Avoid Lazy Attitude
Sometimes, routine makes us bored. In fact, it can be an opportunity for laziness to arise. In fact, laziness only makes us unproductive.
”If only…” This word is so familiar in everyday life. Whether we realize it or not, most people may be accustomed to saying, ”If I did this, of course this and this, not like this…”
The Prophet Muhammad did not like his people to indulge in the words “if only”. In fact, in a hadith Rasulullah SAW said, “Indeed, the sentence lau (if) leads to the actions of the devil.”
Sheikh Salih Ahmad ash-Syaami, explained, the word ”if” does not bring any benefit at all. According to him, even if someone utters that phrase, he will not be able to bring back what has passed, and thwart the mistakes that have occurred.
Shaykh ash-Syaami warned that the phrase ‘if only’ could connote a false wishful thinking, and something that is impossible to happen. ”This kind of attitude is a weak and lazy attitude,” he said.
In fact, he said, Allah SWT hates being weak, incapable, and lazy. In the hadith it is stated, “Allah SWT denounces being weak, not being serious, but you must have an intelligent and agile attitude, but if you are still defeated by a thing, then you say “it is enough for Allah to be my helper, and Allah is the best protector.” .” (HR Abu Dawud)
The agile and intelligent attitude in question, he said, is to make efforts and actions that can lead to success in achieving something useful, both in this world and in the hereafter. This, continued Sheikh ash-Syaami, is a form of application to the law of causality that God has set.
The virtue of being agile and intelligent is that it can be an opening for good deeds. On the other hand, a weak and lazy attitude, as reminded by the Prophet Muhammad, will only draw closer to the devil.
”Because, if someone is unable or lazy to do something that is beneficial for him and the surrounding community, then he will always be someone who often daydreams,” he explained.
Such actions and attitudes, apart from being counterproductive and will not lead to success, are also tantamount to opening the devil’s deeds because the door to satanic charity is nothing but lazy and weak. It is they, as-Syaami asserted, who are the most losers.
Why are people said to be the losers? Because, lazy and weak nature is the key to all disasters. For example, immoral acts are certain to occur because of the weakness of one’s faith and piety so that one dares to violate religious prohibitions.
So, he added, a servant who has these two despicable qualities means he is not able to carry out acts of obedience and cannot do things that can fortify himself from the temptation of evil and immoral acts.
Imam Ibn Hajar in the book of Fathul Barri volume XI underlined, if the liver disease has infected humans, then he will begin to approach God’s prohibition. He also became reluctant to repent.
For this reason, the Prophet SAW gave prayer guidance for his people to avoid these two types of despicable traits. Rasulullah SAW prayed, “O Allah, I ask You for protection from anxiety and sadness.”
Anxiety and sadness, both also come from laziness and weakness. Because, what has happened, it is impossible to change or erase just with sadness, but what needs to be done is to accept it with willingness, patience and faith.
Likewise, something that may happen in the future, is also unlikely to be changed or erased by mere anxiety or worry. Therefore, one must always be ready to equip oneself with good attitudes to face any eventuality.
Therefore, Islam highly values optimism, hard work, and trying hard. The soul of a true Muslim is one who believes that Allah’s sustenance is very abundant, and is provided for anyone who is able to reach it with a strong spirit and ethos.
There is a difference between hope and wishful thinking. Hope is always accompanied by effort, while wishful thinking or laziness is just empty wishful thinking. May we be kept away from laziness.
