Quran Verses

Lesson & Reflection

Wasted time isn’t always obvious. It often hides in habits that feel harmless: excessive scrolling, gossip, binge-watching, or chasing distractions that leave us spiritually drained and mentally scattered. When we forget Allah, our days may feel full but remain spiritually dead. The Quran teaches that this neglect clouds purpose and steals barakah. That forgetfulness of Allah leads to time that feels busy but barren, due to being devoid of barakah (blessing).

In Surah Al-Hashr (59:19), Allah describes those who forgot Him and thus became strangers to themselves. Their priorities, routines, and energy became scattered, such that they brought them no benefit before the sight of Allah. As a result of their forgetfulness and endless pursuit of the world, Allah deprived them of self-awareness and barakah. They lost their way to Him. This created a void in their hearts, and no matter what they did or had, it was always insufficient. By their own actions, they drove the barakah away. It is indeed they who are truly rebellious!

The above verse comes after the Quranic exhortation, "O believers! Be mindful of Allah and let every soul look to what ˹deeds˺ it has sent forth for tomorrow. And fear Allah, ˹for˺ certainly Allah is All-Aware of what you do.” (59:18).

A believer recognizes that every moment should be seized as an opportunity to invest in the Akhirah (hereafter), and since Allah is All-Aware, He already knows those who take life seriously and those who simply indulge without any belief in accountability.

In Surah Al-Isra (17:36), we’re reminded that every faculty, our hearing, seeing, and even intellect, will be questioned. That means how we use our attention matters. What we listen to, watch, and give our hearts to shape who we become. We get to choose whether to use our blessings for good and thus attract barakah into our lives or use them in a manner that deprives us of it. In the end, we shall be questioned about our choices.

Barakah, therefore, is not just about time management; it’s about heart management. What we prioritize, allow in, and entertain either draws us closer to Allah or drags us further from Him. Wasted time is not just unproductive; it’s spiritually costly.

Hadith

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

“From the excellence of a person's Islam is leaving what does not concern him.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2318)

This hadith encourages us to focus on what concerns us and, consequently, what benefits us, not just in the here and now, but in the everlasting future as well. A believer who is conscious of the ultimate reckoning and who lives life with this realization is deterred from wasting his valuable time in unfruitful leisure and pointless entertainment.

Practical Activity

Reclaim a Lost Hour: Choose one time-consuming activity you do daily that offers little spiritual or personal return. Replace just 20–30 minutes of it today with a nourishing alternative: reading the Quran, walking while making dhikr, or learning something beneficial. Think of the net effect of how you spend your time, for every minute leads to an hour, and every hour leads to a day, and so on and so forth. What we achieve in a lifetime is built upon what we do in each minute.

Suggestions:

1. Use the “Bismillah” Filter: Before starting any activity, pause and say Bismillah, genuinely and sincerely invoking Allah’s name and blessing in your action. If you can’t sincerely say it for that task, reconsider if it’s worth doing.
2. Charity a day: Make a habit of regular charity, even if small. Give sincerely for Allah’s sake, and know that Allah promises to bless wealth and increase rizq for those who give.
3. Maintain a “Barakah Hour”: Dedicate one fixed hour daily for your highest-priority task (spiritual or worldly) without interruptions. Phone off, no multitasking, just pure focus and dedication. And with the right intention, this could be a form of worship too.

Dua

اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ

Allāhumma a‘innī ‘alā dhikrika wa shukrika wa ḥusni ‘ibādatik

"O Allah, help me to remember You, to be grateful to You, and to worship You excellently."
(Sunan Abi Dawud 1522)

Being in constant remembrance of Allah is time well spent, and time well spent not only fosters a strong connection with Allah but also attracts barakah in our lives. Some of our pious predecessors, like Imam Al-Nawawi, would study thirteen subjects a day, and then teach after all of this. He would still lament that he had wasted time!

Reflection Question

What is one recurring distraction in my day that I need to minimize or replace so I can protect my time and attract barakah?