Omolaja Sultanul Haqq, Student, Jamia Ahmadiyya International Ghana
Time is the one thing we all possess equally, yet it’s also the one thing we can never reclaim once it slips away. Every glance at a clock, every deadline and every tick of a second defines our existence, but few ever pause to ask a simple question: why does an hour have 60 minutes? It seems natural to us today, but behind this common measure lies an ancient story of mathematics, astronomy and human wisdom that still governs our lives thousands of years later.
The birth of time
The origins of time measurement stretch far back into ancient history, long before digital watches and wall clocks. Many civilisations measured time, but the earliest known concept of dividing the day into measurable parts came from the Babylonians, a remarkable civilisation that thrived over 4,000 years ago in Mesopotamia. They used a base-60 numerical system that could be divided easily by 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, making calculations for trade, astronomy and calendars simple.
This gave rise to systems we still use today: 60 minutes in an hour, 60 seconds in a minute and 360 degrees in a circle. Interestingly, Islam links time to the movements of the sun and moon. Allah states in the Holy Quran: “He it is Who made the sun [radiate] a brilliant light and the moon [reflect] a lustre, and ordained for it stages, that you might know the number of years and the reckoning [of time]. Allah has not created this but in truth. He details the Signs for a people who have knowledge.” (Surah Yunus, Ch.10: V.6)
The Egyptian division of the day
While the Babylonians gave us the numbers, the Egyptians gave us the structure. By observing the movement of the sun and stars, they divided the day into 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. This 24-hour system, inspired by nature and celestial patterns, became the foundation for how humans organise their days.
When Babylonian mathematics met Egyptian astronomy, modern time was born: a day had 24 hours, an hour had 60 minutes and a minute had 60 seconds.
From shadows to seconds
Before gears and glass, time was measured by light and flow. Ancient people used sundials, which followed the sun’s shadow, and water clocks, where dripping water marked the passage of minutes. But these natural clocks had flaws; cloudy skies and uneven flow made time uncertain.
Then came the mechanical clock. For the first time, humans could capture and control time with moving parts. The invention of the pendulum clock brought incredible accuracy. In our era, atomic clocks define time so precisely that they lose less than a second in millions of years.
The philosophy behind time
Putting the science aside for a moment, we come to realise that time remains one of life’s greatest mysteries. It is both real and abstract, a dimension we live within but cannot see or touch. For one person, an hour may pass in joy; for another, it drags with pain. Yet the clock remains neutral, reminding us that time itself doesn’t change, only our perception does. Every human being receives 24 hours a day. The difference between success and failure, peace and regret, often lies in how those hours are used.
When we put all this in perspective, we are reminded of the ominous words of the Holy Quran: “By the [fleeting] Time, Surely, man is in [a state of] loss, Except those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to [accept] truth, and exhort one another to be steadfast.” (Surah al-Asr, Ch.103: V.2-4)
So the next time you glance at your watch, remember it’s not just 60 minutes ticking by. It’s 60 chances to do good, to reflect and to live with purpose before time runs out.
