Question: Is it permissible to listen to the Nasheed (song) “Zawjati” (My Wife) by Abu Khatir? Do some of its lyrics fall under the category of Sabb Ad-Dahr (reviling Time)? For example: “Life becomes pleasant, no matter how constricted the days become, if you are pleasant” – I refer to: “constricted the days.” And also, for example: “You are my lawful one, I fear no blamer whose concern is hatred. Time has permitted us an uninterrupted union.”
Answer: All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and Companions.
As for what follows: The prohibition of reviling Time (Sabb Ad-Dahr) is an established and well-known matter. This, and its meaning, has been previously clarified in these two Fatawa: 50029, 100933.
However, there is a significant difference between reviling Time and describing it:
The first (reviling) is intended as criticism and reproach.
The second (describing) is intended merely as clarification and information.
Likewise, attributing an action to Time (Az-Zaman) is merely a form of metaphorical expression and linguistic latitude (Tajawwuz wa Tawassu’ fi Al-Kalam). It is not intended to mean that Time itself manages and acts independently; rather, it is a creation, subservient to the command of Allah Ta’ala.
The eminent scholar Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al Ash-Shaykh clarified this when he was asked about the phrase: “Circumstances did not permit me.” He said: “What has become common on the tongues of some people, such as attributing permission to Time (Ad-Dahr) and the like, is similar to attributing coming and going to Time and so forth; there is no difference between them. It is something common and found in the Book (the Qur’an) and the Sunnah, such as His (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) saying: ‘Has there [not] come upon man a period of time…’ [Al-Insan 76:1]. And his (SallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saying: ‘No time will come upon you except that which follows it will be worse.’ It is well-known that the one who utters such a phrase does not intend that Time acts by itself; rather, he believes that Time is a subservient creation that neither comes nor goes except by the will of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). This is merely a matter of metaphorical expression and linguistic latitude, like His (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) saying: ‘…a wall about to collapse…’ [Al-Kahf 18:77]. However, proper etiquette (Adab) dictates abandoning it and similar expressions.”
However, if one intends that Time (Ad-Dahr) truly acts [independently], then this, undoubtedly, is associating partners with Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) (Ishrak).
As for describing Time with hardship, ease, good, or evil, there is no harm in that, such as His (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) saying: “…seven nights and eight days in succession…” [Al-Haqqah 69:7]. And His saying: “…seven hard [years]…” [Yusuf 12:48]. And his (SallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saying: “No time will come except that which follows it will be worse.” The evidences for this are very numerous.
As for reviling Time (Sabb Ad-Dahr), this is what the evidences have come to prohibit, warn against, and forbid, as in the Sahih from Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet (SallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) who said: “Allah said: ‘The son of Adam offends Me; he reviles Time, and I am Time. I alternate the night and the day.'” And in another narration: “Do not revile Time, for indeed, Allah is Time.” End quote.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin said in Al-Qawl Al-Mufid:
Reviling Time (Sabb Ad-Dahr) is divided into three categories:
First: To intend merely to convey information, without blame: This is permissible. For example, to say: “We are tired from the intense heat of this day, or its cold,” and similar expressions. This is because actions are by intentions, and such an expression is suitable for merely conveying information. An example of this is the statement of Lut (‘alayhis salam): “This is a distressing day” [Hud 11:77].
Second: To revile Time on the basis that it is the [actual] doer, such as believing, by reviling Time, that Time itself is what changes matters to good or evil. This is major polytheism (Shirk Akbar), because he has believed that there is another creator with Allah, as he has attributed events to other than Allah. And everyone who believes that there is another creator with Allah is a disbeliever (Kafir), just as whoever believes that there is another god with Allah deserving of worship is a disbeliever.
Third: To revile Time, not believing that it is the doer, but believing that Allah is the Doer, yet he reviles it because it is the locus of this matter that is disliked by him. This is forbidden (Muharram), but it does not reach the level of Shirk. It is a form of foolishness in intellect and misguidance in religion, because the reality of his reviling returns to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), for Allah Ta’ala is the One who directs Time and brings about in it what He wills of good or evil. So Time is not the doer, and this reviling does not constitute disbelief (Kufr), because he did not revile Allah Ta’ala directly. End quote.
Dr. ‘Abd Ar-Rahman Al-Mahmud also elaborated on this in his treatise: Akhta’ fi Al-‘Aqidah (Errors in Creed).
Shaykh Salih Al Ash-Shaykh said in his commentary on Kitab At-Tawhid:
“Describing years as difficult, or a day as black (i.e., bad), or months as ill-omened, and the like, is not considered reviling Time (Sabb Ad-Dahr). This is because such descriptions are qualified. This has come in the Qur’an, such as in His (Jalla wa ‘Ala) saying: ‘…during ill-omened days to make them taste the punishment of disgrace…’ [Fussilat 41:16]. So Allah (Jalla wa ‘Ala) described the days as ill-omened, and what is meant is: ‘during days that were ill-omened for them.’ He described the days as ill-omened because what befell them during those days was ill-omened for them. Similar to this is His (Jalla wa ‘Ala) saying in Surah Al-Qamar: ‘…on a day of continuous misfortune’ [Al-Qamar 54:19]. This is not reviling Time, because what is intended by this description is that what occurred during it had such-and-such a characteristic for this speaker. As for reviling Time, it is to attribute the action to it and then to revile Time because it did to him what displeased him. This is what constitutes an offense to Allah (Jalla wa ‘Ala).” End quote.
In conclusion: There is no harm in the first phrase. As for the second, although there is no [inherent] harm in it, proper etiquette (Adab) dictates abandoning it and similar expressions, as previously noted by the eminent scholar Ibn Ibrahim. For further benefit, refer to the following Fatawa numbers: 60888, 15822, 48377, 118868, 68788.
And Allah knows best.
(Islamweb.net Fatwa Number: 131297)
Saheehus-Seerah 