A faithful person never spends their life on trivial matters, for opportunities pass like fleeting clouds, and indeed, all of us are destined to return to God.
Imam Ali, peace be upon him, in Nahj al-Balaghah, speaks about the importance of seizing opportunities:
«الْفُرْصَةُ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ السَّحَابِ، فَانْتَهِزُوا فُرَصَ الْخَیْرِ.»
Opportunities pass like clouds; therefore, seize good opportunities (and make use of them before they are lost). (Wisdom no.21)
Explanation:
One of the teachings emphasized in Islam is making good use of time and avoiding wasting opportunities or indulging in trivialities.
The importance of utilizing time and opportunities is so significant that in the words of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba, peace be upon him, it is described as a criterion to distinguish a believer from a disbeliever:
«یَا اِبْنَ آدَمَ إِنَّکَ لَمْ تَزَلْ فِی هَدْمِ عُمُرِکَ مُنْذُ سَقَطْتَ مِنْ بَطْنِ أُمِّکَ فَخُذْ مِمَّا فِی یَدَیْکَ لِمَا بَیْنَ یَدَیْکَ فَإِنَّ اَلْمُؤْمِنَ یَتَزَوَّدُ وَ اَلْکَافِرَ یَتَمَتَّعُ.»
O son of Adam! From the moment you were cast out of your mother’s womb, you have been on a path of destroying the [house of] your life. So, use what is in your hands for what is ahead of you, for the believer gathers provision, and the disbeliever enjoys frivolously.
For this reason, the Holy Qur’an describes the believers as:
«وَالَّذِینَ هُمْ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ.»
“Those who turn away from vain and futile matters.” (Chapter Al-Mu’minun: 3)
So, a faithful person never spends their life on trivial matters, for opportunities pass like fleeting clouds, and indeed, all of us are destined to return to God. Therefore, a believer uses this unparalleled asset—time—to gather provisions for attaining a prosperous afterlife.
