The Importance and Value of Time: Complete Guidance in the Light of the Quran and Hadith

This article presents a detailed discussion on the great blessing of “time,” its importance, its value, and the shortcomings found within us regarding its wastage. In the Quran and Sunnah, there are numerous emphases on valuing time, not wasting it in futile matters, dedicating it to good deeds, and staying away from bad friends and unproductive engagements. The article at hand presents these teachings in an organized and comprehensive manner so that we may spend every moment of our precious life in obedience to Allah and achieve success in this world and the hereafter.

Time: A Great Blessing from Allah Almighty

Allah Almighty has bestowed countless favors upon mankind and granted innumerable blessings. Among these, one of the greatest blessings is “time”—day and night. In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty has specially mentioned this blessing.

Quranic Verse

﴿ اَللّٰہُ الَّذِیْ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضَ وَ اَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآئِ مَآءً فَاَخْرَجَ بِہٖ مِنَ الثَّمَرٰتِ رِزْقًا لَّکُمْ… ﴾

Translation:

“Allah is the One who created the heavens and the earth, sent down water from the sky, then brought forth fruits for your sustenance from it, and made ships subservient to you in the sea, and also made rivers subservient to you.”

Then He further said:

Quranic Verse

﴿ وَسَخَّرَ لَکُمُ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ دَآئِبَیْنِ وَسَخَّرَ لَکُمُ الَّیْلَ وَالنَّھَارَ… ﴾

Translation:

“And He made the sun and the moon subservient to you, and the night and the day for your benefit. And whatever you ask from Allah, He grants it all. If you try to count Allah’s blessings, you will never be able to enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is very unjust and ungrateful.”

These verses clarify that day and night, that is time, is a great blessing from Allah. But unfortunately, most people do not value it.

Oaths of Allah on the Importance of Time

Allah Almighty has repeatedly sworn by time in the Quran to emphasize its greatness:

Quranic Verses

﴿ وَاللَّیْلِ اِذَا یَغْشٰی ٭ وَالنَّهَارِ اِذَا تَجَلّٰی ﴾

“By the night when it covers, and by the day when it shines.”

﴿ وَالْفَجْرِ ﴾

“By the dawn!”

﴿ وَالضُّحٰی ﴾

“By the forenoon!”

﴿ وَالْعَصْرِ ﴾

“By the time (era)!”

This is evidence that time is extremely precious in the sight of Allah, because Allah only swears by something great.

Surah Al-Asr—Summary of Life

According to some scholars, in Surah Al-Asr Allah has declared that every human is in loss except for those who have these four qualities:

➊ Faith

➋ Righteous deeds

➌ Calling to Allah

➍ Patience

These four things make a person’s time in life valuable.

Two Blessings of Time: Health and Leisure

The Prophet ﷺ said:

Hadith

(( نِعْمَتَانِ مَغْبُونٌ فِیْہِمَا کَثِیْرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ: الصِّحَّۃُ وَالْفَرَاغُ ))

Translation:

“Two blessings in which many people are in loss: health and leisure.”

Meaning, these two blessings are often wasted by people, but few benefit from them.

Wasting Time—A Sign of Allah’s Displeasure

Saif Al-Yamani, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

(إِنَّ مِنْ عَلَامَۃِ إِعْرَاضِ اللّٰہِ عَنِ الْعَبْدِ أَنْ یُشْغِلَہُ بِمَا لَا یَنْفَعُہُ)

“This is a sign of Allah’s turning away that a servant engages in things that do not benefit him.”

Unfortunately, in our society, useless busyness has become common:

✿ Idle gatherings

✿ Wasting time in friendships

✿ Internet, mobile phones, TV

✿ Games, matches, digests, and stories

✿ Staying awake at night wasting time

And all these things lead a person towards loss.

Bad company and wasting time

Many people waste their precious time in the company of bad friends. On the Day of Judgment, these very people will regret deeply.

Quranic Verses

﴿ وَیَوْمَ یَعَضُّ الظَّالِمُ عَلٰی یَدَیْہِ یَقُوْلُ یٰلَیْتَنِی اتَّخَذْتُ مَعَ الرَّسُوْلِ سَبِیْلًا ٭ یٰوَیْلَتٰی لَیْتَنِیْ لَمْ اَتَّخِذْ فُلاَنًا خَلِیْلًا ٭ لَقَدْ اَضَلَّنِیْ عَنِ الذِّکْرِ بَعْدَ اِذْ جَآئَنِی ﴾

Translation:

“On the Day when the wrongdoer will bite on his hands and say: ‘Oh, I wish I had taken the path with the Messenger. Alas! I wish I had not taken so-and-so as a friend. He indeed led me astray after the guidance had come to me.'”

These verses make it clear that a bad friend ruins time, religion, and life.

Example of good and bad companions

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explained this reality with the best analogy:

Hadith

((مَثَلُ الْجَلِیْسِ الصَّالِحِ وَالسُّوْئِ کَحَامِلِ الْمِسْکِ وَنَافِخِ الْکِیْرِ…))

Translation:

“The example of a good and bad companion is like that of a perfume seller and a blacksmith. The perfume seller will either give you a gift, or you will buy from him, or at least you will get a good fragrance. And the blacksmith will either burn your clothes or you will definitely get a bad smell from him.”

This means that good friends connect time with worship, while bad friends waste time.

Useless Gatherings—Regret on the Day of Judgment

Those gatherings in which there is no mention of Allah and no sending of blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ are the worst waste of time.

Hadith

((مَا جَلَسَ قَوْمٌ مَجْلِسًا لَمْ یَذْکُرُوا اللّٰہَ وَلَمْ یُصَلُّوا عَلٰی نَبِیِّہِمْ إِلَّا کَانَ مَجْلِسُہُمْ عَلَیْہِمْ تِرَۃً…))

Translation:

“Those who sit in a gathering and neither remember Allah nor send blessings upon their Prophet ﷺ, that gathering will be a cause of regret and remorse for them on the Day of Judgment.”

Wasting Time in Greed and Worldly Occupations

✿ Useless digest
✿ Stories
✿ Fabricated tales
✿ Movies
✿ Dramas
✿ Un-Islamic content
✿ Staying awake at night on frivolities
✿ Sleeping during the most important times of worship
— All these actions are killers of time.

If blessed times like Fajr and Tahajjud are wasted, a person loses the most valuable treasure of the day.

Quranic Verse

﴿ وَمِنْ رَّحْمَتِہٖ جَعَلَ لَکُمُ الَّیْلَ وَالنَّھَارَ لِتَسْکُنُوْا فِیْہِ وَ لِتَبْتَغُوْا مِنْ فَضْلِہٖ ﴾

Translation:

“It is His mercy that He made for you the night and the day, that you may rest during the night and seek bounty during the day.”

But we waste the night in useless talk and the day sleeping.

Hadith

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ disliked sleeping before Isha and talking after it.”

But today, most people waste this time on mobile phones, internet, chatting, movies, dramas, games, and social media.

TV and Mobile—The Biggest Enemies of Time

In the present era, mobile phones have become the biggest cause of wasting time:

❀ Useless games
❀ Countless hours on social media
❀ Posts, comments, likes
❀ Hours of chatting
❀ Immorality and music
❀ Short videos

All these consume a person’s valuable time.

Proper and Legitimate Use of Mobile

If the mobile is used in this way, it can become the best use of time:

➊ Acquiring beneficial knowledge

➋ Quranic lessons, lectures, sermons

➌ Reading authentic Islamic material

➍ Spreading the invitation of religion

➎ Sharing posts for the reform of people

Such use is a cause for reward, not a loss of time.

Consequences and Outcome of Wasting Time

Wasting time is not only a loss in this world but also the destruction of the Hereafter. This is why scholars have declared it an extremely dangerous loss.

A person should think:
Did Allah create me without purpose? Does my life have no meaning? Was I sent to this world just for play and amusement? Certainly not!

Purpose of Time—Declaration of the Quran

Allah Almighty has stated that man was not created without purpose.

Quranic Verse

﴿ اَفَحَسِبْتُمْ اَنَّمَا خَلَقْنٰکُمْ عَبَثًا وَّاَنَّکُمْ اِلَیْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُوْنَ ﴾

Translation:

“Did you think that We had created you without purpose and that you would not be returned to Us?”

Then He said:

Verse

﴿ فَتَعَالَی اللّٰہُ الْمَلِکُ الْحَقُّ ﴾

Translation:

“So exalted is Allah, the Sovereign, the Truth.”

Meaning, it is not possible for Allah Almighty to create without purpose. Man has been created for a great purpose.

The True Purpose of Human Creation

The Holy Quran has clearly stated the purpose of human creation in straightforward words:

Quranic Verse

﴿ وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْاِنسَ اِلَّا لِیَعْبُدُوْنِ ﴾

Translation:

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”

Therefore, the true purpose of man is to spend his entire life in obedience to his Lord, to follow His commands, and to abandon every act that displeases Allah.

Health and Leisure—A Great Capital for Worship

If Allah has granted us:

❀ Health
❀ Well-being
❀ Free time

then all these are not merely for worldly enjoyment, but through them, closeness to Allah is to be attained.

Consider Five Things as a Blessing Before Five Others Occur

The Holy Prophet ﷺ gave a comprehensive advice to teach the value of time:

Hadith

(( اِغْتَنِمْ خَمْسًا قَبْلَ خَمْسٍ ))

“Consider five things before five things.”

(( شَبَابَکَ قَبْلَ ہَرَمِکَ ))

“Your youth before old age.”

(( وَصِحَّتَکَ قَبْلَ سَقَمِکَ ))

“Your health before sickness.”

(( وَغِنَاکَ قَبْلَ فَقْرِکَ ))

“Your wealth before poverty.”

(( وَفَرَاغَکَ قَبْلَ شُغْلِکَ ))

“Your free time before being busy.”

(( وَحَیَاتَکَ قَبْلَ مَوْتِکَ ))

“Your life before death.”

This hadith is sufficient to understand the value and importance of time.

The Dangerous Accountability of Wasting Time

On the Day of Judgment, a person will be specially questioned about time.

Hadith

(( لَا تَزُوْلُ قَدَمَا ابْنِ آدَمَ یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَۃِ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّہ حَتّٰی یُسْأَلَ عَنْ خَمْسٍ… ))

Translation:

“On the Day of Judgment, the feet of the son of Adam will not move from before his Lord until he is asked about five things:

About his age, how he spent it?

About his youth, how he used it?

From where did he earn his wealth?

Where did he spend his wealth?

How much did he act upon his knowledge?”

These are extremely severe and frightening questions. Every person will have to answer about their use of time.

Special Warning for the Youth

Youth is the most valuable time. That is why the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mentioned the youth among those who will be under the shade of the Throne:

❀ One whose youth was spent in the worship of Allah.

If young people waste their time on:

✿ Mobile phones
✿ Games
✿ Social media
✿ Movies
✿ Useless friends
✿ Immoral gatherings at night

then this is the greatest loss of life.

Advice for Housewives

Spend free time at home in the following ways:

◈ Recitation of the Quran
◈ Remembrance and seeking forgiveness from Allah
◈ Reading beneficial religious books
◈ Listening to religious lectures
◈ Training and upbringing of children
◈ Doing household chores with the intention of earning reward

Useless TV programs, dramas, mobile phones, and social media only waste time.

Special Message for Parents

Parents should protect their children from things that waste time, strictly monitor improper use of mobile phones, and take responsibility seriously, because:

Whoever is responsible will be questioned about their responsibility on the Day of Judgment.

Regret at the Time of Death—The Wasted Hours of Time Will Be Remembered

The greatest regret of wasting time will be at the time of death. When life is slipping away, a person will wish that he could have some more time to do good deeds.

Qur’anic Verse

﴿ حَتّٰی اِذَا جَاءَ اَحَدَہُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ارْجِعُوْنِ ٭ لَعَلِّیْ اَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا فِیْمَا تَرَکْتُ ﴾

Translation:

“Until, when death comes to one of them, he says: O my Lord! Send me back, that I might do righteousness in that which I left behind.”
Allah says: This is only a word he says.

Similarly, He said:

Verse

﴿ وَاَنْفِقُوْا مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰکُمْ… فَیَقُوْلَ رَبِّ لَوْلَا اَخَّرْتَنِیْ اِلَی اَجَلٍ قَرِیْبٍ… ﴾

Translation:

“Spend from that which We have provided you before death comes to one of you and he says: My Lord! Why did You not give me respite so I might give charity and be among the righteous?”

But this respite is not granted.

Verse

﴿ وَلَنْ یُؤَخِّرَ اللّٰہُ نَفْسًا اِذَا جَاءَ اَجَلُہَا ﴾

Translation:

“But when the death time comes for one of them, He will not delay it, nor will they be reprieved.”

Regret on the Day of Judgment—The Impossible Desire to Return

The second great regret will be on the Day of Judgment, when a person, after witnessing the dreadful scenes there, will wish to be sent back to the world.

Qur’anic Verse

﴿ وَلَوْ تَرٰی اِذِ الْمُجْرِمُوْنَ نَاکِسُوْا رُؤُوْسِہِمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّہِمْ… ﴾

Translation:

“(O Prophet!) If only you could see when the criminals will bow their heads before their Lord and say: O our Lord! We have seen and heard, so send us back so that we may do righteous deeds. We have certainly become convinced.”

But there is no return there—only the wasted moments of time will be remembered.

➊ Time is passing very quickly

Time is passing at the speed of lightning, but humans remain heedless.

❀ Years pass like months
❀ Months pass like weeks
❀ Weeks pass like days
❀ And days pass like moments

This “contraction of time” is among the minor signs of the Day of Judgment.

Therefore, every moment of time should be considered precious.

➋ Time is more valuable than wealth

The value of time is greater than any wealth because:

1. Wealth can be lost and regained,
but if a moment of time is lost, not even all the wealth in the world can bring it back.

2. Wealth can be lent to someone,
but not even a second of time can be lent to anyone.

That is why Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say:

Effect of a Companion

( مَا نَدِمْتُ عَلٰی شَیْءٍ نَدَمِیْ عَلٰی یَوْمٍ غَرَبَتْ فِیْہِ شَمْسُہُ نَقَصَ فِیْہِ اَجَلِیْ وَلَمْ یَزِدْ فِیْہِ عَمَلِیْ )

Translation:

“I do not feel as much regret over anything as I do over the day whose sun has set, my age has decreased but my deeds have not increased.”

Special Emphasis for Youth

➤ Youth is a combination of strength, health, intelligence, and energy.
➤ This is the best season for good deeds.
➤ If this time is wasted on games, social media, gatherings with friends, movies, and TV, it is the greatest loss.

The Holy Prophet ﷺ said:

❀ Whoever is nurtured in the worship of Allah during youth will be granted the shade of the Throne on the Day of Judgment.

Therefore, young people should not waste their strength and time on useless matters.

Advice for Women

❀ Do not waste free time at home
❀ Recite the Quran, engage in dhikr, and make du’as
❀ Listen to beneficial Islamic lectures
❀ Consider the upbringing of children and household chores as acts of worship
❀ Avoid frivolous dramas, songs, social media, and the temptations of mobile phones

Important Responsibility for Parents

Parents should protect their children from the temptations of mobile phones, TV, games, and bad friends, because:

The Prophet ﷺ said: Every responsible person will be questioned about their responsibility.

Therefore, it is the duty of parents to supervise their children’s time and upbringing.

Practical Way to Use Time Properly — Guidance from the Quran

Finally, Allah Almighty has given very clear guidance that whenever you are free, spend your time in obedience to Allah.

Quranic Verse

﴿ فَاِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ ٭ وَاِلٰی رَبِّکَ فَارْغَبْ ﴾

Translation:

“When you are free, then strive hard (in worship), and turn your attention fully to your Lord.”

Meaning free time should not be wasted. Every free moment should be devoted to turning towards Allah.

Acts of worship teach time management

The major acts of worship in Islam teach us the lesson of organizing time:

❀ Five Prayers
Divided into five times of the day, each to be performed at its appointed time.

❀ Fasting in Ramadan
One month in the year—with a fixed beginning and end.

❀ Zakat
Obligatory after the completion of a year.

❀ Hajj
On specified days and with prescribed rituals.

All these acts of worship convey to a person that every moment of life requires order and discipline.

Doing Work at Its Proper Time—Advice of the Pious Predecessors

Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), when appointing Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) as Caliph, advised him:

Effect

“O Umar! There is a deed of Allah that belongs to the day which He does not accept at night, and a deed that belongs to the night which He does not accept during the day.”

Meaning:

That is, every deed is best suited to its own time; the action meant for a particular time should be performed in that time.

Moments of Waiting—The Best Opportunity for Good Deeds

Islam has also taught us that even the smallest amount of time is precious. At the doctor’s clinic, bus stop, traffic signal, standing in line, during travel—all these moments can be used to earn countless good deeds.

① Ten times Surah Al-Ikhlas in one minute

Hadith

(( مَنْ قَرَأَ قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ أَحَدٌ حَتّٰی یَخْتِمَهَا عَشْرَ مَرَّاتٍ، بَنَى اللّٰهُ لَهُ قَصْرًا فِی الْجَنَّةِ ))

Translation:

“Whoever recites Surah Al-Ikhlas completely ten times, Allah Almighty will build a palace for him in Paradise.”

And the one who loved this Surah, the Prophet ﷺ said to him:

(( حُبُّکَ إِیَّاهَا أَدْخَلَکَ الْجَنَّةَ ))

Translation:

“The love of this Surah has admitted you into Paradise.”

② One or two minutes to recite one page of the Quran

One page (approximately 450 letters) = at least four thousand five hundred good deeds.
And if it is two pages, then a river of good deeds flows.

③ One hundred times “Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi” in two minutes

Hadith

(( مَنْ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ فِی یَوْمٍ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ، حُطَّتْ عَنْهُ خَطَایَاهُ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مِثْلَ زَبَدِ الْبَحْرِ ))

Translation:

“Whoever says ‘Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi’ one hundred times in a day, his sins will be forgiven even if they are like the foam of the sea.”

④ One hundred times Istighfar in two minutes

The Companions said that we used to hear the Prophet ﷺ saying this one hundred times in one gathering:

Supplication

(( رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِی وَتُبْ عَلَیَّ إِنَّکَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الْغَفُورُ ))

Translation:

“O my Lord! Forgive me, accept my repentance, indeed You are the Most Accepting of Repentance, the Most Merciful.”

⑤ One hundred times in two minutes: La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah

This dhikr is one of the treasures of Paradise. Short but great in action.

⑥ In two to two and a half minutes: SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi SubhanAllahil Azim

Hadith

(( كَلِمَتَانِ حَبِیبَتَانِ إِلَی الرَّحْمٰنِ، خَفِیفَتَانِ عَلَی اللِّسَانِ، ثَقِیلَتَانِ فِی الْمِیزَانِ: سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ، سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ الْعَظِیم ))

Translation:

“Two phrases are very beloved to the Most Merciful, very light on the tongue, and very heavy on the scale:

سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ، سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ الْعَظِیم۔‘‘

⑦ Ten times in one minute: Sending blessings (Durood Sharif)

Upon sending blessings once:

❀ Allah sends down ten mercies
❀ Forgives ten sins
❀ Raises ten ranks

So ten times Durood = one hundred mercies, one hundred pardons, one hundred ranks!

Change the way you wait—life will change

Every moment we spend in idleness can be filled with good deeds if:

◈ We read the Quran
◈ We do dhikr
◈ We recite Durood Sharif
◈ We repent and seek forgiveness
◈ We read short Surahs
◈ We make supplications

All these actions take neither time nor place, yet they fill the scale with good deeds.

Final Supplication

اَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِی أَوْقَاتِنَا، وَاجْعَلْهَا لَنَا لَا عَلَیْنَا، وَاجْعَلْهَا فِی طَاعَتِکَ، وَلَا تَجْعَلْهَا فِی مَعْصِیَتِکَ۔

Ameen.

Conclusion

➤ Time is the capital of a person’s life. It is more valuable than gold and silver because wealth can be regained, but not even a moment of time returns.

➤ Time passes quickly—years, months, weeks are passing like moments. Whoever does not do good today, may not get the chance tomorrow.

➤ On the Day of Judgment, every person will be questioned about their age, youth, wealth, knowledge, and deeds. No excuse will be accepted that day.

➤ At the time of death, every person will wish:

’’ربّ ارجعون—اے رب مجھے واپس بھیج دے کہ میں نیک اعمال کروں‘‘

But return will be impossible.

➤ Therefore, it is necessary that we:

◈ Perform prayers on time
◈ Use nights for rest and days for hard work
◈ Avoid the trials of mobile phones and media
◈ Allocate time for scholarly and religious activities
◈ Recite remembrances and Quran during waiting times
◈ Keep the company of righteous people
◈ Avoid useless gatherings and unproductive engagements

And especially:

Spend your youth, health, and leisure in good deeds before these blessings are taken away.

We pray to Allah Almighty:

اَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِی أَوْقَاتِنَا، وَاجْعَلْهَا لَنَا وَلَا تَجْعَلْهَا عَلَیْنَا، وَارْزُقْنَا حُسْنَ اسْتِعْمَالِ الْوَقْتِ، وَحِفْظِ الْعُمُرِ، وَالْعَمَلَ الصَّالِحَ قَبْلَ الْمَمَاتِ۔

Ameen.