(here is the second part of the prophetic tradition from a time management perspective. It is my hope that all of us take heed of his ways, Salla allahu Aleyhi Wa salaam)
Guidance of a mission
After receiving the divine call, the life of the Prophet Muhammad was focused on living and conveying the message. His ultimate goal was to fulfill his mission as a servant and messenger of God. This involved two aspects: on the personal front a spiritual ascension towards the state of being a perfect human (insane-i kamil) as a servant of God and on the social front sharing the faith and practicing conduct that was pleasing God and others. His values and priorities were shaped completely by the scripture. In his farewell sermon during his last pilgrimage, he is reported to have asked the present audience, which numbered in the ten thousands: “Do you bear witness that I have fulfilled my mission as God’s messenger?” Of course the answer was a resounding yes, accompanied by tears [Gulen 2000].
Weekly time policy
Designate specific days of the week for specific projects and activities. In stronger prophetic tradition, the Prophet was heard to say, “Seek knowledge on every Monday” [Fayz al-Qadr 1/543]. Other prophetic sayings emphasize the importance of Friday as a day of festivity and the early part of Friday as the time to clean the body and care for one’s clothing. Another established prophetic tradition is to fast voluntarily on Mondays and Thursdays. From the observations of his companions it has been firmly established that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, established a weekly schedule with preferred activities on each day.
Daily time policy
The most detailed information about the time management of Prophet Muhammad is available concerning his daily schedule. Two types of activities occupied his time: the spontaneous (un-programmed) activities and the regular (programmed) activities. The spontaneous activities included giving an audience to an envoy or a representative group, the meeting of an urgent need or helping a stranger who spontaneously sought help. Such activities were accommodated within the time slots that were not dedicated to programmed activities. Furthermore, if a representative body were to arrive in Medina for a one-off meeting, then it would be scheduled at the first available time. However, if the group was to stay in Medina for a while, then the meeting with this group was included in the regular plan of activities. An example of such accommodation can be seen in the case of the representative group from the tribe of Thaqif. As the group was to stay in Medina for a while the Prophet visited them and talked with them after each night prayer. When one evening he delayed his visit, the group asked him: “O Messenger of God, you did not come at the time you used to come today; you were late, what is the reason for this?” [Usd al-Gaba 1/168]
Peace & Blessings
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