Benjamin Franklin is one of the simple names that come to mind whenever there’s a call for sayings about time management. The title of today’s piece is one of his popular adages about time. As part of what has culturally become characteristic of many of us in this part of the world, including Muslims whose religion, Islam, prioritizes punctuality in everything they do, I found it disturbing to recently discover that our attitude generally described in Nigeria as ‘African Time’ has worsened.
It was a religious event that was to start at 10am, but two hours into the time it was scheduled to commence, the venue did not look like a place where a crowd of invitees were expected because only a few people had arrived on time. I kept wondering whether this scenario was a reflection of the hard-economic times in the country. But, the other half of my mind debunked this assumption because Islam attaches great importance to punctuality and time management. Surprisingly, the venue of the event was full to capacity; suggesting that it’s all about lateness even though punctuality is fundamentally not strange to Muslims.
Most religious activities in Islam, for instance, have defined period(s) within which they are to be performed. For each of the five daily obligatory prayers, there’s a period for observing it. In addition to the Ramadan fast which has specific month within which it is to be observed, even the fast (abstinence from food, drinks and carnal desires) itself has a period delineated for it (usually from dawn to dusk). The Zakat paid on wealth (cash, animals, farm produce) also have maturity period and minimum amount or quantity as the case may be. The annual pilgrimage to the holy land of Makkah also has a period (the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar) within which to perform it.
The time for early morning meal (sahur) and breakfast (iftar) during the holy month of Ramadan has also been specified. The time for standing at the mount Arafat during the pilgrimage to Makkah has also been defined. A Muslim who ignores the preferred period for observing these rites stands to lose the reward for the acts of worship. This means these acts of worship are only meaningful if they are performed at the right time, otherwise they become invalid. Lateness in the observance of these acts of ibadah undermines their value. This therefore signifies the place of punctuality in our obedience to and service of Allah (SWT).
Two or more hours into the time scheduled for an event, whether social, economic, or religious, is not good enough for our image as Muslims especially when the event is religious. Today, this attitude has gone from bad to worse as if some of us cannot do without going late to public gatherings including public lectures, Islamiyyah/Qur’anic graduation walimah (feast), etc. Many people today, as leaders or followers, have little regard for time. Except in the military and the medical profession where punctuality remains the soul of everything they do, the scourge of lateness to work has eaten deeply into professions and the public service. Like I’ve always mentioned on this page, the military and the medical profession are among the few areas careers that discipline still matters.
It is not punctuality when people arrive late at meetings especially if they are routine ones. It is not punctuality when you use your position in a public office to shift the time for a meeting further simply because you cannot meet up with the earlier scheduled time. It is wrong for one person, no matter how highly (or even lowly) placed, to keep others waiting for a meeting with no reason other than disrespect for the right of others to efficient time management. Contrary to the practice in western societies where conventions of protocol require a leader to be the last to arrive at a public function, Islam demands that leaders should not just arrive on schedule but should also be there before others.
It is wrong for invited guests to be kept waiting at gathering by the late arrival of those whose roles as chairmen or guests of honour would not allow for the take-off of the programme in their absence. It is prejudicial to the image of Muslims when VIPs fail to keep to time promptly. If there is any religion that respects time, it is Islam. That is why it defines the definite time for each of the five daily prayers. Allah (SWT) states in Qur’an 2:238 “Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the middle prayer; and stand before Allah in a devoid (frame of mind).”
Late arrival of special guests at public gatherings often affect the programme of events. Apart of having kept people waiting, such late comers among the VIPs most times insist that the programme of the occasion should be rushed through because of other events that they need to attend. When this happens, some items on the agenda are either modified or skipped completely from the programme. The time allotted for speeches are also usually affected by such modifications. The Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) does not encourage prayer leaders referred to as ‘Imam Ratib’ (constant leaders in all obligatory prayers) to keep worshippers waiting (for no genuine reason) when it is time for prayer.
The idea of ‘African Time’ which is generally believed to be the official time for events in Nigeria is un-Islamic and should, in the name of our religion, Islam, discard the it from the compendium of our attitude to time and our day-to-day activities; replacing it with “Islamic Time.” Punctuality portray us as persons who are organized. Being organized is a precursor to punctuality. Possessing a diary for recording planned or scheduled activities or creating an alert on your smartphone could be an effective tool to achieving punctuality.
It is more dignifying to Islam as much as it makes us more honorable as Muslims each time we keep to time. We call on Muslims to regard their roles, whether as special or ordinary guests at public events as a serious matter of responsibility. Let us keep to time in all our activities. We lose respect each time we fail to keep to time. May Allah (SWT) guide us to imbibe the noble quality of punctuality, Amin.
