Time is Man’s Main Capital
Allah (swt) has created the universe, man and life. Man has a personality (shaksiyyah) that is composed of two elements: 1. Mentality (aqliyyah) –the ability to understand and judge things and actions according to a standard he believes in. 2. Disposition (nafsiyyah) –method of implementing the judgment in satisfying his instincts and organic needs. Therefore, personality and life are crucial issues in relation to man. As for life it plays a major role in man. Since it is via life that man proceeds in his affairs in this dunya and the opposite is his death.
Life is tied to age/time decreed by Allah (swt). ﴿وَٱلۡعَصۡرِ* إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسۡرٍ* إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡر﴾ “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.” [103. Al-Asr: 1 – 3]. So, man should take advantage of his time by submitting fully and become a slave to Allah (swt). In other words, man ought to become an entirely Muslim who has surrendered to the commandments and prohibitions of Allah (swt). ﴿يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱدۡخُلُواْ فِى ٱلسِّلۡمِ ڪَآفَّةً۬ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَٲتِ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنِۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَڪُمۡ عَدُوٌّ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬﴾ “O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.” [2. Al-Baqarah: 208]
In addition, the Prophet (saw) said: «نِعْمَتَانِ مَغْبُونٌ فِيهِمَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، الصِّحَّةُ وَالْفَرَاغُ» “There are two blessings which many people lose: (they are) health and free time for doing good.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]. Also, Rasulullah (saw) said: «لاَ تَزُولُ قَدَمَا ابْنِ آدَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّهِ حَتَّى يُسْأَلَ عَنْ خَمْسٍ عَنْ عُمْرِهِ فِيمَا أَفْنَاهُ وَعَنْ شَبَابِهِ فِيمَا أَبْلاَهُ وَمَالِهِ مِنْ أَيْنَ اكْتَسَبَهُ وَفِيمَ أَنْفَقَهُ وَمَاذَا عَمِلَ فِيمَا عَلِمَ» “The feet of the son of Adam shall not move from before his Lord on the Day of Judgement, until he is asked about five things: about his life and what he did with it, about his youth and what he wore it out in, about his wealth and how he earned it and spent it upon, and what he did with what he knew.” [Tirmidhi]
Scholar Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad aṭ-Ṭūsī al-Ġaz(z)ālī famously known Imam Ghazali said the following: “Your time should not be without any structure, such that you occupy yourself arbitrarily with whatever comes along. Rather, you must take account of yourself and order your worship during the day and the night, assigning to each period of time an activity that must not be neglected nor replaced by another activity. By this ordering of time, the blessing in time will show itself. A person who leaves himself without a plan as animals do, not knowing what he is to do at any given moment, will spend most of his time fruitlessly. Your time is your life, and your life is your capital: by it you make your trade, and by it you will reach the eternal bounties in the proximity of Allah. Every single breath of yours is a priceless jewel, because it is irreplaceable; once it is gone, there is no return for it. So do not be like fools who rejoice each day as their wealth increases while their lives decrease. What good is there in wealth that increases while one’s lifespan decreases? Do not rejoice except in an increase of knowledge or an increase of good works. Truly they are your two friends who will accompany you in your grave, when your spouse, your wealth, your children, and your friends will remain behind.” [Bidayat al-Hidayah]. So, what should make you happy and expend your time for: increasing knowledge and calling for the return of Khilafah (Caliphate) or being contented and remaining in the rule of kufr?!
In conclusion, taking advantage of time is a matter of utmost concern especially in this era of kufr rule by the secular capitalist ideology. Therefore, every Muslim has a duty to invest all his efforts in working for the resumption of the Islamic way of life via establishing the Khilafah on the method of Prophethood. Spending time in the da’wah for the establishment of the Khilafah is a right on the time we have and alternatively you are harming your time. Hence, it is inevitable for Believers to compete in that which please Allah (swt) through responding to His call: ﴿يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمۡ لِمَا يُحۡيِيڪُمۡ﴾ “O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life.” [8. Al-Anfal: 24]. Let us exhaust our main capital by engaging in the business of da’wah of Allah (swt). On that day when the Khilafah is established we shall be happy as He told us: ﴿وَيَوۡمَٮِٕذٍ۬ يَفۡرَحُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ﴾ “And that day the believers will rejoice.” [30. Ar-Rum: 4]
Ali Nassoro Ali
Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir