What are the causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
O Shaykh, what are the causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge?
The Shaykh : Raise your voice.
The questioner : The causes of lethargy in seeking knowledge?
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : The causes of lethargy in seeking knowledge?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : The causes of lethargy in seeking knowledge?
The Shaykh : What is in it?
The questioner : What are the causes of lethargy... one becomes lethargic.
The Shaykh : Yes, the causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge or in other acts of obedience are the weakness of ambition and resolve. Otherwise, a person should, as he increases in the pursuit of knowledge, increase in activity, because he finds an increase in his information and rejoices, just as a merchant rejoices when he profits from his goods. You will find him active; if he profits greatly from a certain type of goods, you will find him striving to obtain a large quantity of that type. Similarly, the pursuit of knowledge, as long as one is serious and sincere in it, the more he acquires a matter, the more his desire for knowledge increases. As for the person who does not seek knowledge except to pass his time, then lethargy and laziness will overtake him. This is one cause.
Second, a student... Second, among the causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge is that Shaytan discourages the student of knowledge, saying the distance is far and you cannot attain what the scholars have attained, so he becomes lazy and abandons the pursuit. This is a mistake. Some historians mentioned about one of the Imams of grammar, and I think it was al-Kisa'i, that he intended to seek knowledge. It is well known that he was an Imam in grammar, but it was difficult for him. And I think grammar is difficult for many of you, is it not?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes? Tell the truth?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : It is so. The important thing is that it was difficult for him, so he intended to leave it. 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 the fatigue and exhaustion, it climbed up. He said, "This ant struggles and toils all these times until it attained it. So I will do so." He then exerted himself in the pursuit until he attained Imamah in it.
Among the causes of that lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge is keeping 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 keeping the company of the righteous. He informed that the good 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. As for the bad companion, he is like the bellower of the bellows: either he burns your clothes, or you find a foul smell from him. This is a matter that has a great effect, such 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 drags him down and then plunges him into the Fire, may Allah protect us from that.
Fourth, among the causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge is being distracted from it by temptations and wasting time. Sometimes he goes out to walk, and sometimes he watches some people. He may be obsessed with watching football games and the like.
And fifth, that a person does not realize that his state in seeking knowledge is like the mujahid in the path of Allah, or rather, it is more so. That is, the pursuit of knowledge, in itself, is better than jihad in the path of Allah, and there is no doubt in this. Because the student of knowledge preserves the Shari'ah and teaches it to people, whereas the mujahid's utmost is to prevent 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 that jihad is better for him because he is more suited to it, and we say to the other that the pursuit of knowledge is better for him. But my intention is that the pursuit of knowledge, in itself, is better than jihad in the path of Allah. And Allah the Exalted said:[At-Tawbah 9:122] meaning a group sat [At-Tawbah 9:122] namely those who sat [At-Tawbah 9:122] This which we have just mentioned is among the causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge. So you, O student, must have high ambition and look forward to the future, and that by your sincerity of intention to Allah, you may become an Imam in Islam. Yes.
O Shaykh, what are the causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge?
The Shaykh : Raise your voice.
The questioner : The causes of lethargy in seeking knowledge?
The Shaykh : Huh?
The questioner : The causes of lethargy in seeking knowledge?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : The causes of lethargy in seeking knowledge?
The Shaykh : What is in it?
The questioner : What are the causes of lethargy... one becomes lethargic.
The Shaykh : Yes, the causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge or in other acts of obedience are the weakness of ambition and resolve. Otherwise, a person should, as he increases in the pursuit of knowledge, increase in activity, because he finds an increase in his information and rejoices, just as a merchant rejoices when he profits from his goods. You will find him active; if he profits greatly from a certain type of goods, you will find him striving to obtain a large quantity of that type. Similarly, the pursuit of knowledge, as long as one is serious and sincere in it, the more he acquires a matter, the more his desire for knowledge increases. As for the person who does not seek knowledge except to pass his time, then lethargy and laziness will overtake him. This is one cause.
Second, a student... Second, among the causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge is that Shaytan discourages the student of knowledge, saying the distance is far and you cannot attain what the scholars have attained, so he becomes lazy and abandons the pursuit. This is a mistake. Some historians mentioned about one of the Imams of grammar, and I think it was al-Kisa'i, that he intended to seek knowledge. It is well known that he was an Imam in grammar, but it was difficult for him. And I think grammar is difficult for many of you, is it not?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes? Tell the truth?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : It is so. The important thing is that it was difficult for him, so he intended to leave it. 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 the fatigue and exhaustion, it climbed up. He said, "This ant struggles and toils all these times until it attained it. So I will do so." He then exerted himself in the pursuit until he attained Imamah in it.
Among the causes of that lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge is keeping 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 keeping the company of the righteous. He informed that the good 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. As for the bad companion, he is like the bellower of the bellows: either he burns your clothes, or you find a foul smell from him. This is a matter that has a great effect, such 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 drags him down and then plunges him into the Fire, may Allah protect us from that.
Fourth, among the causes of lethargy in the pursuit of knowledge is being distracted from it by temptations and wasting time. Sometimes he goes out to walk, and sometimes he watches some people. He may be obsessed with watching football games and the like.
And fifth, that a person does not realize that his state in seeking knowledge is like the mujahid in the path of Allah, or rather, it is more so. That is, the pursuit of knowledge, in itself, is better than jihad in the path of Allah, and there is no doubt in this. Because the student of knowledge preserves the Shari'ah and teaches it to people, whereas the mujahid's utmost is to prevent 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 that jihad is better for him because he is more suited to it, and we say to the other that the pursuit of knowledge is better for him. But my intention is that the pursuit of knowledge, in itself, is better than jihad in the path of Allah. And Allah the Exalted said: