Hawzah News Agency | In Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah, Imam al-Sajjad, peace be upon him, thus supplicates Almighty God:
«لاَ تَبْتَلِیَنِّی بِالْکَسَلِ عَنْ عِبَادَتِکَ.»
“Do not let me become weak and lazy in worship.” (Supplication no. 20)
Explanation:
The purpose of creation has been identified as “worship”, as Almighty God says:
«وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِیَعْبُدُونِ.»
“I did not create the jinn and the humans except that they may worship Me.” (Qur'an, Dhariyat; 51: 56)
Since everything has its own affliction, one of the afflictions of worship is laziness. Laxity and negligence in matters of worship are among the signs of being deprived of divine grace and success by Almighty God. This is because enthusiasm and eagerness in worship are a great favor bestowed by the Worshipped One upon His servant, bringing about his happiness and prosperity in both this world and the Hereafter.
Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, said to one of his children:
«إِیَّاکَ وَ اَلْکَسَلَ وَ اَلضَّجَرَ فَإِنَّهُمَا یَمْنَعَانِکَ مِنْ حَظِّکَ مِنَ اَلدُّنْیَا وَ اَلْآخِرَةِ.»
“Stay away from laziness and listlessness, for these two traits will prevent you from attaining the benefits of this world and the Hereafter.” (Al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 85)
Worship, and everything that has taken on a divine fragrance and color, is enduring. A believing and wise person devotes all his concern, effort, and striving to such matters, while he spends whatever is characterized by neglect and indolence on transient and fleeting affairs. As Imam Ali, peace be upon him, says in this regard:
«اَلْمُؤْمِنُ یَرْغَبُ فِیمَا یَبْقَی وَ یَزْهَدُ فِیمَا یَفْنَی.»
“The believer’s desire and inclination are toward that which endures, while he has no inclination toward that which is transient.” (Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 26)
Of course, although attaining such desire and inclination is a grace granted by Almighty God, the role of effort and sincere aspiration in attaining this divine favor cannot be overlooked. We must strive and aspire, and from God comes the grace to experience the sweetness and pleasure of worship. As it is related in a Qudsi hadith(1):
«إِذَا عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ اَلْغَالِبَ عَلَی عَبْدِیَ اَلاِشْتِغَالَ بِی نَقَلْتُ شَهْوَتَهُ فِی مَسْأَلَتِی وَ مُنَاجَاتِی فَإِذَا کَانَ عَبْدِی کَذَلِکَ فَأَرَادَ أَنْ یَسْهُوَ حُلْتُ بَیْنَهُ وَ بَیْنَ أَنْ یَسْهُوَ أُولَئِکَ أَوْلِیَائِی حَقّاً أُولَئِکَ اَلْأَبْطَالُ حَقّاً أُولَئِکَ اَلَّذِینَ إِذَا أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أُهْلِکَ أَهْلَ اَلْأَرْضِ عُقُوبَةً زَوَیْتُهَا عَنْهُمْ مِنْ أَجْلِ أُولَئِکَ اَلْأَبْطَالِ.»
“When I know that My remembrance has taken hold of the soul of My servant, I turn his inclination toward supplication and intimate communion with Me. When My servant reaches such a state, whenever he is about to fall into heedlessness and forgetfulness, I prevent him from becoming heedless. Such people are truly My friends and the true champions. They are the ones for whose sake, if I were to intend to punish and destroy the inhabitants of the earth, I would avert the punishment from them because of these champions.” (Bihar al-Anwar, v. 90, p. 162)
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(1). Sacred tradition or al-ḥadīth al-qudsī (Arabic: الحدیث القدسی) is non-Quranic sayings of God, which is quoted by the Prophet (s.a.w.w). (Wikishia)
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