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Some of the things mentioned here wastes time if done excessively
1. Socializing, gathering, visiting people
- It can become extreme (wasting other people’s time) or negligent.
- Ibn Qayyim mentioned regarding this in his book Al-Fawaaid. When brothers socialize is of 2 types:
- Socialize only because they enjoy the other person’s company. This type of socializing, harms more than it benefits. At bare minimum, it harms the heart and wastes your time.
- Socialize for successful things where you gather to advice one another. Has many benefits. But also has harms in it:
- The person will adorn himself & his speech
- Talk more than needed
- Meeting becomes the norm even though the original objective has disappeared
- Fear Allah regarding the people.
- Avoid socializing too much, give importance to your time.
- Ibn Qayyim mentioned in his second volume of Madarijus Salikin, his teacher Ibn Taymiyyah told him
“Even though it is permissible, it goes against high aspirations, the top stage you can attain, even if leaving that thing is not a condition for success but it still prevents you from high levels.”
- Something might be allowed in the religion, but since you are a student of knowledge, it does not benefit you.
- In his book Majmoo Al-Fatawa, Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned
“Leaving the people when it comes to things that are muu’baah (allowed) and that which does not benefit; you by staying away from them is a recommended matter.”
- Get away from meeting everyone all the time
- Ibn Taymiyyah said
The student of knowledge requires his time to be alone from the people in his dua, in his remembrance, in his prayer, in his thinking and in accounting himself.
- Ibn Qayyim said
Mixing with people a lot, it brings about a lot of evil. How many blessings have been removed, how many animosity was created because of mixing with people?
- Ibn Qudamah Al Muwaffaq Ad-Deen said in his book Minhajul Qashidin
Umar ibn Khatab said take your portion from secluding yourself from the people.
- Masruq Al-Hamdani said
It is upon a person to have gatherings where they are alone, where the person remembers their sins and shortcomings they come with.
2. Busying oneself with less important things to do
- For example, someone comes to class for one hour, read for one hour, then wastes 5 hours. You spend more time wasting time than seeking knowledge.
- People are different in their abilities, and no doubt everyone needs time to relax, but you have to work towards increasing the number of hours you spend benefitting yourself, don’t go the other way and reduce it.
- Ibn Jawzi mentioned in his book talbis iblees
A person gets happy when they get one or two benefit(s). Then shaytan enters their heart and says “You are upon good, there are many people out there that don’t even benefit from what you benefitted. Relax now. Take the whole day off.” So the person takes a whole day off.
- Ibn Taymiyyah said
Anyone who Allah enlightens his heart, Allah will guide him, the one who Allah blinds him, the large number of books will only cause them confusion and misguidance
- A lot of people when it comes to islamic sciences, they haven’t been given noor in their hearts (Allah has blinded them)
- Ad-Dhahabi said
Knowledge is not how much you memorize but it is the light Allah places in the person’s heart. And the conditions are to follow & run away from desire & innovation.
- If one of us looks at these books and you ponder upon it, you will have realized that the proof of Allah has been established against us. And if we don’t organize our time from these books and lessons, it will work against us on the day of judgement.
- Ibn Abi Hatim said:
“I heard Al-Muzni saying that it was said to Imam As-Syafi’i: ‘How about your crave for knowledge?’ He said: “I will hear a word that I never knew before, and my organs would love what they were hearing.” It was said: “How about your keenness for it?” He said: “The keenness of a greedy and stingy man in achieving his pleasure for wealth.” It was said, “How about your seeking for it? He said: “The seeking of a woman with one child for her lost son.”
3. Not benefitting from recordings
- Knowledge becomes readily accessible & are now knocing on your door.
- A person can benefit from it, it is a great blessings and nikmah.
4. Not benefitting from Adhan & Iqamah
- A person can dedicate time between adhan and iqamah.
- A person dedicated a time for memorizing a portion of Riyadhusshalihin during this time.
5. Free reading
- Many people don’t have desire to read books. Only sticks to the books given by the sheikhs.
- This is something you need. If you don't read, your knowledge will decrease.