1. Procrastination is putting off important tasks and investing time in the wrong activities. The Prophet Muhammad warned that enthusiasm for good deeds must be sustained or one will be doomed. 2. Procrastination resides in the heart - sins blacken it while repentance polishes it. Hardened hearts cannot benefit from wealth or children on the Day of Judgment. 3. The story of Ka'b Ibn Malik teaches us to hasten to do good when called, accept truth, obey unconditionally, maintain steadfastness in trials, and be patient until achieving success.

1. Procrastination
of Good Deeds
HALAQA REMINDER #2

2. What is Procrastination?
Procrastination is the disease of putting off important tasks –
investing time in the wrong tasks – we say I’m busy but in
reality we are really investing in the wrong activity – focus and
complete the task at hand
The Messenger of Allaah (saw) said: “Every deed has a period of enthusiasm, and every period of enthusiasm is
followed by a slackening off. If a person’s enthusiasm is for my Sunnah, then he has succeeded, but whoever
chooses something else when he slackens off is doomed.” Narrated by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh (1/187); classed
as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 56.

3. Where is these Disease Reside?
The Messenger of Allah(saw)said: Verily, in the body is a piece
of flesh which, if sound, the entire body is sound, and if
corrupt, the entire body is corrupt. Truly, it is the heart.
The Messenger of Allah(saw) said, “Verily, when the servant commits a sin, a black mark appears upon his
heart. If he abandons the sin, seeks forgiveness, and repents, then his heart will be polished. If he returns to the
sin, the blackness will be increased until it overcomes his heart. It is the covering that Allah has mentioned: No,
rather a covering is over their hearts from what they have earned.” (83:14)

4. State of Heart
The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children, But only one who comes to Allah
with a sound heart. [26:88-89]
Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones or even harder. For indeed, there
are stones from which rivers burst forth, and there are some of them that split open and water
comes out, and there are some of them that fall down for fear of Allah . And Allah is not unaware
of what you do. [2:74]
Allah SWT says in Quran this kind of people has lost understanding/reasoning power : “……they have hearts with which they do not understand…..”(Surah Al Araf: 179)
Allah SWT also mentions that their hearts are sealed: “…..Allah has set a seal upon their hearts because of their disbelieve…” (Surah An Nisa: 155)
Allah SWT says that they chooses to turn away from the straight so Allah turned their hearts away from it. : “….So when they deviated (from the path), Allah caused their
hearts to deviate….” (Surah As Saf :5)

5. State of Heart
That He (Allah) may make what is thrown in by Shaitan (Satan) a trial for those in whose hearts is
a disease and whose hearts are hardened. And certainly, the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-
doers, etc.) are in an opposition far-off (from the truth against Allah's Messenger and the
believers). [22:53]

6. Importance of Time
Indeed, in the alternation of the night and the day and [in] what Allah has created in the heavens
and the earth are signs for a people who fear Allah [10:6]
"Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allâh (i.e. I have not done what Allâh has ordered me to do), and I was
indeed among those who mocked [at the truth! i.e. Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh (none has the right to be worshipped
but Allâh), the Qur'ân, and Muhammad SAW and at the faithful believers, etc."] [Surah Az-Zumar: 56]
Prophet(SAW) said: “There are two blessings which many people lose: (They are) health and free time for doing good” (Bukhari).
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “Take advantage of five 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.”
The Prophet(saw) said: The people of Paradise will not have any regrets except for those moments in which they were not engaged in the
dhikr (remembrance) of Allaah.

7. Story of Ka’b Ibn Malik
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4418
In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 440
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 702
Sahih al-Bukhari » Book of Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (saw) » Hadith
They will swear by Allah to you when you return to them that you would leave them alone. So leave them
alone; indeed they are evil; and their refuge is Hell as recompense for what they had been earning. They swear
to you so that you might be satisfied with them. But if you should be satisfied with them - indeed, Allah is not
satisfied with a defiantly disobedient people. [9:95-96]
And [He also forgave] the three who were left behind [and regretted their error] to the point that the
earth closed in on them in spite of its vastness and their souls confined them and they were certain that
there is no refuge from Allah except in Him. Then He turned to them so they could repent. Indeed, Allah is
the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.[9:118]

8. Lesson from Story of Ka’b Ibn Malik
The Numerous lesson we can derive from the story of Ka’b ibn Malik but to
summarize I will just mention few:
1. Beating Procrastination: I Wish I had Done
2. Hastening to do Good when Called to it - Ka'b regretted
3. Hastening to Accept the Truth after Knowing it : Ka'b went to face the
prophet(saw) to repent
4. Unconditional Obedience: Command of Prophet not speak with Ka'b
5. In Temptation, a Steady Heart: Letter from Ghaswan
6. Patience: Ultimate success

9. Beating the Procrastination
Beware of procrastination, for it will prevent you from doing good deeds. If you start to do something,
then hasten to do it and do not slow down or neglect it. Hastening to do such things is a praiseworthy
action:
If you start to do something, then stick to it, even if it is only a little, for the most beloved of deeds to Allah are
those that are continuous, even if they are little.
“And hasten to forgiveness
from your Lord and a garden
as wide as the heavens and
earth, prepared for the
righteous..[Al Imran 3:133].
For each [religious following] is a direction
toward which it faces. So race to [all that is]
good. Wherever you may be, Allah will bring
you forth [for judgement] all together. Indeed,
Allah is over all things competent. [2:148]

10. Beating the Procrastination
Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, "Be prompt in doing good deeds (before you are overtaken) by
turbulence which would be like a part of the dark night. A man would be a believer in the morning
and turn to disbelief in the evening, or he would be a believer in the evening and turn disbeliever in
the morning, and would sell his Faith for worldly goods. [Muslim]
Commentary: This Hadith tells that the Day of Resurrection will be preceded by a long chain of calamities. Because of the rush of
these calamities, religion and Faith will loose their value in people. There will be a race for wealth, so much so that people would not
hesitate to compromise their religion and Faith to acquire wealth. People will rapidly change their faces. This is what actually
happening. In this situation true believers are exhorted to adhere strictly to Faith and perform noble deeds without delay.

11. Dua to Beat the Procrastination
‘O Allah, I take refuge in
You from anxiety and
sorrow, weakness and
laziness, miserliness and
cowardice, the burden of
debts and from being over
powered by men.’
O Allah verily I ask of You for strength of perseverance of obedience on the Deen, and determination in practicing of
the Deen and goodness. And I ask of You for that which obligates Your mercy and resolutions for Your forgiveness. And I
ask of You for the capability to be thankful for Your blessings and to worship you in a correct and good way. And I ask of
You for a heart which is purified in belief and free from desires and a truthful tongue. And ask of You for the best of what
You know, and I seek refuge with You from the evil of what You know and I seek forgiveness for that which You know.
Indeed You are the One who knows the unseen.