By Shaykh Abdul Qayum
8 August 2025

﷽ 

My dear brothers and sisters,

Half of the holiday has already passed, and the other half is still ahead. This is a precious opportunity that we cannot afford to waste. Many people think of holidays as a time for nothing but relaxation, entertainment, and sleeping late. But for the believer, holidays are much more than that. They are a golden chance to grow spiritually, to strengthen family ties, and to build good habits that can last a lifetime.

The Prophet ﷺ advised: 

Take advantage of five before five: your life before your death, your health before your illness, your free time before you are too busy, your youth before your old age, and your wealth before your poverty.

And he ﷺ warned:

There are two blessings which many people lose: health and free time.

These words are especially important now. How we spend our free time will shape our future, in this world and in the next.

We must ask ourselves: Are we letting our children spend hours in front of screens, getting lazy and wasting precious time which they will never get back? Or are we guiding them to read Qur’an daily, to learn hadith, to study the life of the Prophet ﷺ, to help at home, and to grow in good character?

The Prophet ﷺ said:

Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you is responsible for his flock.

Parents are the first and most important teachers. Even if we send our children to madrasah and school, the home is where their foundation is built. Wasting time without doing anything beneficial is a great loss.

Imam Hasan al-Basri (d. 110H/728CE) said: “I met people who were more careful with their time than you are with your money.” None of us likes to lose £10, but we often lose hours without realizing.

Hasan al-Basri also said: “O son of Adam, you are nothing but a collection of days. Whenever a day passes, a part of you is gone.” He also shared another reflection that should make us ponder over our time in this world:

“I never regretted anything more than a day in which the sun set, my life decreased, yet my good deeds did not increase.”

It’s as if he’s telling us: the real loss is not in money, health, or opportunities, the real loss is when time passes without adding to our scale of good deeds. 

So, how do we use this holiday well? Here are some practical steps: 

1. Pray together in congregation, especially Fajr, with our family.
2. Set a daily Qur’an reading routine.
3. Read stories of the Prophets and the Seerah.
4. Reduce screen time and encourage physical activities.
5. Teach practical life skills, helping at home, cooking, repairing, cleaning. 
6. Visit relatives and strengthen family bonds.
7. Eat together as a family as often as possible.

Two of the biggest dangers faced by our youth are spending too much time with friends at the expense of family, and spending too much time on screens. Both can lead to bad habits and weaken their connection to Islamic values. 

Let us focus on building loving and caring relationships at home. Parenting is not just about rules and punishments. It’s about connection, gentleness, and kindness. The Prophet ﷺ said: 

When Allah wants good for a household, He puts gentleness among them.

Shouting and harshness can push children away. Just as teachers are expected to deal with students respectfully, parents should also treat their children with kindness.

The Qur’an teaches:

When our tasks are done, we should turn to Allah in prayer, Qur’an, and remembrance. This way, our holiday is not wasted but filled with blessings.

Let’s make the rest of this holiday a time of growth, closeness to Allah, and love within our families. Let’s make it a holiday that leaves us richer in faith, not poorer in time. 

O Allah, guide us to use our time wisely, bless our families, fill our homes with love and mercy, and make our days full of good deeds.

Ameen.

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