Speaking Ill of Time

Question

It is on people’s tongues: “Such a time has come, such-and-such a time has come” — whereas Allah the Exalted says: “I am Time (al-Dahr).” Although those who say this mean by “time” merely the passage of time, kindly state on this matter: what word should they use? And since there is no corruption in their intention, will there be a threat of punishment (wa‘id) for what is mentioned in the question or not?

Answer

To believe that time is itself an agent by its own essence (mu’aththir bi-l-dhat) is wrong. But if, conceiving time as a receptacle (zarf) of events, one says, for example: “In the blessed era of the Prophet ﷺ good prevailed; gradually afterwards good diminished and evil increased,” then that is correct.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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