Book Review – The Value of Time

  • Title of the book: The Value of Time
    Author: Shaykh ‘Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghuddah

    In an attempt to understand how those who lived before us treated the gift of time, I began reading ‘The Value of Time’. We live in an era where time has little value and the accumulation of wealth overshadows our desire to attain beneficial knowledge. As you go through this treasure trove you soon come to realise how we are regretfully not of those people who know the true value of time. Instead we fritter it away, giving other irrelevant tasks weight compared to attaining and spreading beneficial knowledge, and we have lost a zeal for investing in good deeds – the one thing which will outlast us when we leave this world.

    What passes through the pages in this book will leave you awe-struck, that the scholars of the past sacrificed everything from eating even when their body was calling in hunger, to minimal social relations in order to preserve time for the most important matters. If you were to take any lesson from this review, it is that we are given a microscopic view into the lives of wise giants in Islam. Wise because their profit was in the wealth of knowledge they produced for the masses. A profound use of their time shows that ensuring every moment was used for something beneficial and pleasing to Allah (SWT).

    What particularly struck me about the way the book was beautifully compiled – was the reality of time worthy actions being achieved; sadly the accomplishment of goals in our lifetime is rare in our world of ‘uber-busyness’. I want to highlight some of the points mentioned in the book so you take practical lessons from it. Time is defined in the book as ‘the loftiest and most precious of all primary blessings’ and ‘is the substance of life, the sphere in which man exists, the citadel of his spirit, and his subsistence – him benefiting himself and others’. As many of us know, Allah (SWT) swears by time in the Qur’aan in Surah Al Asr, so we should ask ourselves that if we are at a loss with time then wouldn’t the intelligent and wise people invest their time in the actions that will outlast his existence in this world?

    In summary, we, the readers in an age where time is used and abused, can take these inspiring snippets of the great legacies that have come to pass and learn to utilise every moment Allah (SWT) has blessed us with through:

    • Reflection: For Allah (SWT) has warned us of those who are wasteful with time and says: “Did we not grant you a life long enough for him who reflected to reflect therein?”
    • Eating less: They were careful to lose even a second of their time in pursuit of knowledge because of eating. Such that in some of the stories written they ate only bread as their soul was satisfied with the food of knowledge.
    • Walking faster: In order to travel in pursuit of the knowledge they were seeking in abundance, so they would not be lazy in going from one end of the earth to the other to obtain it.
    • Mixing with the people less: They would reduce their social time which is prevalent in our daily activities today. Leaving the people and not coming out of their homes unless for prayer in the masjid or necessary matters.
    • Constantly writing and reading: This is paramount to the first point, their reflection on the knowledge they gained led to the numerous works presented before us. This is testimony of their vigilance in worshiping Allah (SWT) and being cautious not to waste a single moment by reading, writing or remembering; and spreading this beneficial knowledge.

    December 18th, 2010 | admin | No Comments |

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