Etymologically:
- The word hidayah is derived from the Arabic verb hada هدى which means to guide, to direct, to show the way and so on.
- Hidayah, which is verbal noun form, means a direction, a path, a way and so on.
- Hidayah linguistically refers to any guidance, direction, way and method, as long as it ensures person to reach his destination or attain his objective, though this destination or objective is against the syari`ah of Allah (s.w.t). refer : (surah Al-Ghafir 40:29)
Conceptually:
-Hidayah conceptually refers to the following meanings :
i) The only way that ensures a person to achieve the pleasure and closure to Allah (s.w.t). ( mardatullah wa al-taqaarub ilaihi)
ii) A way that ensures a person to achieve tranquility, satisfaction, good feeling, success and meaningful life in this world and hereafter. (al-hayah al-tayyibah)
iii) The only system by which human kind is able to function and to carry out the duties of khilafah (vicegerent) and ibadah.
Refer :
a) Surah Al-sajadah 32:24
-Hidayah refers to systematic and organized group of principle, instruction and teachings which brought by the messenger on Allah (s.w.t) instruction directly.
b) Surah Al-A`raf 7:43
- Hidayah is the only system of life whose outcome and objective is not only for the life in this world but what is more important is for the life in hereafter.
c) Surah Al-Qasas 28:56
- Hidayah is the something that only Allah has the power of giving and preventing from receiving it. It is not something within the capacity of human being to do so. It is a gift (tawfiq) from Allah s.w.t.
d) Surah Taha 20:50
- According to al-mufassirin, the guidance referring to natural ability of every creation (living or non-living) of Allah (s.w.t) to behave to act in accordance to the way necessary and important for their well being.
Stages of creation :
Takhliq : Allah brings from non-existence into existence.
Taswiyah : Allah give form ideally to its creation.
Taqdir : Allah assigned a role to created things (role & function)
Hidayah : Allah shows the way (guidance) to its existence.
LEVELS OF HIDAYAH
A) Guidance of Natural Inspiration (Hidayah Al-Ilham al-Fitri)
- Most of the human activities and deeds in this life are motivated, inspired directed and guided by the needs of human nature (al-Fitrah), and it appears in two form as follow :
i) Primary needs of human nature ( basic necessity such as food, cloth, shelter etc.)
ii) Secondary need of human nature (His desire to fulfill the requirements of his self-esteem, such as appreciation, recognition acknowledgement, wealth etc)
The prophet said: The best one in the eyes of Allah among human being is the most useful one among them. So human effort and struggle are also motivated and directed by his wish to fulfill the needs and requirement of his self-esteem.
Therefore in Islam, the fulfillment of the needs of fitrah, is necessity because the urge of fitrah is one form of guidance and direction (al-hidayah) provided by Allah (s.w.t) for human being. (refer : Surah Al-Imran 3:14)
B) Guidance of Feeling and Sense (Hidayah Al-Hawwas)
-Human being needs this level of guidance because :
i) To help us in controlling ourselves when we are responding to the urge and the pleasure of human nature which is embodied and contained in hidayah of natural inspiration.
ii) Hidayah al-hawwas plays the role as the manifestion, indication and the sign of the needs of human nature (al-fitrah).
C) Guidance of Intellect ( Hidayah al-`Aql)
The level of hidayah al-`aql is needed to control ourselves when we are responding to Hidayah al-Hawwas. The mind here refers to the faculty of intellectual and the power of reason. The use of reason only limited to the cases that are not clearly stated in the al-Qu`ran of its hukum. Howewer, if there is provision of its hukum in the aq-Qu`ran, the muslim must refer to directly, without the use of reason.
D) The Guidance of Religion ( Hidayah Al-Din)
The highest level of Guidance because it is coming in the form of direct and specific injunction and provision of Al-Qu`ran and al-Sunnah. Hidayah al-Din is needed to control our wisdom and intellect in examining the status of our activities whether it is right or wrong. This is due to human intellect is still limited. Therefore, in cases and matters which is beyond the capabilities of human being, Allah (s.w.t) sends a revelation explaining and providing solution for these matters in detail and specific (hidayah).(6:71,76:2-3,90:8-10,16:78)
AL-QURAN : the book of guidance
The subject of Basic Themes of Al-Quran meant to inculcate within us the belief and conviction in the al-Quran as the only book of Guidance for mankind. In order to ensure our actual confidence in al-Quran as the book revealed by Allah (s.w.t), it is necessary for us to understand and appreciate the miracles of al-Quran.
Al-Quran is the book guidance to our prophet Muhamad s.a.w. Al-Quran revealed down to messenger by Allah through gabriel. It sent in step to prophet Muhamad s.a.w. It is a main source of reference for Islam. Prophet said "I inherited to you two matter you will not abstracted in your life, it is Al-Quran and his Sunnah". Allah also stated in Al-Quran ( Surah Al-Baqarah 1:2) " This is the Book (Al-Quran). in it is guidance sure, without doubt to those who fear Allah ".
Prerequisite for divine guidance (Al-Hidayah)
A) Al-Iman (belief)
To have actual conviction (haq al-yaqin) in the teaching of Allah and islam as the only effective way and system of life for humankind.
Haq al-yaqin=conviction which is not requiring either observation (‘ain al-yaqin) @ rationalization (‘Ilm al-yaqin).
(refer : Surah Al-`Araf 7:158)
- In the ayah, Allah (s.w.t) mentions that is order to obtain hidayah, a person should believe in Allah (s.w.t) and His messenger (s.a.w) which implies belief (iman or haqq al-yaqin) in Allah (s.w.t) teachings as the only effective way and system of life ensures the actual well-being, goodness and safety to humankind.
B) Islam ( Total Submission)
-Islam is total submission to Allah`s Will #. It (Islam) is the manifestation and indication of iman. (refer : Surah Al-Imran 3:20). In this Ayah states that the condition and the prerequisite for being on the right path of Allah (s.w.t) is a submission to His Will.
The total submission to Allah’s will contained in:
1. Allah’s injuctions refer to instruction and prohibition of the syari’ah.
2. Allah’s decision refers to his qada’ and qadar.
3. His creation refers to the law of nature created by Allah.
C) Al-Ihsan
-is higher level of Islam and can be categorized into 2 levels
I. Al-‘adalah (justice)-level which we must have to attain at least in our submission to Allah.
II. Ihsan is a level higher that what we must attain (required to attain)
(Refer : Surah Al-Nahl 16:90) ( Refer : Surah Al-Luqman 31: 1-3)
D) `Amal Salih
- `Amal salih is an activity and deed which in general recognized as ibadah that is resulted in receiving ajr (reward) from Allah (s.w.t), and done for achieving pleasure and closure of Allah s.w.t . There are preconditions to be fulfilled:
i)Permisible deeds-not against specific & direct injunction of Al-Quran & sunnah.
ii)Beneficial deeds-useful & important for developing 1 or > of the 5 aspects of human being (objectives of syari’ah); (faith,emotion,intellect,physique & means(money))
iii) Sincerity of Intention. ( refer Surah Al-Nahl 16 : 90) -> doing something for the sake of Allah (s.w.t).
iv) The Performance of Ibadah al-Khassah. -> What ever activities and deeds we are doing are not considered as amal salih unless they are done along with Ibadah al-Khassah as the pillars of Islam as comprehensive way of life.
v) Fulfilling the ethical values and Islamic virtues. E.g punctuality, hardworking, politeness,friendliness,helpfulness,patience. (10:9)
E) Inabah
-The act of returning to the way of Allah (s.w.t) repeatedly and it is an evitable process for a Muslim in his effort to be remaining on the right path of Allah (s.w.t) in order to achieve the pleasure of Him (s.w.t). In fact, both inabah and tawbah are referring to the same thing.
Tawbah comprises three stages:
I. The realisationof the seriousness of the sin.
II. The feeling of regret of the sin done.
III. The resolution to leave/abstain from the sin.
Inabah+another 2 stages;
IV. A process of abstaining from sin committed.
V. Replacing it with good deed opposite to it.
( refer Surah Al-Furqan 25:70) (Surah Ra`d 13:27)
F) Al-Jihad
- A Muslim is required as a preconditioned of the right path of Allah (s.w.t) to exert his utmost effort and to work all out in whatever activities he is undertaking. With regards to the relationship between jihad and receiving hidayah from Allah (s.w.t) refer to Surah Al-Ankabut 29:69)
MANIFESTION OF MISGUIDANCE
A) Al-Kufr (Disbelief)
- The total and absolute distrust in Allah (s.w.t) and His teachings as the only effective way of life. It is the most obvious deviating way which taking a person very far from the right path of Allah (s.w.t). ( refer : Surah Al-Nisa`)
B) Al-Zulm ( Injustice)
- Al-Zulm comprises all practice where a person fails to give something or someone its or his due or right (that supposed to give). The right refers to anything necessary and needed by someone/something to enable him to function well and effectively based on the nature of his work.(refer Surah Al-Saff 61:7)
C) Al-Fisq (Disobedience)
-refers to a person who is straying from the right path and keeps on disobeying Allah (s.w.t)
- A fasiq person is the one who used to commit sin and doing mistake to the extent that it becomes for him a habit a culture and enjoyable activities, where he feels nothing wrong at all with what he is involving in ( refer Surah 9:80)
D) Israf (Excessiveness)
- The act of doing something lawful or fulfilling a responsibility beyond its appropriate limit in one aspect which is resulted in negative effect or deficiency in another, without necessity ( Refer Surah Al-Ghafir 40:28)
A person who used to be excessive especially in his expenditure and in his life style in general usually it is for the purpose of showing off as been mentioned by the prophet (s.a.w)
“Eat, donate and be dressed (as like as you wish) provided it is not done excessively and not for showing off.”
-Those who are doing things for the purpose of showing off and not because of necessity usually need to spend more than their actual ability which requires them to be untruthful ones who keep on trying to deceive the others in order to ensure the enough means to enable them to lead that excessive life.
E) Al-Nifaq ( Hypocrisy)
- Al-Nifaq originally refers to a quality of non Muslims who were pretending as Muslims and living together with them in Madinah
-worse than non-muslim (al-kuffār)
-lack of a strong principle & clear stance due to strong concern of getting benefit and profit as much as possible from both sides.
( Refer Surah Al-Baqarah 2:14-16)
INDICATION OF RECEIVING GUIDANCE (HIDAYAH)
A) Experiencing satisfaction and excitement.
- Experiencing a state of enjoyment, pleasure, satisfaction, and enthusiasm, in observing and implementing the teaching of Islam (refer Surah Al-An`am 6:125)
B) Experiencing Calmness and Serenity
- Experiencing a state of actual tranquility and serenity ( refer Surah Al-Baqarah 2:38). from this ayah, we can see that those who have acquired hidayah from Allah (s.w.t) will be free from al-khauf and al-huzn.
-Al-khauf is a feeling of fear or worry, uncertainly, and anxiety about what is going to happen to him.
-Al-huzn is the feeling of sadness, regret, disappointment, frustration, and dissatisfaction on something which has happened already. The both states of feeling create a person a feeling of depression, low spirit, will be removed from the heart of those who have been bestowed hidayah (guidance) by Allah (s.w.t)
C) Feeling of hatred towards sinful acts.
- Perceiving ma`siah as something shameful and hateful ( refer Surah Al-Naml 27:24)
shared by a brother in Islam.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
..:: AS I PRAY BEFORE YOU ::..
I raise my hands and submit to You.
I bow like I recover from a race.
...I prostrate humbling my soul so blue.
I witness Your mercy and Your grace.
And when the sky is closing down and the soil beneath me dries.
You my Lord will know what's best and shower mercy from the skies.
I am but Your slave and I live only to please You always.
And when I'm weak, forgive me as You do in Your kind ways.
And when I stand up from my knees and my breath is light and easy.
I know that there's a place for me that's warm and mildly breezy.
Here I stand with Your words in my mouth and skipping off my tongue.
and no matter where I am in life ....before You I am young.
The sense of ease and comfort Your book brings into my life...
In the times I needed it most, like when I was failing as a wife.
when my family struggled with sickness and my heart it seemed too broken.
It was all I needed in my hand, The words of God forever spoken.
I only wish that others could relate to what I boast about.
A prayer and Book, if they'd only take a look,
and all doubts would soon blow out.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
WHY ISLAM SAYS NO TO GAMBLING. PART 2
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear sister in Islam, first of all, we’d like to commend you for showing much keenness on getting acquainted with the teachings of Islam. We implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.
In his response to the question in point, Dr. Salah Sultan, President of Islamic American University and professor of Islamic Jurisprudence, Cairo University, issues the following Fatwa:
"The best way to earn money in Islam is to work hard and employ thought. Islam prohibits a Muslim from earning vast amounts of money without making any effort. Allah Almighty says: "O you who believe! Strong drink and games of chance and idols and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan's handiwork. Leave it aside in order that you may succeed." (Al-Ma'idah: 90)
Islam wants people to give their money for good and charitable causes out of the goodness of their hearts, love of God and humanity, and not through devious and dubious ways and means. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says, "Allah does not accept except that which is good and pure." (Reported by Al-Bukhari)
In Islam, money is not an aim in itself, in the sense that it is a means of earning one's livelihood. It is worth noting in this respect that the moment the prize winner's names are being announced, the limelight floods the winner while leaving hundreds of thousands of losers in hospitals suffering various psychological disturbances. Another question imposes itself: To what extent can lottery and gambling benefit production and the world economy in general?
Conclusion:
In the light of the above Fatwa, it becomes clear that lottery is a form of the prohibited games of chance, which are strictly condemned in the following Qur'anic verse: "O ye who believe! Strong drink and games of chance and idols and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan's handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed. Satan seeketh only to cast among you enmity and hatred by means of strong drink and games of chance, and to turn you from remembrance of Allah and from (His) worship. Will ye then have done?" (Al-Ma'idah: 90-91)
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear sister in Islam, first of all, we’d like to commend you for showing much keenness on getting acquainted with the teachings of Islam. We implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.
In his response to the question in point, Dr. Salah Sultan, President of Islamic American University and professor of Islamic Jurisprudence, Cairo University, issues the following Fatwa:
"The best way to earn money in Islam is to work hard and employ thought. Islam prohibits a Muslim from earning vast amounts of money without making any effort. Allah Almighty says: "O you who believe! Strong drink and games of chance and idols and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan's handiwork. Leave it aside in order that you may succeed." (Al-Ma'idah: 90)
Islam wants people to give their money for good and charitable causes out of the goodness of their hearts, love of God and humanity, and not through devious and dubious ways and means. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says, "Allah does not accept except that which is good and pure." (Reported by Al-Bukhari)
In Islam, money is not an aim in itself, in the sense that it is a means of earning one's livelihood. It is worth noting in this respect that the moment the prize winner's names are being announced, the limelight floods the winner while leaving hundreds of thousands of losers in hospitals suffering various psychological disturbances. Another question imposes itself: To what extent can lottery and gambling benefit production and the world economy in general?
Conclusion:
In the light of the above Fatwa, it becomes clear that lottery is a form of the prohibited games of chance, which are strictly condemned in the following Qur'anic verse: "O ye who believe! Strong drink and games of chance and idols and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan's handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed. Satan seeketh only to cast among you enmity and hatred by means of strong drink and games of chance, and to turn you from remembrance of Allah and from (His) worship. Will ye then have done?" (Al-Ma'idah: 90-91)
WHY ISLAM SAYS NO TO GAMBLING. (PART 1)
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Brother, first of all, we’d like to say that we are impressed by your question, which emanates from a thoughtful heart. May Allah Almighty help us all adhere to the principles of this true religion, Islam, and enable us to be among the dwellers of Paradise in the Hereafter, Ameen.
In his well-known book, The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam, the prominent Muslim scholar, Sheik Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, states:
"While permitting a variety of games and sports, Islam prohibits any game which involves betting, that is, which has an element of gambling in it. We have already quoted the saying of the Prophet, 'He who says to his friend: 'Come, let us gamble,' must give charity.' It is not lawful for the Muslim to seek relaxation and recreation in gambling, nor is it lawful for him to acquire money through it.
There are sound and noble objectives behind this strict prohibition of gambling:
1. The Islamic teachings urge the Muslim to follow Allah's directives for earning a living, to use natural laws and direct means for the attainment of his objectives, and to employ such causes to produce the desired effects. Gambling, which includes raffling or the lottery, on the other hand, makes a person dependent on chance, 'luck' and empty wishes, taking him away from honest labor, serious work and productive effort. The person who depends on gambling loses respect for the laws of causation which Allah has established and commanded people to use.
2. In Islam, an individual's property is sacred; it may not be taken from him except through lawful exchange or unless he gives it freely as a gift or in charity. Accordingly, taking it from him by gambling is unlawful.
3. It is therefore not surprising that gamblers develop hatred and enmity towards one another, although they may claim that losing does not trouble them. There is always a winner and a loser. The loser may seem composed but behind his composure is frustration, anger, and regret: frustration due to disappointment, anger at the loss of money, and regret for not having played a winning game.
4. Gambling has its own compulsion. The loser plays again in hope of winning the next game in order to regain his earlier losses, while the winner plays again to enjoy the pleasure of winning, impelled by greed for more. Naturally, luck changes hands, the loser becomes the winner and the winner the loser, and the joy of winning changes into the bitterness of loss. Thus the gamblers may persist at playing the game, unable to bring themselves to leave it; this is the secret of the addiction to gambling.
5. Because of this addiction, gambling is a danger to the society as well as to the individual. This habit consumes gamblers' time and energy, making them non-productive idlers and parasites on society, who take but do not give, who consume but do not produce. Moreover, due to his absorption with gambling, the gambler neglects his obligations towards his Creator and his duties towards his community. It often happens that a gambling addict sells his honor, religion, and country for the sake of the gaming table, since his devotion to this table dulls his sense of values and kills all other devotions.
How correct the Qur'an is in mentioning drinking and gambling together in its verses, since their harmful effects on the individual, the family, and society are very similar. What is more like alcoholism than addiction to gambling? This is why one usually is not found without the other. Again, how correct the Qur'an is when it teaches us that both of these, drinking and gambling, are inspired by Satan, that they are akin to idolatry and divining by arrows, and that they are filthy and abominable habits which must be shunned: 'O you who believe, truly intoxicants and gambling and divination by arrows are an abomination of Satan's doing; avoid them in order that you may be successful. Assuredly Satan desires to sow enmity and hatred among you by means of intoxicants and gambling, and to hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you not then desist?' (Al-Ma'idah: 93-94)"
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Brother, first of all, we’d like to say that we are impressed by your question, which emanates from a thoughtful heart. May Allah Almighty help us all adhere to the principles of this true religion, Islam, and enable us to be among the dwellers of Paradise in the Hereafter, Ameen.
In his well-known book, The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam, the prominent Muslim scholar, Sheik Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, states:
"While permitting a variety of games and sports, Islam prohibits any game which involves betting, that is, which has an element of gambling in it. We have already quoted the saying of the Prophet, 'He who says to his friend: 'Come, let us gamble,' must give charity.' It is not lawful for the Muslim to seek relaxation and recreation in gambling, nor is it lawful for him to acquire money through it.
There are sound and noble objectives behind this strict prohibition of gambling:
1. The Islamic teachings urge the Muslim to follow Allah's directives for earning a living, to use natural laws and direct means for the attainment of his objectives, and to employ such causes to produce the desired effects. Gambling, which includes raffling or the lottery, on the other hand, makes a person dependent on chance, 'luck' and empty wishes, taking him away from honest labor, serious work and productive effort. The person who depends on gambling loses respect for the laws of causation which Allah has established and commanded people to use.
2. In Islam, an individual's property is sacred; it may not be taken from him except through lawful exchange or unless he gives it freely as a gift or in charity. Accordingly, taking it from him by gambling is unlawful.
3. It is therefore not surprising that gamblers develop hatred and enmity towards one another, although they may claim that losing does not trouble them. There is always a winner and a loser. The loser may seem composed but behind his composure is frustration, anger, and regret: frustration due to disappointment, anger at the loss of money, and regret for not having played a winning game.
4. Gambling has its own compulsion. The loser plays again in hope of winning the next game in order to regain his earlier losses, while the winner plays again to enjoy the pleasure of winning, impelled by greed for more. Naturally, luck changes hands, the loser becomes the winner and the winner the loser, and the joy of winning changes into the bitterness of loss. Thus the gamblers may persist at playing the game, unable to bring themselves to leave it; this is the secret of the addiction to gambling.
5. Because of this addiction, gambling is a danger to the society as well as to the individual. This habit consumes gamblers' time and energy, making them non-productive idlers and parasites on society, who take but do not give, who consume but do not produce. Moreover, due to his absorption with gambling, the gambler neglects his obligations towards his Creator and his duties towards his community. It often happens that a gambling addict sells his honor, religion, and country for the sake of the gaming table, since his devotion to this table dulls his sense of values and kills all other devotions.
How correct the Qur'an is in mentioning drinking and gambling together in its verses, since their harmful effects on the individual, the family, and society are very similar. What is more like alcoholism than addiction to gambling? This is why one usually is not found without the other. Again, how correct the Qur'an is when it teaches us that both of these, drinking and gambling, are inspired by Satan, that they are akin to idolatry and divining by arrows, and that they are filthy and abominable habits which must be shunned: 'O you who believe, truly intoxicants and gambling and divination by arrows are an abomination of Satan's doing; avoid them in order that you may be successful. Assuredly Satan desires to sow enmity and hatred among you by means of intoxicants and gambling, and to hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you not then desist?' (Al-Ma'idah: 93-94)"
Sunday, December 26, 2010
In an attempt to understand how those who lived before us treated the gift of time, I began reading ‘The Value of Time’. We live in an era where time has little value and the accumulation of wealth overshadows our desire to attain beneficial knowledge. As you go through this treasure trove you soon come to realise how we are regretfully not of those people who know the true value of time. Instead we fritter it away, giving other irrelevant tasks weight compared to attaining and spreading beneficial knowledge, and we have lost a zeal for investing in good deeds – the one thing which will outlast us when we leave this world.
What passes through the pages in this book will leave you awe-struck, that the scholars of the past sacrificed everything from eating even when their body was calling in hunger, to minimal social relations in order to preserve time for the most important matters. If you were to take any lesson from this review, it is that we are given a microscopic view into the lives of wise giants in Islam. Wise because their profit was in the wealth of knowledge they produced for the masses. A profound use of their time shows that ensuring every moment was used for something beneficial and pleasing to Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’ala).
What particularly struck me about the way the book was beautifully compiled – was the reality of time worthy actions being achieved; sadly the accomplishment of goals in our lifetime is rare in our world of ‘uber-busyness’. I want to highlight some of the points mentioned in the book, though it will not suffice as an introduction so I hope that by the end of the review you will feel compelled to buy your own copy of the book or order a copy from IslamicBookStore.com and take practical lessons from it that can be applied in your own life.
Time is defined in the book as ‘the loftiest and most precious of all primary blessings’ and ‘is the substance of life, the sphere in which man exists, the citadel of his spirit, and his subsistence – him benefiting himself and others’. As many of us know, Allah swears by time in the Qur’aan in Surah Al Asr, so we should ask ourselves that if we are at a loss with time then wouldn’t the intelligent and wise people invest their time in the actions that will outlast his existence in this world? One highlight of this short yet comprehensive treatise is that it can change your perspective of time, so you come to realise the invaluable deed of attaining knowledge as being your goal in life.
One of my favourite scholarly works to read from are by the eminent Shaykul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, about whom the author says in ‘The Value of Time’: “Even more remarkable is the example of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, born 661, died 728, may Allah have mercy on him, at the age of 57 leaving around five-hundred written volumes. He could not have written hundreds of books, such that neither his companions, nor even his shaykh himself could count them, without complete use of his time in learning writing and worship”.
So you may be asking yourself: what are the secret ingredients of these prominent scholars we can only marvel at? I’d say they truly understood the statement that ‘time passes naturally, ends automatically, so whoever is not aware of his soul, his time will be lost, his loss will be great, and his regrets will be severe’. And it is indeed true to say that: ‘The pious predecessors and those successors who followed their way were the keenest of people to gain time and to fill it with good deeds, whether they were scholars or worshippers, for they raced against the hours, and used every instant, being very careful with their time, so that they may not lose any part of it’.
Of those mentioned, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Aqil, Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Al-Jawzi and many others all reflect that protecting what time is spent on and striving for only the important knowledge leads to success for ‘the wise man must devote (his) keen mind and precious time to better actions and the higher aspirations, in order to attain what is most excellent and useful’.
In summary, we, the readers in an age where time is used and abused, can take these inspiring snippets of the great legacies that have come to pass and learn to utilise every moment Allah has blessed us with through:
Reflection: For Allah has warned us of those who are wasteful with time and says:“Did we not grant you a life long enough for him who reflected to reflect therein?” [Quran Chapter 35 Verse 37]
Eating less: They were careful to lose even a second of their time in pursuit of knowledge because of eating. Such that in some of the stories written they ate only bread as their soul was satisfied with the food of knowledge.
Walking faster: In order to travel in pursuit of the knowledge they were seeking in abundance, so they would not be lazy in going from one end of the earth to the other to obtain it.
Mixing with the people less: They would reduce their social time which is prevalent in our daily activities today. Leaving the people and not coming out of their homes unless for prayer in the masjid or necessary matters.
Constantly Writing and Reading: This is paramount to the first point, their reflection on the knowledge they gained led to the numerous works presented before us. This is testimony of their vigilance in worshiping Allah and being cautious not to waste a single moment by reading, writing or remembering; and spreading this beneficial knowledge.
And I could go on, but I want to leave you with a passage from the book to think about in respect to your own life and use of time: ‘Is your life in this universe anything other than the time which passes between birth and death? Gold can vanish, but you may acquire many times what you lose. But you cannot return lost time that has passed! Therefore time is more precious than gold, and dearer than diamonds or any precious stone or any profit, for it is life itself.’
What passes through the pages in this book will leave you awe-struck, that the scholars of the past sacrificed everything from eating even when their body was calling in hunger, to minimal social relations in order to preserve time for the most important matters. If you were to take any lesson from this review, it is that we are given a microscopic view into the lives of wise giants in Islam. Wise because their profit was in the wealth of knowledge they produced for the masses. A profound use of their time shows that ensuring every moment was used for something beneficial and pleasing to Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’ala).
What particularly struck me about the way the book was beautifully compiled – was the reality of time worthy actions being achieved; sadly the accomplishment of goals in our lifetime is rare in our world of ‘uber-busyness’. I want to highlight some of the points mentioned in the book, though it will not suffice as an introduction so I hope that by the end of the review you will feel compelled to buy your own copy of the book or order a copy from IslamicBookStore.com and take practical lessons from it that can be applied in your own life.
Time is defined in the book as ‘the loftiest and most precious of all primary blessings’ and ‘is the substance of life, the sphere in which man exists, the citadel of his spirit, and his subsistence – him benefiting himself and others’. As many of us know, Allah swears by time in the Qur’aan in Surah Al Asr, so we should ask ourselves that if we are at a loss with time then wouldn’t the intelligent and wise people invest their time in the actions that will outlast his existence in this world? One highlight of this short yet comprehensive treatise is that it can change your perspective of time, so you come to realise the invaluable deed of attaining knowledge as being your goal in life.
One of my favourite scholarly works to read from are by the eminent Shaykul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, about whom the author says in ‘The Value of Time’: “Even more remarkable is the example of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, born 661, died 728, may Allah have mercy on him, at the age of 57 leaving around five-hundred written volumes. He could not have written hundreds of books, such that neither his companions, nor even his shaykh himself could count them, without complete use of his time in learning writing and worship”.
So you may be asking yourself: what are the secret ingredients of these prominent scholars we can only marvel at? I’d say they truly understood the statement that ‘time passes naturally, ends automatically, so whoever is not aware of his soul, his time will be lost, his loss will be great, and his regrets will be severe’. And it is indeed true to say that: ‘The pious predecessors and those successors who followed their way were the keenest of people to gain time and to fill it with good deeds, whether they were scholars or worshippers, for they raced against the hours, and used every instant, being very careful with their time, so that they may not lose any part of it’.
Of those mentioned, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Aqil, Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Al-Jawzi and many others all reflect that protecting what time is spent on and striving for only the important knowledge leads to success for ‘the wise man must devote (his) keen mind and precious time to better actions and the higher aspirations, in order to attain what is most excellent and useful’.
In summary, we, the readers in an age where time is used and abused, can take these inspiring snippets of the great legacies that have come to pass and learn to utilise every moment Allah has blessed us with through:
Reflection: For Allah has warned us of those who are wasteful with time and says:“Did we not grant you a life long enough for him who reflected to reflect therein?” [Quran Chapter 35 Verse 37]
Eating less: They were careful to lose even a second of their time in pursuit of knowledge because of eating. Such that in some of the stories written they ate only bread as their soul was satisfied with the food of knowledge.
Walking faster: In order to travel in pursuit of the knowledge they were seeking in abundance, so they would not be lazy in going from one end of the earth to the other to obtain it.
Mixing with the people less: They would reduce their social time which is prevalent in our daily activities today. Leaving the people and not coming out of their homes unless for prayer in the masjid or necessary matters.
Constantly Writing and Reading: This is paramount to the first point, their reflection on the knowledge they gained led to the numerous works presented before us. This is testimony of their vigilance in worshiping Allah and being cautious not to waste a single moment by reading, writing or remembering; and spreading this beneficial knowledge.
And I could go on, but I want to leave you with a passage from the book to think about in respect to your own life and use of time: ‘Is your life in this universe anything other than the time which passes between birth and death? Gold can vanish, but you may acquire many times what you lose. But you cannot return lost time that has passed! Therefore time is more precious than gold, and dearer than diamonds or any precious stone or any profit, for it is life itself.’
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