Why Does Religious Zeal Fade? Practice of the Companions and Prophetic Guidance
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil, ʿAqāʾid kā Bayān, Volume 1, Page 71
When we are in an Islamic gathering, a Friday sermon, or a mosque event, we feel great passion and enthusiasm for religion. However, once we leave, those feelings start to fade. What is the remedy for this?
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā baʿd:
This condition does not occur only with us; rather, even the noble Companions (رضي الله عنهم) sometimes experienced a similar state. In this regard, read the last ḥadīth of Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ, Kitāb al-Daʿawāt, Bāb Dhikr Allāh ʿAzza wa Jall wa al-Taqarrub Ilayhi, Faṣl Awwal — it will, in shāʾ Allāh, bring comfort to the heart.
Ḥanẓalah ibn Rabīʿ al-Asidī (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (رضي الله عنه) met me and asked:
“O Ḥanẓalah! How are you?”
I replied: “Ḥanẓalah has become a hypocrite.”
Abū Bakr (رضي الله عنه) said: “Subḥān Allāh! What are you saying?”
I said: “When we are with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he reminds us of Paradise and Hell to such an extent that it feels as if we can see them with our own eyes. But when we leave his company and get involved with our families, properties, and gardens, we forget much of what we heard.”
Abū Bakr (رضي الله عنه) said: “By Allah! The same happens to me.”
Then both of us went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and I said:
“O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Ḥanẓalah has become a hypocrite.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked: “And what is the matter with him?”
I said: “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! When we are with you, you remind us of Paradise and Hell as if we are seeing them with our own eyes. But when we leave you and become occupied with our families and properties, we forget much of what we heard.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“By the One in Whose hand is my soul! If you were to remain in the state you are in while in my presence, the angels would shake hands with you in your beds and in your paths.”
Then he ﷺ said:
“O Ḥanẓalah! One hour (for religious devotion) and one hour (for worldly matters).”
He repeated this statement three times.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil, ʿAqāʾid kā Bayān, Volume 1, Page 71
Question:
When we are in an Islamic gathering, a Friday sermon, or a mosque event, we feel great passion and enthusiasm for religion. However, once we leave, those feelings start to fade. What is the remedy for this?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā baʿd:
This condition does not occur only with us; rather, even the noble Companions (رضي الله عنهم) sometimes experienced a similar state. In this regard, read the last ḥadīth of Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ, Kitāb al-Daʿawāt, Bāb Dhikr Allāh ʿAzza wa Jall wa al-Taqarrub Ilayhi, Faṣl Awwal — it will, in shāʾ Allāh, bring comfort to the heart.
Meaning of the Ḥadīth:
Ḥanẓalah ibn Rabīʿ al-Asidī (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (رضي الله عنه) met me and asked:
“O Ḥanẓalah! How are you?”
I replied: “Ḥanẓalah has become a hypocrite.”
Abū Bakr (رضي الله عنه) said: “Subḥān Allāh! What are you saying?”
I said: “When we are with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he reminds us of Paradise and Hell to such an extent that it feels as if we can see them with our own eyes. But when we leave his company and get involved with our families, properties, and gardens, we forget much of what we heard.”
Abū Bakr (رضي الله عنه) said: “By Allah! The same happens to me.”
Then both of us went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and I said:
“O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Ḥanẓalah has become a hypocrite.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked: “And what is the matter with him?”
I said: “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! When we are with you, you remind us of Paradise and Hell as if we are seeing them with our own eyes. But when we leave you and become occupied with our families and properties, we forget much of what we heard.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“By the One in Whose hand is my soul! If you were to remain in the state you are in while in my presence, the angels would shake hands with you in your beds and in your paths.”
Then he ﷺ said:
“O Ḥanẓalah! One hour (for religious devotion) and one hour (for worldly matters).”
He repeated this statement three times.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
