Distractions of the Mind
What are organised distractions?
· sport
· music
· movies
· facebook
· TV in general
· internet surfing
· clubs (not night clubs - special interest clubs)
· hobbies
The Meaning of Distraction (Lahw)
(Islamic Revival, Saturday, April 17, 2010)
Distraction is mentioned in many occasions in the Quran and Sunnah. It is mentioned in the context of entertainment, for example when RasulAllah (saw) said, “You should (practice) (target) shooting, for it is the best of your entertainment (Lahwikum)” Narrated by Al-Tabarani. It is also mentioned in the context of idle talk, when Allah (swt) says,
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ
“But there are, among men, those who purchase idle talk (Lahw Al-Hadith).”[TMQ 31:6]
Ibn Jareer said that (lahw) is any talk used to impede the Ayat of Allah (swt) and obedience to His order and also “To slander and mock the truth. As Ja’far Al-Saadiq (ra) had said.” [Al-Tafseer Al-Kashif - Mughniyah]. This summarizes the meanings of Lahw in the Qur’an. It is also the saying of Al-Sha’raawi, “Al-Lahw is becoming distracted with something that is forbidden, or becoming distracted with permissible entertainment, keeping you occupied from carrying out an obligation.”
The Hukm Shari’ (Islamic ruling) on Distraction (Lahw)
There are some kinds of lahw, which are halal and mubah (permissible), like sports that achieve a result, such as target shooting (weapons training and hunting), swimming, racing (on foot), wrestling or the like. However, these lahw are halal; as long as it does not cause one to be unmindful of his/her obligations.
Imam Al-Shaatibi says, “Lahw, entertainment and vacancy from any work is Mubah (permissible), if it does not involve a forbidden matter, or occupy one from an obligated matter.”
And he adds, “But he is blameworthy, and the scholars did not agree with it (i.e. they did not like it), rather they would hate to see a man, who was not busy with either improving his livelihood or improving his Hereafter; for he had wasted a period of time which was not used to gain any good for this world, nor for the afterlife.”
And there are some matters of lahw, which are haram (forbidden). These include betting, playing dice (gambling), and being occupied with permissible lahw to the point where one neglects his/her obligations. The last example is haram because of the principle: “All that leads to haram, is itself haram.” For example, lahw that would keep one away from salah or from fasting would be haram. Also the lahw that distracts man from the obligation of carrying the da’wa, and re-establishing the Islamic authority (Khilafah) would also be forbidden, because it distracts man from this obligation.
Secular Aqeedah and Organized Distraction (Lahw)
The secular Aqeedah is built on the separation of Deen (religion) from life. Consequently, man is left to pursue his desires as there is no repercussion to worry about in the afterlife. Thus, it is in the nature of the secular Aqeedah to seek entertainment. The belief of secularism is a belief of recreation, distracting man from achieving his real goal in life, which is attaining the pleasure of Allah (swt). Instead, man is given the goal of achieving sensual satisfaction. So man strives hard to entertain himself and to seek his own pleasure in life, not worrying about what comes after life. Consequently, it is natural for secular societies to hold organized distractions, such as sports, where athletes play professionally on a national or international level. In addition, staff are appointed to oversee the activities of these athletes and competitors in accordance with their different levels. The events have specific times for training and for the games, each one according to its level and expertise. Television programs are scheduled and radio broadcasts inform the masses about the progress of sports games, until they become the talk of the town, city, region or even the world. The atmosphere surrounding sports has made it the biggest distraction for the sons of the Ummah, to the extent of becoming emotionally invested in a game or having a fanatical attachment to a particular team. Sports events are then played (in the Muslim lands), disregarding the Hukm Shar’i (Islamic laws) regarding speech, conduct and dress while playing, furthering the spread of depravity and bad manners across the Ummah. It has also been used as a way to promote the feeling of pride for the nation (assabiyah), even though there is nothing from in them to be proud of. The leaders use such emotions to distract the people from feeling the emotions that Islam seeks from them, which would naturally arise once they perceived the bad situation this Ummah finds herself in.
The same can be said about organized entertainment in the movie and music industries. They are constantly bombarding people with useless shows to keep them occupied and distracted from the worshipping of Allah (swt).
The Dangers of Organized Distraction (Lahw)
Organized distractions affect the entire life of a Muslim. These distractions turn the Ummah away from taking the Deen as the basis of her life, in belief, worship, in her manners and actions, and in her legislation and constitution, by weakening her reverence and respect for her Deen, causing her to live life without a purpose and walking without a path.
“This world becomes entertainment and games when there is no honorable, lasting purpose behind it, and when it is lived for what it has to offer, detached from the path Allah has set out in it…”[Sayyed Qutb]
The greatest danger in organized distractions is that they divert the Ummah from the correct political awareness, which involves analyzing the issues of the Ummah, as well as international issues, from the angle of Islam. For she no longer comprehends the value of Islam, so her situation only becomes worse as extinction nearly approaches her, and the danger of her massacre increases. These organized distractions divert the Ummah from the vital issues that are tied to her very existence and survival. The pinnacle of these issues is the establishment of the system of the Islam and turning all Muslim lands to Dar Al-Islam (land of the Islamic State).
The Messenger of Allah (saw) was most truthful when he said,
“The two feet of the son of Adam will not move from near his Lord on the Day of Judgment until he is asked about five matters: about his life, how he spent it; about his youth, how he took care of it; about his wealth, how he earned it and how he spent it; and about that which he acted upon from the knowledge that he acquired.”[Tirmidhi]
Top Online Distraction Busting Tips!
February 17, 2012 Sania (www.productivemuslim.com)
The depths to which we can explore, and the limitless things we can do leave us spending hours on end surfing the net, playing games, and updating our Facebook statuses! We are failing to use this great development to educate ourselves and to become more productive. Rather than benefiting from it, we have allowed it to become our biggest distraction and productivity killer of all time.
Many distractions are often a route towards haram from the use of the Internet; social networking sites, games, public forums, chat-rooms, and even pornography, A’oodhubillah.
With a world of fitna before our very eyes, Shaytan is always ready to attack. Be aware that it is his trick and his plan to distract the believer and even the best of us can become lured into these distractions.
Focussing on the Task at Hand
When you sit at your computer with a mental to-do list, you are very vulnerable to becoming distracted. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, we lose track of what we have come to do and find ourselves doing something else, or often in the case of computers – many other things!
Before you begin, ask yourself – What have I come here to do? Write it down.
As basic as this may sound, it is very important to always set one’s intentions clearly before doing anything. Islam places much emphasis on making intention, and there is always wisdom behind the teachings of our deen.
“Actions are by their intentions” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Start in the Name of Allah As with anything, we should begin every task with the name of Allah. As you switch on your computer, say “Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim” (In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.) As a reminder to myself, I often have the Basmalah written on the desktop wallpaper of my computer.
Be Aware of Allah Remember that Allah is watching everything you do. Your every action is being recorded, and one day you will be questioned for all of your actions. I mention this because many computer related distractions we face today fall within the haram category.
We are all prone to falling off track, so we should always seek protection from Shaytan with the Ta’awwudh, “Aoozu Billahi Min Ashshaytanir Rajim” (I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan).
More Practical Tips to Avoid Distraction You switch on your PC and, as you’re searching for your ‘work’ folder, you come across a sea of distraction. You notice your favorite song on your playlist, MSN has just automatically signed you in, and notifications begin to pop up.. All before you have even begun your work!
Practical Tips
Try to:
To organise your time online try the following:
Try this:
There are many things that we do on the computer which we would be ashamed and embarrassed to do before others. We should never forget our adab towards Allah, even when we are engrossed in the virtual world. Sometimes we can become so engrossed in our workload that we forget to eat, sleep and pray! Our work itself becomes a distraction from our duty towards Allah, and our attentiveness towards ourselves and those around us. If you are tired, hungry and have forgotten Allah, then the work you are doing is not going to be as productive as it can be.
· sport
· music
· movies
· TV in general
· internet surfing
· clubs (not night clubs - special interest clubs)
· hobbies
The Meaning of Distraction (Lahw)
(Islamic Revival, Saturday, April 17, 2010)
Distraction is mentioned in many occasions in the Quran and Sunnah. It is mentioned in the context of entertainment, for example when RasulAllah (saw) said, “You should (practice) (target) shooting, for it is the best of your entertainment (Lahwikum)” Narrated by Al-Tabarani. It is also mentioned in the context of idle talk, when Allah (swt) says,
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ
“But there are, among men, those who purchase idle talk (Lahw Al-Hadith).”[TMQ 31:6]
Ibn Jareer said that (lahw) is any talk used to impede the Ayat of Allah (swt) and obedience to His order and also “To slander and mock the truth. As Ja’far Al-Saadiq (ra) had said.” [Al-Tafseer Al-Kashif - Mughniyah]. This summarizes the meanings of Lahw in the Qur’an. It is also the saying of Al-Sha’raawi, “Al-Lahw is becoming distracted with something that is forbidden, or becoming distracted with permissible entertainment, keeping you occupied from carrying out an obligation.”
The Hukm Shari’ (Islamic ruling) on Distraction (Lahw)
There are some kinds of lahw, which are halal and mubah (permissible), like sports that achieve a result, such as target shooting (weapons training and hunting), swimming, racing (on foot), wrestling or the like. However, these lahw are halal; as long as it does not cause one to be unmindful of his/her obligations.
Imam Al-Shaatibi says, “Lahw, entertainment and vacancy from any work is Mubah (permissible), if it does not involve a forbidden matter, or occupy one from an obligated matter.”
And he adds, “But he is blameworthy, and the scholars did not agree with it (i.e. they did not like it), rather they would hate to see a man, who was not busy with either improving his livelihood or improving his Hereafter; for he had wasted a period of time which was not used to gain any good for this world, nor for the afterlife.”
And there are some matters of lahw, which are haram (forbidden). These include betting, playing dice (gambling), and being occupied with permissible lahw to the point where one neglects his/her obligations. The last example is haram because of the principle: “All that leads to haram, is itself haram.” For example, lahw that would keep one away from salah or from fasting would be haram. Also the lahw that distracts man from the obligation of carrying the da’wa, and re-establishing the Islamic authority (Khilafah) would also be forbidden, because it distracts man from this obligation.
Secular Aqeedah and Organized Distraction (Lahw)
The secular Aqeedah is built on the separation of Deen (religion) from life. Consequently, man is left to pursue his desires as there is no repercussion to worry about in the afterlife. Thus, it is in the nature of the secular Aqeedah to seek entertainment. The belief of secularism is a belief of recreation, distracting man from achieving his real goal in life, which is attaining the pleasure of Allah (swt). Instead, man is given the goal of achieving sensual satisfaction. So man strives hard to entertain himself and to seek his own pleasure in life, not worrying about what comes after life. Consequently, it is natural for secular societies to hold organized distractions, such as sports, where athletes play professionally on a national or international level. In addition, staff are appointed to oversee the activities of these athletes and competitors in accordance with their different levels. The events have specific times for training and for the games, each one according to its level and expertise. Television programs are scheduled and radio broadcasts inform the masses about the progress of sports games, until they become the talk of the town, city, region or even the world. The atmosphere surrounding sports has made it the biggest distraction for the sons of the Ummah, to the extent of becoming emotionally invested in a game or having a fanatical attachment to a particular team. Sports events are then played (in the Muslim lands), disregarding the Hukm Shar’i (Islamic laws) regarding speech, conduct and dress while playing, furthering the spread of depravity and bad manners across the Ummah. It has also been used as a way to promote the feeling of pride for the nation (assabiyah), even though there is nothing from in them to be proud of. The leaders use such emotions to distract the people from feeling the emotions that Islam seeks from them, which would naturally arise once they perceived the bad situation this Ummah finds herself in.
The same can be said about organized entertainment in the movie and music industries. They are constantly bombarding people with useless shows to keep them occupied and distracted from the worshipping of Allah (swt).
The Dangers of Organized Distraction (Lahw)
Organized distractions affect the entire life of a Muslim. These distractions turn the Ummah away from taking the Deen as the basis of her life, in belief, worship, in her manners and actions, and in her legislation and constitution, by weakening her reverence and respect for her Deen, causing her to live life without a purpose and walking without a path.
“This world becomes entertainment and games when there is no honorable, lasting purpose behind it, and when it is lived for what it has to offer, detached from the path Allah has set out in it…”[Sayyed Qutb]
The greatest danger in organized distractions is that they divert the Ummah from the correct political awareness, which involves analyzing the issues of the Ummah, as well as international issues, from the angle of Islam. For she no longer comprehends the value of Islam, so her situation only becomes worse as extinction nearly approaches her, and the danger of her massacre increases. These organized distractions divert the Ummah from the vital issues that are tied to her very existence and survival. The pinnacle of these issues is the establishment of the system of the Islam and turning all Muslim lands to Dar Al-Islam (land of the Islamic State).
The Messenger of Allah (saw) was most truthful when he said,
“The two feet of the son of Adam will not move from near his Lord on the Day of Judgment until he is asked about five matters: about his life, how he spent it; about his youth, how he took care of it; about his wealth, how he earned it and how he spent it; and about that which he acted upon from the knowledge that he acquired.”[Tirmidhi]
Top Online Distraction Busting Tips!
February 17, 2012 Sania (www.productivemuslim.com)
The depths to which we can explore, and the limitless things we can do leave us spending hours on end surfing the net, playing games, and updating our Facebook statuses! We are failing to use this great development to educate ourselves and to become more productive. Rather than benefiting from it, we have allowed it to become our biggest distraction and productivity killer of all time.
Many distractions are often a route towards haram from the use of the Internet; social networking sites, games, public forums, chat-rooms, and even pornography, A’oodhubillah.
With a world of fitna before our very eyes, Shaytan is always ready to attack. Be aware that it is his trick and his plan to distract the believer and even the best of us can become lured into these distractions.
Focussing on the Task at Hand
When you sit at your computer with a mental to-do list, you are very vulnerable to becoming distracted. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, we lose track of what we have come to do and find ourselves doing something else, or often in the case of computers – many other things!
Before you begin, ask yourself – What have I come here to do? Write it down.
As basic as this may sound, it is very important to always set one’s intentions clearly before doing anything. Islam places much emphasis on making intention, and there is always wisdom behind the teachings of our deen.
“Actions are by their intentions” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Start in the Name of Allah As with anything, we should begin every task with the name of Allah. As you switch on your computer, say “Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim” (In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.) As a reminder to myself, I often have the Basmalah written on the desktop wallpaper of my computer.
Be Aware of Allah Remember that Allah is watching everything you do. Your every action is being recorded, and one day you will be questioned for all of your actions. I mention this because many computer related distractions we face today fall within the haram category.
We are all prone to falling off track, so we should always seek protection from Shaytan with the Ta’awwudh, “Aoozu Billahi Min Ashshaytanir Rajim” (I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan).
More Practical Tips to Avoid Distraction You switch on your PC and, as you’re searching for your ‘work’ folder, you come across a sea of distraction. You notice your favorite song on your playlist, MSN has just automatically signed you in, and notifications begin to pop up.. All before you have even begun your work!
Practical Tips
- Make all distracting avenues most difficult to access.
- Nothing with little urgency should be set to ‘automatic sign-in’.
- Nothing haram or distracting should be ‘readily available’.
Try to:
- Discuss less, and do more.
- Only do what you know is beneficial and makes you more productive.
- Close every application, website and file, other than what you are working on.
- If you don’t need the Internet, just switch it off! Use Freedom software to block off the internet. Prevention is better than cure.
- Check that you have a pop-up blocker installed.
- Use the Internet in a safe, or child-protection mode to reduce inappropriate search results.
- Take time to just disconnect every hour.
- Do not become hypnotic to the computer – regular breaks are a must.
- Use beneficial computer programmes, like ‘salah reminders’ that call out the adhan when it is time to pray.
To organise your time online try the following:
- Create a work timetable.
- Don’t set yourself up for ‘all work, no play’, because that’s when distraction will kick in most.
- Balancing your workload with some in-between activities will help you focus better when working.
- Set time-limits for your relaxing time, and time-slots for your workload.
Try this:
- Create a work-space with relevant resources.
- Stay clutter-free.
- Remove any distractions from your work-desk.
There are many things that we do on the computer which we would be ashamed and embarrassed to do before others. We should never forget our adab towards Allah, even when we are engrossed in the virtual world. Sometimes we can become so engrossed in our workload that we forget to eat, sleep and pray! Our work itself becomes a distraction from our duty towards Allah, and our attentiveness towards ourselves and those around us. If you are tired, hungry and have forgotten Allah, then the work you are doing is not going to be as productive as it can be.