Is It Permissible to Build a Time Travel Machine?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

Is it permissible to try to build a time travel machine or think of going into the past in Islam, even if I don’t know if it’s wrong or not?

Answer

I pray you are well.

As it stands, it’s not possible for human beings to travel back in time, so pondering such questions isn’t really relevant. It’s better to focus on something that will benefit one in this life or the next.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) encouraged this when he said, “Leaving what does not concern one is from the beauty of a person’s (practice of) Islam.” [Tirmidhi]

If at some point it becomes possible – which is extremely unlikely – it would not be permissible to meddle with any events as Allah has made things happen as they did with supreme wisdom. Things happen as they are meant to happen, and it’s the best way because Allah knows more than us.

May Allah give us complete conviction in His wisdom in deciding all things.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008, he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital, and he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.