How should a Muslim use his free time?

Wisely. Free time is a gift from God, and even small gaps in the day can be filled with reading, learning or doing something for others.

For a Muslim, the whole of life is service to God and to people. So in a sense there is no time that does not count. Everything done with a good intention has value. Free time is therefore not empty time. It is an opportunity.

Often it is only a small gap between two tasks. When you travel by train, by car or by plane, you can take along reading that otherwise never gets done. Magazines and books that have been lying around for a long time finally find their reader. A quarter of an hour is often enough for more than you think.

Free time can also be shared with others. If people come round in the evening to learn together, you can cook something for them and give them a little joy. Simple acts like this strengthen friendship and community. They are just as valuable as quiet reading.

The hadith above warns that many people suffer loss in exactly two things, health and free time. We often notice both only when they are gone. The first verse above shows the way. When one task is finished, you turn eagerly to the next good thing. Rest and recovery are part of this, but time should not simply trickle away.