Fatwa ID: 08164
Answered by: Moulana Sakib Shadman
Question:
Assalamu alaykum. How can a Muslim use his time wisely? I feel as though I have wasted much time on frivolous activities. Could you advise me as to how to structure my time to be more beneficial for me and my akhirat?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Live a balanced life
Islam is a balanced and moderate religion. If you look at the daily life of our Prophet Mohammed (SAW), when he was Muqeem (not travelling or participating in conquests), his life was very structured and balanced. Our Prophet (SAW) would dedicate adequate time every day to:
Spend time with his family and do daily chores at home,
Spend time giving Dawah and visiting the sick,
Spend time teaching and giving advice in the Masjid,
Consulting senior Sahabah (RA) and making important executive decisions in regards to the welfare and advancement of the State. e.g. sending delegations to different tribes and nations to invite them to Islam,
Personal Ibadah, praying five times in the Masjid, etc.
Thus, the Prophet (SAW) had a daily routine which was somewhat predictable and balanced.
Electronic devices and the Internet
Young Muslims in this day and age spend too much time on their phones. They cannot live without social media, YouTube, Netflix, video games, etc. My advice would be to avoid these distractions completely. These forms of entertainment will distract you from your Deen and will derail your progress and development in your education and career. The time that you spend on your electronic devices could be dedicated to praying in the masjid, learning Quran, helping your parents, and perhaps even starting a Halal business. There is so much lewdness and immodesty on the Internet, and you will be desensitized to such evil content without even realizing it.
Healthy lifestyle
Finally, one should eat a healthy and balanced diet. Be careful not to overeat and oversleep. Do not sleep after Fajr if you can avoid it. Rather, take a nap in the midday.
It was narrated from Ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“O Allah, bless my nation early in the morning.”
Thus, you will find that you are more productive in the early morning and your brain is more fresh at that time.
Summary
In conclusion, create a balanced schedule/timetable. Dedicate time to your family, to the masjid, your Halal business or career ventures, learning Quran, reciting Adhkar, etc. Avoid wasting time on your phone and other electronic devices. If you feel the need to socialize, do it in person and not through social media. Be friends with other pious young Muslims who are driven and hard working. Try to learn some beneficial knowledge every day and spend some time exercising and staying healthy.
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by: Maulana Sakib Shadman
Checked and approved by: Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عَمْرَةَ، قَالَتْ: قِيلَ لِعَائِشَةَ: مَاذَا كَانَ يَعْمَلُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي بَيْتِهِ؟ قَالَتْ: كَانَ بَشَرًا مِنَ الْبَشَرِ، يَفْلِي ثَوْبَهُ، وَيَحْلُبُ شَاتَهُ، وَيَخْدُمُ نَفْسَهُ.
‘Amra said: “’A’isha was asked: ‘What was Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) accustomed to doing in his home?’ She said: ‘He was a normal human being. He used to examine his clothes for lice, milk his sheep and serve himself.’”
Ash-Shama’il Al-Muhammadiyah 341
Book 47: The Humbleness Of Sayyidina Rasoolullah
Grade: Hasan Isnād (Zubair `Aliza’i)
https://sunnah.com/shamail:341
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لِعَائِشَةَ أَىُّ شَيْءٍ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصْنَعُ إِذَا دَخَلَ بَيْتَهُ قَالَتْ كَانَ يَكُونُ فِي مِهْنَةِ أَهْلِهِ فَإِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلاَةُ قَامَ فَصَلَّى . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Aswad bin Yazid narrated: “I said to Aishah: ‘What would the Prophet (s.a.w) do when he entered his house?’ She said: ‘He would busy himself with serving his family, then when (the time for) Salat was due he would stand (to go) for it.'”
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2489
Chapter 45: The Virtue of Every Person Who Is Near and Easy to Deal With, Book 37: Chapters on the description of the Day of Judgement, Ar-Riqaq, and Al-Wara’
Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)
https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:2489
حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ كَاسِبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الْجُدْعَانِيِّ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ “ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لأُمَّتِي فِي بُكُورِهَا ” .
Sunan Ibn Majah 2238
Chapter 41: The Blessing That Is Hoped For When Starting One’s Day Early, Book 12: The Chapters on Business Transactions
https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah:2238
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ كُنَّا نَقِيلُ وَنَتَغَدَّى بَعْدَ الْجُمُعَةِ.
Narrated Sahl bin Sa`d: We used to have a midday nap and take our meals after the Jumua (prayer).
Sahih al-Bukhari 6279
Chapter 39: After Al-Jumu’ah (prayer), Book 79: Asking Permission
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:6279
هَذَا الحَيَاءُ وَهَذِهِ الغَفْلَةُ قَضَتْ عَلَى كَثِيرٍ مِنْهَا وَسَائِلُ التَّوَاصُلِ الاجْتِمَاعِيِّ، فَصَارَ الكَلامُ الفَاحِشُ البَذِيءُ يَتَنَاقَلُهُ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ الشَّبَابِ وَالفَتَيَاتِ، بَلْ رُبَّمَا الأَطْفَالُ، نَاهِيكُمْ عَنِ الصُّوَرِ الفَاضِحَةِ، وَالمَقَاطِعِ الفَاحِشَةِ، وَالتَّبَاهِي بِانْتِهَاكِ الحُرُمَاتِ، وَالمُجَاهَرَةِ بِالسُّوءِ، فَيَحْكِي بَعْضُهُمْ مَا عَمِلَ البَارِحَةَ مِنْ فَوَاحِشَ وَقَدْ بَاتَ يَسْتُرُهُ رَبُّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ، فَيُصْبِحُ يَكْشِفُ سِتْرَ اللهِ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ عَلَى المَلَأِ مِنَ النَّاسِ، بَلْ عَلَى أُلُوفٍ وَمَلايِينَ، وَهَذَا مُجَاهَرَةٌ بِالإثْمِ، وَلَوْ كَانَ كَاذِبًا فِيمَا قَالَ، وَلَوْ تَخَفَّى خَلْفَ أَسْمَاءَ وَهْمِيَّةٍ؛ فَإِنَّهُ لَنْ يَخْرُجَ مِنْ دَائِرَةِ المُجَاهِرِينَ الَّذِينَ لا يُعَافُونَ، وَمِنْ يَشِيعُونَ الفَاحِشَةَ فِي النَّاسِ.
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ص369 – كتاب ينابيع المنبر مجموعة خطب ومقالات المجموعة الأولى – أثر وسائل التواصل في هدم الأسرة والمجتمع – المكتبة الشاملة
حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ الْحِمْصِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَتْنِي أُمِّي، عَنْ أُمِّهَا، أَنَّهَا سَمِعَتِ الْمِقْدَامَ بْنَ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ “ مَا مَلأَ آدَمِيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ حَسْبُ الآدَمِيِّ لُقَيْمَاتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ غَلَبَتِ الآدَمِيَّ نَفْسُهُ فَثُلُثٌ لِلطَّعَامِ وَثُلُثٌ لِلشَّرَابِ وَثُلُثٌ لِلنَّفَسِ ” .
Miqdam bin Madikarib said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.’”
Sunan Ibn Majah 3349
Chapter 50: Being economical with food and the undesirability of eating one’s fill, Book 29: Chapters on Food
Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)
https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah:3349
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَامِرِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ، وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مُوسَى، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا شَرِيكُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ” قَارِبُوا وَسَدِّدُوا فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ بِمُنْجِيهِ عَمَلُهُ ” . قَالُوا وَلاَ أَنْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . قَالَ ” وَلاَ أَنَا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَتَغَمَّدَنِيَ اللَّهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَفَضْلٍ ” .
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Be moderate and adhere to moderation, for there is no one among you who will be saved by his deeds.” They said: “Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Not even me. Unless Allah encompasses me with mercy and grace from Him.”
Sunan Ibn Majah 4201
Chapter 20: Protecting (one’s) deeds (by fearing their non-acceptance), Book 37: Zuhd
Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)
https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah:4201
