الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينة ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا، ومن سيئات أعمالنا 

وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له ، وأشهد أن سيدنا محمدًا عبده ورسوله

After Surat Al-Fatiha, the first verse in the Quran gives us its purpose which is guidance to those who have Taqwa, Allah said:

الٓمٓ (١) ذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيۡبَ‌ۛ فِيهِ‌ۛ هُدً۬ى لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ (٢)

Alif-Lam-Mîm. (1) This is the Book where in which there is no doubt guidance for the Muttaqin (God conscious)”. (Al-Baqara 2:1-2) 

Allah has also directed us on how to study the Quran to derive this guidance and this is thru the process of Tadabour, as Allah said:

كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ )ص(

(This is) a Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they should do the Tadabour of its Verses, and that those of understanding may remember (heed/reflect on its commands). “(Sad 38:29)

We have discussed in the past that there are 7 setep to unlock the knowledge of the Quran and these are: 

1. Reading (Qira’ah) (قراءة) (Uttering the words and sentences whether one may or may not understand the meanings of what is being read)
2. Recitation (Tilawah) (تلاوة) (Understanding of the meanings and forward linkage)
3. Purification (Tazkiah) (تزكية) (purification of the Nafs)
4. Tarteel (ترتيل) (assembly of verse related to the same topic)
5. Tadabour (تدبر) (study the related verses to derive coherent understanding of the topic)
6. Recollection (Tadhakur) (تذكر) (memorization and reminder of past learnings)
7. Study (Dirasah) (دراسة) (continuity of the serious study)

Thru the process of Tadabour, you will be able achieve the guidance of identifying the universal laws that Allah established in this universe and these are called (سنن الله في الكون) “Allah’s laws in the universe”.  Some scholars suggest that the Quran includes abut 90 divine laws.  These divine laws don’t change as Allah emphasized by says in Surat Fatir:

فلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلًا وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّتِ اللَّهِ تَحْوِيلًا

“… You will never find in the laws (sunan) of Allah any change, and you will never find in the laws of Allah any alteration.” (Fatir 35:43)

These laws govern many aspects on our lives from the cosmological to the social and from the materialistic to the spiritual. Almost all Muslims recognize the divine cosmic laws (سنن الله الكونية) that Allah identified in many verses such as:

لَا ٱلشَّمۡسُ يَنۢبَغِى لَهَآ أَن تُدۡرِكَ ٱلۡقَمَرَ وَلَا ٱلَّيۡلُ سَابِقُ ٱلنَّہَارِ‌ۚ وَكُلٌّ۬ فِى فَلَكٍ۬ يَسۡبَحُونَ (٤٠)

“Neither it is for the sun to overtake the moon, nor can the night outpace the day. Each one is floating in an orbit.” (Yaseen 35:40)

Also,

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّہَارَ وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ‌ۖ كُلٌّ۬ فِى فَلَكٍ۬ يَسۡبَحُونَ (٣٣)

“And He is the One Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, each in an orbit floating. (33)” (Al-Anbia 21:33)

In this talk, I plan inshallah to focus on one divine law that is often overlooked by most of us.   I believe that ignoring it is the cause of most of the anxiety and stress that we put ourselves under.   This is Allah’s law of timing (سنة التوقيت).   I am talking about the divine law of timing and not the divine law of time. 

The divine law of time is part of the divine cosmic laws that we are familiar with because it is the basis for establishing the time during the day and for developing the yearly calendar.  The reference to this law of time came in several verses such as:

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ ضِيَآءً۬ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ نُورً۬ا وَقَدَّرَهُ ۥ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعۡلَمُواْ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلۡحِسَابَ‌ۚ

“He is the One who has made the sun a glow, and the moon a light, and determined for it stages, so that you may learn the number of the years and the calculation (of time).” (Yunus 10:5)

Also,

وَجَعَلۡنَا ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّہَارَ ءَايَتَيۡنِ‌ۖ فَمَحَوۡنَآ ءَايَةَ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَجَعَلۡنَآ ءَايَةَ ٱلنَّہَارِ مُبۡصِرَةً۬ لِّتَبۡتَغُواْ فَضۡلاً۬ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَلِتَعۡلَمُواْ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلۡحِسَابَ‌ۚ وَڪُلَّ شَىۡءٍ۬ فَصَّلۡنَـٰهُ تَفۡصِيلاً۬ (١٢)

“And We made the night and the day as two signs. Then, We obscured the sign of the night (with darkness) and We made the sign of the day bright, that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of the years and the calculation (of time). And We have explained everything (in detail) with full explanation. (” (Al-Isra 17:12)

The divine law that I want to address is the law of timing.  This law requires infinite wisdom and ultimate knowledge, not only of the present but also of the future and of the interactive consequences of all associated events.  Obviously, the only One Who possesses this level of knowledge and wisdom is Allah.  Because of our limitations, Allah’s timing in very often different from our timing. 

Our short-term interest and limited knowledge make us often rush and act in haste even if this action causes us harm. Allah warned us of our characteristic of haste and impatience by saying in Surat Al-Isra:

وَيَدۡعُ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ بِٱلشَّرِّ دُعَآءَهُ ۥ بِٱلۡخَيۡرِ‌ۖ وَكَانَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ عَجُولاً۬ (١١)

“And man invokes (Allah) for evil as he invokes (Allah) for good and man is ever hasty (Al-Isra 17:11)

Because Allah’s law (Sunnah) of timing is very important, Allah provided us with many examples in the Quran to illustrate its relevance and to convince us that we should trust Allah’s timing because it is always better than ours.  Believing in the divine Law of Timing should help us develop the wisdom of being patient and avoid complaining and getting frustrated when things that we want are delayed. 

Allah’s law of timing will not change for us, so we better accept its existence and learn how to live with it.  

There are many examples in the Quran that we can use to study the impact of Allah’s timing but I’ll only present two to illustrate two points:

1. The negative consequence when a person acts on his timing instead of Allah’s timing.
2. The superior consequence when Allah grants the person what he wants on Allah’s timing instead of the person’s timing.

The Negative Consequence of Violating the Divine Timing

Avoiding haste does not mean that we should not plan and do everything possible to achieve our goals but we should not allow our desire for quick achievement to make us act in haste. Even haste in trying to please Allah can cause harm. 

The example that Allah presented to us is of Prophet Musa.  Allah gave Prophet Musa an appointment for a specific time, but Prophet Musa was so anxious to talk to Allah, so he went earlier than Allah’s appointed time.   When he arrived to the designated place, Allah asked him why did you come early as revelated to us in Surat Taha:

وَمَآ أَعۡجَلَكَ عَن قَوۡمِكَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ (٨٣) قَالَ هُمۡ أُوْلَآءِ عَلَىٰٓ أَثَرِى وَعَجِلۡتُ إِلَيۡكَ رَبِّ لِتَرۡضَىٰ (٨٤)

“What has caused you to hurry leaving your people, O Musa?” (83) He (Musa) said, “they are just behind me, and I hurried towards You, my Lord, so that You be pleased.” (Taha 20:83-84)

Prophet Musa’s reason for going early is obviously good, to please Allah. But, prophet Musa used his timing instead of Allah’s and Allah allowed it to happen may be to teach us a lesson.  

What Prophet Musa did not know is that at the time when he did not have to leave, bad things will happen to his people and his presence for these few days until his appointment would have be necessary to prevent major sin from being committed by his people.  Allah provided us with this important lesson in Surat Taha. 

Allah told Musa about what happened to his people when he left them early, Allah said:

قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدۡ فَتَنَّا قَوۡمَكَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ ٱلسَّامِرِىُّ (٨٥) فَرَجَعَ مُوسَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ غَضۡبَـٰنَ أَسِفً۬ا‌ۚ (٨٦)

“He (Allah) said, “We have put your people to test after you (left them) and Al-Samiriy has misguided them.” (85) So, Musa went back to his people, angry and sad.” (Taha 20:85-86)

This account of Prophet Musa should teach us that we should always accept Allah’s timing when we face delays in doing something that is intended to bring us closer to Allah.  Those who were planning to go for Hajj this year and now they are not, should not be upset and express gratitude to Allah because Allah’s timing for them to go later is far better than their own timing to go this year.

This account of Prophet Musa should also teach us not rush even if we are making a decision that we know is good.  We may relate this account to our interest in opening the Masjid as early as we can.  The goal is noble, but if we rush and open early, it may represent the wrong timing and harm may com, so we should be patient.

The superior consequence of Allah’s timing vs ours – The Story of Prophet Yusuf

Let reflect on the story of Prophet Yusuf that is revealed to us in Surat Yousef (12) that we listened in the beginning to some of its verses.   The scene that Allah is presenting to us is in the prison when two prisoners came to him to interpret their dreams and he interpreted that one of them will be set free and will be working for the king.

So, Prophet Yusuf wanted to take advantage of this person and his future relationship with the king to explain his innocence to be granted his freedom.  But because the timing that Prophet Yusuf was far earlier than the timing that Allah set for Prophet Yusuf’s release from the prison, Allah allowed Satan to make the freed prisoner forget and thus prophet Yusuf stayed several more years in the prison, Allah says:  

وَقَالَ لِلَّذِى ظَنَّ أَنَّهُ ۥ نَاجٍ۬ مِّنۡهُمَا ٱذۡڪُرۡنِى عِندَ رَبِّكَ فَأَنسَٮٰهُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ ذِڪۡرَ رَبِّهِۦ فَلَبِثَ فِى ٱلسِّجۡنِ بِضۡعَ سِنِينَ (٤٢)

“And he (Yusuf) said to the one whom he believed likely to be released, “Tell your lord about me.” But Satan made him forget to mention him to his lord. So, he (Yusuf) remained in prison for a few (more) years.”  (Yusuf 12: 42)

After few years, the king saw a strange dream for several days and he asked all people about its interpretation but no one was able to interpret it:  Allah relates to us this account:

وَقَالَ ٱلۡمَلِكُ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ سَبۡعَ بَقَرَٲتٍ۬ سِمَانٍ۬ يَأۡڪُلُهُنَّ سَبۡعٌ عِجَافٌ۬ وَسَبۡعَ سُنۢبُلَـٰتٍ خُضۡرٍ۬ وَأُخَرَ يَابِسَـٰتٍ۬‌ۖ يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلۡمَلَأُ أَفۡتُونِى فِى رُءۡيَـٰىَ إِن كُنتُمۡ لِلرُّءۡيَا تَعۡبُرُونَ (٤٣) قَالُوٓاْ أَضۡغَـٰثُ أَحۡلَـٰمٍ۬‌ۖ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِتَأۡوِيلِ ٱلۡأَحۡلَـٰمِ بِعَـٰلِمِينَ (٤٤)

“And (one day) the king said: “I have seen (in a dream) seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of grain and (seven) others that are dry. O people, tell me about my dream, if you can interpret dreams.” (43)

They said: Jumbled dreams! And we do not know the interpretation of dreams.”  (Yusuf 12: 43-44)

Only then, the freed prisoner remembered Yusuf and this was the time that Allah wanted things to happen:  Allah said:

وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِى نَجَا مِنۡہُمَا وَٱدَّكَرَ بَعۡدَ أُمَّةٍ أَنَا۟ أُنَبِّئُڪُم بِتَأۡوِيلِهِۦ فَأَرۡسِلُونِ (٤٥) يُوسُفُ أَيُّہَا ٱلصِّدِّيقُ أَفۡتِنَا فِى سَبۡعِ بَقَرَٲتٍ۬ سِمَانٍ۬ يَأۡڪُلُهُنَّ سَبۡعٌ عِجَافٌ۬ وَسَبۡعِ سُنۢبُلَـٰتٍ خُضۡرٍ۬ وَأُخَرَ يَابِسَـٰتٍ۬ لَّعَلِّىٓ أَرۡجِعُ إِلَى ٱلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَعۡلَمُونَ (٤٦)

“Then the man who was released (from the prison) remembered after the long time and said: “I will tell you of its interpretation, so send me forth (to Yusuf).”  (45)   (He came to the prison and said to Yusuf), “Yusuf, O the truthful one, tell us about seven fat cows eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of grain and (seven) others that are dry, so that I may go back to the people so that they may know (the interpretation of the dream.)”  (Yusuf 12: 42-46)

Here Prophet Yusuf, could have said, I’ll interpret the dream only after you tell the king about my story to release me.  But no, he now appreciates that he will be released when Allah wanted him to be released, so he did his job as a righteous person who is willing to help without expecting reward from anyone other than Allah. 

He interpreted the dream without any pre-demand knowing that his interpretation will save the people of Egypt whose leaders have done great injustice to him. In fact, he did not only interpret the dream but he went beyond the dream and gave them technical advices to ensure Egypt’s long-term prosperity; he said:

قَالَ تَزۡرَعُونَ سَبۡعَ سِنِينَ دَأَبً۬ا فَمَا حَصَدتُّمۡ فَذَرُوهُ فِى سُنۢبُلِهِۦۤ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً۬ مِّمَّا تَأۡكُلُونَ (٤٧) ثُمَّ يَأۡتِى مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ذَٲلِكَ سَبۡعٌ۬ شِدَادٌ۬ يَأۡكُلۡنَ مَا قَدَّمۡتُمۡ لَهُنَّ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً۬ مِّمَّا تُحۡصِنُونَ (٤٨) ثُمَّ يَأۡتِى مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ذَٲلِكَ عَامٌ۬ فِيهِ يُغَاثُ ٱلنَّاسُ وَفِيهِ يَعۡصِرُونَ (٤٩)

“He said, “You will grow crops for seven years consecutively. So, what you have harvested, leave it in its ears, except a little which you eat. (47) Then seven hard (drought) years shall come after that, which shall consume what you have stored in preparation for them, except a little which you need to preserve (to sow). (48) Then there shall come after that a year in which people will have rains and in which they will extract oils.” (Yusuf 12: 47-49)

When the freed prisoner told the king, the king asked for Yusuf to be released and brought to him.  But Yusuf refused to leave the prison until the king investigates his case.   The king did, and discovered the innocence of Prophet Yusuf.   So, the king declared Yusuf’s innocence and ordered his immediate release and offered him a job as his personal advisor. Yusuf suggested that the king appoints him as minister of finance and the king agreed.    Allah summarizes to us the account as follows: 

وَقَالَ ٱلۡمَلِكُ ٱئۡتُونِى بِهِۦۤ أَسۡتَخۡلِصۡهُ لِنَفۡسِى‌ۖ فَلَمَّا كَلَّمَهُ ۥ قَالَ إِنَّكَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ لَدَيۡنَا مَكِينٌ أَمِينٌ۬ (٥٤) قَالَ ٱجۡعَلۡنِى عَلَىٰ خَزَآٮِٕنِ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۖ إِنِّى حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٥٥) وَكَذَٲلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ يَتَبَوَّأُ مِنۡہَا حَيۡثُ يَشَآءُ‌ۚ نُصِيبُ بِرَحۡمَتِنَا مَن نَّشَآءُ‌ۖ وَلَا نُضِيعُ أَجۡرَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ (٥٦)

“The king said, “Bring him to me, and I shall employ him purely for myself.” So, when he (the king) talked to him, he said (to Yusuf), “Today you are with us well-placed, fully trusted.” (54) He said, “Appoint me to (supervise) the treasures of the land. I am indeed a knowledgeable keeper.” (55) And this is the way, We gave Yusuf power in the land. He could settle in it wherever he wished. We extend Our mercy to whomsoever We will, and We do not let the reward of the righteous people to go to waste.” (Yusuf 12: 54:56) 

Yusuf came out of the prison after all these years as freed man but as the minister of finance in the most powerful country in the world at that time.  

Reflecting on this account, Prophet Yusuf was expecting that the released prisoner to tell the king as soon as he was released, so the king can pardon him.   But think about what would be outcome if this happened.  Prophet Yusuf would still be released as slave and still probably be hated by those who accused him in the first place. He would not have the chance to even interpret the dream for the king.  So, this early release wouldn’t have been good for Prophet Yusuf and Allah had a different timing that is far better for Yusuf’s. 

Yes, Prophet Yusuf had to suffer more, but this delay and extended suffering was the best thing that happened to him.  He has now been released as innocent and free man and not only as free man but also as holder of the highest positions in Egypt.

This story is not intended for entertainment but to teach us the critical divine law that Allah’s timing is far better than our timing.  So, we should be patient even when facing difficulties and should remain steadfast on our righteous deeds.

The Quran has many other examples that illustrates Allah’s timing such as:

• The divine timing that brought Prophet Musa and Al-Khidr to a village to arrive at the time when a wall was just ready to fall down and they fixed it to protect the treasure of the two orphans. (Surat Al-Kahf)
• The Divine Timing from the Battle of Badr (Surat Al-Anfal)
• The Divine Timing for Prophet Musa to meet his future wife and her father Prophet Shu’ayb شعيب)). The divine timing of reaching the mount of Tur to receive his assignment as Messenger of Allah.  (Surat Al-Qasas and Taha)

You can study these on your own. 

But before I end, I need to emphasize a cautionary note:

Recognizing the divine law of timing does not mean that we do nothing waiting for it. 

Yes, we all want to see the results of our noble aims as soon as possible and we should seek to achieve them with good planning, hard work and thru moral means but we should not be impatient and we should never be discouraged because of delays.

We should accept that there is divine timing for everything and the results will come not at our timing but at Allah’s. Allah’s timing is based on his infinite knowledge and ultimate wisdom but our timing will always be based on limited knowledge and impatience.

Dua