Lesson 1 of 6 · Two problems, one accusation
A state, with a name, that was asked about
Two things worth putting next to each other at the start.
Study is not a secular chore competing with your religion. The first revelation was an instruction to read, and it names the pen and the teaching of what man did not know. The Prophet, peace be upon him, who was receiving that revelation, was taught to ask for an increase in knowledge. And the same book says Allah will raise up, by many degrees, those of you who believe and those who have been given knowledge. Knowledge sits beside belief in that sentence rather than against it.
And in the supplications below he sought refuge from kasal, listlessness or laziness, by name, alongside worry and grief and incapacity, and in a second wording alongside decrepit old age. Read what that implies, and notice the company the word keeps. Incapacity and old age are states that arrive and are asked to be lifted. They are not verdicts on the sort of person you are, and neither is this one.
Qur’an and Sunnah
My Lord, increase me in knowledge. The Prophet, peace be upon him, receiving revelation, was taught to ask for more knowledge, which is why study is not a secular chore competing with your religion.
فَتَعَٰلَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمَلِكُ ٱلۡحَقُّۗ وَلَا تَعۡجَلۡ بِٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يُقۡضَىٰٓ إِلَيۡكَ وَحۡيُهُۥۖ وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدۡنِي عِلۡمࣰ ا
exalted be God, the one who is truly in control. [Prophet], do not rush to recite before the revelation is fully complete but say, ‘Lord, increase me in knowledge!’
Qur’an 20:114
The first revelation there was is an instruction to read, which is why study is not something set against your religion.
ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ
Read! In the name of your Lord who created
Qur’an 96:1
The passage is shown whole rather than cut to its first word, because what it goes on to name is the point.
خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِنۡ عَلَقٍ
He created manfrom a clinging form
Qur’an 96:2
The instruction is repeated here, and what follows it is the reason this passage is shown at all.
ٱقۡرَأۡ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡأَكۡرَمُ
Read! Your Lord is the Most Bountiful One
Qur’an 96:3
The pen is named in the first revelation there was, alongside the instruction to read.
ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ
who taught by [means of] the pen
Qur’an 96:4
That is where the passage lands, and it is why studying is not a thing set against your religion but something the first revelation opened with.
عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ
who taught man what he did not know
Qur’an 96:5
Knowledge sits beside belief in that sentence rather than against it, and both are named together as what gets raised up.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمۡ تَفَسَّحُواْ فِي ٱلۡمَجَٰلِسِ فَٱفۡسَحُواْ يَفۡسَحِ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡۖ وَإِذَا قِيلَ ٱنشُزُواْ فَٱنشُزُواْ يَرۡفَعِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ دَرَجَٰتࣲۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرࣱ
You who believe, if you are told to make room for one another in your assemblies, then do so, and God will make room for you, and if you are told to rise up, do so: God will raise up, by many degrees, those of you who believe and those who have been given knowledge: He is fully aware of what you do
Qur’an 58:11
He sought refuge from kasal, listlessness or laziness, by name, alongside worry and grief and incapacity. Notice the company the word keeps. Those are states that arrive and are asked to be lifted, not verdicts on the sort of person you are.
Narrated Anas bin Malik:The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say, "O Allah! I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by (other) men." (See Hadith No)
Sahih al-Bukhari 6369graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading
The same supplication in a second wording, where kasal stands alongside decrepit old age. Notice the company the word keeps. These are states that arrive and are asked to be lifted, not verdicts on the sort of person you are, and one wording would be a thin basis for saying so.
Narrated `Aisha:The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say, "O Allah! I seek refuge with You from laziness and geriatric old age, from all kinds of sins and from being in debt; from the trial and affliction of the grave and from the punishment in the grave; from the affliction of the Fire and from the punishment of the Fire; and from the evil of the affliction of wealth; and I seek refuge with You from the affliction of poverty, and I seek refuge with You from the affliction of Al-Mesiah Ad-Dajjal. O Allah! Wash away my sins with the water of snow and hail, and cleanse my heart from all the sins as a white garment is cleansed from the filth, and let there be a long distance between me and my sins, as You made East and West far from each other
Sahih al-Bukhari 6368graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading
Translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, The Qur'an, Oxford University Press, 2004.