09.15.06
Averse or Disinclined to Work, Activity, or Exertion
Why have we became so incompetent? Why have we became so mundane? Why are we failing? Laziness and idleness has dawned upon many of us. Our capabilities are not utilized, due to the fear of “working hard,” yet we want to reap great results. Some of us want to implement ambitions and be victorious without putting a good amount of effort into it. Many of us complain and whine whenever we get the opportunity. We must realize that we will not achieve any success, if we do not get our hands wet and dirty. I do not want to sound condescending, but it sometimes gets very irritating when I hear others complain about some of the most minute things! It really burns my heart listening. For God’s sake, our people are starving and it is our duty to help them, not only as Muslims but moral human beings. They are waiting for someone to rescue them. We must stop the criticizing and make ourselves to work even if its displeasing. The world is becoming sluggish day by day and we must resist. This concept applies to everything.
When Sa’d Ansari responded to the Holy Prophet [s] that his hands were calloused because he used to work with a rope and a shovel to earn money to spend for his wife and children, he [s] kissed his hand (as an honour) and said: “This is a hand which the Fire (of Hell) will never touch.”
Usd-ul-Ghabah, vol. 2, p. 269
Munzareen Said:
September 16, 2006 at 11:08 am
You know what? Day by day our techonology progresses further making things so simple, easy to us. I can so research for a paper without even getting out of my chair. I used to have to go to a library, but not anymore! I can shop online, I can watch movies and TV online if I so choose.. etc, etc. But I feel like this makes us more slothlike. Actually, I think this is a big problem in our country especially and why kids are becoming overweight. Besides not doing hard work, we don’t even give our bodies the rights we are commanded to give them!
We want things fast, but do hardly any work and putting aside even our laziness, we are losing our patience. Just look at how people drive! But obviously that problem is not just contained in driving but is apparent in everything we do. We can’t wait on lines, we need faster internet connections, we need faster computers, faster cars..
You know, it’s sad. Though society seems to be progressing, I feel like we don’t even compare to our predecessors. I mean, I look at my own household and see that the work ethic of my own mother is far superior to my own. But go back to the times of the Prophet***. Look at how they were able to balance their lives so perfectly. They could take care of the world and engage in much more dhikr than we are able to. Five prayers are hard enough for some of us, but these people not only did more in terms of quantity, but they had presence of mind and body. Now our minds are too preoccupied and it’s not even a joke. A typical prayer will begin and after Faitha (sometimes even before) we’re worry about what errands we need to run, who we need to see, etc. Our prayer is not even complete the way we rush through it!
Sorry for the digression. But I agree with you. We have to work and work HARD. And that includes supporting our families and communities.
May Allah help us and give us barakah in our time. May He cleanse our hearts and rid us of laziness. Even the Prophet*** said that we should sleep and eat less because both of these things make us lazy, especially in our prayer.
amel ahmed Said:
September 17, 2006 at 11:22 pm
this reminds me of an insightful quote:
“And if there are any historians about fifty or a hundred years from now, and there should be preserved the kinescopes for one week of all three networks, they will there find recorded in black and white, or color, evidence of decadence, escapism and insulation from the realities of the world in which we live. We are currently wealthy, fat, comfortable and complacent. We have a built-in allergy to unpleasant or disturbing information. Our mass media reflect this. Unless we get up off our fat surpluses and recognize that television is being used to distract, delude, amuse and insulate us then television and those who finance it, those who look at it, and those who work at it may see a totally different picture too late.”
~Edward R. Murrow, 1958