You Won’t Always Feel Like Seeking Knowledge
There will be days when even opening the Qur’an feels heavy.
Sitting through a lesson feels tiring.
Even going to the Masjid can feel like too much effort.
And you tell yourself, “I’ll do it tomorrow when I’m in a better state, in shaa Allah.”
But the problem is this:
If you only worship Allah when you feel motivated, your worship will rise and fall with your mood.
No one feels equally motivated every day. Some days, things come easily. Other days, you have to push yourself.
And learning to continue even when you do not feel like continuing is part of seeking knowledge.
Allah ﷻ says:
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
“And those who strive for Us, We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.” (Surah al-‘Ankabut, 29:69)
There is an important principle here:
When a person strives for the sake of Allah, Allah grants him further guidance.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Shall I not tell you of that by which Allah erases sins and raises ranks? Performing Wudu properly despite difficulty, taking many steps to the Masjid, and waiting for one prayer after another. That is Al-Ribat.” (Sahih Muslim, 251a)
Performing Wudu is rewarded in every circumstance. But here, the Prophet ﷺ specifically mentioned doing it when it is difficult.
The extra effort is not lost with Allah.
Yahya ibn Abi Kathir رحمه الله said:
“Knowledge cannot be attained with bodily comfort.”
(Recorded by Imam Muslim in his Sahih, 612f)
Sufyan al-Thawri رحمه الله said:
“I have never struggled with anything more difficult than my own self. Sometimes it was against me, and sometimes it was with me.” (Hilyat al-Awliya’, 7/5)
That struggle with yourself does not disappear once you become serious about seeking knowledge.
Some days, your Nafs will cooperate.
Other days, it will resist everything you are trying to do.
Ibn al-Jawzi رحمه الله said:
“Know that comfort is not attained through comfort, lofty goals are not attained through slackness, whoever sows will reap, and whoever strives will succeed.” (Al-Tabsirah, 1/321)
So do not wait until you feel motivated before seeking knowledge.
Keep seeking it until study becomes part of your life, whether motivation is there or not.
Interestingly, modern research on task resumption points to something similar. Once people begin a task and are interrupted, they often feel a pull to return to it.
Sometimes the hardest part is simply beginning.
You do not always need motivation before you act. Sometimes taking the first step gives you the momentum you were waiting for.
You do not need to feel motivated every time you seek knowledge.
You need to keep showing up, including on the days when you would rather not.
Your Nafs will keep calling you towards comfort.
You have to keep teaching it that not everything worth doing will feel easy.
Team AMAU
www.amauacademy.com