Isn’t it ironic that in the world with the most time-saving technology, we still find ourselves so busy and exhausted?
The biggest tragedy is we’ve allowed our busyness to take away from time dedicated to Allah. As a result, we’ve sucked the barakah (blessing) out of our time.
This is one reason why so many people approach the end of their life wondering where the years went. They question what they’ve put forward for their akhirah (the Hereafter) with all the days they’ve had.
But we shouldn’t have to wait until our last days to give our time to Allah, the Master of Time itself.
You’re Never Too Busy!
“I’m too busy!”. We’ve all said this before, but let’s be honest: “too busy” is a construct. You’re never “too busy.”
It’s a matter of priority and what you’re willing to cut down on/get rid of completely to prioritize your relationship with Allah. Don’t believe me? Delete one of your social media apps on your phone and notice the free time that magically appears.
No man on earth was more busy than the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Yet among his never-ending responsibilities as a father, husband, leader, teacher and counselor, he never had a day pass without private time with Allah.
If you believe it was only possible because he was a prophet, think about the Companions. They were also parents, working jobs, and running their homes without the time-saving technology we have. Yet, they took from the Prophet’s example. For them and us, it was a matter of priority.
Prophet Abrahim (peace be upon him) also knew the importance of never being “too busy” for Allah. He would spend time, even before prophethood, reflecting on the creation of Allah and this life. Also, he would reflect in the late night and early morning. He would share his reflections with his people as described in the Quran.
After prophethood, worship became a family affair alongside his wives Sara and Hajar. This connection to Allah would give him the conviction needed to honor the challenges Allah would send all their ways.
The Blessing of Giving Time to Allah
When we give time to Allah through dedicated worship (like Quran, prayer, dhikr and duaa), we feed our souls by giving it the worship it was created for. This is a different and more beloved flavor of worship than turning everyday actions into worship with a good intention (although this is important too!).
Abu Hurayrah reported that that the Prophet (PBUH) said:
Allah the Almighty said: I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. (Al-Bukhari)
This is the blessing of giving time to Allah. When we remember Allah, undistracted, we show Him how much we care for Him in our hearts. In return, Allah increases us in His closeness and favor. He even tells the angels about us and the angels make duaa for us! They become our close friends in this world, eager to be around us. What a beautiful gathering to be a part of!
On the other hand, when we constantly push worship away, we eventually will close ourselves to it altogether. And if we do that with no intention to turn back to Allah, we lock ourselves out of His mercy. That is the worst fate and yet, it is completely in our control. We make the decision to stay in Allah’s mercy or leave it.
We read in the Quran:
{Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment.} (Al-Baqarah 2:7)
We would never want to be those on the Day of Judgment who beg to come back for another chance they’ll never get. This is our one chance, so we have to make the most of it. And Allah appreciates all our effort, big and small.
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