While FIFA World Cup blares over TV, reports on the radio, articles in the paper, we see our friends, our family, our co-workers, all of them glued to this new world.

Here are eleven reasons to unglue them (and yourself!) inshallah ta’ala:

  1. I will be questioned on the Day of Judgement about how I squandered and wasted my time.
  2. Who are those guys running around like headless chickens kicking that ball? Why should they matter to me?
  3. I still need to memorize the Qur’an or learn how to pray properly, so why am I watching FIFA instead?
  4. I veg on the couch and consume large quantities of junk food during matches–but imagine how much exercise I could get if I played soccer half that much!
  5. There are better ways to make the best use of our limited time, like sitting with family, discussing with friends, going for a walk, learning something new and useful, etc.
  6. It keeps me distracted from the bigger things in life — getting rid of injustice oppressers have instilled, spreading the message of Islam (especially in light of the 17 arrests in Canada), etc.
  7. I can start a business or an exciting new da’wa project and get as much fun (and more benefit!) out of that!
  8. The time I spend watching is preventing me from giving others their due rights–like my parents.
  9. I could be watching something beneficial (and minus the partly-dressed women during commercial breaks) like Foundations of Islamic Studies instead!
  10. Death can strike at any moment, would I want to die with a bag of chips in one hand and “viva Portgual!” on my lips?
  11. It promotes nationalism. (Pop quiz: what did the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) say about nationalism?)

And this applies to time-management (or mis-mangement) in general, and not just World Cup specifically.

****May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) give us the tawfiq to use our time in the best way–the way that benefits us most in the akhir. Because when life ends, that’s what really counts.

Don’t misunderstand–leisure time has its place in Islam. The companions used to use their leisure time–but productively. One of them said, that it refreshes his mind and helps him worship Allah better. Subhanallah.

So what are you doing with your lesiure time? Is it a spring-board to good deeds, or a gateway to sins?

Subhanallah, even non-Muslims agree that we shouldn’t watch TV all the time!  You can read an interesting study on TV here, and some more advice from Young Muslims on what to do about it here.