عَنْ اَنَسِ ابْنِ مَالِکٍؓ قَالَ کَانَ رَسُوْلُ اﷲِ ﷺ یَتَعَوَّذُ یَقُوْلُ اَللّٰھُمَّ اِنِّیْ اَعُوْذُ بِکَ مِنَ الْکسْلِ‘‘(رواہ البخاری)
Narrated Anas bin Malik ؓ: Allah’s Apostle used to seek refuge with Allah saying, “O Allah! I seek refuge with You from laziness.” (Bukhari)
Explanation:
Even the Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have sought refuge with Allah, the Almighty from Laziness. In fact, it is a divine law to struggle for maintaining one’s existence. On the contrary, those who avoid struggling, they cease to exist anymore. As a matter of fact, in this mortal world, only one can possess abundant prestige and wealth who exerts all his efforts for this purpose both mentally and physically. In contrast to it, laziness and negligence is such a dangerous tendency that one who falls prey to it, he is of no use, since it leaves him motionless and make all his latent potentialities go in vain. As a result, he has to face failure on every step of his life and turns to be dependent on others. On the top of it, a man of this nature is more inclined towards committing suicide. Hence, besides seeking Allah’s protection against other evils, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) is reported to have sought refuge with Allah from laziness saying:
(البخاري)“اَللّٰھُمَّ اِنِّیْ اَعُوْذُ بِکَ مِنَ الْکَسْلِ”
“O Allah! I seek refuge with You from laziness.” (Bukhari)
One who refrains turns away from earning his livelihood despite owing enough ability and capacity, for him, the following words of Hadith:
عَنْ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ الْعَوَّامِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَأَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدُکُمْ حَبْلَهُ فَيَأْتِيَ بِحُزْمَةِ الْحَطَبِ عَلَی ظَهْرِهِ فَيَبِيعَهَا فَيَکُفَّ اللَّهُ بِهَا وَجْهَهُ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ النَّاسَ أَعْطَوْهُ أَوْ مَنَعُوهُ (رواہ البخاری(
Narrated Az-Zubair bin Al’Awwam: The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, “It is better for anyone of you to take a rope (and cut) and bring a bundle of wood (from the forest) over his back and sell it and Allah will save his face (from the Hell-Fire) because of that, rather than to ask the people who may give him or not.”
These words do imply that it is a part of our life to struggle for earning our livelihood even if we have to take up an occupation of lowet degree.
There are three kinds of people in this world. One of them is one who just think rather than putting it into real practice. Secondly, those who do anything they wish without taking a decision, as a result, they are subject to be insulted. Thirdly, those who think as well as do as they think, these are the people who turn even the soil into gold. In this mortal world, the outcome of anything is doubtful except that of struggle which, one day or the other, bears it fruits.
There is no difficulty solved based on negligence and laziness, since every big task requires relentless and hard struggle. It is for this reason that once Hazrat Hazrat Ali (R.T.A.) said:
لَوْ کَانَ ھٰذا الْعِلْمُ یُدْرَکُ بِالْمُنیٰ
لَمَا کَانَ یَبْقیٰ فِی الْبَرِیَّۃِّ جَاھِلُ
فَاجْھَدْ وَلاَ تَکْسَلْ وَلاَ تَکُ غَافِلاً
فَخَسَارَۃُ الْعُقبیٰ لِمَنْ یَتَکَاسَلُ
Meaning, there had been no one ignorant and unlettered on the surface of this earth only if the knowledge were to be obtained based on fancy hopes. Hence, make utmost struggle and avoid laziness and negligence, since these are only the negligent and lazy people who are doomed to get in loss.
Generally, a lazy man is opt to say in all affairs, “ I will see later’. Bear it in your mind that it is the words which left every task and mission incomplete. There is a Persian saying which goes like this:
“کارامروز را بفردا میفگن”
Don’t postpone till tomorrow what you can do today.
In fact, this saying is so comprehensive and meaningful. Only if a man puts this saying in his real practice, most of his complicated issues will find an ultimate solution and soon it will cause bring about a great change in his life in a short period of time, since it is one’s self which proves to be a great hurdle on his way to progress.
Whenever a man wants to take a step towards a purposeful and successful mission, it is his self which stops him openly saying, ‘Why to hurry, just leave it and accomplish it tomorrow?’ Then, a long period of time passed but it still remains in the same condition. Therefore, how wise saying it is: “Do just tody what you want to do tomorrow, and start just now what you want to do today.”
No matter how intelligent and sensitive a man is, he is subject to loss both here and hereafter just due to negligence and laziness. The greatest loss he has to undergo is that the most valuable asset of ‘time’ is passed and he does not even realize it while there is an Arabic saying:
“اَلْوَقْتُ اَثْمَنُ مِنَ الَذَّھَبِ”
Time is more precious than gold.
The gravest aspect is that the negligence is declare to be a sign of hypocrites in the Holy Qura’n. Says Allah, the Almighty:
(النساء: ۱۴۲) “وَاِذَا قَامُوْا اِلَی الصَّلوٰۃِ قَامُوْا کُسَالیٰ”
“When they stand up for performing the service of prayer they do so indolently.”
Can a true believer even desire to be ranked among such people? If not, let’s ponder over what is wrong with us?