None of you should say: Woe be upon the Time, for verily Allah is the Time.
The Book Concerning the Use of Correct Words
Author: Sahih Muslim | Hadith Reference: Sahih Muslim 2246 d
Hadith Text
"None of you should say: Woe be upon the Time, for verily Allah is the Time."
Commentary
This noble hadith prohibits cursing time or attributing misfortunes to it, for time is merely a creation of Allah and operates by His decree. The statement "Allah is the Time" means that Allah is the true Master and Controller of time - He orchestrates all events within it. When people say "woe to time," they implicitly complain against divine decree. The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us to direct our complaints only to Allah and accept His qadr with patience and submission. This teaching cultivates proper tawhid by recognizing that all affairs ultimately return to Allah's wisdom and control.
Linguistic Analysis
The Arabic word "ad-dahr" (time) in this context refers to the passage of days and nights wherein events occur. The attribution of time to Allah does not imply incarnation (hulul) but rather emphasizes that He is the Creator and Disposer of temporal affairs. This is similar to other divine attributes where created things are metaphorically ascribed to Allah to demonstrate His complete sovereignty over them.
Practical Implications
Muslims should avoid phrases cursing time, days, or eras. Instead, one should say "Allah has decreed" or "This is from Allah's qadr." This hadith teaches us to develop sabr (patience) and ridha (contentment) with divine decree. It reminds believers that all temporal conditions - whether favorable or challenging - are tests from Allah containing wisdom beyond our comprehension.