Getting Rid of Laziness

Listen Here: “Getting Rid of Laziness” by Shaykh Omar Hussaini

I found out about Shaykh Omar Hussaini a few months ago, and the one thing I can unequivocally say is that he can read my mind. I’ll be listening to a lecture and I’ll think of something that I tend to do which hasn’t been addressed and less than five minutes later, there it will be (ex: He was advising to get rid of the internet and the whole time I was thinking “What about my research papers?” Then he was like “For those students worried about their research papers…”)

On to a much need lecture… Getting Rid of Laziness!

Shaykh Hussaini started the talk by describing the ways in which people desire comfort. People often aspire to be in a state where they don’t have to work too hard. They want to take things easy. However, if you want to have a high status in the hereafter, then you have to strike the word easy from your mind. You have to work hard, and there is great pleasure in working hard. People have this misconception that when they have nothing to do/no responsibilities, they will be happy. Having nothing to do is actually very torturous. Who are the people in society who have nothing to do and no responsibilities? Prisoners.

The Prophet  صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم used to seek refuge from laziness and sloth.

When people become accustomed to sloth, society starts to lose respect for them and they start to lose respect for themselves. If you are part of a system and you’re taking advantage of it, then you’re taking a toll on that system. Muslims are not supposed to be takers, they are meant to be givers.

Hard work is a haven that prevents you from engaging in sin. You should be so tired by the end of the day that you fall asleep before your head hits the pillow. This is a blessing from Allah سبحانه و تعالى.

We have to be very careful about laziness. When a person is too lazy to do anything, he does nothing. There won’t be any progress and everything will be a chore (praying salah and reading the Quran become chores).

You should always have a fire and passion in your heart. There are many people who want this passion but don’t know how to get rid of their laziness. Here are two ways:

1. Try to find enjoyment: It’s easy to be passionate and enjoy something when you’re interested in it. We have to start enjoying the deen. Everyone knows there is a pleasure and “sweetness” in th e deen. The way to attain that sweetness is by avoiding sin. The more you avoid sin the more you will enjoy the deen. It’s a reciprocal relationship.
2. Erase the idea within yourself that you have a lot of time: People always think that they’ll have time. They want to go out with friends and have a “good time.” They have these “long hopes” but this misleading idea will come crashing down one day. The person who thinks that he is breathing one breath right now and expects to breathe the next is sinful because he is passing judgement on the unseen. Even if you hope to do good deeds, you never know when your time will run out. Instead of having long hopes, you should make the right intentions with the understanding that only Allah سبحانه و تعالى‎ can make it true if He so wills.

Whoever fears the warning of Allah, that which is far becomes close.   Whosoever has long hopes, his actions become bad. (Arabic poem)

Long hopes make a person forget the next life. They create a sense within you that you have all the time in the world and that death is far away. Make the most of every moment and remember death often.

May Allah سبحانه و تعالى prevent us from being among the lazy and give us pleasure in our work and give us the passion, drive, and focus to make us successful in this life and the next. Ameen.