Time Management (4)

3-Being On Time and Meeting Deadlines

These two qualities are manifested in Islamic teachings in many forms. First, as I mentioned in a previous article, all Islamic worship acts are strictly tied to time. Consider the prayer again as an example. Allah says "Verily, As-Salah (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours." Quran: Chapter 4, verse 103. It was also narrated that when prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him was asked about the best of deeds, he answered "praying in the beginning of the time." (Hadeeth from At-Termethi). Also, fasting is limited by specific times: the dawn and the sunset (Quran: Chapter 2, verse 187). If you eat after dawn or before sunset by even one minute, you are not considered to be fasting according to the Islamic teachings. One of the purposes of having worship acts strictly tied to specific time of the day is to teach the muslim believer to be always on time.

Second, it is highly recommended to keep your promises. Allah praises those who keep their promises: "And mention in the Book (the Quran) Ismail (Ishmael). Verily, he was true to what he promised, and he was a Messenger, (and) a Prophet." Quran: Chapter 19, verse 54. The prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also warned us strongly from not keeping our promises. He said "The signs of the hypocrite are three: if he talks, he lies, if he promises, he does not keep his promise, and if he is trusted, he betrays."(Authentic Hadeeth narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.) Being a hypocrite is really a very serious problem if we take into consideration what Quran says about hypocrites: "The Hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire; no helper wilt thou find for them. " Quran: Chapter 4, verse 145.

If you gave a promise to finish something before a deadline or if you give a promise to meet someone at a certain time, do not take it lightly. It is a very serious sin not to keep your promise.

Time Management (3)

2-Being Balanced in Dividing Your Time

Narrated Abu Juhaifa (one of the companions of prophet Muhammad peace be upon him): The prophet made a bond of brotherhood between Salman and Abu Ad-Dardaa. Salman paid a visit to Abu Ad-Dardaa and found Umm Ad-Dardaa (his wife) dressed in shabby clothes and asked her why she was in that state. She replied, "Your brother Abu Ad-Dardaa is not interested in (the luxuries of) this world." In the meantime Abu AdDardaa came and prepared a meal for Salman. Salman requested Abu Ad-Dardaa to eat (with him), but Abu Ad-Dardaa said, "I am fasting (voluntarily)." Salman said, "I am not going to eat unless you eat." So, Abu Ad-Dardaa ate (with Salman). When it was night and (a part of the night passed), Abu Ad-Dardaa got up (to offer the volunteer night prayer), but Salman told him to sleep and Abu Ad-Dardaa slept. After sometime Abu Ad-Dardaa again got up but Salman told him to sleep. When it was the last hours of the night, Salman told him to get up then, and both of them offered the night prayer. Salman told Abu Ad-Dardaa, "Your Lord has a right on you, your own self has a right on you, and your family has a right on you; so you should give the rights of all those who has a right on you." Abu-Ad-Dardaa came to the prophet peace and blessing be upon him and narrated the whole story. The prophet said, "Salman has spoken the truth."
Narrated by Al-Bukhari in his book of authentic hadeeths

It is of extreme importance to keep balanced in dividing our time between the different tasks we have to do and between the rights of our Lord, the rights of our own selves and the rights of our family. This does not contradict with the fact that in Islam, we are seeking pleasing Allah by all our actions.

In the hadeeth mentioned above, Abu Ad-Dardaa was an example of an imbalanced believer by allocating all his time and effort in worship acts and neglecting the right of himself to get enough rest and food and neglecting the right of his wife to spend time with her. This example is rare in our days. However, we can still see many imbalanced people. Some people spent most of their time at work. They do not give their families their rights by spending very little time with them. This is not the right way to manage your time. You have to be balanced: have time to work, time to worship, time to spend with the family, time to sleep and time to have fun. Being balanced will certainly enhance your productivity and help you to achieve the tasks you have to achieve much more efficiently.

What will happen if you are imbalanced? The simple and straightforward answer is: You will be successful in one or two things and you will lose everything else. If you do not sleep enough, you will lose your health. If you do not work enough, you will lose your wealth. If you do not worship enough, you will lose your hereafter. If you do not spend enough time with your family, you will lose them. We experience in our lives many successful people whose children are not as successful.

In summary, being balanced helps you to be happy and successful in many aspects at the same time.