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Fatwa CenterDefinition of the Arabic word 'Zamaan'
Question
Assalaamu 3alaikum, What is the definition of time? Is it something that makes people age or is time just a name for the wearing out of things or the earths circulation around the sun etc.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.
The Arabic word ‘Zamaan’ is used to refer to small or long periods of time. 'The Islamic Research Magazine' defines it as follows, “Linguistically, 'Zamaan' refers to long and short periods of time.”
According to Muslim scholars, the technical definition of the word “Zamaan” is related to its linguistic meaning. It means the (passage of) days and nights, the long and short thereof. Az-Zarkashi 
said, “The real meaning of the word ‘Zamaan’ is the passage of days and nights or the duration of the earth's circulation around the sun."
Obviously, both the linguistic meaning and the technical meaning are closely related.
Allaah Knows best.
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