Time...

“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

As age catches up with me, I now admit that, the most valuable treasure to mankind is ‘time’. ‘Time’ is something that will pass you by whether you like it or not. It does not stop or wait for anyone. It does not delay its arrival and it never announces its departure. Once it’s gone, no amount of money in the world can purchase it or retrieve it. We see movies about mad scientists trying to create time-travel machine but to no avail. It is impossible. Imagine, if man can go back in time, then the world will be topsy turvy.

‘Time’ is actually the best gift, given by our Creator to us. The question is, did we use it well? Did we appreciate it? Did we put it to good use?

Two years ago, I was just like everyone else, caught up in the rat-race. I was busy juggling work, family and other activities. I felt that I needed to accumulate my wealth as a safety net for rainy days. I felt I was pulled to 5 different direction at once. The sad thing was, I made time for everything else but my Creator. I kept giving Him excuses and reasons as to why I couldn’t spend more time with Him or for Him.

I even stopped going to Quranic classes, so much so, the Wise Owl called me and threatened to turn up at my doorsteps! Yikes!!! I then realised that God always had time for me when I needed Him. When I call upon Him, He answers my prayers. When I’m trouble, He will bail me out. When I’m sad He will make me happy. When my heart is heavy with grief, He lightens it up. But, I realised that I would only run to Him when there is trouble but I when I’m happy, I put him in the back-seat. That is wrong wrong.

After months of pondering and discussion with my husband, I finally made up my mind to make time for my Creator. I owe Him my life. I should be running when He calls. I should try to spend most of my waking hours, remembering Him and serving Him.

I decided to give up my practise so that I could drop out of the rat-race. I am actually busier than before but I now have the luxury to drop everything for Him. I am now able to worship Him in peace and without haste. I can take my time and ponder on my actions. I can do more sunnah prayers and other acts. I can get to know Him better and closer. I even have more time to spend with my loved ones. That, is priceless.

I remember the story of the 3 men who were trapped in a cave for years.

“Or dost thou reflect that the Companions of the Cave and of the Inscription were wonders among Our Sign?. Behold, the youths betook themselves to the Cave: they said, "Our Lord! bestow on us Mercy from Thyself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way! Then We draw (a veil) over their ears, for a number of years, in the Cave, (so that they heard not): Then We roused them, in order to test which of the two parties was best at calculating the term of years they had  tarried! We relate to thee their story in truth: they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We advanced them in guidance: We gave strength to their hearts: Behold, they stood up and said: "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth: never shall we call upon any god other than Him: if we did, we should indeed have uttered an enormity!"These our people have taken for worship gods other than Him: why do they not bring forward an authority clear (and convincing) for what they do? Who doth more wrong than such as invent a falsehood against Allah. "When ye turn away from them and the things they worship other than Allah, betake yourselves to the Cave: Your Lord will shower His mercies on you and disposes of your affair towards comfort and ease.  Thou wouldst have seen the sun, when it rose, declining to the right from their Cave, and when it set, turning away from them to the left, while they lay in the open space in the midst of the Cave.Such are among the Signs of Allah.He whom Allah, guides is rightly guided; but he whom Allah leaves to stray,- for him wilt thou find no protector to lead him to the Right Way. Thou wouldst have deemed them awake, whilst they were asleep, and We turned them on their right and on their left sides: their dog stretching forth his two fore-legs on the threshold: if thou hadst come up on to them, thou wouldst have certainly turned back from them in flight, and wouldst certainly have been filled with terror of them. Such (being their state), we raised them up (from sleep), that they might question each other.Said one of them, "How long have ye stayed (here)?" They said, "We have stayed (perhaps) a day, or part of a day." (At length) they (all) said, "(Allah) (alone) knows best how long ye have stayed here....Now send ye then one of you with this money of yours to the town: let him find out which is the best food (to be had) and bring some to you, that (ye may) satisfy your hunger therewith: And let him behave with care and courtesy, and let him not inform any one about you. For if they should come upon you, they would stone you or force you to return to their cult, and in that case ye would never attain prosperity. Thus did We make their case known to the people, that they might know that the promise of Allah is true, and that there can be no doubt about the Hour of Judgment.Behold, they dispute among themselves as to their affair.(Some) said, "Construct a building over them": Their Lord knows best about them: those who prevailed over their affair said, "Let us surely build a place of worship over them.. (Some) say they were three, the dog being the fourth among them; (others) say they were five, the dog being the sixth,- doubtfully guessing at the unknown; (yet others) say they were seven, the dog being the eighth.Say thou: "My Lord knoweth best their number; It is but few that know their (real case)." Enter not, therefore, into controversies concerning them, except on a matter that is clear, nor consult any of them about (the affair of) the Sleepers. Nor say of anything, "I shall be sure to do so and so tomorrow"- Without adding, "So please Allah." and call thy Lord to mind when thou forgettest, and say, "I hope that my Lord will guide me ever closer (even) than this to the right road. So they stayed in their Cave three hundred years, and (some) add nine (more) . Say: "(Allah) knows best how long they stayed: with Him is (the knowledge of) the secrets of the heavens and the earth: how clearly He sees, how finely He hears (everything)! They have no protector other than Him; nor does He share His Command with any person whatsoever.”
Surah Al-Kahf 18:9-26

This verse is about the Supreme Power of Al Mighty. God AlMighty had stopped time for the men for three hundred years. Unfortunately, I do not think that I will live that long or that I am special enough, for God to stop time for me.

Lesson to be learnt is, seize every moment and make it your best. Try to spend majority of your time, to devote it to God AlMighty. Make the time to study and learn our holy scripture, Quran before it is too late. In the grave and on Judgment day, the Quran can intercede on our behalf.

“Ibn Abbas (RA) reported that one of the companions of the Prophet (SAW) pitched a tent on a grave. He did not know that there was a grave. It was the grave of human beings, who recited surah al-Mulk (#67) to the end of it. He came to the Prophet (SAW) and said, “O Messenger of Allah (SAW), I pitched my tent over a grave without knowing that it was a grave. The man inside recited surah al-Mulk to its end.” The Prophet (SAW) said, “It is the rescuer. It rescues from punishment of the grave.” (Tirmidhi 2899)

“Jabir (RA) said that the Prophet (SAW) did not go to sleep till he had recited and [These are surah Sajdah #32 and al-Mulk # 67] (Tirmidhi 3415) Abu Huraira (RA) reported from the Prophet (SAW) that he said, “A surah of the Qur’an has thirty verses. It intercedes for a man till he is forgiven. It is (Surah al-Mulk).” [Tirmidhi 2900, Abu Dawud 1400, Ibn e Majah 3786, Ahmed 7980]

Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "There is a chapter of the Qur'an that will argue on behalf of its reciter until it causes him to enter into Paradise. (It is): (Blessed be He in Whose Hand is the dominion.)" [At-Tabarani and Al-Hafiz Ad-Diya' Al-Maqdisi]

Two years have passed. I do not regret my decision to quit and I have never looked  back. I may have less money to shop but I have more time to spend with my Creator and that, in my opinion, is the greatest treasure of all….Alhamdulillah.