How You Can Manage Your Time with Guidance From Islam
Reference: Qimah Zaman; Sheikh Abdul Fattah
The Struggles With Time
Keeping track of time can be challenging in our fast-paced world, especially when our schedules are dictated by others or when we become so engrossed in the daily grind that we lose awareness of time slipping through our fingers.
Time is an Amanah
But Islam teaches us that time is an amanah (a trust) and how we spend it will be one of the primary things we are judged on on the Day of Judgement.
Allah ﷻ says in the Quran
أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ عَبَثًۭا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ ١١٥
“Did you then think that We had created you without purpose and that you would never be returned to Us?”
[Surah al-Mukminun: 115]
The Prophet ﷺ says:
"لاَ تَزُولُ قَدَمَا عَبْدٍ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حَتَّى يُسْأَلَ عَنْ عُمْرِهِ فِيمَا أَفْنَاهُ وَعَنْ عِلْمِهِ فِيمَا فَعَلَ وَعَنْ مَالِهِ مِنْ أَيْنَ اكْتَسَبَهُ وَفِيمَا أَنْفَقَهُ وَعَنْ جِسْمِهِ فِيمَا أَبْلاَهُ "
The feet of the slave of Allah shall not move on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about these things:
- about his life and what he did with it,
- about his knowledge and what he did with it,
- about his wealth and how he earned it and where he spent it on,
- about his body and for what did he wear it out.
[Jami` at-Tirmidhi: 2417 - Hasan Sahih]
This hadith is guidance from the Prophet ﷺ to his Ummah to seize the opportunities in life and fill their time with righteous deeds, as time is the true capital of a person in this world and their provision in the Hereafter.
The Prophet ﷺ also makes clear that every servant will have a moment of standing for accountability before Allah ﷻ and it describes how Allah ﷻ will question His servant on the Day of Judgment.
Allah ﷻ Swears by Time
Unless we first internalize the true value and significance of time, time management will always feel like a struggle. And how could it not be when even Allah ﷻ swears by time in the Qur’an repeatedly, highlighting its gravity and sacredness.
A term used by the people of knowledge:
"لا يقسم العظيم إلا بعظيم"
The Great only swears by something great.
Allah ﷻ says:
وَٱلعَصْرِ ١
“By the ˹passage of˺ time!”
[Surah al-Asr: 1]
وَٱلْفَجْرِ ١
“By the dawn”
[Surah al-Fajr: 1]
وَٱلضُّحَىٰ ١
“By the morning sunlight,”
[Surah al-Dhuha: 1]
وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَىٰ ٢
“And the night when it falls still!”
[Surah al-Dhuha: 2]
وَٱلشَّمْسِ وَضُحَىٰهَا ١
“By the sun and its brightness”
[Surah as-Shams: 1]
فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلشَّفَقِ ١٦
“So, I do swear by the twilight!”
[Surah al-Insyiqaq:16]
Each of these oaths by Allah ﷻ reminds us that time is not to be taken lightly.
The Two Blessings Most People Waste
The Prophet ﷺ further warned us:
نِعْمَتَانِ مَغْبُونٌ فِيهِمَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، الصِّحَّةُ وَالْفَرَاغُ
"There are two blessings that many people are deceived into losing: health and free time."
[Sahih al-Bukhari: 6412]
These two blessings - health and free time - are often only appreciated once they are gone. When we are healthy and free, we delay, we waste and scroll endlessly. But the moment we fall sick or schedule tightens, we look back with regret wishing we had used those moments better, in worship, learning or kindness.
The Prophet ﷺ used the term مَغْبُونٌ (maghbun), implying that a person has been cheated or deceived in a trade. It is like selling a diamond for the price of sand. That is how poorly many of us misuse these blessings.
Seize the 5 Before the 5
He ﷺ also advised us:
اغتنِمْ خمسًا قبل خمسٍ: شبابَك قبل هَرَمِك، وصِحَّتَك قبل سَقَمِك، وغناك قبل فقرِك، وفراغَك قبل شُغلِك، وحياتَك قبل موتِك.
“Make good use of five matters before five matters would happen:
- your life before your death,
- your good health before you get ill,
- your youth before you get old,
- your good wealth before you get poor,
- your spare time before you get pre-occupied.”
[Mustradak al-Hakim: 7846 - Sahih according to the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim]
The Wisdom of the Scholars
The early scholars deeply understood the urgency of valuing time:
Al-Imam as-Shafii said:
"الوقت سيف، فإن لم تقطعه قطعك"
Time is like a sword, if you dont cut it, it will cut you
If you neglect it - let it pass without purpose - then time will "cut" you. You lose opportunities. You accumulate regrets. You may fall into sin or laziness. Your life becomes scattered and unfocused. Time does not wait. It's either working for you or against you.
Al-Imam al-Hasan al-Basri said:
"يا ابن آدم، إنما أنت أيام، فإذا ذهب يوم ذهب بعضك"
Son of Adam! You are nothing but a number of ddays;whenever each day passes then part of you has gone
What Are You Doing With Your Days?
Are they:
- Filled with remembrance of Allah?
- Used for growth, learning and benefit?
- Wasted in distraction, sin or meaningless routines?
You only have a limited number of days and no one knows the exact count.
-
Have Purpose Daily
Wake up with intention. Even a small goal, if done for the sake of Allah, gives your day direction and value. - Align with Salah
Let the prayer times anchor your day. Between each salah is a mini-lifetime to fill with good. -
Protect Your Attention
Scrolling aimlessly and bingeing distractions; these are the hidden blades of modern time loss.
What I Wish I Knew Then
When we truly know the value of time, recognition of our own shortcomings follows naturally. That recognition shifts our mindset. That shift gives birth to new habits. And that is when barakah (blessing) begins to enter our time.
Don’t let your days slip by unnoticed. They are not just passing time — they are passing pieces of you. Honour them, fill them with purpose.
TL;DR
Islam teaches that time is an amanah and will be one of the first things asked about on the Day of Judgement. Allah ﷻ swears by time repeatedly in the Qur’an and the Prophet ﷺ emphasised its value through various ahadith, warning us not to waste our health or free time.
Early scholars, such as Imam al-Shafi'i and Imam al-Hasan al-Basri, recognised the importance of valuing time and using it wisely.
To manage your time with barakah:
- Wake with purpose, even if small.
- Structure your day with Salah.
- Guard your attention from distractions.
- Reflect weekly to catch what's slipping.
Because every day that passes… is a piece of you gone.
Wallahu A’lam