WHY DOES ALLAH SWEAR BY TIME IN THE QUR'AN?

Time is our life, a gift from Allah to humans, a trust for which we will be questioned on the Day of Judgment, and the most precious thing we possess. It is one of the many blessings Allah has given His servants. Time cannot be borrowed, lent, gifted, or inherited. It comes and goes without our permission. If a person loses wealth, status, or health, it may be regained. But lost time can never be recovered.

Allah swears by time in several places in the Qur'an. Surah Al-Asr begins with an oath by time, and there are many verses where Allah swears by the sun, the night, the forenoon, the dawn, and other times. When Allah swears by something, it highlights the importance of what follows.

To be heedless about time, which Allah Himself draws our attention to, is a sign of true negligence.

Therefore, a wise person values their time. They know why they came to this world and where they are headed. On the Day of Judgment, a servant will not move from their place until they are questioned about how they spent their time.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "On the Day of Judgment, a servant's feet will not move until he is asked about four things: how he spent his life, how he spent his youth, how he earned and spent his wealth, and what he did with his knowledge."

This hadith shows that every moment of a person's life will be questioned, especially their youth.

Time has three unique qualities:

• First – once time passes, it never returns.

• Second – we will be held accountable for how we spent our time.

• Third – time cannot be bought or sold.

Therefore, the duties regarding time are:

• Do not waste time; spend it on things that benefit you,

• remember that no matter how long you live, you will eventually leave this world,

• work for your worldly life as if you will never die,

• work for the Hereafter as if you will die tomorrow,

• leave behind something that will benefit you after your death.

Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I have never regretted anything more than a day in which my life was shortened and I did not increase my good deeds." Therefore, we should value every moment, especially our youth, by doing good deeds that please Allah. In a verse describing the qualities of true believers:

"They turn away from vain and useless things" (Surah Al-Mu’minun, 3).

This shows that Muslims do not waste their time.

In summary, when Allah swears by something, it highlights the importance of what follows. Time is a person's life. Imam Shafi‘i said: "Time is like a sharp sword; if you do not cut with it, it will cut you." Whoever does not value their time does not pay attention to how their life is passing. Therefore, a wise person, understanding the value of time, spends it in ways that benefit both their worldly life and the Hereafter. May Allah grant us the ability to value every moment and use it for deeds that benefit us in both worlds!

Medet QURMASHULY

"Iman" magazine, No.12, 2024