Maximizing Free Time for Worship and Good Deeds
Among the many blessings Allah has bestowed upon us, the blessing of time holds immense significance, as our very existence depends on it. As soon as time runs out for a person, their life in this world comes to an end, and they depart for an eternal abode, from which there is no return. The short life in this world is, in reality, an opportunity to prepare for the Hereafter. Congratulations to the one who spends their time in good deeds, continuously working for their afterlife. However, it is unfortunate for those who do not understand the value of time, fail to fulfill the purpose of life, and spend it indulging in sins, thus ruining their Hereafter.
A Muslim must understand that the purpose of human creation is to worship the Lord. Therefore, no matter how busy one is with worldly affairs, they must take out time for worship and continuously engage in good deeds to the best of their ability. It is astonishing how some people claim they do not have time for worship. Even more surprising are the Muslims who openly admit that they are so engrossed in worldly matters that they have no time for worship, learning, religious work, or participating in acts of righteousness. To such people, I would say: When Allah afflicts you with a calamity, when He disables you, when He causes you to fall ill, or when He takes away your strength to move, then you will have all the time in the world. At that moment, you will not be able to use the excuse of being too busy with work.
Remember, youth, health, wealth, free time, and life are of great importance. Abdullah ibn Abbas Radeyallahu Anhu narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) advised a man, saying:
"Take advantage of five things before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before your busyness, and your life before your death."
(Sahih al-Targhib: 3355)
In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) included among his five pieces of advice the importance of valuing free time before becoming busy. An example of this can be taken from the lockdown period when most people had no work. It was a prime opportunity to utilize free time. Should such a time be wasted in sleeping excessively, playing games, or engaging in frivolous activities? No, rather, it should be used wisely in doing something beneficial for oneself and others. Personal benefit could come from gaining knowledge, engaging in voluntary acts of worship, repentance, and seeking forgiveness. Benefiting others could involve teaching religion, encouraging good deeds, and helping the needy according to one’s ability.
It should be clear that Allah does not accept the excuse that one was too busy with business and livelihood to worship Him. Worship is the very purpose of life, and one must find time for it just as we find time for worldly needs. When we fall ill, we manage to find time to visit the hospital, get treated, rest, eat, and sleep. If we can make time for the world, then we can certainly make time for religion, and this is a crucial responsibility.
It is up to us to find a balance between worldly work and worship so that we do not lose our religion or be deprived of our livelihood. We must make time for worship; otherwise, we will face Allah’s wrath in both worlds. In this world, Allah may make us so engrossed in worldly matters that we lose even the thought of worship, and our hearts will never incline towards good deeds. And in the Hereafter, there will be further ruin. In a sacred hadith, Allah says:
"O son of Adam! Dedicate yourself to My worship, and I will fill your heart with contentment and remove your poverty. If you do not, I will fill your heart with preoccupations and will not remove your poverty."
(Sahih Ibn Majah: 3331)
This hadith is sufficient to open our eyes and grant us insight. It teaches us that we must prioritize worship and good deeds over worldly matters and dedicate time for worship, which is the purpose of our creation. Those who fail to do so are warned of the consequences: Allah will cause them to become even more entangled in worldly affairs, depriving them of the blessings of wealth and plunging them into a sense of poverty and hunger, despite having riches. May Allah protect us from such a fate.
In the Quran, Allah also warns us not to let the love of wealth and children distract us from His remembrance, as this would lead to great loss. Allah says:
"O you who believe! Let not your wealth and your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that, then they are the losers."
(Al-Munafiqun: 9)
From these teachings, it becomes clear that everyone, no matter how busy they are, must find time for worship. This fulfills the purpose of life and aligns with Allah’s command. Those who prioritize worldly engagements over worship and fail to make time for it are disobedient to Allah. They will face the consequences of this disobedience both in this world and the Hereafter.
Furthermore, if anyone has free time apart from worship, they should take advantage of it and use it for good deeds, as the Prophet (ﷺ) advised in the hadith mentioned earlier.
The first point highlights the widespread negligence among people when it comes to worship. The excuse that there is no time for worship or religious matters is common, and it requires serious reflection. Is it right to say this and neglect worship because of worldly engagements? Absolutely not. We need to correct this mindset, and scholars also bear the responsibility to address this negligence among the people.
The second point relates to how people, including the educated, waste their free time in frivolous activities, and in some cases, they seek comfort in sinful acts such as watching movies or misusing social media.
One noteworthy point is that we often fail to appreciate even the smallest amounts of free time. In a society where free time is rarely valued, what meaning can a few hours or minutes hold? In reality, even a few minutes of free time hold great significance in a believer’s life. The ability to benefit from free time, no matter how small, should be a defining trait of the Muslim community. In just a few minutes, a person could recite some Quran, offer dhikr, make a supplication, give charity, teach a verse or hadith, visit a neighbor, or perform a small good deed. This depends on the individual’s ability and willingness. In this regard, consider a beautiful hadith of the Prophet (ﷺ) about utilizing even the briefest moments of free time. He said:
If the Hour (of Resurrection) is about to be established, and one of you has a palm sapling in his hand, if he is able to plant it before it is established, let him do so.
(Sahih al-Adab al-Mufrad: 371)
This hadith encourages us to perform good deeds even with the smallest amount of free time. If one finds even a brief moment, no matter how little, to do good, they should not delay. Reflect on the fact that the Prophet (ﷺ) encourages good deeds even a moment before the Day of Judgment, so how much more should we be inspired to engage in righteous actions today?
May Allah make us devoted to His worship and grant us the ability to benefit from even the smallest amounts of free time for religious gain. Ameen.
Written by: Shaikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullah
(Jeddah Dawah Center, Saudi Arabia)
Interpreter: Hasan Fuzail