“The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway” [proverbs 15:19].
The concept of laziness for a Muslim begins with salah [prayer]; From the hadith above by the Prophet s.a.w, we see how important salah {prayer} is at eradicating laziness, as also Allah equates laziness with salah {prayer} in the following verses. If we are successful in our religious efforts, then all of forms of laziness subside also.
Holy Quran 4:142
إِنَّ ٱلْمُنَٰفِقِينَ يُخَٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَٰدِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ قَامُوا۟ كُسَالَىٰ يُرَآءُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
Indeed, the hypocrites [think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing [themselves to] the people and not remembering Allah except a little,
Holy Quran 4:143
مُّذَبْذَبِينَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ لَآ إِلَىٰ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَلَآ إِلَىٰ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ۚ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ سَبِيلًا
Wavering between them {Muslims standing for prayer in rows}, [belonging] neither to the believers nor to the disbelievers. And whoever Allah leaves astray - never will you find for him a way.
The concept of laziness for a Muslim begins with salah [prayer]; From the hadith above by the Prophet s.a.w, we see how important salah {prayer} is at eradicating laziness, as also Allah equates laziness with salah {prayer} in the following verses. If we are successful in our religious efforts, then all of forms of laziness subside also.
Holy Quran 4:142
إِنَّ ٱلْمُنَٰفِقِينَ يُخَٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَٰدِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ قَامُوا۟ كُسَالَىٰ يُرَآءُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
Indeed, the hypocrites [think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing [themselves to] the people and not remembering Allah except a little,
Holy Quran 4:143
مُّذَبْذَبِينَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ لَآ إِلَىٰ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَلَآ إِلَىٰ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ۚ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ سَبِيلًا
Wavering between them {Muslims standing for prayer in rows}, [belonging] neither to the believers nor to the disbelievers. And whoever Allah leaves astray - never will you find for him a way.
When Allah uses the word “laziness” in theQuran, its associated to misguidance {ultimately disbelief}, because its also used in relationship with Salah {prayer} which is performed 5x per day, and its the 2nd most important pillar In Islam after Tawhid {declaration of One God/Allah, and Muhammad s.a.w is the last prophet/messenger and servant of Allah.
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Laziness or being lazy is often only look at from an individual perspective; but in this case we want study the effects of laziness as a collective because whether we realize it or not, our own actions definitely impact the over health of our families and communities...
Prophet Muhammad said, “Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charges. The ruler who has authority over people, is a guardian and is responsible for them, a man is a guardian of his family and is responsible for them; a woman is a guardian of her husband’s house and children and is responsible for them; a slave (‘Abd) is a guardian of his master’s property and is responsible for it; so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your charges.” (Bukhari, Book #46, Hadith #730)
- Community Laziness: The community is made of individuals and if individuals in the community are lazy then that community at large will become lazy. Among the signs of community laziness is the low civic role it plays to solve its own problems, over-reliance on government for solutions, low community cohesion, increase in crime, domestic disputes, uncleanness, poverty & unemployment afflicting the entire community. Moreover, community laziness also appears in the people’s lack of forbidding the evil and enjoining the good enabling all sorts of corrupt behaviours to find welcome within its boundaries, which has detrimental consequences.
- Educational Laziness: This is the laziness of learning and developing ourselves and growing our body of knowledge.
- Family Laziness: The family is the unit of the community, so if it is sound, the community would be sound, and if it’s not stable, then community is at risk. If the family is lazy, then proper upbringing would not be fulfilled; the parents would be lazy to fulfill their duties towards their children and the children would be lazy to fulfill their duties towards their parents and homes. And if every member of the family does not have that love and care which drives them to fight laziness and go the extra mile for their family, then you’ll find weak family relationships and even more concerning a broken Islamic home.Sometimes we seem to have forgotten the hadeeth where the
Prophet Muhammad said, “Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charges. The ruler who has authority over people, is a guardian and is responsible for them, a man is a guardian of his family and is responsible for them; a woman is a guardian of her husband’s house and children and is responsible for them; a slave (‘Abd) is a guardian of his master’s property and is responsible for it; so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your charges.” (Bukhari, Book #46, Hadith #730)
- Physical Laziness: This is the common one that we all think about when we think of laziness and it manifests itself in laziness towards exercising and moving our bodies for physical activities. Unfortunately, such laziness comes with a high health bill as most doctors agree that most of the diseases of the 21st century are due to our sedentary {spending much time seated} lifestyles.
- Financial Laziness: This is laziness from seeking the different doors of sustenance. Many people nowadays simply want the “secure job” the one that they spend thousands of dollars for in attending college; for a job that pays “regular paychecks” and nothing more. Prophet Nuh {Noah} a.s. and Jesus a.s were both carpenters, Prophet Idrees {Enoch in bible} was a tailor, Prophet Muhammad was a shepherd and then he became a trader.... They earned their living from their own hands, which would like people today in modern times to business ownership rather than servitude which carries with it a financial freedom one doesn’t have working for someone. This is the spirit of the Muslim. He doesn’t succumb to unemployment but moves and hustles through life to secure his financial position. Another form of financial laziness is laziness in spending the money we have in the way of charity. There are so many charity organizations, so many needy people around us, but we are rarely actively engaging to give making empty promises to ourselves but rarely fulfilling them.
- Religious Laziness: Last but not least, This type laziness is perhaps the source to all other types of laziness which is why Allah has likened it belief through the function of Salah {prayer}. From the neglect of our actions in worship such as: Obeying Allah {permissible & prohibited} praying, fasting, Zakat, Hajj...reciting Qur’an, increasing in knowledge, advising against evil actions and calling people to remembrance of justice etc...If we don’t do this Allah will make us lazy in other aspects of our lives. Laziness is truly a disease that destroys aspiration and determination and has been a huge contributor to the failings of Muslims lands. It’s the primary source of our {Muslims} weakness today and defeat as Muslims are busied with patch work trailing the actions of every enemy seeking to demonize Islam and the truth. Instead of battle preparedness, Muslims are a headless body without leadership in the battle field something that our prophet s.a.w and his companions (ra) would be disgusted to see.
Understanding the self
First way that the word nafs is used is to indicate our own-self. Some people would translate it in English as “self,” some people would translate it in English as “soul.” An example of this is when Allah Almighty says in the Quran:
Holy Quran 7:205
وَٱذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِى نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ ٱلْجَهْرِ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ بِٱلْغُدُوِّ وَٱلْءَاصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْغَٰفِلِينَ
And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech - in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless.
The second way the nafs has been used in the Quran, which is quite frequent, is that the nafs is referring to a specific part of our self and it is that part of our self that has desires, appetite, and some people call it ego. It has anger, it has passion, it has lust, desire, all the things that entice or tempt it; the lowly self if you will. Some people may even call it the carnal self where the human appetite for this world resides. This nafs is not part of the rūh {spirit}, but [rather] its parcel only to the physical human being. So, if we wanted to say that we have some physical part of our creation, that is our body and our nafs and then Allah Almighty has also put inside of ourselves an inner or spiritual part of our creation, that is our rūh. This nafs is part of our physical self, even though its not part of our physical body.
Holy Quran 7:205
وَٱذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِى نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ ٱلْجَهْرِ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ بِٱلْغُدُوِّ وَٱلْءَاصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْغَٰفِلِينَ
And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech - in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless.
The second way the nafs has been used in the Quran, which is quite frequent, is that the nafs is referring to a specific part of our self and it is that part of our self that has desires, appetite, and some people call it ego. It has anger, it has passion, it has lust, desire, all the things that entice or tempt it; the lowly self if you will. Some people may even call it the carnal self where the human appetite for this world resides. This nafs is not part of the rūh {spirit}, but [rather] its parcel only to the physical human being. So, if we wanted to say that we have some physical part of our creation, that is our body and our nafs and then Allah Almighty has also put inside of ourselves an inner or spiritual part of our creation, that is our rūh. This nafs is part of our physical self, even though its not part of our physical body.
The first is nafs al-ammārah.
Holy Quran 12:53
۞ وَمَآ أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِىٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلنَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌۢ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّىٓ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
And I do not acquit myself. Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil, except those upon which my Lord has mercy. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."
This verse points to that nafs [which] is ruling over the self. This means that the nafs commands us and tells us what to do. So when the nafs has any desire, any wish, any appetite, it simply commands us [and] dominates us. [Nafs al-ammārah] is that nafs which is sovereign over a human being; it has sovereignty over us. Ammārah comes from the root word “Amr” , which means command. Thus the person who is lowly, taken into the appetite of desires and thereby controlled by them is of this level.
[What does it mean] that the nafs is sovereign over us if it is al-ammārah? [It means that] we are subjugated by it, we are subordinate to it, we listen and follow all of its dictates and commands. A quick self-check or sign that a person has this type of nafs is that they sin willingly, blatantly, and remorselessly.
“Just do It”, “Obey your Thirst”, “Do as thou Wilt”... are slogans used in the western culture that are significant to obeying ones desires..., these concept are glorified because people say, “…you should do whatever makes you happy, do whatever pleases you, do whatever your heart desires.” Its validated by incorporating “the heart” into its reasoning. Unfortunately, these phrase hide the torment a person accumulates upon themselves once the desires have complete control.
Holy Quran 53:29
فَأَعْرِضْ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّىٰ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلَّا ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا
So turn away from whoever turns his back on Our message and desires not except the worldly life.
Holy Quran 53:30
ذَٰلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱهْتَدَىٰ
That is their sum of knowledge [all they know is this worldly life and following their desires]. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who strays from His way, and He is most knowing of who is guided.
Holy Quran 12:53
۞ وَمَآ أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِىٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلنَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌۢ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّىٓ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
And I do not acquit myself. Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil, except those upon which my Lord has mercy. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."
This verse points to that nafs [which] is ruling over the self. This means that the nafs commands us and tells us what to do. So when the nafs has any desire, any wish, any appetite, it simply commands us [and] dominates us. [Nafs al-ammārah] is that nafs which is sovereign over a human being; it has sovereignty over us. Ammārah comes from the root word “Amr” , which means command. Thus the person who is lowly, taken into the appetite of desires and thereby controlled by them is of this level.
[What does it mean] that the nafs is sovereign over us if it is al-ammārah? [It means that] we are subjugated by it, we are subordinate to it, we listen and follow all of its dictates and commands. A quick self-check or sign that a person has this type of nafs is that they sin willingly, blatantly, and remorselessly.
“Just do It”, “Obey your Thirst”, “Do as thou Wilt”... are slogans used in the western culture that are significant to obeying ones desires..., these concept are glorified because people say, “…you should do whatever makes you happy, do whatever pleases you, do whatever your heart desires.” Its validated by incorporating “the heart” into its reasoning. Unfortunately, these phrase hide the torment a person accumulates upon themselves once the desires have complete control.
Holy Quran 53:29
فَأَعْرِضْ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّىٰ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلَّا ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا
So turn away from whoever turns his back on Our message and desires not except the worldly life.
Holy Quran 53:30
ذَٰلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱهْتَدَىٰ
That is their sum of knowledge [all they know is this worldly life and following their desires]. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who strays from His way, and He is most knowing of who is guided.
Second type of nafs is known as nafs al-lawwāmah.
Holy Quran 75:2
وَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلنَّفْسِ ٱللَّوَّامَةِ
And I swear by the reproaching soul [to the certainty of resurrection].
Lawwāma here means to self incriminate, to self reproach, [to blame oneself, feel remorse]. This is that nafs [that sometimes] bring a person to do sin, but then that nafs self incriminates itself, it reproaches itself, it feels bad, it feels guilty. Then this guilt [increases] so much so [that] the person leaves those sins because [he feels] guilty about them. So the sign [that people have such a nafs] is precisely that when they commit a sin, they feel remorse [and] regret, they feel guilt, they feel shame, they feel embarrassment, they wish they could take it back, they wish they never did it. They may even intend at that moment to never do it again. So they are fighting a battle with their nafs [Jihad-Ul-nafs]. Sometimes they [commit] sin and sometimes they are able to stay away from sin.
Holy Quran 75:2
وَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِٱلنَّفْسِ ٱللَّوَّامَةِ
And I swear by the reproaching soul [to the certainty of resurrection].
Lawwāma here means to self incriminate, to self reproach, [to blame oneself, feel remorse]. This is that nafs [that sometimes] bring a person to do sin, but then that nafs self incriminates itself, it reproaches itself, it feels bad, it feels guilty. Then this guilt [increases] so much so [that] the person leaves those sins because [he feels] guilty about them. So the sign [that people have such a nafs] is precisely that when they commit a sin, they feel remorse [and] regret, they feel guilt, they feel shame, they feel embarrassment, they wish they could take it back, they wish they never did it. They may even intend at that moment to never do it again. So they are fighting a battle with their nafs [Jihad-Ul-nafs]. Sometimes they [commit] sin and sometimes they are able to stay away from sin.
The third is nafs al-mutma’innah.
Holy Quran 89:27
يَٰٓأَيَّتُهَا ٱلنَّفْسُ ٱلْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ
[To the righteous it will be said], "O reassured soul,
Holy Quran 89:28
ٱرْجِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً
Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him],
Allah Almighty addresses the nafs al-mutma’innah. And mutma’in here means two things:
1) They are mutma’in, [meaning] they are content with the hukm of Allah Almighty [all the permissible and prohibited things outlined for us to live by, all the laws set by Allah], there is nothing else that makes them happy. [Such people are] doing what makes them happy serving Allah through obedience and worship [because] this person has molded, trained and disciplined themselves in such a way, that the only thing that makes [their nafs] happy, that gives it solace, the only thing that it is mutma’in on, that it is content with, is what Allah Almighty is pleased with and what Allah Almighty is content with. So its heart’s content lies in that which Allah Almighty is happy and pleased with.
2) Mutma’in [means that the nafs] has reached a state of serenity. The serene, contented, tranquil, at peace nafs. Obviously the peace here means that it has (security) and (contentment) from doing away with sin [as well as] from desiring sin. It has no unlawful desires. It’s desires only good things. The sign of this is exactly what we just mentioned: this person not only [abstains from] sin, he no longer desires sin. That faculty [and] part of their humanity that desires (i.e. the nafs) only and only desires things which Allah Almighty views as desirable, and has stopped desiring those things which Allah Almighty has labeled as undesirable.
The most important battle a Muslim needs to fight is the battle within himself against sinful desires (jihad an-nafs). This is a struggle, a jihad in the way of Allah, in which all of us need to participate.
Allah tells us the sinful desires within ourselves must be controlled and submitted to His will, and whoever does so will enter Paradise.
Allah said: Holy Quran 79:40
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ وَنَهَى ٱلنَّفْسَ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ
But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination,
Holy Quran 79:41
فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَنَّةَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ
Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.
For this reason, the Prophet declared that the true mujahid [Warrior] is he/she who wages jihad in the cause of Allah against himself.
Fadalah ibn Ubaid reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
الْمُجَاهِدُ مَنْ جَاهَدَ نَفْسَهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
The one who strives in the way of Allah the Exalted is he who strives against his soul.
Source: Musnad Ahmad 23445, Grade: Sahih
Sheikh Al-Mubarakpuri comments on this tradition, saying:
أَيْ قَهَرَ نَفْسَهُ الْأَمَّارَةَ بِالسُّوءِ عَلَى مَا فِيهِ رِضَا اللَّهِ مِنْ فِعْلِ الطَّاعَةِ وَتَجَنُّبِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ ، وَجِهَادُهَا أَصْلُ كُلِّ جِهَادٍ فَإِنَّهُ مَا لَمْ يُجَاهِدْهَا لَمْ يُمْكِنْهُ جِهَادُ الْعَدُوِّ الْخَارِجِ
This means he conquers evil inclinations within himself and performs acts of obedience pleasing to Allah and he avoids acts of disobedience. This jihad is the foundation for all other types of jihad [because change begins with ourselves], for indeed, if he does not perform this struggle then he cannot struggle against external enemies.
Source: Sharh Sunan At-Tirmidhi 1621
This is what humanity has to aim for; Individually its very hard, especially when we live in communities that are manifest every kind of laziness, and if we do nothing to bring our environments out of the darkness of sin to the light of good then contentment continues to allude...We must clean our environments, so we live in an atmosphere where individuals can prosper spiritually.
Holy Quran 89:27
يَٰٓأَيَّتُهَا ٱلنَّفْسُ ٱلْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ
[To the righteous it will be said], "O reassured soul,
Holy Quran 89:28
ٱرْجِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً
Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him],
Allah Almighty addresses the nafs al-mutma’innah. And mutma’in here means two things:
1) They are mutma’in, [meaning] they are content with the hukm of Allah Almighty [all the permissible and prohibited things outlined for us to live by, all the laws set by Allah], there is nothing else that makes them happy. [Such people are] doing what makes them happy serving Allah through obedience and worship [because] this person has molded, trained and disciplined themselves in such a way, that the only thing that makes [their nafs] happy, that gives it solace, the only thing that it is mutma’in on, that it is content with, is what Allah Almighty is pleased with and what Allah Almighty is content with. So its heart’s content lies in that which Allah Almighty is happy and pleased with.
2) Mutma’in [means that the nafs] has reached a state of serenity. The serene, contented, tranquil, at peace nafs. Obviously the peace here means that it has (security) and (contentment) from doing away with sin [as well as] from desiring sin. It has no unlawful desires. It’s desires only good things. The sign of this is exactly what we just mentioned: this person not only [abstains from] sin, he no longer desires sin. That faculty [and] part of their humanity that desires (i.e. the nafs) only and only desires things which Allah Almighty views as desirable, and has stopped desiring those things which Allah Almighty has labeled as undesirable.
The most important battle a Muslim needs to fight is the battle within himself against sinful desires (jihad an-nafs). This is a struggle, a jihad in the way of Allah, in which all of us need to participate.
Allah tells us the sinful desires within ourselves must be controlled and submitted to His will, and whoever does so will enter Paradise.
Allah said: Holy Quran 79:40
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ وَنَهَى ٱلنَّفْسَ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ
But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination,
Holy Quran 79:41
فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَنَّةَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ
Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.
For this reason, the Prophet declared that the true mujahid [Warrior] is he/she who wages jihad in the cause of Allah against himself.
Fadalah ibn Ubaid reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
الْمُجَاهِدُ مَنْ جَاهَدَ نَفْسَهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
The one who strives in the way of Allah the Exalted is he who strives against his soul.
Source: Musnad Ahmad 23445, Grade: Sahih
Sheikh Al-Mubarakpuri comments on this tradition, saying:
أَيْ قَهَرَ نَفْسَهُ الْأَمَّارَةَ بِالسُّوءِ عَلَى مَا فِيهِ رِضَا اللَّهِ مِنْ فِعْلِ الطَّاعَةِ وَتَجَنُّبِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ ، وَجِهَادُهَا أَصْلُ كُلِّ جِهَادٍ فَإِنَّهُ مَا لَمْ يُجَاهِدْهَا لَمْ يُمْكِنْهُ جِهَادُ الْعَدُوِّ الْخَارِجِ
This means he conquers evil inclinations within himself and performs acts of obedience pleasing to Allah and he avoids acts of disobedience. This jihad is the foundation for all other types of jihad [because change begins with ourselves], for indeed, if he does not perform this struggle then he cannot struggle against external enemies.
Source: Sharh Sunan At-Tirmidhi 1621
This is what humanity has to aim for; Individually its very hard, especially when we live in communities that are manifest every kind of laziness, and if we do nothing to bring our environments out of the darkness of sin to the light of good then contentment continues to allude...We must clean our environments, so we live in an atmosphere where individuals can prosper spiritually.
Islam is a religion that teaches people to be eager to work and learn. Islam teaches human being to always be keen on their lives and not be lazy, and the guidance of Allah and teachings of our prophet Muhammad (saw) will never contradict any modern invention and or theories invented by men. Rather Islam, since long ago has always preceded Medicine & science with many miraculous explanations that modern medicine & science have only recently been able to understand. Thus it {Islam} will never be left behind by men’s innovation and advancement. Islam is a religion that calls for activity and action and fights against laziness and procrastination. Understanding the deeper sense of laziness, I want to focus on Laziness in terms of procrastination and its embedded deterrents that keep people inactive {within their surrounding environment} as well as inactive in regards to their own lives & higher purpose...For this is the primary reason why corruption and evils are able to invest the perfect garden of truth.
In one particular case laziness/procrastination is equated to An incident that happened during the caliphate {leadership} of Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab (ra). Once some big chiefs from the tribe of Quraish including Suhail-bin-Amr and Harith-bin-Hisham. The two of them went to see caliph Umar (ra) and took their seats near him. Soon after this some humble people from among the Muhajirin {those who fled mecca to Medina with the prophet s.a.w} and the Ansar {those from Medina who took in the Muhajirun} came there. The caliph asked those chiefs {Suhail-bin-Amr & Harith-bin-Hisham} to make room for them, and seated these humble people near his own seat. This went on for some time till these chiefs {Suhail-bin- Amr and Harith-bin-Hisham} reached the remotest corner in the assembly {meaning they kept getting pushed back further and further from where they first sat as more pious peoples entered}. When they came out, Harith-bin-Hisham said to his companions, “You have noticed what a humiliating treatment has been meted out to us today!” Suhail-bin-Amr replied, “It is no fault of Umar but it is our own fault. When we were invited to Islam, we turned away from it, but these humble people accepted it and made sacrifices for it.” Then both of them returned to the meeting and said, “Today we have noticed your treatment and we feel that it is all due to our own shortcomings, but tell us if there is a way for us to make atonements for our past failures”. Umar (ra) did not give any reply with words but merely pointed towards the Roman territory, which meant that the only way of regaining their prestige was to expend their lives and wealth in doing Jihad there...
In one particular case laziness/procrastination is equated to An incident that happened during the caliphate {leadership} of Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab (ra). Once some big chiefs from the tribe of Quraish including Suhail-bin-Amr and Harith-bin-Hisham. The two of them went to see caliph Umar (ra) and took their seats near him. Soon after this some humble people from among the Muhajirin {those who fled mecca to Medina with the prophet s.a.w} and the Ansar {those from Medina who took in the Muhajirun} came there. The caliph asked those chiefs {Suhail-bin-Amr & Harith-bin-Hisham} to make room for them, and seated these humble people near his own seat. This went on for some time till these chiefs {Suhail-bin- Amr and Harith-bin-Hisham} reached the remotest corner in the assembly {meaning they kept getting pushed back further and further from where they first sat as more pious peoples entered}. When they came out, Harith-bin-Hisham said to his companions, “You have noticed what a humiliating treatment has been meted out to us today!” Suhail-bin-Amr replied, “It is no fault of Umar but it is our own fault. When we were invited to Islam, we turned away from it, but these humble people accepted it and made sacrifices for it.” Then both of them returned to the meeting and said, “Today we have noticed your treatment and we feel that it is all due to our own shortcomings, but tell us if there is a way for us to make atonements for our past failures”. Umar (ra) did not give any reply with words but merely pointed towards the Roman territory, which meant that the only way of regaining their prestige was to expend their lives and wealth in doing Jihad there...
Laziness is one of the diseases that Islam abhors and the Prophet of Islam sought Allah's protection and refuge against it. The Prophet (saw) is reported to have said, “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from helplessness, laziness, cowardice, niggardliness, and the burden of debts and domineering men.”
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Because Suhail-bin-Amr and Harith-bin-Hisham (ra) acted like many of their fellow tribesmen {Quraish} in Mecca, declining to follow the truth {prophet Muhammad (saw) when he began his message {Quran}, their laziness against the truth is what prevented them from accepting Islam when it first came to them by the blessed words of our Prophet s.a.w.
Holy Quran 43:23
وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَآ إِنَّا وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِهِم مُّقْتَدُونَ
And similarly, We did not send before you any warner into a city except that its affluent said, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are, in their footsteps, following."
Holy Quran 43:24
۞ قَٰلَ أَوَلَوْ جِئْتُكُم بِأَهْدَىٰ مِمَّا وَجَدتُّمْ عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَكُمْ ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِۦ كَٰفِرُونَ
[Each warner {Prophets}] said, "Even if I brought you better guidance than that [religion] upon which you found your fathers?" They said, "Indeed we, in that with which you were sent, are disbelievers."
Thus because of their procrastination, many others accepted the truth of Islam before them. Umar (ra) understand how men sometimes hold onto the prestige of former ties of lineage or position, and began sitting those who accepted Islam prior to them {Suhail-bin-Amr & Harith-bin-Hisham} closest to him. By doing so, He {Umar (ra)} was sending the message to the former chiefs of Quraish, that what they consider prestige was nothing in comparison to their neglect to accept the truth as these people had accepted it the first time the truth came to them.
Even after so many man-made innovations, lost {true text} and deviations from the true teachings of all those previous prophets (peace on them all), the ignorance of people, especially those who have position in society or have privilege, hold fast to what the status quo is; which is relevant to what the verse says in terms of following in the footsteps of our fathers. Religion is not hereditary, and similar to now the peoples during this time were heavily influence by The idolatrous peoples of Byzantium & Roman empires, who were squatting in the holy land and the adopted paganism that visited Mecca every year during the pilgrimage season for trade. This is why Umar(ra) pointed to the land of sham (holy lands of Lebanon, Jerusalem, Syria, Jordan, south turkey,} in response to Suhail-bin-Amr and Harith-bin-Hisham...In other words, in order to redeem themselves or to gain a higher status than those who had accepted islam before them while they still rejected it, would require a great sacrifice...Give your life in freeing those lands held by the tyranny of the pagan squatters...
The Quraish of Mecca are the descendants of Isma’il-bin-Ibrahim a.s {Abraham} and the religion of Islam {submission to Allah} has always been the true religion, although its had many names by differences in tongues by the 124,000 prophets 312 messengers who were sent to humanity to correct us in our backwardness and deviation.
Holy Quran 43:23
وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ إِلَّا قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَآ إِنَّا وَجَدْنَآ ءَابَآءَنَا عَلَىٰٓ أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِهِم مُّقْتَدُونَ
And similarly, We did not send before you any warner into a city except that its affluent said, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are, in their footsteps, following."
Holy Quran 43:24
۞ قَٰلَ أَوَلَوْ جِئْتُكُم بِأَهْدَىٰ مِمَّا وَجَدتُّمْ عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَكُمْ ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِۦ كَٰفِرُونَ
[Each warner {Prophets}] said, "Even if I brought you better guidance than that [religion] upon which you found your fathers?" They said, "Indeed we, in that with which you were sent, are disbelievers."
Thus because of their procrastination, many others accepted the truth of Islam before them. Umar (ra) understand how men sometimes hold onto the prestige of former ties of lineage or position, and began sitting those who accepted Islam prior to them {Suhail-bin-Amr & Harith-bin-Hisham} closest to him. By doing so, He {Umar (ra)} was sending the message to the former chiefs of Quraish, that what they consider prestige was nothing in comparison to their neglect to accept the truth as these people had accepted it the first time the truth came to them.
Even after so many man-made innovations, lost {true text} and deviations from the true teachings of all those previous prophets (peace on them all), the ignorance of people, especially those who have position in society or have privilege, hold fast to what the status quo is; which is relevant to what the verse says in terms of following in the footsteps of our fathers. Religion is not hereditary, and similar to now the peoples during this time were heavily influence by The idolatrous peoples of Byzantium & Roman empires, who were squatting in the holy land and the adopted paganism that visited Mecca every year during the pilgrimage season for trade. This is why Umar(ra) pointed to the land of sham (holy lands of Lebanon, Jerusalem, Syria, Jordan, south turkey,} in response to Suhail-bin-Amr and Harith-bin-Hisham...In other words, in order to redeem themselves or to gain a higher status than those who had accepted islam before them while they still rejected it, would require a great sacrifice...Give your life in freeing those lands held by the tyranny of the pagan squatters...
The Quraish of Mecca are the descendants of Isma’il-bin-Ibrahim a.s {Abraham} and the religion of Islam {submission to Allah} has always been the true religion, although its had many names by differences in tongues by the 124,000 prophets 312 messengers who were sent to humanity to correct us in our backwardness and deviation.
Holy Quran 43:26
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّنِى بَرَآءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham said to his father and his people, "Indeed, I am disassociated from that which you worship
Holy Quran 43:27
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِى فَإِنَّهُۥ سَيَهْدِينِ
Except for He who created me; and indeed, He will guide me."
Holy Quran 43:28
وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةًۢ بَاقِيَةً فِى عَقِبِهِۦ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
And he made it a word remaining among his descendants that they might return [to it]{the true religion Islam}.
Holy Quran 43:29
بَلْ مَتَّعْتُ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَءَابَآءَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْحَقُّ وَرَسُولٌ مُّبِينٌ
However, I {Allah} gave enjoyment to these [people of Makkah] and their fathers until there came to them the truth and a clear Messenger {Prophet Muhammad s.a.w..}.
Holy Quran 43:30
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْحَقُّ قَالُوا۟ هَٰذَا سِحْرٌ وَإِنَّا بِهِۦ كَٰفِرُونَ
But when the truth came to them, they said, "This is magic, {regarding the wisdoms, linguistic and scientific miracles of quran} and indeed we are, concerning it, disbelievers."
Holy Quran 43:31
وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانُ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنَ ٱلْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ
And they said, "Why was this Qur'an not sent down upon a great man from [one of] the two cities {Mecca & Medina]?"
What the disbelievers meant was: Had Allah really willed to send a messenger and intended to send down a book to him, He would have selected a great man from these central cities {Mecca & Medina} for the purpose. For Allah could not have selected for this great mission a person who was born an orphan, who did not inherit much property, was unlearned {illiterate}, who passed his youth by tending goats, who even at present earned his living through business with his wife’s money {Khadijah, who was a wealthy widow when Muhammad married her, not yet a prophet} , and who was neither the chief of a tribe nor the head of a family. But when the Quran refuted this misconception by argument and reason and they were told that in the past only men had come as Messengers {prophets before Muhammad} and a man only could be a Messenger for the guidance of the Men, and not another kind of being {angels} and this Messenger {Muhammad} who’s appointed time had come, did not descend suddenly from the heavens, but was born in the same ordinary dwellings, walked about in the streets, eventually had children and a family and stood in need of food and drink just like them {human not divine}...they took the stand, saying, “Well, even if he is a human being, he should be a big man, who should be wealthy, influential and awe-inspiring and having a large following. How could Muhammad bin Abdullah (peace be upon him) be fit for this appointment”? As for Prophethood. It means, “Your leaders and chiefs whom you regard as big people because of their wealth and dignity and chiefship, are not worthy of this wealth {prophethood}, which has been given to Muhammad bin Abdullah (peace be upon him)”. This wealth is far superior to what people gather unto themselves and for this the criterion is different. If you think that every noble and rich man is worthy of becoming a prophet, it would only show your own limited, ignorant thinking. Why then would you expect Allah to be so ignorant and simple?
One abiding principle that We can view in this divine system is that everything should not be given to one and the same person, and everything should not be given to everybody. If you look around carefully, you will see that great differences exist between people in every respect. What {Allah} has given one person of something, he has deprived him of another, and done the same to another. This is based on the wisdom that no human being should become independent of others, but everyone should remain dependent on the other in one way or the other; which is why individual laziness affects the whole. Now it would be foolish on your part to think that {Allah} should have given the Prophethood also to the same person whom {Allah} had blessed with wealth and nobility exclusively. Then likewise, will people also say that wisdom, knowledge, wealth, beauty, power, authority and all other excellences should be assembled in one person and, the one who has not been given something is lesser in terms of worldly greatness.
Holy Quran 43:36
وَمَن يَعْشُ عَن ذِكْرِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُۥ شَيْطَٰنًا فَهُوَ لَهُۥ قَرِينٌ
And whoever is blinded from remembrance of the Most Merciful - We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion.
Holy Quran 43:37
وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَصُدُّونَهُمْ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ
And indeed, the devils avert them from the way [of guidance] while they think that they are [rightly] guided
Holy Quran 43:45
وَسْـَٔلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَآ أَجَعَلْنَا مِن دُونِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ءَالِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ
And ask those We sent before you [Muhammad] of Our messengers; have We made besides the Most Merciful [Allah] deities to be worshipped?
Holy Quran 43:46
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَإِي۟هِۦ فَقَالَ إِنِّى رَسُولُ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
And certainly did We send Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his establishment, and he said, "Indeed, I am the messenger of the Lord of the worlds."
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17 NKJV)
1) “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2) “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, for those who love Me and keep My Commandments.
Holy Quran 43:47
فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ إِذَا هُم مِّنْهَا يَضْحَكُونَ
But when he brought them Our signs, at once they laughed at them.
Holy Quran 43:57
۞ وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلًا إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ
And when the “son of Mary” was presented as an example, immediately your people laughed aloud.
Holy Quran 43:58
وَقَالُوٓا۟ ءَأَٰلِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ أَمْ هُوَ ۚ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلًۢا ۚ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ
And they said, "Are your gods better, or is he [Jesus]?" They did not present the comparison except for [mere] argument. But, [in fact], they are a people prone to dispute.
When this discourse was being presented before the people of Makkah, a person called Abdullah ibn AZ-Zibara, put forward the objection, “Well, is it not a fact that the Christians regard the son of Mary as the son of God and worship him? What is then wrong with our gods {referring to their idols in and around the Kabba}”? This caused much laughter among the crowd of the disbelievers and they started clamoring for an answer to this objection. So, the revelation continued upon the prophet:
Holy Quran 43:59
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا عَبْدٌ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلْنَٰهُ مَثَلًا لِّبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ
Jesus was not but a servant upon whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.
Holy Quran 43:61
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَعِلْمٌ لِّلسَّاعَةِ فَلَا تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهَا وَٱتَّبِعُونِ ۚ هَٰذَا صِرَٰطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ
And indeed, Jesus will be [a sign for the] knowledge of the Hour [his return, Jesus], so be not in doubt of it, and follow Me. This is a straight path.
We, {Allah} has made him an example” implies causing the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) to be born without a father, and then granting him such miracles as had not been granted to anyone before him nor to anyone after him. The people of this time were big on healing, like in the time of Moses it was magic; thus the miracles that accompany prophets are such that will exceed what is deemed awesome of its time... He would make a bird of clay and then breathe into it and it would become a living bird by Allah’s leave; he would give sight to those born blind; he would cure the lepers; so much so that he would raise the dead back to life all by Allah’s leave. It is wrong to worship him as a “son of God” and regard him as above servitude as a prophet solely because of his extraordinary birth and the great miracles granted to him. He was no more than a servant {prophet}, whom Allah had blessed and made an example out of the rebellious people of Bani Israel with his power...As a result the Pharisees and other chief tribes reject Jesus. And although many Jewish tribes migrated to Medina to await the last Prophet Jesus Prophesied, when Muhammad s.a.w received his notice of prophethood and the revelation begin, some of the Jewish peoples in Medina accepted the prophet as they recognized him from scripture, while all the others abstained to arrogantly remain in a state of rejection which persist until this day.
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّنِى بَرَآءٌ مِّمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham said to his father and his people, "Indeed, I am disassociated from that which you worship
Holy Quran 43:27
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِى فَإِنَّهُۥ سَيَهْدِينِ
Except for He who created me; and indeed, He will guide me."
Holy Quran 43:28
وَجَعَلَهَا كَلِمَةًۢ بَاقِيَةً فِى عَقِبِهِۦ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
And he made it a word remaining among his descendants that they might return [to it]{the true religion Islam}.
Holy Quran 43:29
بَلْ مَتَّعْتُ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَءَابَآءَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْحَقُّ وَرَسُولٌ مُّبِينٌ
However, I {Allah} gave enjoyment to these [people of Makkah] and their fathers until there came to them the truth and a clear Messenger {Prophet Muhammad s.a.w..}.
Holy Quran 43:30
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْحَقُّ قَالُوا۟ هَٰذَا سِحْرٌ وَإِنَّا بِهِۦ كَٰفِرُونَ
But when the truth came to them, they said, "This is magic, {regarding the wisdoms, linguistic and scientific miracles of quran} and indeed we are, concerning it, disbelievers."
Holy Quran 43:31
وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانُ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنَ ٱلْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ
And they said, "Why was this Qur'an not sent down upon a great man from [one of] the two cities {Mecca & Medina]?"
What the disbelievers meant was: Had Allah really willed to send a messenger and intended to send down a book to him, He would have selected a great man from these central cities {Mecca & Medina} for the purpose. For Allah could not have selected for this great mission a person who was born an orphan, who did not inherit much property, was unlearned {illiterate}, who passed his youth by tending goats, who even at present earned his living through business with his wife’s money {Khadijah, who was a wealthy widow when Muhammad married her, not yet a prophet} , and who was neither the chief of a tribe nor the head of a family. But when the Quran refuted this misconception by argument and reason and they were told that in the past only men had come as Messengers {prophets before Muhammad} and a man only could be a Messenger for the guidance of the Men, and not another kind of being {angels} and this Messenger {Muhammad} who’s appointed time had come, did not descend suddenly from the heavens, but was born in the same ordinary dwellings, walked about in the streets, eventually had children and a family and stood in need of food and drink just like them {human not divine}...they took the stand, saying, “Well, even if he is a human being, he should be a big man, who should be wealthy, influential and awe-inspiring and having a large following. How could Muhammad bin Abdullah (peace be upon him) be fit for this appointment”? As for Prophethood. It means, “Your leaders and chiefs whom you regard as big people because of their wealth and dignity and chiefship, are not worthy of this wealth {prophethood}, which has been given to Muhammad bin Abdullah (peace be upon him)”. This wealth is far superior to what people gather unto themselves and for this the criterion is different. If you think that every noble and rich man is worthy of becoming a prophet, it would only show your own limited, ignorant thinking. Why then would you expect Allah to be so ignorant and simple?
One abiding principle that We can view in this divine system is that everything should not be given to one and the same person, and everything should not be given to everybody. If you look around carefully, you will see that great differences exist between people in every respect. What {Allah} has given one person of something, he has deprived him of another, and done the same to another. This is based on the wisdom that no human being should become independent of others, but everyone should remain dependent on the other in one way or the other; which is why individual laziness affects the whole. Now it would be foolish on your part to think that {Allah} should have given the Prophethood also to the same person whom {Allah} had blessed with wealth and nobility exclusively. Then likewise, will people also say that wisdom, knowledge, wealth, beauty, power, authority and all other excellences should be assembled in one person and, the one who has not been given something is lesser in terms of worldly greatness.
Holy Quran 43:36
وَمَن يَعْشُ عَن ذِكْرِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُۥ شَيْطَٰنًا فَهُوَ لَهُۥ قَرِينٌ
And whoever is blinded from remembrance of the Most Merciful - We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion.
Holy Quran 43:37
وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَصُدُّونَهُمْ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ
And indeed, the devils avert them from the way [of guidance] while they think that they are [rightly] guided
Holy Quran 43:45
وَسْـَٔلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَآ أَجَعَلْنَا مِن دُونِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ءَالِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ
And ask those We sent before you [Muhammad] of Our messengers; have We made besides the Most Merciful [Allah] deities to be worshipped?
Holy Quran 43:46
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مُوسَىٰ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَإِي۟هِۦ فَقَالَ إِنِّى رَسُولُ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
And certainly did We send Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his establishment, and he said, "Indeed, I am the messenger of the Lord of the worlds."
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17 NKJV)
1) “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2) “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, for those who love Me and keep My Commandments.
Holy Quran 43:47
فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ إِذَا هُم مِّنْهَا يَضْحَكُونَ
But when he brought them Our signs, at once they laughed at them.
Holy Quran 43:57
۞ وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلًا إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ
And when the “son of Mary” was presented as an example, immediately your people laughed aloud.
Holy Quran 43:58
وَقَالُوٓا۟ ءَأَٰلِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ أَمْ هُوَ ۚ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلًۢا ۚ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ
And they said, "Are your gods better, or is he [Jesus]?" They did not present the comparison except for [mere] argument. But, [in fact], they are a people prone to dispute.
When this discourse was being presented before the people of Makkah, a person called Abdullah ibn AZ-Zibara, put forward the objection, “Well, is it not a fact that the Christians regard the son of Mary as the son of God and worship him? What is then wrong with our gods {referring to their idols in and around the Kabba}”? This caused much laughter among the crowd of the disbelievers and they started clamoring for an answer to this objection. So, the revelation continued upon the prophet:
Holy Quran 43:59
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا عَبْدٌ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلْنَٰهُ مَثَلًا لِّبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ
Jesus was not but a servant upon whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.
Holy Quran 43:61
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَعِلْمٌ لِّلسَّاعَةِ فَلَا تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهَا وَٱتَّبِعُونِ ۚ هَٰذَا صِرَٰطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ
And indeed, Jesus will be [a sign for the] knowledge of the Hour [his return, Jesus], so be not in doubt of it, and follow Me. This is a straight path.
We, {Allah} has made him an example” implies causing the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) to be born without a father, and then granting him such miracles as had not been granted to anyone before him nor to anyone after him. The people of this time were big on healing, like in the time of Moses it was magic; thus the miracles that accompany prophets are such that will exceed what is deemed awesome of its time... He would make a bird of clay and then breathe into it and it would become a living bird by Allah’s leave; he would give sight to those born blind; he would cure the lepers; so much so that he would raise the dead back to life all by Allah’s leave. It is wrong to worship him as a “son of God” and regard him as above servitude as a prophet solely because of his extraordinary birth and the great miracles granted to him. He was no more than a servant {prophet}, whom Allah had blessed and made an example out of the rebellious people of Bani Israel with his power...As a result the Pharisees and other chief tribes reject Jesus. And although many Jewish tribes migrated to Medina to await the last Prophet Jesus Prophesied, when Muhammad s.a.w received his notice of prophethood and the revelation begin, some of the Jewish peoples in Medina accepted the prophet as they recognized him from scripture, while all the others abstained to arrogantly remain in a state of rejection which persist until this day.
Holy Quran 3:84
قُلْ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ Say, "We have believed in Allah and in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants, and in what was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [submitting] to Him." |
Holy Quran 3:85
وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ ٱلْإِسْلَٰمِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. |
Preoccupation with this world is quite apparent around us, with increasing material greed and the desire to acquire more and more. The Prophet (SAWS) said: “Allah, may He be glorified, says: ‘We have sent down wealth for the establishment of prayer and the payment of zakat [redistribution of wealth], but if the son of Adam has one valley, he will wish that he had a second, and if he had two valleys, he would wish that he had a third. The stomach of the son of Adam will be filled only with dust (i.e., he is never satisfied) then Allah will accept the repentance of the one who repents.”(Reported by Ahmad, 5/219; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1781).
The world and one’s preoccupation with it, is to be seen in the right perspective – a means to lead life and maintain relationships as per the guidance provided in the Quran. Allah says:
“And know that your possessions and children are but a trial and that surely with Allah is a mighty reward.” [Surah al-Anfaal 8:28]
Such verses are meant to set our priorities. Due love and care of one’s family within the bounds of what Islam teaches us is a man’s duty, but it should not make him lazy, selfish or miserly ignoring the needs of other deserving servants of Allah and also at the expense of remembrance of Allah.
About wealth, the Prophet (SAWS) said: “Every nation has its fitnah (trial or temptation), and the fitnah of my ummah is wealth.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 2336; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2148).
The Prophet (SAWS) thus urged Muslims to be content with just what is sufficient. He (SAWS) warned those who want to accumulate wealth, with no intention of giving in charity: “Woe to those who want to accumulate wealth, except for the one who says with his wealth, ‘Here! Here! Here!’ (i.e., giving it away) to the one on his right, one on his left, one in front of him and one behind him,” (reported by Ibn Maajah, no. 4129; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7137)
The Prophet (SAWS) also said: “All that is sufficient for any one of you in this world is the supply of the traveller”.(Reported by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, 4/78; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2384)
The world and one’s preoccupation with it, is to be seen in the right perspective – a means to lead life and maintain relationships as per the guidance provided in the Quran. Allah says:
“And know that your possessions and children are but a trial and that surely with Allah is a mighty reward.” [Surah al-Anfaal 8:28]
Such verses are meant to set our priorities. Due love and care of one’s family within the bounds of what Islam teaches us is a man’s duty, but it should not make him lazy, selfish or miserly ignoring the needs of other deserving servants of Allah and also at the expense of remembrance of Allah.
About wealth, the Prophet (SAWS) said: “Every nation has its fitnah (trial or temptation), and the fitnah of my ummah is wealth.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 2336; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2148).
The Prophet (SAWS) thus urged Muslims to be content with just what is sufficient. He (SAWS) warned those who want to accumulate wealth, with no intention of giving in charity: “Woe to those who want to accumulate wealth, except for the one who says with his wealth, ‘Here! Here! Here!’ (i.e., giving it away) to the one on his right, one on his left, one in front of him and one behind him,” (reported by Ibn Maajah, no. 4129; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7137)
The Prophet (SAWS) also said: “All that is sufficient for any one of you in this world is the supply of the traveller”.(Reported by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, 4/78; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2384)
To cure the weakness of laziness in our faith we should also avoid excesses in eating, sleeping, staying up late and socializing. All these activities prevent one from worshipping Allah, making it easy for Satan to lay his trap. Talking too much hardens the heart, and mixing too much with people leaves no time to reflect on one’s own state in solitude. Laughing too much drains life from the heart. The Prophet (SAWS) said in a sahih hadith: “Do not laugh too much, for excessive laughter deadens the heart.” (Reported by Ibn Maajah, 4193; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’).
Ibn Taymiyyah wrote: “The heart can never be alive and correct except through cognizance of the truth and loving it and preferring it to everything else. There can never be any happiness or Joy or correction for it unless it makes its sole object of worship and desire for allah alone. This can never be done except through purification of the heart by tawbah (repentance) and relinquish itself from all types of false loves and despicable manners. This can never be attained except through striving hard (jihad-ul-nafs) against one's own self that incites toward evil, by bringing it to account by combating the devils from among men & jinn and safeguarding oneself through the remembrance of the creator much seeking refuge with him from all”.
{Diseases of the Heart, Ibn Taymiyyah}.
Ibn Taymiyyah wrote: “The heart can never be alive and correct except through cognizance of the truth and loving it and preferring it to everything else. There can never be any happiness or Joy or correction for it unless it makes its sole object of worship and desire for allah alone. This can never be done except through purification of the heart by tawbah (repentance) and relinquish itself from all types of false loves and despicable manners. This can never be attained except through striving hard (jihad-ul-nafs) against one's own self that incites toward evil, by bringing it to account by combating the devils from among men & jinn and safeguarding oneself through the remembrance of the creator much seeking refuge with him from all”.
{Diseases of the Heart, Ibn Taymiyyah}.