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Muslim managers and their roles in view of time management

Management is defined as the process of integrating resources and tasks towards the achievement of stated organizational goals. Time is one of these important resources that need proper management. Other resources may include human resource, machinery, etc. management can also be defined as the process of getting things done effectively and efficiently through and with other people. The term process used means a series of actions or a method of operation to achieve the stated goals. Management is a continuous process and many but inter-related activities are performed by the managers to achieve the stated goals.

Muslim managers like other managers lead organizations and the concept of time management is very important to them for their success in such institutions. An organization is usually defined as a group of people with formally assigned roles, working together to achieve stated goals. A manager is a person who organizes, leads and controls and the leads the work of others to achieve the organizational goals.

The Muslim managers have a responsibility to ensure efficiency in using time by the workers in a cost saving way and efficiency in making the right decisions and successful implementation of the same in view of time management. Efficiency in the use of time is viewed in light of the ability to make the best use of the available time in the process of achieving the organizational goals. This can be achieved through proper leadership and directives on the tasks and sub-tasks to accomplished by the workers in the firm.

A Muslim manager must equally have the general skills for proper management to ensure that the employees manage time well.  He has to seek internal and external information about issues that can improve on the time management which finally have a bearing on the achievement of the organizational goals. He also has to be good at transmitting information internally that is obtained from either internal or external sources on ways of improving on the management of time. He should also seek the public opinion on some of the best ways of management of time. He also has the obligation to ensure that enough resources are allocated to activities and accessories that can help effect the management of time in the organization to ensure easier achievement of the organizational goals.

Time wasters which are a common problem to most of the organizations should be avoided at all costs. Any unsuitable utilization of time should be avoided and other time wasters ignored. The managers can equally control the time wasters by: defining the objectives and defining tasks, arranging priorities, organizing the office, controlling unnecessary interruptions and efforts and application of the effective skills of communication. Finally the Muslim managers have a great responsibility in ensuring that there is proper management in the utilisation of time in their organizations to ensure achievement of the organizational goals since this is a command from the most high God himself as spelt in the holy Quraan.

 

Islamic view of time management

Islamic view of time management 480x428 Islamic view of time management

The concept of time management is highlighted by the holy Quraan in several verses. There is need to examine the subject of time management and the Islamic view point of the same for the good of Muslim faithful and the world at large.  Success of any manager relies on how he uses time. Optimizing the use of time is usually said to determine the difference between success and failure. It is always acknowledged that those who care about the total time they have make great achievements in their lives but those who don’t always believe that the time they have is too little.

For the sake of time of management the following times occur in our day to day lives: creative time ( time spent on the process of planning, analysis and thinking for the future), preparatory time (this is the time for preparation that precedes the actual start of the work), productive time (this is the actual time spent in the actual execution of the tasks planned at the preparatory and creative stages) and the overhead time which is the time spent by the managers on the secondary activities touching on the future and success of the organization and its relationship with the environment and the society at large. An effective manager of time is one who knows how to utilize the above times effectively and efficiently as brought out in the holy Quraan.

The Quraan considers time as a basic blessing from God and should therefore be managed well. It describes time as the span of life, the extent of man’s existence and the platform of his usefulness, survival and gain. This affirms the fact a man who doesn’t manage his time is one that has no proper meaning to live.

Another critical concept of time in the Muslim faith is that the acts of worship ar allocated specific time and should be well managed. This aspect brings out the need for proper time management in Islam the Quraanic view of the same. The five daily prayers are very important and time for such should be well observed. The prayers always enable Muslim faithful to reinforce their bonds with the most high God daily. Proper management of such time is therefore very important in an Islamic perspective.

The observation of fasting during the holy month of Ramadhan is an activity that requires proper time management. The beginning and end of that event is usually gauged by observing the size of the resent of the moon. The time is very key in the Islam calendar and must be well observed in line with the Islamic perspective. Other activities such as going on pilgrimage to Mecca are equally important times to properly observe.

Management of all these times properly makes a Muslim life more fruitful and productive. There is therefore for Muslims all over the world to examine the need for proper time and the Islamic perspective of the same from the Quraan.