Central Khutbah : “The Most Precious Gift – Time”

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. We praise Him, seek His help and His forgiveness. We ask Him to send blessings and peace upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions, and all those who follow their path until the Day of Judgment.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Time is the most precious thing a person can give. Money can be earned again, possessions can be replaced, but every minute we give from our time is a part of our life that will never return. That is why time is the most valuable gift.

Allah shows us the value of time in the Qur’an when He swears by it:

“By Time,
Indeed, mankind is in loss,
except for those who believe and do righteous deeds,
and advise one another to the truth,
and advise one another to patience.”
(Al-‘Asr)

In a few short verses, Allah delivers a clear message: if our time is not filled with faith, good deeds, truth, and patience, then that time is a loss. Days, weeks, months, and years pass very quickly. The only question is: are they filled with what will remain with us in the Hereafter?

The Prophet ﷺ reminded us of the value of time when he said:
“There are two blessings that many people fail to appreciate: health and free time.”
(Bukhari)

Many people enjoy good health and free time, yet they waste them. They think they will always be young and that there will always be a tomorrow. Then, suddenly, the years pass.

What we need is blessing (barakah) in time. Barakah means that Allah places great good in a short amount of time. It is not only about the number of hours we have, but about what Allah puts into those hours.

How can we beautify our time and fill it with barakah?

One of the most important principles is to do small but consistent deeds. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The deeds most beloved to Allah are those that are done regularly, even if they are small.”
(Bukhari and Muslim)

Perhaps we cannot read the Qur’an for hours every day. But can we read one page after the dawn prayer? Can we memorize one verse a day? Can we say words of remembrance (dhikr) or seek forgiveness (istighfar) while walking or driving?

Let us begin with the Qur’an. Let us make it a постоян guest in our day. Even if it is only for a few minutes, let us not abandon it.

If a person memorizes one short surah each month, after one year they will have twelve or thirteen new surahs. If each year they memorize one longer surah, after ten years—which pass very quickly—they will have ten long surahs in their heart. It is reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) spent years learning Surah Al-Baqarah, not only to memorize it, but to understand it and live by it. The goal is not only memorization, but living the Qur’an.

Our hearts love small, beautiful details: a sincere supplication, a few moments of dhikr in silence, a kind word to a family member, helping someone in need, a brief reflection before sleep. These deeds may seem small, but if they are sincere and consistent, they fill our time with light and meaning.

It is also important to take advantage of times of ease. While we are healthy, while life is relatively calm, and while we have the ability, let us increase voluntary acts of worship: prayers, recitation of the Qur’an, charity, and other good deeds. Days of fatigue, illness, or heavy responsibilities will come. On that day, we will rejoice over every good minute we invested earlier.

So let us ask ourselves every evening: did today’s time bring me closer to Allah or take me farther from Him? Did I dedicate at least a few minutes to the Qur’an, to dhikr, to seeking knowledge, or to serving others?

We ask Allah to grant us barakah in our time, to make every hour a witness for us and not against us, to fill our days with faith and good deeds, and to grant us, for the minutes we spent for His sake in this world, an eternal and peaceful time in Paradise.

O Allah, grant blessing to our time and our lives, make them obedience to You and a provision stored with You. Do not make this world our greatest concern nor the limit of our knowledge, and grant us a good ending.

Ameen.

(Central khutbah by the religious leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on December 12, 2025, at the “Association Fraternelle Musulmane” in Mersch)