Causes of Lethargy in the Pursuit of Knowledge
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What are the causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge?
The causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge, or in any other act of obedience, are: First: the weakness of ambition and resolve. Otherwise, a person should become more active as he increases in the pursuit of knowledge, because he finds an increase in his information. He rejoices just as a merchant rejoices when he profits from a commodity; you find him becoming more active. If he profits greatly from a certain type of goods, you find him striving to obtain a large quantity of that type. Likewise, the student of knowledge, as long as he is serious in his sincere pursuit, will desire knowledge more with every issue he acquires. As for the person who does not seek knowledge except to pass his time, lethargy and laziness will befall him.
Second: That Shaytan causes the student of knowledge to despair,He says: saying the distance is far and that it is impossible to attain what the scholars have attained, so he becomes lazy and abandons the pursuit. This is an error.
One of the historians mentioned regarding one of the Imams of grammar, and I think it was al-Kisa'i, that he intended to seek knowledge. He is known to be an Imam in grammar, but it was difficult for him—and I think grammar is difficult for many of you—to understand. He intended to abandon it, but he saw an ant carrying food with it, trying to climb a wall. Every time it climbed, it fell; every time it climbed, it fell, up to ten times or more! In the end, after exhaustion and fatigue, it climbed up.So he said: This ant struggled and toiled all these times until it attained its goal. So he resolved to do the same, and he exerted himself in the pursuit until he attained Imamate in it.
Third: The company of the wretched, for companionship has an effect on a person. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged the company of the righteous. He informed us that the righteous companion is like the carrier of musk; either he gives you some of it, or he sells it to you, or you find a pleasant scent from him. And the bad companion is like the bellower of the bellows; either he burns your clothes, or you find a foul smell. This is a matter that has a great effect, to the extent that it affects a person not only in abandoning the pursuit of knowledge, but even in worship. Indeed, some of the committed are subjected by Allah to a bad man who accompanies him, and then he drags him down into the Fire, may Allah protect us from that.
Fourth: Being distracted from it by temptations, and wasting time. Sometimes he goes out to walk, and some people are obsessed with watching football games and the like.
Fifth: That a person does not realize that his state in seeking knowledge is like that of the mujahid in the path of Allah, or even more so.Meaning: That seeking knowledge, in itself, is better than jihad in the path of Allah. There is no doubt in this; because the student of knowledge preserves the Shari'ah and teaches it to the people, whereas the mujahid's utmost achievement is that he prevents one of the disbelievers from influencing the Islamic religion. But this benefits the entire Ummah.It is true that we may say to this person: Jihad is better for you because you are more qualified for it.And we say to the other: Seeking knowledge is better for you. But my intention is that seeking knowledge, in itself, is better than jihad in the path of Allah.And Allah the Exalted said: [At-Tawbah: 122] meaning: and a group remained behind: [At-Tawbah: 122] meaning: those who remained behind: [At-Tawbah: 122] .
This is what we have mentioned now regarding the causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge. So you, O student, must have high ambition, and you must look forward to the future, and know that by your sincere intention for Allah, you may become an Imam in Islam.
The causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge, or in any other act of obedience, are: First: the weakness of ambition and resolve. Otherwise, a person should become more active as he increases in the pursuit of knowledge, because he finds an increase in his information. He rejoices just as a merchant rejoices when he profits from a commodity; you find him becoming more active. If he profits greatly from a certain type of goods, you find him striving to obtain a large quantity of that type. Likewise, the student of knowledge, as long as he is serious in his sincere pursuit, will desire knowledge more with every issue he acquires. As for the person who does not seek knowledge except to pass his time, lethargy and laziness will befall him.
Second: That Shaytan causes the student of knowledge to despair,He says: saying the distance is far and that it is impossible to attain what the scholars have attained, so he becomes lazy and abandons the pursuit. This is an error.
One of the historians mentioned regarding one of the Imams of grammar, and I think it was al-Kisa'i, that he intended to seek knowledge. He is known to be an Imam in grammar, but it was difficult for him—and I think grammar is difficult for many of you—to understand. He intended to abandon it, but he saw an ant carrying food with it, trying to climb a wall. Every time it climbed, it fell; every time it climbed, it fell, up to ten times or more! In the end, after exhaustion and fatigue, it climbed up.So he said: This ant struggled and toiled all these times until it attained its goal. So he resolved to do the same, and he exerted himself in the pursuit until he attained Imamate in it.
Third: The company of the wretched, for companionship has an effect on a person. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged the company of the righteous. He informed us that the righteous companion is like the carrier of musk; either he gives you some of it, or he sells it to you, or you find a pleasant scent from him. And the bad companion is like the bellower of the bellows; either he burns your clothes, or you find a foul smell. This is a matter that has a great effect, to the extent that it affects a person not only in abandoning the pursuit of knowledge, but even in worship. Indeed, some of the committed are subjected by Allah to a bad man who accompanies him, and then he drags him down into the Fire, may Allah protect us from that.
Fourth: Being distracted from it by temptations, and wasting time. Sometimes he goes out to walk, and some people are obsessed with watching football games and the like.
Fifth: That a person does not realize that his state in seeking knowledge is like that of the mujahid in the path of Allah, or even more so.Meaning: That seeking knowledge, in itself, is better than jihad in the path of Allah. There is no doubt in this; because the student of knowledge preserves the Shari'ah and teaches it to the people, whereas the mujahid's utmost achievement is that he prevents one of the disbelievers from influencing the Islamic religion. But this benefits the entire Ummah.It is true that we may say to this person: Jihad is better for you because you are more qualified for it.And we say to the other: Seeking knowledge is better for you. But my intention is that seeking knowledge, in itself, is better than jihad in the path of Allah.And Allah the Exalted said:
And it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once. For there should separate from every division of them a group
وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنْفِرُوا كَافَّةً فَلَوْلا نَفَرَ مِنْ كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌto obtain understanding in the religion
لِيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِand warn their people when they return to them that they might be cautious.
وَلِيُنْذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَThis is what we have mentioned now regarding the causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge. So you, O student, must have high ambition, and you must look forward to the future, and know that by your sincere intention for Allah, you may become an Imam in Islam.