# Ep. 14: Know the Value of Time | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter **Author:** Dr. Tesneem Alkiek **Series:** Habits to Win Here and Hereafter **Published:** 2022-01-25 **YouTube:** https://youtu.be/uEUNGnoFmFI **URL:** https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep14-know-the-value-of-time-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter **Topics:** General Psychology, Psychology & Mental Health ## Description “Wasting time is worse than death,” said Ibn al-Qayyim. Valuing time is one of the most significant parts of our faith, and being mindful of its incredible importance can change the way we live our lives. The problem with showing up late When you continue to show up late to events and commitments,... ## Transcript **[0:00]** A few years ago, I helped supervise a winter program that brought together Muslim students with diverse academic backgrounds from all over the country. These were students who were accepted into prestigious programs and often full rides to study law, engineering, health, education, **[0:15]** you name it. Yet, despite the fact that these students were invited to attend this program, thanks to their academic rigor and commitment, there was one glaring problem. Almost every day, a large number of students showed up to activities late. **[0:35]** There was traffic, a long line to the bathroom, not feeling well, every dog ate my homework excuse in the books. And by the third day, I turned to these same students who continuously showed up late and asked the obvious. When you were interviewing for dental school, did you show up late? When you scheduled a meeting with your professor to request a letter of recommendation, **[0:53]** were you late? The answer was obvious. The problem with showing up to events and commitments late is that it reveals a much deeper concern, our lack of consideration for time. And this shows up in so many ways in our lives. We wake up late even though we've had a good night's rest and promised **[1:09]** ourselves to rise early. We spend our evenings watching TV or scrolling through social media, and we simply don't plan our day around the most valuable thing we've been given, time. Ibn al-Qayyim, Rahim Allah, puts things into perspective when he says, wasting time is worse than death. When you die, you're simply being cut off from this world and the people in it. **[1:29]** But when you waste time, you cut yourself off from God and the hereafter. We all know how valuable money is to us. We count every dollar in our wallet and are constantly keeping both eyes on our bank accounts. If we knew the true value of time, we'd be counting the minutes in our day to make sure we never lose a second. And remember, the Prophet, Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, said, **[1:48]** along with your health, your free time is one of the biggest blessings you'll have. And it'll really hit you when it's gone, because you'll only ever get busier as your life wears on. Which is why the Prophet also said, take benefit of five before five, your youth before your old age, your health **[2:04]** before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you're preoccupied, and your life before your death. Three of these five alone revolve around time. It's constantly ticking. It can be a terrifying thought when it settles in, and let it be. Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la **[2:21]** motivates us with hope and fear. We need to be genuinely worried about how we spend our time because it won't go unaccounted for. But at the same time, let it be a means of motivation. Because spending time wisely doesn't mean you're in constant ritual worship. It means that you're constantly renewing your intentions for every habit, meal, and activity to be for the purpose **[2:41]** of attaining that bigger goal of pleasing Allah. And in this simple manner, everything and anything you can do can be a means for reward. The most successful people in our lifetime, as defined by worldly standards, don't waste time. That's why you have famous figures like the late Steve Jobs, **[2:56]** who wore the same turtleneck to work every day. He didn't want to spend the brainpower nor the time thinking about what to wear each day. He understood the value of time in light of his own goals. Imagine a world in which Muslims, empowered to pursue a definition of success, defined by pleasing God, all took advantage of our time. We'd be at the forefront of education, **[3:15]** technology, leadership, science, philosophy. And yet, all it takes is one person to exemplify this trait for the world to be forever changed. And that person can be you. ## Other Episodes in "Habits to Win Here and Hereafter" - [Ep. 16: Overcoming Procrastination | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep16-overcoming-procrastination-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 15: How to Sleep Better | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep15-how-to-sleep-better-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 13: Take Care of Your Body | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep13-take-care-of-your-body-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep 12: Overcoming Setbacks | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep12-overcoming-setbacks-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep 11: Nothing Is Going as Planned | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep11-nothing-is-going-as-planned-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep 10: Take Advantage of Barakah | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep10-take-advantage-of-barakah-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep 9: Getting in The Zone | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep9-getting-in-the-zone-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 8: Plan Ahead with Block-scheduling | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep8-plan-ahead-with-block-scheduling-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 7: Training Your Brain to Focus | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep7-training-your-brain-to-focus-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 6: How to Start Your Day Right | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep6-how-to-start-your-day-right-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 5: Forming a Sustainable Habit | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep5-forming-a-sustainable-habit-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 4: True Productivity | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep4-true-productivity-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 3: Live Life with No Regrets | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep3-live-life-with-no-regrets-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 2: What Motivates You? | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep2-what-motivates-you-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 1: Know Your Purpose | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep1-know-your-purpose-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Trailer | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/trailer-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md)