Myth: Let’s kill time
It’s the time that’s killing us.
I (swear) by the Time, Man is in a state of loss indeed, Except those who believed and did righteous deeds, and exhorted each other to follow truth, and exhorted each other to observe patience. (103:1-3)
There can be no fitting ending to this series than Surah Al-Asr, the summary of the entire Quran. I started off with a post that made a reference to it and I will converge everything here too. It’s a whole comprehensive chapter in itself and according to Imam Shafa’i, it can substitute for the whole Quran and suffice everyone. There can be no greater lesson to be picked from Ramadan. That if nothing else, we have learnt how quickly time flies by. And that tiny tinge of regret, that state of loss that it leaves us with– it’s going to be amplified when life leaves us for real. And with each passing day we are heading towards the end of our timeline. Not a day goes by when you aren’t getting closer to death, or your friends aren’t nearing their ends; some faster than others. Now that you know what loss feels like, don’t let another day pass by without making the most of it.
Allah starts with swearing by Time that is running out to make a point that we are drowning in a state of loss. But that’s not it. Allah did not just swear by time. He used all the emphasis in the second verse to make the thunderous statement. And He made the emphasis thrice! Now you don’t normally do that– unless you’re mad or Shakespeare (as Sh. Abu Abdissalam puts it). So if there’s one thing you’ve got to get out of Surah Al-Asr– it’s respect for time.
And those who believe and doing righteous deeds are the only ones not losing out. The word Saalihaat implies a handful of good deeds. Not a lot. And we can’t even do a lot after Ramadan. So Allah is not asking for much either. Except a few good deeds and a constant show of support to encourage people on the track and pulling in back those who are losing track. Find good company to check up on you and do something productive with the free time slots you’ve got.
Nothing damages faith more than free time. It’s when you decide to watch a film, play video games and go on a heedless spree. Keep yourself busy with things. Either study something interesting, memorize portions of the Quran, learn new skills or find a job. Just don’t be idle. Time is all you’ve got now. As Hasan Al-Basri had said, “Son of Adam is but a number of days…”
