Recently, [28 Jumadal Akhirah 1447, 18/ 12 / 2025] upon returning from the Haramayn Sharifayn to Istanbul, Al-‘Allamatul Muhaddith Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah (hafizahullah) shared a profound reflection from this journey. Shaykh (hafizahullah) said:
“Among the signs of Qiyamah is the passing of time very quickly (تقارب الزمان). (Refer: Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 1036)
More Work in a Short Time
The ‘Ulama have mentioned various interpretations for this; among them is that a person will be able to accomplish a great amount of work in a very short amount of time.
أن يَعْملَ الإنسانُ عَمَلًا كثيرًا في وقتٍ قليل
My son (Shaykh) Ahmad and I went to perform ‘Umrah. The entire trip, including going, returning, and resting there for over two hours, took only twelve hours! I used to hear from the Hujjaj that back in the days of traveling for Hajj by foot, the journey between the Two Harams (Al Makkiy and Al Madaniy), traveling twelve hours a day, took twelve days to go and twelve days to return! Now the entire round trip is twelve hours!
More Time, More Work to Be Done
هذا الوقتُ الذي اختُصِر علينا ينبغي أن يملأَهُ الإنسانُ بالخير
The point is that this blessing requires gratitude. This time that has been spared for us (by modern means), ought to be used for additional good work. That is how to show gratitude for this bounty.
While on this trip, the thought occurred to me: Subhanallah, how vast the difference has become! Between Madinah Munawwarah and Istanbul, it is now three hours and fifteen minutes, or three and a half hours. How long that used to take in the past?”
سبحان الفتَّاح العليم، وأيضًا هذه النعمة تحتاج إلى شكر، ونسأل الله التوفيق.
A Time When Hajj Took Months
Shaykh (hafizahullah) then related the following story, which highlights the time once required to undertake the journey for Hajj and return. This story also has another important lesson for students of knowledge, as Shaykh (hafizahullah) points out.
Shaykh (hafizahullah) said:
“In Halab (Aleppo), there was a very great and pious ‘Alim known as Shaykh Shahid (rahimahullah). One day, after sitting with him for a few minutes, before taking leave, he mentioned to me the following story about his teacher Shaykh Ahmad Al Maktabiy (rahimahullah).
Shaykh (hafizahullah) added: In Halab (Aleppo), there were two great ‘Ulama: one for the Hanafiys, Shaykh Muhammad Az Zarqa, and one for the Shafi’iys, Shaykh Ahmad Al Maktabiy (rahimahumallah). Shaykh Shahid was a Shafi’iy, so he was one of Shaykh Maktabiy’s students.
Shaykh Shahid (rahimahullah) said to me: Once, our teacher Al Maktabiy’s (rahimahullah) father was going for Hajj, so he went out to see him off. That day, he was delayed in reviewing his lesson (Mutala’ah), so he became worried and thought: “In six months, my father will return from Hajj, and I will have to go out to receive him again, and I will miss a second lesson.”
The point is that Hajj used to take six months. This was between Halab and the Haramayn, not Istanbul. These were the distances, and such was the earnest concern of the ‘Ulama; he was worried that six months later, he would miss reviewing another lesson.
06/08/1447 | 26/01/2026
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التخريج من المصادر العربية
صحيح البخاري:
(١٠٣٦) – حدثنا أبو اليمان قال: أخبرنا شعيب قال: أخبرنا أبو الزناد، عن عبد الرحمن الأعرج، عن أبي هريرة قال: قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: «لا تقوم الساعة حتى يقبض العلم، وتكثر الزلازل، ويتقارب الزمان، وتظهر الفتن، ويكثر الهرج، وهو القتل القتل، حتى يكثر فيكم المال فيفيض».