Free Minutes

Its been a while since I have posted anything written up by myself but unfortunately with study, family and work there just seems to be little time to sit down and think.  Anyway, I started this post a long time ago but never got around to completing and publishing it.  I will share the post as it is with a few amendments to it here and there in the hope that I, and yourselves can benefit from it.

Whilst I was at University a few years ago, there was a mobile contract ‘everyday 50’ where 50 free mins off peak daily were given.  Off peak time would start (7pm) and the network would jam up and in some cases you would have problems trying to dial out.  Everyone would so keenly utilise these free minutes they had to the point the network.

Thinking about life, each day we are given ‘free minutes’, but do we utilise these minutes as religiously as we might use the free minutes we get on our mobile?  Do we also show as much determination to perform our salah on time?  Networks might jam up at peak times but unfortunately the Masjids are empty at congregational prayer times.

After the 50 free mins are used up, calls were charged at 1p a min.  In our mind a quick cost benefit analysis and we would make calls even at this rate because the pleasure or benefit we get is deemed greater than the cost.  Sadly we dont have this mentality when it comes performing a’amaal and Ibadaat.

We have been awarded additional voluntary prayers during the course of our day, but do we take stock to reflect on the benefits and rewards we would get for performing them?  Or do we pretend and inflate the cost of our time and pursue worthless and worldly pursuits instead?  Do we even really have to be ‘sold’ in order to perform good deeds instead of doing them for the love of Allah and His messenger?

These days free text messages are also given away as part of mobile phone tariffs.  This allows us to keep in touch with friends/ colleagues easily and within a few seconds we can communicate a message across the globe.

Do we take a few seconds out during our day to send a message to Allah or His Rasul (peace and blessings upon him) in the form of dhikr or Durood?  All one needs to do is say Allahu Akbar or Sallahu alayhi wasallam to complete the task.

Lastly, we would be ashamed if we paid money for the mobile contracts and tariffs we have and we never used the free minutes and texts we got wisely.  Why then don’t we feel ashamed of the free minutes in life that we have been given but we waste them in idle pastimes and pursuits.

May Allah Almighty give us the ability to make good use of our time, ameen.

Please remember me, my family and teachers in your du’as.

Wasalam

originally posted Mar 18th, 2010