Causes of apathy
There are many causes of apathy and they vary in importance. Some of them are: insincerity in performing deeds, ostentation, and a lack of religious knowledge that makes one ignorant of the reward of deeds and the virtues of patience. Also, being attached to this worldly life and forgetting the Hereafter, perhaps because of obeying or being occupied with one’s spouse and children, causes one to neglect many acts of obedience, and if one is not alert, to misunderstand religion itself. This may seem a strange possibility, but what is even more bizarre is for one to understand the nature of this religion and taste the sweetness of faith, and then stop working for its development. Additionally, other causes include: committing sins and evil deeds and consuming money procured through unlawful or doubtful means.
As for why those who call others to Islam fall prey to apathy, the reasons are numerous:
· Being unclear of one’s goals behind his or her propagation, which should be: seeking the satisfaction of Allah The Almighty, liberating people from slavery to any entity other than the Lord of the worlds and establishing the religion of Allah on earth.
· Weakness of belief in the goal or the means employed in Da'wah.
· Extremism that drives one to despair and abandoning his or her work
· Apprehension because of the many impediments and obstacles in the path of Da'wah and the preacher, which Allah The Almighty has tested all previous callers to Islam with.
· Independence and reclusiveness that leads to misery and boredom.
· Adopting limited methods of propagation and not considering new means that may assist in conveying the message to people and at the same time, retain the principles of Da'wah and its spirit. For example, people may avoid a variation in the modes of address, whereas everyone should be spoken to in a manner that suits their level of intellect and the medium they prefer: audio or print, or other forms. Likewise, there is sometimes no variation in the method of delivering lectures of knowledge and the Quran, in terms of place and means.
· Forgetting the persistent enmity of Satan.
· Being heedless of the challenge the disbelievers present for Muslims and that they utilize every means to turn us away from our religion and contrive plots against us.
· The illusions and whispers of the devil that sow fear and cast doubts in the heart of the caller about the soundness of the way that he or she is following.
In addition to the aforesaid causes, there are diseases of the heart: envy, suspicions about others, hatred, love of fame, arrogance and negligence in performing acts of worship, such as the daily prayers and Thikr (remembrance of Allah The Almighty). Also, apathy may stem from believing victory is out of reach, always expecting immediate results, having a lack of stability because there is no sense of direction, leaving work uncompleted and moving on to something else, looking at those lesser in terms of knowledge and worship, thereby undermining the morale, and socializing with those who seek this worldly life, thus being negatively influenced by them.
Indeed, only those whom Allah The Almighty protects, are saved from that and from being overcome by apathy when treating one’s state of indifference.
Treatment of apathy
Allah The Almighty provided a remedy for every disease, apathy being one of the severest spiritual kind. When left unnoticed, it leads an inflicted person toward deviation and may very well cause his or her ultimate destruction. Hence, treatment is very important, by utilizing every means that prevent the disease from occurring and eradicating it if it has already developed. The following are some of the most important means that would be useful in that regard:
- Avoiding the causes that lead to this disease, which is the most crucial factor in helping safeguard a person from its evil. Moreover, it is necessary to realize the gravity of the illness and the significance of avoiding it, through precautionary measures or proper treatment.
- Supplicating to Allah The Almighty and seeking His help, as He is the One Who responds to the prayer of the distressed; and indeed, whoever is afflicted in faith and fears destruction, is in the worst state of distress. Moreover, it is only He Whose help is sought in everything, as the Prophet, , commanded Mu‘aath, may Allah be pleased with him, to say at the end of every prayer: "Allahumma a‘inni ‘alaa thikrika wa-shukrika wa-husni ‘ibaadatik (O Allah, Help me to remember [only] You, thank You and worship You perfectly)."
- Enhancing, renewing and caring to increase one's faith by intensifying worship, for this is the true provision of the believer that alleviates his or her suffering on the trying path to Paradise.
- Having confidence in the oversight of Allah the Almighty and increasing one's remembrance of Him. This necessitates fearing, glorifying, loving and imploring Him, and believing in His knowledge and omnipotence. By invoking Him, one’s heart becomes tranquil; but, perhaps the greatest of all acts, is strengthening one's bond with the Quran through frequent recitation, understanding, contemplation and application. Moreover, one is required to consider it as a judge and refer all issues and disputes to its authority; surely, the one who is not guided by the Quran will be led astray by his or her fancies.
- Sincerity and piety; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, if you fear Allah, He Will Grant you a criterion [between right and wrong].} [Quran 8:29]
- Purifying hearts from animosity, rancor, jealousy and ill thoughts of others; this helps to open the heartand guard its integrity.
- Seeking knowledge, as it is very important to attend religious lectures and circles of Thikr. Knowledge is the way to knowing and fearing Allah The Almighty, and it is the provision of one's heart.
- Being moderate in worship and all righteous deeds.
- Organizing one's time and constantly calling oneself to account.
- Adhering to the society of Muslims and strengthening the ties of brotherhood.
- Maintaining relations with those who may also be overcome by apathy and aiding them in avoiding deviation.
- Having been brought up according to the comprehensive methodology of the Prophet, , which is a deterrent to listlessness.
- Performing numerous good deeds and not the exact same ones. Thikr, recitation of the Quran, prayers, reading useful books, enjoining good, forbidding evil, helping others to fulfill their needs and relieving the troubled, are but a few examples.
- Following the paradigm of the Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, and the sincere preachers, in their zeal, punctuality and righteousness, steadfastness, noble aims and determination. A Muslim's first concern should be Paradise and main purpose, seeking the satisfaction of Allah The Almighty by continuing to worship, until death arrives.
- Remembering death frequently, fearing an evil demise, visiting the graves and seeing people in the throes of death. This urges a Muslim to repent without delay, have a content heart and a body yearning to worship. On the other hand, forgetting about death leads a person to adopt the opposite.
- Remembering Paradise and Hell and reading their descriptions in the Quran and the Sunnah; this would strengthen the determination of a Muslim and sharpen his or her resolve.
- Increasing and carrying on in righteous deeds, while avoiding slackness. This is especially important with respect to routine acts of worship, because a person who abandons a voluntary deed is very close to leaving an obligation as well.
- Being patient and training oneself to be so. Undoubtedly, the way of knowledge, worship and Da’wah is lengthy, strenuous and full of troubles and hardship. We seek the help of Allah The Almighty to keep us steadfast on His religion and grant us a good end.