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This article explores the balance between spiritual energy and fatigue, showing how true aspiration reflects inner strength and faith.
By Faisal Alzamel
Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“These hearts have moments of approach and withdrawal. When they approach, engage them with voluntary acts; and when they withdraw, confine them to the obligatory ones.”
This statement acknowledges that a believer who prays, performs voluntary acts of worship, and hastens toward good deeds may sometimes feel weary or lose zeal, whether due to life’s burdens or mental preoccupations. Such phases, however, are temporary and do not last.
Understanding Spiritual Energy and Fatigue
In both states, energy and fatigue, it is important to observe certain principles:
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When You Feel Energetic and Motivated
If you sense enthusiasm, increase your acts of worship and good deeds. Do not waste a moment, for this is the springtime of the soul, and its duration is brief. Hasten to seize it and be creative in doing good. Ali ibn Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “He whose today is equal to his yesterday is a loser.” Let every day bring a new idea, a new act of goodness, and perform voluntary deeds that compensate for any deficiency in your obligations.
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When You Experience Fatigue or Spiritual Dullness
Do not neglect the obligatory acts, as Umar advised, for these serve as your minimum foundation. Never imagine that this lethargy is permanent; it is only a passing test of faith. Be wary of Satan’s whisperings, which invite ease and negligence in worship.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) provided guidance on how to overcome this state: “Satan ties three knots at the back of the head of any of you when he sleeps, saying: ‘You have a long night ahead, so sleep.’ If he wakes and remembers Allah, one knot is untied; if he performs ablution, another is untied; and if he prays, all the knots are untied. He then rises in the morning energetic and in good spirits; otherwise, he rises lazy and with a foul disposition.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Indeed, zeal and activity are signs of psychological health and spiritual strength combined.
True Asceticism and Energy in Action
Once, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a man pretending to be overly ascetic and weak. He waved his stick at him and said: “Do not make our religion die before us—may Allah cause you to die!” Among the examples of the righteous, Al-Shifa bint Abd Allah once observed a group of young men walking slowly and speaking softly. She asked, “Who are these?” They replied, “They are ascetics.” She responded: “By Allah, Umar—when he spoke, he made himself heard; when he walked, he walked swiftly; when he struck, he struck firmly. By Allah, he was the true ascetic!”
Another instance during Umar’s caliphate illustrates his energy and vitality. A group of Companions were sitting by a wall when a horseman galloped toward them, raising a cloud of dust. Alarmed, they moved aside, only to find Umar himself dismounting. When asked why he was riding so quickly, he replied: “Why should you be surprised? I felt energetic, so I took one of the Zakat horses and rode it at full speed.”