Not enough time?

Here’s what they don’t tell you!

Bismillah

Photo by Martin Adams on Unsplash

“Shaytan threatens you with poverty and commands you to immorality, while Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty. And Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.”

(Qur’an 2:268)

It’s Fajr.

You wake up—barely. You reach for your phone before your wudu. There’s a message, a sale, a notification. Someone’s posted their morning routine: lemon water, treadmill, Qur’an, green smoothie. You make wudu in a rush, stand in salah, but your heart is still scrolling.

You start the day with prayer—but not presence.

There’s already a tightness in your chest. A low-grade anxiety humming beneath the surface. So much to do. So much to become.

So much to chase.

But pause.

That whisper in your chest—the one that says you’re behind, you’re missing out, you don’t have enough—where is it coming from?

“Shaytan threatens you with poverty…” (2:268)

In Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah says:

“Ash-Shayṭān yaʿidukum al-faqr…”

“Shaytan threatens you with poverty…” (2:268)

The Arabic word that has been translated as poverty is “al-faqr” (ٱلْفَقْر), which comes from the root ف-ق-ر (fa-qaf-ra). It refers to a state of deep need, emptiness, or dependence—literally, a kind of spiritual or material spinal break, as if something essential has collapsed within you.

In Arabic, faqīr isn’t just someone without money—it’s someone in need, vulnerable, in need of support. It evokes not only material poverty but emotional and spiritual desperation.

Shaytan uses this feeling—this threat of al-faqr—to make us anxious, stingy, envious, and hurried.

He tells you you’re running out—of time, money, beauty, opportunity. And so you rush. You hoard. You fear losing out. You delay- ohh how you procrastinate. You compare. You begin to feel poor—even when you’re not.

It’s Dhuhr.

You fit your salah in between emails or errands. “Allahu Akbar”—but you’re already thinking about dinner or bills or that one influencer who’s now selling a digital planner for 39.99. You feel distracted, but you justify it. “It’s just a busy season.” But somehow, every season is busy.

Shaytan doesn’t need to stop your salah.

He just needs to hollow it out.

“…and he commands you to immorality.” (2:268)

The “immorality” isn’t always blatant sin. Sometimes, it’s a quiet neglect. A habitual distraction. A life of rushing past the signs of Allah for the symbols of status.

It’s Asr.

The sun is tilting. You’re tired now, but the pressure is louder. You glance around your home and feel behind. Not organized enough. Not decorated enough. Not aesthetic enough. Everyone else seems to have more—time, systems, money, beauty, support, love ❤️!

You open your closet—still full—and say,

“I have nothing to wear.”

You glance at your calendar—packed—and say,

“There’s no time.”

But Allah is Al-Ghani—The Most Rich.

The Owner of time.

The Giver of clothing.

The Creator of provision.

Photo by Jason Mavrommatis on Unsplash

It’s Maghrib.

The sky is burning. It’s the most beautiful moment of the day—but you barely notice. You scroll through someone’s sunset post instead of watching your own. You pray with one eye on the clock. Dinner, laundry, another notification.

This dunya is loud. But your soul was made for silence.

It’s Isha.

You finally sit. But you don’t know how to stop. Your heart races even when your body doesn’t. You wonder: “Why am I so anxious all the time? Why do I never feel full?”

This is the Shaytan’s victory:

Not in your sin, but in your disconnection.

He wants you so distracted, so tired, so consumed with more that you forget what you already have. He wants you to believe in scarcity—even though your Lord is Al-Wasi’—The All-Encompassing.

But Allah promises you forgiveness and bounty.

Not just money. But barakah (blessings).

Not just comfort. But sakina (peace).

Not just time. But meaning in that time.

How Do We Resist the Whisper?

Firstly, remembering the purpose of your creation.

And here are a few tips to ground yourself in Allah’s abundance and resist the scarcity illusion:

1. Guard your Salah
   Let salah be the pause, not the interruption. Try to make wudu with intention. Arrive to salah early. Sit quietly for 30 seconds before you begin. Make eye contact with the floor—this is your time with your Master.

2. Say the Du’a—even for your shoestring
   The Prophet (saw) said:
   “Let one of you ask his Lord for his needs, all of them—even for a shoestring when it breaks.”
   (Reported by Tirmidhi)
   Don’t only ask Allah for the “big” things. Ask Him when you feel you don’t have “enough.” Let your du’a be your resistance to the illusion.

3. Cut down one distraction a day
   Delete one app. Unfollow one account. Opt out of one sale. Turn off one notification. Make a habit of saying “I have enough.”

4. Give—even when it feels small
   The best way to defeat the fear of poverty is to give. Even if it’s a date. Even if it’s a smile. You prove to your heart: “Allah is the Provider—not my wallet.”

5. Anchor your day around the Salah—not the other way around
   Imagine your day as a house. Let the prayers be the pillars. Everything else is the furniture. Some you’ll keep. Some you’ll change. But the structure stays.

Reflection Questions for Your Week:

• Where am I rushing? Who am I trying to catch up with?

• How have I started believing I don’t have enough—time, beauty, peace, provision?

• How am I letting Shaytan whisper me into a life of distraction?

• What would my day look like if I lived knowing Allah is enough?

May Allah protect your time, fill your heart with contentment, and allow your salah to be the calm that quiets the whisper. Ameen.

This week, may your day be built around worship, not worry.

Much love 💕

Nour Cauveren