Lazy Boy – It’s All in Your Mind
by Muhammad Alsharee
بِسْمِ
اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the
Most Merciful.
During the time of Prophet Muhammad sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, an
incident happened in which a man slept the entire night and he missed
the Fajr prayer. Despite the fact that this is a very common occurrence
in our present day, at that time such things rarely happened. He missed
Fajr, and so they came and spoke to the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam about this.
‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood, radi Allaahu anhu narrates:
A man
came and said to the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, “Oh Messenger
of Allah, verily a person slept last night until the morning, until the
dawn came and he missed Fajr.”
The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam replied, “This is a person whom the devil has urinated in his ears.”
Dear brothers and sisters, try going to any books of hadith and in
each and every one you will find a chapter entitled Baab al-Isti’aadhah
Minal Kasl. Translated, this chapter is called: ‘Chapter of Seeking
Allah’s Protection from Laziness.’
Kasl, or laziness, also known as procrastination, is a disease.
University students know what procrastination can do to their studies.
It is a disease that afflicts the minds, after the mind, it then
afflicts the heart, and finally, through the heart, the body is
afflicted.
Today, you will learn that laziness is a technique used by Satan, and
today you will learn the techniques you can use to combat it.
The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam frequently made the following supplication:
“Oh Allah, I seek your protection from, alajz” –
which means the inability to do something.
And when someone said, “I can’t do that,” The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi
wa sallam would seek protection from such negative speech by adding: “
and I seek your protection (Oh Allah) from alkasl”- which is translated as
laziness.
At its core this society is built on laziness. Consider that it is a
society based on the idea that we have to rest on Sundays. “Why do you
have to rest on Sundays?” some may ask, and society (may Allah protect
us from this) would answer that even Allah got lazy on Sunday. He did
His work all week long; He built the heavens and the earth, and then on
Sunday He got tired and rested. So, may Allah protect us. Contemporary
culture has us resting and watching football games on Sundays.
Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala testifies to the lunacy of such an idea, implicitly stating that
…there is no drowsiness and no sleep that comes to Him (Al-Baqarah 2/255).
In addition, we live in a society that lives for ‘fast and easy’. You
have the fast food joints, even the microwave meals that take 5 minutes
are considered tedious because you have to take it out after a couple
of minutes and stir it before it is finished cooking. Ever hear the
promises to have the perfect body in ten minutes for only three days a
week? Examples abound. And in its quest for ‘fast and easy’, society
does not realize that the root of its problems, indeed, the root of all
major sins, lies in laziness.
Why would a person take alcohol and drugs? They are too lazy to
change their situation. Instead of actively striving for change, they
take a drug to immediately change it. Why do people practice black
magic, a phenomenon that is, unfortunately, prevalent in many of our
parent’s societies? They do it because they are too lazy to go out and
get married, or they’re too lazy to influence people in ways that will
accomplish their various goals. Why do people partake in riba’
(mortgages as an example) and deal with financial interest? They are too
lazy to get a proper job and work to pay for something honestly. Why do
people gamble? They addictively buy lottery tickets at ridiculous odds
of winning in the hopes that their one dollar will instantly earn
millions. Laziness is again the culprit. Why do people backbite? People
backbite because they are too lazy to go and tell the person the
truth. And these, dear brothers and sisters, are all major sins.
Thus, like a poison, laziness corrupts all good things.
There are beautiful and amazing things that you want to do for
yourself, or do for Allah subhaahanu wa ta’aala. Your intention is good,
but if you don’t have the energy, or you suffer from the laziness
plight, your desires will go nowhere; they will bear no fruit.
The causes of this disease, called laziness, are rooted in the heart.
Firstly,
a lazy person doesn’t know and doesn’t understand his or her need to
accumulate good deeds. We understand the need to accumulate money, but
we may not understand why or how to accumulate good deeds. Very few
people understand that this life is about collecting deeds and preparing
for the journey of the hereafter.
Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala advises,
…to prepare your provisions (for the journey to the
hereafter) and the best provision is taqwa (fear/piety) of Allah
subhaanahu wa ta’aala (Al-Baqarah 2/197).
Secondly,
people are discouraged by the thought that others will consider them
‘holier than thou.’ Or perhaps the problem is that some people think too
highly of themselves, glorifying themselves to such a high level that
when they hear the commandments of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala they
reply by justifying their laziness with excuses like, “My heart is
clean,” or “Why do I have to do that,” or “I’m a good person.” Allah
subhaanahu wa ta’aala states:
Do not claim piety to yourselves (An-Najm 53/32).
If someone says, “I’m good,” the response should be, “Allah knows best who is true, who is righteous.”
Indeed, those who suffer from laziness don’t understand the gold mine
of opportunity awaiting them. There are thousands of people around you
waiting to hear the call of Islam. You are living among sponges ready to
listen to you say, “I am a Muslim.” And they are going to ask, “How can
I become one too?”
A brother I knew overseas said it perfectly: “The North Americans
have such enormous prospects. Imagine teaching a new Muslim Surah
al-Fatiha, or how to pray. You will get the reward for this most noble
lesson each time the person recites this surah. You can’t do that in
Muslim countries, although there are other different opportunities
there, most people don’t recognize them and this leads to laziness.”
Know that this concerns you, and if you start demonstrating the
energy and zeal it takes to worship Allah to the best of your ability,
then you will be the one to benefit.
This is your life; this is your soul. You are only going to live once
on this earth, and you’ll be traveling to the hereafter with a suitcase
of good deeds. Hopefully, you won’t be traveling light. The one who
understands this early on, the one to get on the bandwagon of the
worship of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala early on, accumulates everything.
Be a pioneer; bring Islam to everyone.
And so they come on the day of resurrection and they see mountains of
good deeds that they never imagined they would have had and it will be
said to them this is because you weren’t lazy when other people were
lazy.
Recognize the opportunity, seize it, and kick start the worship of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala by others.
But if you choose not to heed these words, to yawn, and to be lazy,
you are turning your back on the words of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala.
And the consequences will be grave, for the sunnah of creation, indeed
the law of nature, stipulates that that which does not contribute will
be destroyed. What do you do with weeds in your garden? You pull them
out, you get rid of them. What do you do when your nails get too long,
when there is no purpose to their length? You snip them off, discard
them in the trash. And so it is, as a community and as individuals in
that community, if we are not contributing, and if we are not
energetically producing, we will be deemed useless and we will be
eliminated.
Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala says:
In this way, He gives forth the parable of the truth and
falsehood and the vanity. Vanity is like the foam, the dirt on the ocean
(there is no benefit to it). But the things that do bring benefit
(those devoid of laziness) will remain steadfast in the land (Ar-Ra’d
13/17).
Even after you are gone, your good deeds will continue to benefit.
Do not make the mistake of thinking that Allah pays attention to the
lazy one’s worship. Prophet Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“Do those deeds that you are able to perform, for verily, Allah will not tire of your ‘ibadah (worship) until you tire.”
Ponder the phenomenon of those who make du’a absentmindedly, not
knowing what it is that they are saying. They may even be yawning,
confused, or focused on something else entirely. Allah is not paying
attention to that person just like they are not paying attention to
their du’a. That is a du’a that is not answered by Allah subhaanahu wa
ta’aala. A du’a that is answered is the one where the person’s heart and
energy are invested in it. Allah will listen. If you can consistently
take your du’a to that level, you’ll see dramatic changes in your life.
When I was younger, there was an imam from overseas who came to lead
the taraweeh prayers in Ramadan. We would have to pick him up at Fajr
time and drive him to the masjid. One early morning, I was feeling
particularly tired and lazy. My parents had an especially hard time
waking me up. Yet, when we arrived at the Imam’s house, I noticed that
the neighbors were in the midst of an all-night party. It was 5 am and
their lights were blaring, their music was booming, and the party-goers
were still drinking their alcohol. They’d spent the entire night awake
in qiyaamul layl, but not to Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala. Their worship
was for the devil.
I remember thinking to myself that this disbeliever has the stamina
and energy to waste the night away, how can the servant of Allah
subhaanahu wa ta’aala not have the energy and ability to worship Him?
After all, they too are humans like us. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab radi
Allaahu anhu is quoted as saying, “I seek Allah’s protection from the
time when the fasiq or disobedient will have much energy and enthusiasm
and the righteous will be lazy.” The fasiq will open up bars everywhere
and run his houses of immorality with vigor. And the righteous will do
little to nothing in the sake of Allah. When this happens, there is an
imbalance on earth, and corruption will be widespread and prevalent.
Brothers and sisters, let me
tell you about the blessedness of having energy and enthusiasm in
worshipping Allah and what it will do for you.
Number 1:
The extra energy will win you the pleasure of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala.
Musa alayhis salaam was told to come to the mountain for 40 days. And
come he did, not walking slowly, not ten minutes late, but running. In
explaining his arrival, Musa said,
I came hastily to you, oh Allah, so that you will be pleased with me (Taha 20/84).
And indeed, his words were so pleasing to his creator that Allah recorded them in the Qur’an for all eternity.
When you hear a name of a prophet’s companion, you say, “May Allah be
pleased with him.” Well, this is how you get that same distinction for
yourself. Be hasty in your desire and actions that lead to goodness.
Number 2:
Having energy is the characteristic of the believer. Being lazy is the characteristic of the hypocrite.
Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala says the munafiq, or hypocrite is he who
has disbelief in his heart, while outwardly claiming belief. Allah
subhaanahu wa ta’aala describes them in the following verse:
If they get up for the salah (prayer), they get up with laziness (An-Nisaa’ 4/142).
“Give me ten more minutes…give me ten more minutes… oh! I missed
Fajr…oh no. I’ll pray after Fajr. Give me ten more minutes…give me ten
more minutes…”
A characteristic of hypocrisy is when they reach for that snooze
button and get up lazily for prayer. In this moment they’re experiencing
a state of nifaq or hypocrisy. May Allah protect us.
May He also protect us from using excuses to not follow through with our deeds.
A Canadian may say it’s too cold; an African will say it’s too hot.
Both are making excuses for not doing good actions. It was summer in the
desert during the time of the Battle of Tabuk, and there was a walking
distance of what is today a seven-hour car trip from Madinah to Tabuk.
The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam was rallying his troops for an
exhaustive trek that, back then, would have taken months.
Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala says,
…they (the hypocrites) encouraged people not to go with the
Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam by saying, “Do not go out in the
heat.” Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala’s response was to tell them, “The
fire of hell is much hotter; if only they understood” (At-Tauba 9/81).
Ibn al-Jawzee, may Allah have mercy on his soul, said, “
I have never seen a flaw sadder to me than a community whose people stop working, despite having the ability to continue.”
The ramifications of laziness can be very harmful. Some of you may
have come across a person who displays a genuine interest in Islam. That
person may be about to take the shahada when Shaytan gets to him and
her. An excuse the devil uses is, “You have to comprehend the Qur’an
first.” Hence the would-be Muslim is convinced that they do love Islam,
but perhaps further study is required. And so it is that he or she
delays coming back to Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala, and as time passes
they may no longer possess the same enthusiasm.
Similarly, Muslims seeking to make repentance to Allah subhaanahu wa
ta’aala might give themselves time by saying, “Let me wait till I pay
off my mortgage (or pay off my student loans. Let me wait till I do
this, let me wait till I do that) then I will repent to Allah.” But it
doesn’t work like that because as time passes and sins grow, the heart
consistently gets weaker and weaker. A time will come when the person
knows it’s the last chance, but the heart may have already been sealed
shut.
And as Prophet Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“Race to good deeds before a time and a fitnah (test) comes that will sweep over you like the darkest of the darkest nights.”
Are not the trials apparent all around us?
Look to the Islamic educational scene. Scholars we may or may not
know are being singled out by the dozens. Religious knowledge is being
taken from us. If you have the chance to attend a halaqah, or an Islamic
class, you have to race to it now! It may be that you won’t have
another chance.
Fitnah will come to you, and you must survive it with whatever
knowledge you hold. It may be that the knowledge you possess will
suffice to protect you, and it may be that it will not be enough to
avail you. The consequences thereof would be disastrous, and may
eventually lead to hellfire. May Allah protect us.
Picture this analogy: In Australia they have sharks that prey near
the coastline. To warn bathing humans of impending danger, they have a
certain whistle that rings when a shark is sighted. Now imagine if
you’re feeling sluggish or you’re playing a game trying to see how long
you can hold your breath under the water. You don’t hear the warning
sound, and then you raise your head out of the water, and notice that
nobody is in it except you. Everyone has made it to shore, they are
yelling for you to hurry, but you are ten minutes from the beach. How
would you make it? Would you make it? Only Allah knows for sure, but
that’s exactly what laziness does to you. It not only renders you
unprepared, but also helpless as to the actions you must take in order
to survive.
But today is a new day, and by the grace of Allah subhaanahu wa
ta’aala you and I can learn to let go of that laziness. We will work
with renewed energy, striving to return to the worship of Allah
subhaanahu wa ta’aala.
Here are some techniques to use.
Number 1: Yawning Promotes Laziness
Yawning is from the devil. And when it comes to us, we must fight it.
Despite what your medical classes are telling you about needing oxygen
through yawning, it was your Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam who
advised on covering the mouth and resisting the yawn, by not letting out
any noise. No (loud) “Ahhhsss!”
Number 2: Eating One-Third
The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam taught us to eat using the
one-third method. You don’t need much to sustain yourself; a few bites
will usually do. If you are going to eat a meal, then one-third is the
crucial number. One-third of your stomach should be for food, one-third
for water, and one-third for breathing.
Realize that one of the most cunning tricks of Shaytan is urging
people to fill their stomachs beyond capacity. How many times have you
eaten a huge meal only to feel like taking a nap afterwards? And how
many times has this nap dissuaded you from the worship of Allah
subhaanahu wa ta’aala?
Number 3: Spend Time with Energetic People
Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala says,
Be patient with those people who call upon their lord in the mornings and the evenings.
When you see a person going for salah consistently, always in a state
of worship and remembrance of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala, you say to
them, “Hey brother/hey sister, how about we go out for lunch? I’d like
to spend time with you.”
Feed from their energy. Alternatively, if lazy people surround you,
distance yourself from them, or give them da’wah, encouraging positive
action. You want to pick the right people, because we tend to emulate
those whom we befriend.
Do as your Prophet did and constantly seek refuge from Allah from the
laziness that Shaytan uses to defeat the Muslims. When you find
yourself reaching for that snooze button, a.k.a ‘the Shaytan button’,
remember the ploy against you and seek Allah’s help to resist. You will
have the strength to wake up for Fajr. Ultimately, laziness is a state
of mind.
In conclusion, the one concept that ties this all together is
honesty. Being honest about your laziness and sincerely striving to
change is the first step in seeing results. The fact of the matter is
that when Allah commands us to do something, it is not possible to have
excuses, and know that tasks put upon you are doable, for Allah does not
place a burden on a person more than they can bear.
You can do it, others have done it before you, and others continue to do it. Join the ranks of the energetic.
Ka’b ibn Malik radi Allahu anhu, went to the Prophet sal Allaahu
alayhi wa sallam after the Battle of Tabuk, and the hypocrites had been
making excuses for their absence from the fighting. Ka’b had not
participated in the battle and he thought that he too might come up with
some excuse in order to save himself, but he realized that he could not
lie to the Prophet of Allah. He told the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa
sallam, “I have never had more energy or ability than this time, but I
just didn’t go.”
And the prophet said, “He is the one who is truthful.”
And by the potency of his honesty and sincerity, the Qur’an mentions that Allah had forgiven Ka’b.
How do you truthfully word the reasons for your laziness? If the Fajr
prayer has passed you by and the devil has urinated in your ears, do
not place blame where blame is not due. Don’t make excuses like, “I had a
long night.” Instead, say, “The truth is that the accumulation of my
sins led me to miss Fajr. But this is not who I am. I am the slave of
Allah. Oh Allah, tomorrow, with your permission, I will show you what I
am going to do for your sake.” And so you make your repentance, you
repeat your good intentions, and you continue until you reach those
higher levels of energy.