How Do I Deal with a Lack of Motivation for My Religious Courses?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
Isha time is very late, and Fajr time is very early. So I am barely able to get 5-6 hours of sleep. I feel sleepy throughout the day and don’t feel motivated to do the Seekers courses. Prayers already take so much time of the day, and I am left with less free time to do anything. I also need to balance the courses with my worldly studies, Computer Programming. If I sleep after Fajr, that will deprive me of the blessed morning time and reduce my free time further. Maybe there is a lack of baraka in my time? What should I do?
Answer
Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for wanting to do as much as you can, may He help you find the right balance and fill you with inspiration.
Factors
My first inclination is that there might be something wrong with your health. I recommend that you go and see a doctor to get blood tests done. I also recommend that you exercise, be active, and eat a healthy diet. Take supplements and vitamins including vitamin D, and get fresh air. I also encourage you to remove any possible haram from your life such as taking or paying usury or consuming that which is not halal.
Schedule
If you find that nothing seems wrong with your health, I urge you to make a better schedule. Staying up after fajr might not work if you don’t get enough sleep. Sleep is a priority. There are other times that are blessed, so focus on worship during that time. Decide how many hours a day you will study any subject, and stick to it. Reward yourself with small things or hold back on having what you want (like that second cookie) until you fulfill your tasks.
Motivate yourself with these hadiths: Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Take advantage of five things before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your riches before your poverty, your free time before your work, and your life before your death.” [Bayhaqi]
And he said, (Allah bless him and give him peace), “Visit the graves, for they will remind you of the Hereafter.” [Ibn Majah]
Please see these links as well:
- How Can I Get Motivated to Work?
- Laziness, Procrastination and Lack of Self Discipline
- The Blameworthy Trait of Being Lazy and Its Cure
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin and completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
