#sawfa

“Mention was made in the presence of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ of a man who slept a whole night until morning. He said, ‘That is a man in whose ear the Shaytaan has urinated.’” [Bukhaari]

Imaam Ibn al-Jawzi (رحمه الله‎), quoting one of the Salaf, said: “I warn you against ‘Sawfa’ (i.e. saying ‘I will do…’) because it is one of the greatest troops of Iblees. The likeness of the one who strives resolutely and the one who is content with the idea that he has plenty of time is that of a group of people who are on a journey and enter a town. The one who is resolute goes and buys the supplies he needs to complete his journey and sits ready to resume his journey. The negligent one says, ‘I will get ready, but probably we will stay here for a month (so I have plenty of time).’ So when the call to resume the journey comes, the one who was prepared is happy to move on, whilst the one who was negligent becomes very confused and distressed.

Assalamu Alaikum.

So as for my first official post I've decided to write about an issue that I suffer greatly from and I'm pretty certain that most of you will realize that the feeling is mutual. Procrastination in my opinion is a disease that is among us all and if not treated will lead us to a path of sin. 

There was once an old man lying on his death bed when the people around him decided to ask him for one last piece of advice. He said two words. "Anzartukum Sawfa". He said to them  "I warn you against Sawfa". 

Sawfa is the arabic term for I will. You know, when you're doing something wrong and you say to yourself "I will repent to Allah" but then you say " I will...but not now. Tomorrow. After I have committed this sin for one last time". Subahanallah this is one of the best ways Shaitan (Satan) uses against us.

One thing I've learnt from most of the articles I have read is that Shaitan has two different ways of tackling the good and the bad. The tactic that works mostly with good people is forcing them to procrastinate. He whispers in to the ears of the good " you will repent, but later" However to the ears of the bad he will command them to disobey Allah (SWT) and go ahead and do that sin.

Do you know why Shaitan uses this trick? Because one of these two things will happen. Either you will die before you get the chance to repent or you will continue living and that sin will become such a big part of your life that you would not be able to give it up.

There are three things one could practice to avoid procrastinating.

1. You have to live with a sense of urgency. A feeling that you're running out of time. That you will die any minute. Death can come at any time, any age, when you're healthy or sick.

2. Not only pray 5 times a day but try to pray as soon as you hear the Azan. once you start this, you will continue doing it for a week and then a month and then so on...You will finally come to a realization that you're a person that does not procrastinate.You're a person that does things when they need to be done.

3. The 5 minute rule. In management we learn that if there are several tasks that need to be accomplished but you can't do all at once, at least try to spend 5 minutes everyday to do each task. This way there will be progress. For example, the Quran is a huge book to memorize. Start by memorizing whatever possible for 5 minutes. Be it 2 Ayahs or 10 Ayahs. Once that is accomplished you will realize that there is a sudden energy in you that gives you the desire to memorize more.

It is a known fact that we're all sinners.Nobody is perfect. But the best of those sinners are those who repent to Allah (SWT)

It is said in the Quran that Taubah that is accepted by Allah (SWT) is for those who do bad deeds out of ignorance. But out of ignorance doesn't mean that they don't know that what they are doing is haram. It means that at the moment they were doing this sin, they were in ignorance of the punishment of Allah (SWT). These people, Allah (SWT) will show mercy if they repent right away. Taubah is not for those who continue doing sins, and sins, and sins and many bad deeds until they are about to die and they say "I repent now".