Overcoming Procrastination

[shaimaa]

Assalamualaikum,

I'm in need of some serious help. I'm a chronic procrastinator and cannot overcome it. Its something that hits me every now and then but I just realised looking through some old emails that are nearly a year old and was shocked that this become more than a habit but a way of life.

Can anyone give practical advice on how to overcome it? It is affecting my life in many ways. I'd appreciate if any scholar can give either dua's or practical suggestions as I realised that having it for sooooo long is not acceptable to a Muslim.

jazakAllah khair

[Springarden]

dear sis,

Life is only in 3 states;
yesterday,which has passed alongwith every opportunity and chances.
Tomorrow, a future in which we have no guarantee of having.
And today in which we have control over we can make use of every chances and opportunity that come to us. Especially in matters of which our akhira is dependent on, and most importantly in obeying Allah Azza Wa Jalla.

InshaAllah, may Allah give us tawfeeq.
Wassalam

[Intrepid]

Assalamualaikum,

I'm in need of some serious help. I'm a chronic procrastinator and cannot overcome it. Its something that hits me every now and then but I just realised looking through some old emails that are nearly a year old and was shocked that this become more than a habit but a way of life.

Can anyone give practical advice on how to overcome it? It is affecting my life in many ways. I'd appreciate if any scholar can give either dua's or practical suggestions as I realised that having it for sooooo long is not acceptable to a Muslim.

jazakAllah khair

Try doing things on time ! That should resolve your problem..

[avid]

Assalamualaikum,

Here are some duas which will InshaAllah be beneficial:




There are also some more very helpful and relevant duas here (the site from which the above duas were taken).

[shaimaa]

Springgarden, sis I understand that of course physically trying to do important things has been so hard, I don't know why I became this way. Intrepid, same thing really - if I could do it on time I would but I cannot seem to. Like I said its turned into a really big problem, one that escapes me.

Avid, I'm going to copy those dua's and then put it in a few places around the house till I memorise it. The last dua is particularly beautiful, jazakAllah khair.

[shaimaa]

Assalamualaikum,

I also found this dua through sunnipath:

اَللّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعِجْزِ ، وَالْكَسْلِ، وَالْجُبْنِ ، وَالْهَرَمِ ، وَالْبُخْلِ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ

is it possible to combine these two prayers together or must they be recited separately??

I want to make a word document to print it out and tape in a few places at home so I memorise it inshaAllah.

[~hoor~]

My situation was also like yours until sometime ago.
I think sincere prayer and dedication is most important to be able to do things correctly and on time.
Try not to waste time in futile activities.
Do zikr very often .Doing zikr of Allah swt keeps us away from useless thoughts and improves our concentration on various things..
Do recite those supplications posted above .
Make dua to Allah swt to help you overcome this problem.

[Hamza81]

Assalamualaikum,

I'm in need of some serious help. I'm a chronic procrastinator and cannot overcome it. Its something that hits me every now and then but I just realised looking through some old emails that are nearly a year old and was shocked that this become more than a habit but a way of life.

Can anyone give practical advice on how to overcome it? It is affecting my life in many ways. I'd appreciate if any scholar can give either dua's or practical suggestions as I realised that having it for sooooo long is not acceptable to a Muslim.

jazakAllah khair

Asalaam wr wb sister you and me both and i think a lot of us go through this problem with varying degrees but this is what the ulamaa have said regarding Procrastination and laziness and i hope inshallah it benefits us all!

Answering the in-hand question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:

“The perfect remedy for procrastination is to nurture sound faith in the manner of the Salaf As-Salih (pious predecessors). Prior to Islam, they were a people without any sense of human achievement or performance, but once they were exposed to the empowering message of the Qur’an, they became energized and utterly transformed; they shook off their complacency and lethargy, and became peak performers and achievers. Whatever they touched was changed anew through their dynamic faith. The Qur’an spoke thus about their faith, “Is he - who was once dead and then We revived him (through the message of Islam) and thus We appointed for him a light whereby he walks among people - comparable to one who is steeped in darkness, never able to come out of it?” (Al-An`am: 122)

The remedy for fighting procrastination, therefore, is to nurture such dynamic faith.

Coming to precise tips based on such a vision that one can readily apply in order to empower oneself and shake off the habit of procrastination, let us state the following:

1) Procrastination is a learned habit; habits are formed by repeated acts. So the best way to fight procrastination is to take immediate steps to do the thing one is postponing. So every time one is tempted to procrastinate, one must do whatever it takes to do just the opposite. It may be hard in the beginning, but by repeating it over and over, one learns to break the habit. This process must continue until one has learned the new habit and thus it becomes a second nature.

2) As you rise in the morning put yourself in a positive mind set by counting the blessings of Allah thus emulating the beautiful example of our beloved Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and praying to Allah to grant you a successful day full of blessings.

3) Try to start your work after Fajr for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed to Allah, “O Allah, bless my Ummah in their early morning endeavors.”

4) Turn to Allah in supplication and seek His help in fighting sloth, laziness and helplessness through the following prayers (Du`a’s):

Allahumma innee a`dhu bika mina al-‘ajzi wa al-kasal wa al-jubun wa al-bukhl wa ghalabati al-dayni wa qahri al-rrijaal
(O Allah, I seek refuge in You from helplessness, sloth, cowardice, *****rdliness, and burden of debts and domineering men.)

Laa ilaaha illa Allaahu al-`azeem al-haleem, la ilaaha illa Allaahu rabbu al-`arshi al-`azeem, laa ilaaha illa Allaahu rabbu al-ssamaawaati wa al-ardhi wa rabbu al-`arshi al-kareem (There is no god but Allah, the Glorious and Clement; there is no god but Allah, Lord of the Great Throne; there is no god but Allah, Lord of the heavens and earth and the Noble Throne).”

These may also help:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2388156/Procrastination

http://www.scribd.com/doc/12096/101-...rocrastination

[clover]

Thank you so much for your help brother Hamza, I downloaded the first link already and have read it and will do so with the second one later inshaAllah.

Can the two dua's that I posted above be combined into one?

[Hamza81]

Thank you so much for your help brother Hamza, I downloaded the first link already and have read it and will do so with the second one later inshaAllah.

Can the two dua's that I posted above be combined into one?

Yes of course they can! Read them whenever you remember them and read them in your dua's of wherever you are but read them with full belief of Allah accepting them from you and inshallah procrastination and laziness will be overcome but of course one will also have to make effort to overcome it! May Allah rid us all from the bad effects of laziness and pro crastination! Allahumma ameen