The Prophetic Pace: in Between Running and Running Late

Editor

In the present day and age, which is characterised as one in which the slow fish is eaten by the big fish, the state of those who figuratively carry five or ten watermelons under their arm, and cannot spare time for their children and parents are on the one hand seen as hardworking and held in high esteem for this reason and on the other are regarded by those who study humans and societies as people who need to slow down and that this rushed lifestyle is not appropriate for human beings. (It is also meaningful that the experts who tell us to slow down are amongst those bustling about in the current world of brutal competition, but we overlook this fact and continue to take them seriously.)

In contrast to those who relentlessly chase dispersed goals, there are those who live without purpose arbitrarily in a disorganised fashion, who arrive late to every occasion and do not have a care in the world; It seems as if the purpose of their existence is merely to make their counterparts seem reasonable and legitimate. If we were in the position to choose between one of the two, without hesitation we would opt for the first preference however, our Prophet’s life (seerah) astonishes us as it tells us that this should not be the case.

Those who describe his general aura do so as being one of solemnity and tranquillity. The fact that even our Prophet, who undertook countless roles within a day and took care of everyone and every task in his environment, regarded rushing to reach prayer in congregation as wrong and that Almighty Allah has stated that He wants to see believers in a state of solemnity and calmness in every situation is the final word on the matter that puts the standards into place. The way in which he was never late to any of his arrangements, never let slide any of his pursuits, lived all of his actions in a planned and purposeful manner, walked in a way which could not be characterised as running, but one which meant that he walked faster than everyone around him, illustrates that he combined a lively and dynamic character with solemnity and calmness; his conduct astonishes us.

As a person who generally lives in a discomposed rush, I think that the aspects I admire most about our Prophet is that he did not waste time with useless things, and used his time expediently, centred around the five daily prayers; I see that being in a rush does not always mean being productive, and I offer my respects to those who do lots of work while living calmly.