are overtaken by regrets, but
these regrets are in the standing and not in paradise, just as Al-Hakīm and others than him have
clarified. And the intention of this context is to learn that every movement which appears from you
without the remembrance of Allah, then it is against you and not for you.”

(Fayd Al-Qadīr p. 390)

And Abū ’Amr Al-Awzā’ī – rahimahullāh – said:

ِ‫ِوَّل َِتُّر ِبه ِساعةٌَِل‬،ِ ً‫ليس ِساعةٌِمن ِساعات ِالدُّن ياِإََّّل ِوهي ِمعروضةٌِعلىِالعبد ِي وم ِالقيامة ِي وًماِف ي وًماِوساعةً ِفساعة‬
ِ‫ِفكيف ِإذاِمَّرت ِبه ِساعةٌِمع ِسِاعة ِوي وٌم ِمع ِيِوم ِ[ ولي لةٌِمع‬،ِ ‫ِاَّلل ِت عاىل ِفيهاِإََّّل ِت قطَّعت ِن فسه ِعلي هاِحسرات‬
َّ ‫يذكر‬
. ]ِ‫لي لة‬

”There is not an hour from the hours of dunyā except that it will be presented for the slave on the
Day of Judgement, day after day, hour after hour. And not an hour passes him by in which he did
not remember Allah in it, except that his soul is about to be ripped apart due to regret. So how if
hour after hour and day after day [and night after night] passes him by?”

(Hilyah Al-Awliyā)

Al-Hasan Al-Basrī – rahimahullāh – said in a letter which he wrote to ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-
‘Azīz:

ً ‫لوِأ َّنِمدف‬
ِ‫ِف قدِكنت‬،ِ‫َِتعلهاِلولدكِمنِب عدكِي ت ن عَّمونِفيهاِمنِورائك‬،ِ‫وًنِيفِقْبهِقيلِلهِهذهِالدُّن ياِأ َّوهلاِإىلِآخرها‬
ِ‫ِوماِكانِِليْمعِمعِالي ومِشي ئًاِإََّّلِاختار‬،ِ‫بِإليكِأمِي وٌمِتْتكِفيهِت عملِلن فسكَِّلختارِذلك‬
ُّ ‫وليسِلكِه ٌّمِغريهمِأح‬
ِ‫ِبلِلوِاق تصرِعلىِساعةِخريهاِوماِبْيِأضعافِماِوصفتِلكِوأضعافهِيكونِلسواه‬،ِ‫يماِله‬
ً ‫الي ومِعليهِرغب ًةِفيهِوت عظ‬
َّ ‫إََّّلِاختار‬
ِ‫ِبلِلوِاق تصرِعلىِكلمةِي قوهلاِتكتبِلهِوبْيِماِوصفتِلك‬،ِ‫ِالساعةِلن فسهِعلىِأِضعافِذلكِليكونِلغريه‬
ِ‫ِالساعة ِوأعظمِ ِالِكلمة ِواحذر ِاحلسرة ِعند ِن زول‬
َّ ‫ِفان تقد ِالي وم ِلن فسك ِوأبصر‬،ِ ‫وأضعافه َِّلختار ِالكلمة ِالواحدة ِعليه‬
ِ‫السكرة‬
َّ
“If it was said to buried person in his grave: ‘Here is the dunyā from its beginning to its end, which
you can make for your children with which they could live a life of comfort and luxury after you,
then you would not have anything to worry about after them. (Would this be) more beloved to you
or a day where you would be left to make deeds for (the benefit of) yourself?’ Then he would verily

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choose that (i.e. the last mentioned). And he would not bring anything together with that day
except that he would choose the day over it, longing for it and having a high opinion of it. Even if it
was shortened to an hour and he was made to choose between it and the double of what I have
described for you along with the double of it for someone besides him, except that he would choose
the hour for himself over the double of it (i.e. the dunyā) for it to be for someone else. Even if it was
shortened to one word he could say which would be written for him and between what I have
described for you and the double of it, then he would verily choose the one word over it. So give a
judgement over the day for yourself, see the hour, hold the word at high esteem and beware of the
regret when the agony (of death) befalls.”

(Hilyah Al-Awliyā)

So all these quotes show how the believer hurtfully will regret his wasting of time in
dunyā and wish that he would spend his hours in the worship of Allah. The Muslims vary
in strength and ability, but what all are capable of – men and women, big and small, weak
and strong – is remembering Allah the Exalted.

It is narrated under the authority of ‘Abdullāh ibn Busr – radiAllāhu ‘anhu:

َّ َّ‫ِاَّلل ِصل‬
ِ‫ىِاَّلل ِعليه‬ َّ ‫ِاَّلل ِإ َّن ِشرائع ِاْلسًلم ِقد ِكث رت ِعل َّي ِفأخْبنِ ِبشيء ِأتشبَّث ِبه ِقال ِرسول‬
َّ ‫أ َّن ِرج ًًل ِقال ِاي ِرسول‬
َّ ‫وسلَّمَِّلِي زالِلسانكِرطبًاِمنِذكر‬
ِ‫ِاَّلل‬

“That a man said: ‘O Messenger of Allah. Verily the laws of Islam have become too many for me. So
inform me of something that I can adhere to.’ The Messenger of Allah (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam)
said: ‘Keep your tongue wet with the remembrance of Allah.’”

(Sunan At-Tirmidhī)

As for the ways that people waste their time, then this differs from person to person. So
each Muslim must identify the activities in his or her life that brings about no benefit –
neither in dunyā nor ākhirah – and try to reduce the time spent on these as much as
possible.

Ibn Al-Jawzī – rahimahullāh – said:

ِ‫اِكثرياَِّلِيعرفونِمعىنِاحلياة‬
ً ‫ولقدِشاهدتِخل ًق‬.ِ‫ِوأنِيوفقناَِّلغتنامه‬،ِ‫نسألِهللاِعزِوجلِأنِيعرفناِشرفِأوقاتِالعمر‬
ِ‫ِوكمَِترِبهِمنِآفة‬،ِ‫ِينظرِإىلِالناس‬،ِ‫ِفهوِيقعدِيفِالسوقِأكثرِالنهار‬،ِ‫ِفمنهمِمنِأغناهِهللاِعنِالتكسبِبكثرةِماله‬:
ِ،ِ‫ِوالغًلءِوالرخص‬،ِ‫ِومنهمِمنِيقطعِالزمانِبكثرةِاحلديثِعنِالسًلطْي‬،ِ!ِ‫ومنكرِ!ِومنهمِمنِخيلوِبلعبِالشطرنج‬
ِ

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ِ‫ِإَّلِمنِوفَّقهِوأهلمهِاغتنام‬،ِ‫ِومعرفةِقدرِأوقاتِالعافية‬،ِ‫ِفعلمتِأنِهللاِتعاىلَِلِيطلعِعلىِشرفِالعمر‬:ِ‫إىلِغريِذلك‬
)ِِ‫ِ(ِوماِي لقَّاهاِإََّّلِذوِحظِعظيم‬،ِ‫ذلك‬

“We ask Allah to teach us the how honored the time of life is, and that He gives us success to benefit
from it. I have verily seen many people who do not know what the meaning with life is. Among
them are those whom Allah has made free from having to earn for a living due to his great fortune.
So he sits in the market most of the day and looks at people. And how much harm and evil does not
pass him by. And some of them play chess. And some of them cuts off the time by speaking much
about the rulers, raise in prices and discounts, and other things than these. So I learned that Allah
does not make anyone aware of how honored time is and knowing the value of good times, except the
one whom He has given success and inspired to benefit from it.

ِ‫وماِي لقَّاهاِإََّّلِذوِحظِِعظيم‬
”And none is granted it except the owner of the great fortune.” (Fussilat 41:35)”

(Sāid Al-Khātir)

There are two things to take notice of in this quote:

1) That people differ in the way that they waste time. As Ibn Al-Jawzī – rahimahullāh –
mentions; some sit in the market, some play chess, some speak much about irrelevant
things etc. So it is up to the believer to identify his or her own type of time-wasting and
eliminate it as much as possible.

2) Regarding his words about the man who sits in the market most of the day: ‘And how
much harm and evil does not pass him by.’ We compare this with the one who spends a lot of
time looking at news, social media or videos with irrelevant content. How much harm and
evil is he or she not exposed to – even though the intention is not to look at or hear
forbidden things, such as seeing the ‘awrah of people or listening to music. When this is the
case then it is no longer time-wasting, rather time-wasting combined with committing
harām (forbidden acts).

Ibn Al-Jawzī – rahimahullāh – also said:

ِ‫ِفقالِإنِوقتِاْلفطارِأحسِبروحيِكأهناِخترجِألجلِاشتغايلِابألكلِعن‬،‫وكانِعثمانِالباقًلنِدائمِالذكرِهللِتعاىل‬
ِ‫ ِومىت‬.‫ ِإذا ِخرجتم ِمن ِعندي ِفتفرقوا ِلعل ِأحدكم ِيقرأ ِالقرآن ِيف ِطريقه‬:‫ ِوأوصى ِبعض ِالسلفِأصحابه ِفقال‬.‫الذكر‬

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ِ‫ِفإنِيفِالصحيحِعنِرسولِهللاِصلىِهللاِعليهِوسلمِأنه‬،‫ِواعلمِأنِالزمانِأشرفِمنِأنِيضيعِمنهِحلظة‬.‫اجتمعتمِحتدثتم‬
ِ‫ِفكمِيضيعِاآلدميِمنِساعاتِيفوتهِفيهاِالثواب‬.‫ِمنِقالِسبحانِهللاِالعظيمِوحبمدهِغرستِلهِِباِخنلةِيفِاْلنة‬:‫قال‬
ِ‫ِفهلِجيوزِللعاقلِأنِيتوقف‬،‫ِكلماِبذرتِحبةِأخرجناِلكِألفِكر‬.‫ِفكأنهِقيلِلإلنسان‬،‫ِوهذهِاألايمِمثلِاملزرعة‬،‫اْلزيل‬
.‫يفِالبذرِويتواىن‬

”And ’Uthmān Al-Bāqilānī used to always make dhikr to Allah. And he said: ‘Verily at the time of
eating I feel like my soul is about to exit (my body) due to being busy with eating from the
remembrance (of Allāh).’

And some of the salaf would give advice to their companions, so he would say: ‘When you leave me
then divide yourselves. Perhaps will one of you read the Qurān on his way. But when you are
gathered you speak.’

And know that the time is more honored than you should waste even a moment of it. It is verily
narrated in the Sahīh from the Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) that he said:

ِ‫ِغرستِلهِخنلةٌِيفِاْلِنَّة‬،ِ‫ِسبحانِهللاِالعظيمِوحبمده‬:ِ‫منِقال‬

”The one who says: ’SubhānAllāh Al-’Adhīm wa Bihamdihi’, for him a tree will be
planted in paradise.”

So how much does the human waste of hours where abundant of rewards passes him by. And these
days are like a field, and it is as if it was said to the human: Every time you sow one seed, then we
will let thousands of them emerge for you. Is it thereafter allowed for the sane person that he stops
sowing and becomes slow (in reaping the reward)?”

(Sāid Al-Khātir)

It takes only two seconds to mention the remembrance which will guarantee the believer a
tree in paradise.

ِ‫سبحانِهللاِالعظيمِوحبمده‬

SubhānAllāh Al-’Adhīm wa Bihamdihi

Yet many people forsake this – and many other types of remembrance which contains
huge rewards and benefits both in dunyā and ākhirah – while they spend several hours on
things that does not benefit them in anything.

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The believer is encouraged to decrease his or her amount of time-wasting and to be

mindful of the day where the slaves will stand before their Lord the Most High.

The Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) said:

ِ‫ِفيمِأبًله‬،ِ‫ِفيمِأف ناهِ؟ِوعنِشبابه‬،ِ‫ِعنِعمره‬:ِ‫َّلِت زولِقدماِعبدِي ومِالقيامةِح َّىتِيسألِعنِأربعِخصال‬

‫ِماذاِعملِفيهِ؟‬،ِ‫ِمنِأينِاكتسبهِ؟ِوفيمِأن فقهِ؟ِوعنِعلمه‬،ِ‫؟ِوعنِماله‬
”The two feet of the slave will remain standing on the Day of Judgement until he is asked
about four things. About his life, how did he spend it? About his youth, how did he use it?
About his wealth, how did he earn it and what did he spent it on? And about his
knowledge, what did he do with it?”

(Ibn Hibbān and At-Tirmidhī)

So let the hours of your life be for you on the Day of Judgement and not against you. And
discipline your soul to enjoy the remembrance of Allah instead of finding pleasure in what
brings about no benefit.

Ibn Al-Qayyim narrated that Ash-Shafi’ī –rahimahullāh – said:

ِ‫ِون فسك‬.ِ‫ِفإنِقطعتهِوإََّّلِقطعك‬.ِ‫ف‬
ٌ ‫ِالوقتِسي‬:ِ‫َِسعت همِي قولون‬،ِ‫ِفماِان ت فعتِمن همِإََّّلِبكلمتْي‬.ِِ‫ِالصوفيَّة‬
ُّ ‫صحبت‬
. ِ‫ِوإََّّلِشغلتكِابلباطل‬،ِ‫إنَِلِتشغلهاِابحلق‬

”I accompanied the sūfiyyah and I did not benefit from them in anything but two words. I heard
them say: The time is a sword, either you break it or else it breaks you. And your soul, if you don’t
busy it with the truth then it will busy you with the falsehood.”

(Madārij As-Sālikīn)

And all praise is due to Allāh, Lord of all the worlds.

And may the peace and abundant blessings be upon Muhammad, his family, his
companions and those who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgement.