The Holy Qur’an, as well as instructing people on the necessary rituals of worship, guides people to make their daily lives productive. The habit of procrastination creates obstacles in the lives of individuals in fulfilling their responsibilities and achieving their goals. The Qur’an informs us that people who ignore God’s commands delay pondering over the Hereafter and prioritize the present life. As stated in al-Insan (The Human), 76:27: These people (who are unmindful of God) love that which hastens away, and they leave (the thought of) a heavy day behind.
We can deduce from this verse that people who do not ponder over the end of affairs also prioritize the things that will yield quick results, chase fleeting pleasures, and postpone dealing with issues that are difficult or require long-term effort. That is another description of procrastination.
The Qur’an does not consider the concept of procrastination in isolation. It presents a broad perspective that includes the causes and solutions to this problem. From this point of view, we see that the Qur’an emphasizes a strong will, time consciousness, self-discipline, and responsibility in human life:
Self-Discipline:
One of the principles laid down by the Qur’an in this regard is self-discipline, primarily keeping one’s promises to oneself and others (Isra 17:34, Mu’minoon 23:8).
Self-Criticism and Self-Monitoring:
Being aware of one’s own actions in carrying out any work and what one has postponed or not done when one should have done it, and being self-critical (Qiyamat 75:14-15) instead of making excuses to exonerate oneself (Najm 53:32) will be important steps in getting rid of procrastination.
Time Management:
Time management is, of course, the most important factor against procrastination. For this reason, God swears upon time and it is revealed in Surah Asr that anyone who does not utilize his time for good deeds is at a loss every moment.
In addition, God commands everyone to prepare for tomorrow in this life and the Hereafter while in this world, and to check on what they do (Hashr 59:18).
Planning:
To spend life as efficiently as possible, one should plan and prepare to achieve their goals. In Tawbah 9:46, while criticizing those who claim they want to go to war, God says, ‘If they wanted to go to war, they would certainly have made a preparation.’ Once the goal is set and preparations are made, people work on their tasks. When one step is completed or they tire of that work, they change tasks to take steps they had planned for another goal (Inshirah 94:7).
Motivation:
Many people today suffer from a life without purpose. However, God created life and death to test which of us will do the best deeds (Mu’minoon 23:115, Anqabut 29:2, Mulk 67:2, Qiyamah 75:36). This means that the purpose of life is to do good deeds and to face the difficulties encountered along the way by following God’s path. Therefore, one should set good goals for oneself (Baqarah 2:148) and be motivated to work towards them by encouraging good deeds, working and competing for the good (Al-e Imran 3:114, Mu’minoon 23:61).
Distractions:
Those who try to do good deeds will always be confronted with distractions because the primary purpose of the Devil and his followers is to prevent good. Today, instead of facing their problems and working to overcome them, people prefer to postpone them and spend their free time “blowing off steam” through pleasurable games and entertainment, illegitimate relationships, betting, gambling, etc. The end of such people is clearly described in the Qur’an (Muddaththir 74:45, Tur 52:12). On the other hand, the believers are emphasized to stay away from vain things (Mu’minoon 23:3).
An Example:
In the Qur’an, Surat al-Tawbah, there is an example of three people – one of whom, according to the narrations, was named Ka’b bin Malik – who intended to join the expedition to Tabuk but kept postponing their preparations. Despite the approaching expedition, they did not make any preparations and kept stalling, thinking “I will start tomorrow”, and in the end, they could not join the troops and were left behind. After the expedition, they were forgiven for their righteousness and honesty, but in the process, they were subjected to temporary social exclusion. This example is a powerful lesson of the consequences of procrastination, delay, and failure to act on time.
Conclusion:
The Qur’an provides solutions for those who want to overcome procrastination. The combination of responsibility, self-discipline, time management, and avoiding distractions is the way to overcome this problem.
Ayşe BEKDEMİR
A. Zeynep DÖNMEZ
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