Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim
1. Introduction
Friends beloved by Allah,
One of the most common external obstacles that traps us in stagnation is the limitation of time. The demands of work, family affairs, or the need to fulfill daily responsibilities after life’s trials often drain all our energy. Scientifically, modern management tells us this obstacle is not because we have too little time—since everyone is given the same 24 hours—but because of a lack of structure and consistent priorities. Islam offers a beautiful solution: time discipline and adherence to small, consistent commitments. By setting a fixed schedule—for example, dedicating time in the early morning before worldly busyness begins, or in the stillness of night—we are injecting blessings into our daily activities.
Allah Subḥānahu wa Ta‘ālā swears by time to remind mankind of the importance of using every moment:
بِٱلصَّبْر وَٱلْعَصْرِ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟
“By time. Indeed, mankind is in loss, except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.” (QS. Al-‘Aṣr: 1–3)
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also deeply loved deeds that are scheduled and continuous, even if small in amount:
أَحَبُّ الأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَدْوَمُهَا وَإِنْ قَلَّ
“The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if they are small.” (HR. Bukhari)
2. Lessons and Message
Let us reflect on the story of a father who is also the head of an educational institution. His entire day and afternoon are consumed by restoring damaged facilities, serving the community, and earning a living for his family. When night falls, his body is utterly exhausted, his bones aching. Yet, when the whole house is asleep, in the cold silence of the night, he turns on his small desk lamp. With eyes reddened from fighting drowsiness, he opens a book and his notes, forcing his mind to keep reading and writing to guard the trust of knowledge. In the corner of his prayer mat, he whispers softly while shedding tears, “O Allah, my day has been spent for Your creation, so bless this little remainder of the night for me to gaze upon the light of Your knowledge.” Truly, tears of exhaustion in the middle of the night are far nobler than free time wasted in heedlessness. Friends, imagine a bucket of water poured all at once in a large amount over a hard boulder. The water will just run off, and the rock remains unchanged. But imagine if that water is placed in a leaking container that drips it drop by drop, consistently hour after hour, day after day, onto one spot on that stone. What happens? Even the hardest boulder will eventually be pierced through. Such is a fixed study schedule. We do not need to set aside 5 or 6 hours at once and neglect other obligations. It is enough to dedicate 30 minutes at dawn or before bed, but do it every day without fail. That small, “dripping” commitment is what will pierce the hard walls of ignorance and life’s obstacles.
There was a young man who always used work as an excuse for never having time to join study circles or read books. He complained to a shaykh, “Shaykh, my time is truly taken up 24 hours; there’s absolutely no gap!” The shaykh smiled and asked, “Then when do you have time to play on your phone and watch short videos?” The young man replied, “Oh, that’s usually during meal breaks, rest breaks, or while in the bathroom, Shaykh.” The shaykh chuckled and said, “Amazing! So your time isn’t taken by work—your attention is taken by the screen. The solution is easy: tomorrow, take your book of knowledge into the bathroom, so at least some knowledge enters before other things come out!” This joke slaps us awake: time actually exists; it’s just often hidden behind the excuses of “feeling busy” that we create ourselves.
3. Conclusion and Closing
Brothers and sisters, the obstacle of time being consumed is not a reason to stop growing and learning. The solution lies in our firmness in setting a fixed schedule and honoring that commitment. Make the blessed time after Fajr, or the quiet of night, our sacred time with knowledge. When we value that little time for goodness, Allah will multiply the blessings in all our other worldly affairs. Let us lock in time for knowledge, before our time in this world runs out in vain.
والله أعلم بالصواب
الحمد لله رب العالمين
Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmaullahi Wabarakatuh.
ِAbu Sultan Al-Qadrie
