Allah almighty has bestowed upon us so many gifts that even if you try your hardest, you cannot count them all:
He gave you all that you had asked Him. If you enumerate Allah’s blessings, you will not be able to count them. Indeed, man is most unfair and ungrateful! (Holy Quran, 14:34)
However, if you reflect further, you will realize that the greatest favor of Allah to us is the opportunity to use these gifts. Life is a priceless blessing that many people often overlook. We must appreciate this precious gift from Allah and use it in the best way possible. Regarding this, Allah Almighty warns us about wasting our time in the Holy Quran,
I swear by Time! * Mankind is indeed in loss, * except those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and enjoin one another to [follow] the truth, and enjoin one another to patience. (103:1-3)
This life is short yet crucial because it’s all we have got. Allah almighty says,
On the Judgement Day, He will gather them [it will be] as if they had not remained [in the world] except for a moment of the day getting acquainted with one another. They are certainly losers who deny the encounter with Allah, and they are not guided. (10:45)
Imam Ali (AS) also states,
Your opportunities pass just like the clouds pass; therefore use the good opportunities. (1)
Those who wasted their time in this world on trivial matters will lament on the Judgement Day:
They are certainly losers who deny the encounter with Allah. When the Judgement Day overtakes them suddenly, they will say, ‘Alas for us, for what we wasted in the world!’ And they will bear their burdens on their backs. Look! Evil is what they bear! (6:31)
Giving the importance of time, Islam has set some principles to make the most efficient use of it
Many of the activities we engage in during the day are unproductive. In the Islamic view, it is crucial to understand the importance of spending time on beneficial things. Imam Sadiq (AS) says,
One of the signs of a good Muslim is that he avoids things that have nothing to do with him (2)
Imam Ali (AS) says:
It is so necessary for one to have a time during the day allocated for self-Assessment so that they could see what they have done during the day and the night that had benefit or damage for them. (3)
Imam Kazim (AS) advised his pupil Hisham:
O Hisham! He is not one of us who doesn’t assess himself every day. (4)
Imam Ali (AS) said,
God bless the one … who sets goals. (5)
Imam Ali (AS) said,
For achieving success, manage your time, and to manage your time, think clearly, and for thinking clearly, hide your secrets. (6)
To effectively manage time the most important thing is to know how to allocate every part of our daily life for something needed. In this regard Imam Kazim (AS) says,
Try to divide your time into four parts: one for praying and talking to Allah, another for work, one for spending time with your friends and trustworthy individuals who let you know about your faults and imperfections and who sincerely love you. The last part is for your lawful pleasures and by this last part, you get ready for the other three parts.
Don’t talk with yourself about poverty or length of lifetime. Because anyone who thinks about poverty will become miserly and anyone who thinks about the length of life will become greedy. Give yourself your share of this world by pleasing yourself with lawful things which don’t harm your character or waste your time. (7)
Imam Ali (AS) said:
Thinking before acting saves you from regretting. (8)
One of the best ways to save time is to think carefully before taking any action. Some people think that acting impulsively leads to faster success. They think that overthinking is a sign of fear, so they advocate for thinking less and acting more. However, Islam doesn’t support this notion as it encourages thoughtful consideration and reflection before taking any action.
In this regard, Imam Ali (AS) said,
Every movement requires knowledge. (9)
Imam Sadiq (AS) also said,
The one who acts without needed insight is like a passenger on the wrong road. The faster he goes, the farther he gets from his destination. (10)
The holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) said:
When you want to do something, think about its results, if it brings benefits or progress, act and if it is harmful or causes regression, refrain from doing it. (11)
We only live this life once, but its consequences will remain in the Hereafter. Don’t squander this opportunity and by making the best of it, secure a better life for yourself in the Hereafter.
Resources
- Nahj al-Balaghah, Sayyed Razi, sayings no.12
- Vasa’il ash-Shia, Sheikh Hurr al-Ameli, vol.12, pg.199
- Ghorar al-Hikam, Amodi, pg.896
- Mustadrak al-Vasa’il, Muhaddith an-Nuri, vol.12, pg.153
- Bihar al-Anvar, Allamah al-Majlesi, vol.75, pg.51
- Nahj al-Balaghah, SAyyed Razi, sayings no.84
- Tohaf al-Uqul, Harrani, pg.409 & 410
- Bihar al-Anvar, Allamah al-Majlesi, vol.68, pg.337
- Tohaf al-Uqul, Harrani, pg.171
- Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.1, pg.43
- Al-Faqih, Sheikh Saduq, vol.4, pg.410 & 411
Responsibility in Islam also covers every action that one is supposed to do as a Muslim and his/her interactions with others. Thus, human beings are responsible towards others including: whoever they interact with, whatever they have been given in this world, the divine duties they are expected to perform, and their surroundings and environment.
The responsibilities of a Muslim towards other human beings were discussed in the first part of the article. Here the focus is on the responsibilities towards some non-humans including divine duties [i] and, the property and belongings.
The right of the ritual prayer over one is to know that he\she is standing before God. Knowing that one should stand in His presence like a lowly servant who is inclined to approach his lord, and who is fearful and ashamed because of his\her sins, but still hopeful of His mercy [1], is our responsibility in Islam towards our prayers.
He\she should also magnify Him through stillness, bowing of the head, humbleness of the limbs, yielding of the wing, and by saying the best supplications to Him. Then, one should beseech Him to save him\her from the punishments that he\she deserves for his\her faults and sins [1].
The right of fasting is to know it as a veil that God has set up over one’s tongue, hearing, and sight, private parts, and stomach, to protect him\her from the Fire. Whoever protects his\her parts of the body with the veil of fasting, can be hopeful to be saved from the punishments and the Fire.
But if one leaves his\her parts of the body to do freely unlawful (Haram) acts (e.g., looking at unlawful things and scenes that incite lust and encourage disobeying God) and does not fear God, he\she won’t be safe anymore [1].
The right of pilgrimage is that one should know that he\she has immigrated from his\her sins to God and is standing in His presence. He\she should also know that it is through the pilgrimage that one’s repentance can be accepted and he\she performs an obligation made incumbent upon him\her by God [1].
Of the rights of charity is to know that it is like storing away with God and is a deposit for which no witness is needed. Hence, it would be better to donate in private other than in public. Also, one should not remind others of what he\she has donated since the charity is like a saving whose benefit returns to the donor.
Otherwise, the same thing might happen to him\her when someone else does him\her a favor. Moreover, reminding others of the charity donated demonstrates the impure intention of the donor; like the tendency to show off or humiliate others [1].
Of the rights of the offering is to consider it as a way to expose oneself to God’s Mercy. So, one should make offering not for receiving others’ approval, but God’s approval. Therefore, what others say about the offering should not matter [1].
Of the rights of the belongings and property over one and one's responsibility in Islam towards them are to gain it through lawful (Halal) means, to spend it on lawful (Halal) purposes, and to utilize it such that it brings about blessing and salvation in this world and the Hereafter [1]. Imam Sadiq (AS) said that whoever makes money in unfair ways, he\she will lose it justly [2]. According to Surah Qasas, one should use the wealth that God has granted for doing good to others and preparing for the Hereafter (28:77).
The property and wealth should be used to get God’s satisfaction. It is narrated from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that God will punish those who forget about the poor people among them and keep on raising money [3]. Hence, one should not prefer his\her belongings to his\her spirit such that he\she hesitate to use them for spiritual progression. Otherwise, others will inherit this property after his\her death. If they utilize the inherited property in unlawful (Haram) ways, he\she will also be punished for that. If the inheritors use the inherited property properly, they are the ones who will be rewarded [1].
Notes:
[i] The acts and practices that are obligatory (Wajib) or recommended (Mustahab) in Islam.
[ii] Animal sacrifice for the sake of God.
References:
- Imam Zayn al-'Abidin (AS), “Treatise On Rights (Risalat al-Huquq)”.
- S. al-Harrani “Tuhaf al-Uqul”, p. 321.
- W. al.Hilli, “Tanbih al-khawatir wa nuzhat al-nawazir”, vol. 1, p. 10.
Following the discussions on the concept of responsibility in Islam and Muslims' duties towards other human beings, this article reviews the duties towards the teachers, students, and young and older adults.
Teachers are acknowledged and valorized in Islam. It is said that God, angels, earth inhabitants and even the small ants in their nests and the fish in the seas, all salute the mentors who invite to goodness [1]. Imam Ali (AS) said that whoever has taught me a word has made me “his slave”[i] [2]. Regarding the Islamic resources, the rights of the mentor over the students are:
to be polite and grateful to the mentor, and honor him\her [3];
to sit down politely in his\her presence such that to face him\her directly [3];
to listen carefully to him\her and forget anything else during the session except what the mentor explains [3];
not to answer the questions that the mentor has been asked about and let him\her to reply [3];
to lower your voice when talking to him\her [3] as a means of showing the respect for him\her;
to ask in order to know and not to annoy the mentor or to mock him\her [4] and then to listen carefully to the answer of the question [5];
not to talk and whisper to anybody in his\her presence [3] otherwise the mentor feels being ignored;
not to talk behind other people’s back with him\her [3] since this is an unpleasant act which also bothers the audience ;
not to let others insult the mentor or lie about him\her [3];
not to reveal his\her deficiencies and to tell others about his\her positive characteristics [3].
Seeking knowledge is such important in Islam that according to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), trees, winds, clouds, seas and stars, plants and everything that the sunshine falls on, all ask for mercy for whoever seeks knowledge [6]. Also, the Prophet (PBUH&HP) said that whoever seeks knowledge is beloved by God, angels, and prophets and good for them on the judgment day [7]. Of the rights of the knowledge-seekers over their mentor are:
To be kind to them [8];
To be humble and flexible to them [8];
To know their names and some details about each of them [8]. This helps to maintain a better relationship and consequently to better teach and educate them;
To respect their character and to consider their words and thoughts [8];
To equally love them and pay attention to them [8]. In this regard, mentors are almost like judges in Islam;
To teach with serenity and dignity [8], therefore, his\her lessons impress their mind and soul ;
To be tolerant of them and answer their questions properly [8];
To consider and support kindly the newcomers [8];
To honestly tell if he\she does not know the answer to a question [8] instead of saying what he\she is not sure about;
Of the rights of young people over older adults and their responsibility in Islam are:
To be kind to them [3];
To be engaged in their education and training [3];
To ignore and forgive their mistakes and hide their deficiencies [3];
To tolerate them, be patient with them and help them in difficulties [3];
If the young people do something wrong because they are naive, the older adults should not reveal that [3];
To avoid arguments and conflicts with them [3].
The responsibility in Islam of the younger people toward the elderly include:
To respect them since they are older than you [3];
If they argue with you, do not react unpleasantly [3];
If you accompany each other on the way, do not overtake them [3];
If they do not know about something, do not humiliate them [3];
And, if they ignore you because you do not know something, keep calm and do not react as they are older than you [3].
Notes:
[i] The word “slave” here does not mean servant, but is used to valorize the mentor and emphasizes the importance of respecting him\her.
[ii] Knowledge-seeker is used as a more general word than a student to cover whoever seeks knowledge.
References:
- M. B. Majlisi, “Bihar al-Anwar”, vol. 61, p. 245
- M. Naraqi, “Jami' al-Sa'adat”.
- Imam Zayn al-'Abidin (AS), “Treatise On Rights (Risalat al-Huquq)”.
- “Nahj al Balaqa”, I. 320.
- Ibn Babawayh, “Ilal Al-Shara'I”, vol. 2. p. 334.
- H. al-Daylami, "Irshad al-Qulub", p. 164.
- M. Shoueiri “Jami’ al-Akhbar”, p. 37.
- Al-Shahid al-Thani, “Munya al-murid fi adab al-mufid wa al-mustafid”, p. 190-219.