When one open eyes in the morning, can see birds, mountains, rivers and life all around. All this gives the meaning of life, a purposeful life. Each and every minute in life has meaning and something in it to achieve. Being Muslim we have to spend a life of purpose so that have no regret in this world as well as life after death. Most of the people have unique skills and can serve maximum but they waste time just due to laziness. To put life in discipline and give our best, the first thing is to defeat laziness and define a purpose for our living. we should take practical steps to stop the lazy soul and get up.
Laziness is the lack of energy and enthusiasm for doing something of our duties, like study, job, and everyday tasks. The Quran and Sunnah have provided us with a guide to do something good for ourself and others. Let us explore the teaching of Islam to Defeat Laziness:
Do Dhikr
To defeat all kinds of laziness, hurdles and hardships to our work we must start everything with the name of Allah Almighty and keep our tongue busy in Dhikr. Abu Huraira narrated that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:
Satan(Devil) puts three knots at the back of the head of any of you if he is asleep. On every knot he reads and exhales the following words, ‘The night is long, so stay asleep.’ When one wakes up and remembers Allah, one knot is undone; and when one performs ablution, the second knot is undone, and when one prays the third knot is undone and one gets up energetic with a good heart in the morning; otherwise one gets up lazy and with a mischievous heart.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1142
That is what we want, to start the day full of energy and defeat laziness. This will boost all-day performance and we will be a better human at the end.
Make Supplications
Beside zikr and recitation, we must also ask Allah for refuge, so that Satan and evil thinkings cannot hurdle our work. Anas bin Malik narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) taught to recite this supplication for seeking refuge:
“O, Allah! I seek refuge with You from laziness, helplessness, cowardice and geriatric old age; I seek refuge with You from the harm of life and death and seek refuge with You from the punishment in the grave.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 2823
Also Hazrat Aisha narrated this dua from The Prophet (ﷺ) :
“O, Allah! I seek refuge with You from laziness, from feeble old age, from being in debt, and from committing bad deeds. O, Allah! I seek to refuge with You from the punishment of the hellFire, the distress of the grave, the punishment in the grave, and the evil of the affliction of poverty and Masih ad-Dajjal. O, Allah! Wash away my bad deeds with the water of snow and hail, and cleanse my heart from the sins as a white garment is cleansed of filth, and let there be a far away distance between me and my bad deeds as You have set far away from the East and the West from each other.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6375
Another supplication to recite in morning and evening is:
O, Allah! I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by (other) men.
Avoid Overeating, Oversleep
Everything works best when practised in its limits, that’s what also applies to eating and sleeping time. When we eat or sleep more than our body needs, it will impose laziness on us. Overeating leads to sleepiness, which reduces the efficiency of our work.
Miqdam bin Ma’dikarib narrated from the Messenger of Allah (S.a.w):
The human being does not fill up any container that is worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Aadam to eat what will hold up his back. If this is not possible, then a third for food, a third for drink, and third for his breath.
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2380
Keeping Good Company
Man is known by the company he keeps. When we spend time with active, religiously motivated and hard-working people, we definitely get the motivation to work hard. Company of lazy and non-serious one will never have a positive impact on our habits. Being selective in choosing friends and circles will safe our life In Dunya and akhirah as well, Insha Allah. Abu Musa narrated that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:
The similarity of good and bad company is that of the owner of the musk and of the one iron-smith (blowing bellows), and therefore the owner of the musk would either provide you free of cost or you would buy it from him or you shall have to smell its pleasant smell, and so far as one iron-smith is concerned, he would either burn your clothes or you shall have to smell its repugnant odour.
Sahih Muslim 2628
Allah praised people with good company in these words:
Those upon whom Allah has grant favours from among the prophets and the martyrs and the truthful and the righteous, what good company are they!
Sura an-Nisaa, verse 69
Don’t Excuse
Stop making excuses for our own mistakes. We have to build control over our excuses to lead a successful life. Allah says in the Quran about disbelieving people:
O you who have disbelieved, make no excuses that Day. You will only be recompensed for what you used to do.
Al Quran, 66:7
Maintain Good health
One can only perform best when he is in good health. Poor health leads to poor work efficiency as well. Islam teaches its follower to eat clean and healthy food, be punctual and show a positive attitude to life.
Still doesn’t help. This article needs more improvement.