By The Time

In her heart, she recited Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem before she pondered the following verses.

“By (the Token of) Time (through the ages), Verily Man is in loss, Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy.” (Qur'an Chapter 103)

This is the Surah about which Imam Shafi said:

“If people were to ponder on this chapter, it would amaze them. If this was the only chapter sent to humanity, it would suffice them. People are negligent of this chapter.”

Time stands still for no one. She sat on the musalla after finishing salah, reminiscing on when she used to listen to her father recite beautiful verses from The Majestic Quran and lead her siblings in prayer to Allah. The saying about the family that prays together is true. She could hear her father’s voice even now as a senior woman, crisp like the ever wrinkle free thawb that her Abee would wear on Fridays when he would attend Jummah prayers. How many times have I prayed on you, my beloved prayer rug that has now faded where so many have placed their feet, knees, foreheads, hands, and hearts. The colors of your threads have worn and faded, but the memories don’t fade. She remembered when, as a young girl, she would line up to pray and would elongate her “ameen” to make absolutely sure that maybe it would harmonize with an angel who was praying along. Her Abee didn’t mind. He was a doting father who indulged her while emphasizing the importance of education and morality. The room was silent, save for the ticking drum of the chronometer and thoughts in her head.

Time has value, hence the phrase time is money. There is a common shared knowledge among self-aware beings that this abode, this station, and this world, is temporal. The way of life for a Muslim is one that necessarily makes its adherents aware of the value of time, as believers bow and prostrate to their Creator five times a day. In the closing verses of The Opening, Surah Fatihah, Allah reminds His bondservants to learn from history, from the mistakes of the people of the past, in the following lines: “Show us the straight way. The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray” (Qur'an 1:6-7). Each prayer has built in it a remedy and cleansing of the soul. Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Muhammad ﷺ said:

"Will there remain any impurity on a person who baths five times a day in a river flowing in front of his house?" The people said: "No impurity will remain on him." Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "This is the effect of the five Salaat. By means of it, Allah Ta'ala purifies the performer of all sins." (Bukhari, Muslim)

Time is relative. Albert Einstein finished developing the Theory of Relativity between 1907–1915. In The Wise and Noble Quran, we are told in Surah Al-Kahf of the youth who took to the refuge of Allah in the cave for 309 years and woke up in a different society in which the currency they attempted to use was outdated. In the twin paradox thought experiment, Einstein concluded time could be experienced differently for people in relative motion. Although not explicit, when our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ journeyed from Makkah to Jerusalem and through the levels of heaven where he saw wondrous signs, had his noble heart cleansed, and had the prayers enjoined upon his ummah, all in one night, one must wonder what the implications with regard to time were. She felt that only through Allah, Who is beyond the constraints of time, being the All-Knowing, The First, and The Last, respectively, and His control over and ability to do what He wills in His divine authority, is an explanation of how the miracle of Isra W’al Miraj could have occurred.

Timelessness. As the clicking of the clock on the wall made a rhythmic medley with the beating of the heart in her bosom, she sent salutations upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his family, his companions, and his followers. She sent salutations upon the sacred personage of Muhammad ﷺ, who, although mortal, had shared that he responds to every greeting of peace, even from beyond the grave. Experts said that in 2011 there were 2.2 billion Muslims and by 2030 there will be over 8 billion. The growth of the Muslim population is outpacing the population growth of the rest of the world. If 2.2 billion people are sending prayers upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ five times a day, she thought, not to mention additional dua and adhkar, that would make around 10.4 billion times that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is prayed upon in a day by his followers. Subhanallah. For any soul to be able to respond to that many salams they would have to be experiencing an altered, enhanced, and superior experience and state of time. It gave her solace to bow her head and pray. Placing her forehead flat against the ground, she felt an immense peace overwhelm her senses as the dunya faded away like so much static on the radio when one tunes in and finally finds perfect reception to experience the most intimate moment with Allah in which she spoke with her heart and He listened with His love. Subhana Rabee Al- Ala. Glory be to my God, the Most High.