30. TIME IS LIKE A SWORD
I noticed that habits overpower people to waste time, and the early Muslims used to warn against this.
Al-Fudayl said, ‘I know someone who counts his words from one Friday to the next.’
Some people entered upon one of the early Muslims. They said, ‘Perhaps we have distracted you.’ He said, ‘To be honest, I was reciting and I stopped because of you.’
A worshipper went to Sari Al-Saqatl and saw a group of people sitting with him, he said, “You have become a host for the idle,’ then he left without sitting down. That is because the guest is tempted by the host’s hospitality, and prolongs his visit making him unsafe from any harm.
A group of people was sitting with Ma’ruf and kept sitting for a while, so he said, ‘The Lord of the sun does not falter in pushing it; do you not want to get up?’
One of those who recounted the moments was ‘Amir ibn ‘Abd Qays. A man told him, ‘Stop so that I can talk to you.’ He said, ‘Then hold the sun.’
Karz Ibn Wabrah was told, ‘What if you went out to the desert?’ He said, ‘The craft (he was involved with) would become corrupted.’
Dawud Al-Ta’I used to swallow crushed (wet) bread and say, “The time difference between swallowing crushed bread and chewing normal bread can be used to recite fifty verses.’
Uthman Al-Baqillan! was constant in mentioning Allah, and said, ‘During breakfast, I feel like my soul is departing due to being occupied by eating that prevents me from mentioning Allah.’ One of the early Muslims advised his companions, ‘When you leave here, be separated so that one of you may recite the Qur’an on his way, because when you are together you will talk.’
Be aware that time is too precious to waste a moment thereof. It is authentically narrated that the Messenger said, “Whoever said ’Glory is for Allah, the Magnificent, and with His Praise, a palm tree is thereby planted for him in Paradise.’”
How many hours are wasted by man, squandering huge rewards! This life is life a farm and it is as if man is told, ‘For every seed you plant, we will give you a thousand Karr How can the wise stop planting or slacken therein?
One of the things that help make use of time is solitude and isolation as much as possible and restricting interaction with people to greetings and necessary needs.
Another thing that helps in this regard is reduction of food, as its abundance causes long sleeping and squandering the night.
Whoever examined the lives of early Muslims and believed in recompense will find what I said valuable.
(Source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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John Doe
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