To remedy the urge to do nothing, one should always begin by seeking out what is beneficial, as our Prophet ﷺ taught us in the hadith that recommends seeking what is profitable for oneself. This search takes place on both the spiritual and material levels. Each day, one must set goals for oneself.
Then, once this search has been made, one must always place one's trust in Allah and ask for His help, for every blessing comes from Him. Indeed, even if one has put in a tremendous amount of effort in one's work, studies, or otherwise, one should never think that the resulting blessing comes from oneself, since it is by Allah's grace that this will have been granted to us.
Furthermore, prayers and supplications will be essential, as will seeking Allah's protection in order to fight against laziness.
If one truly feels morally exhausted, then one should turn to natural remedies. And if the fatigue is chronic, one should also take the appropriate remedies to build up strength, such as trace elements, spirulina, ginseng, acerola, or Chinese mushrooms.
Having goals in life is essential, and of course, the primary goal of every Muslim on earth is to worship Allah. If a person wakes up without knowing what they will do with their day, this is indeed a bad situation. Indeed, the Muslim does not spend a day in vain; they can even plan it, planning their activities, their exercise, or even their diet. Even reading the Qur'an and going to prayer organizes a day. This is why our Prophet ﷺ urged his community to seek protection against laziness. Finally, the morning supplications are very important, and especially this one:
"Allâhumma innî as'aluka 'ilman nâfi'an, wa rizqan tayyiban wa 'amalan mutaqabbalan".
"O Lord! Grant me beneficial knowledge, wholesome provision, and an accepted deed."
Laziness, fatigue, or depression: what's going on?
| Laziness (kasal) | Fatigue | Onset of depression | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you feel | You could, but you put it off; energy comes back as soon as something is enjoyable | The body doesn't follow, even for what's enjoyable; unrefreshing sleep, shortness of breath, feeling cold | Nothing appeals or brings pleasure anymore, sadness or emptiness, for more than two weeks, with changed sleep and appetite |
| What the Sunnah says | The Prophet ﷺ sought refuge from it every day; "be eager for what benefits you" (Muslim 2664) | "Your body has a right over you" (al-Bukhari 1975): sleeping, eating, resting are duties | The prophets knew sadness; you seek help, you don't stay alone |
| What to do | Supplications, goals, an organized day: see the next section | Regular sleep, then blood tests if it lasts; strengtheners afterward | See our remedies for depression; consult a doctor |
The prophetic remedy for laziness
The hadith the professor cites is this one: "Be eager for what benefits you, seek Allah's help, and do not give up. And if something happens to you, do not say 'if only I had done this...', but say: 'this is Allah's decree, and He does what He wills,' for 'if' opens the door to the work of Shaytan" (Muslim 2664). Three movements: seek what is beneficial, rely on Allah, act without regret. And every morning and every evening, the supplication: "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and sadness, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and stinginess, from the burden of debt and the domination of men" (al-Bukhari 6369). The Prophet ﷺ said it so often that Anas knew it by heart. To this we add the one the professor gives, after the morning prayer: "O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, good provision, and accepted deeds" (Ibn Majah 925).
The Prophet's ﷺ day is itself a remedy against laziness, and the professor says so: "the Muslim does not spend a day in vain." It rests on the five prayers, which divide time into blocks and require getting up, washing, going out. Concretely:
- Get up for fajr and do not go back to sleep: "O Allah, bless my community in its morning" (Abu Dawud 2606). The morning supplications, then the day's first task before the phone.
- Three goals per day, written the night before, as the professor advises: one for Allah (a page of Qur'an, a charitable act), one for the body (walking, exercise), one for work or the home.
- One task per prayer block: between fajr and dhuhr the core work, after dhuhr administrative matters, after 'asr movement, after maghrib family time, after 'isha an early bedtime.
- Start with five minutes: laziness retreats before the first action, not before willpower. You open the file, put on your shoes, wash a glass.
- A short nap (qaylulah) after dhuhr, 20 minutes, no more: it is the Sunnah, and it prevents the afternoon slump.
- In the evening, take stock: what was done, with praise, without "if only."
If it's real fatigue: look for the cause before the strengthener
The professor says: "if the fatigue is chronic, take the appropriate remedies." The first is a blood test. Fatigue lasting more than a month most often has a simple, measurable cause: an iron deficiency without even anemia, which impairs muscle and brain function and is corrected with iron (Curr Med Res Opin, 2018); low vitamin D, very common; an underactive thyroid; insufficient or broken sleep (snoring with pauses, restless legs); onset of diabetes; or the aftermath of an infection. Ferritin, vitamin D, TSH, blood glucose, complete blood count: a blood test says a lot. To this add your plate (the rule of thirds, fruit before the meal, no fast sugar that causes a crash), water, and 30 minutes of walking a day: movement is the most proven strengthener for fatigue.
The professor's strengtheners, tested against the studies
- Ginseng. Two meta-analyses of randomized trials find a modest but significant effect of ginseng on illness-related fatigue, with few adverse effects (Medicine, 2022), (J Integr Complement Med, 2023). In the morning, 200 to 400 mg of extract, four to eight weeks; not in the evening, not with anticoagulants or uncontrolled high blood pressure.
- Spirulina. In four individual randomized placebo-controlled trials, it did not improve unexplained chronic fatigue (Phytother Res, 2007). It has a place if the fatigue comes from an iron deficiency, for its iron and protein content; otherwise, no.
- Acerola: vitamin C, useful if your diet lacks it; no effect of its own on fatigue in someone who eats fruit.
- Mushrooms (reishi, cordyceps): Chinese tradition, a few trials on fatigue with mixed results; on medical advice, in a short course.
- Trace elements: magnesium if there are cramps and nervousness, iron and zinc based on testing; a random cocktail doesn't strengthen anything.
The strengthener comes after addressing the cause and lifestyle, never in their place: ginseng on top of five hours of sleep only masks the problem.
Contraindications and precautions
Fatigue with weight loss, fever, shortness of breath, pain, bleeding, or that prevents you from working should be shown to a doctor without waiting for a routine blood test. A lack of desire to do anything with sadness, dark thoughts, and loss of pleasure for more than two weeks is the onset of depression: talk about it, don't treat yourself with ginseng. Ginseng should be avoided during pregnancy, with anticoagulants, and with high blood pressure; spirulina in people with autoimmune disease or phenylketonuria. And "doing nothing" is not always laziness: the body has a right, and the rest of someone who has carried too much is an act of obedience, not a fault.
Frequently asked questions
What does Prophetic Medicine say about fighting fatigue?
First distinguish: laziness, fatigue, or sadness. Against laziness, the Prophet's ﷺ daily supplication, seeking what is beneficial, goals, and a day organized around the prayers. Against real fatigue, the body's right (sleep, food), then a blood test and strengtheners like ginseng.
What supplication helps against laziness?
"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and sadness, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and stinginess, from the burden of debt and the domination of men" (al-Bukhari), morning and evening. And after fajr: "O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, good provision, and accepted deeds."
Is ginseng effective against fatigue?
The meta-analyses show a modest but real effect, especially on illness-related fatigue. In the morning, for a course of a few weeks, after checking there isn't a deficiency to correct first.
Does spirulina give you energy?
Not by itself: placebo-controlled trials show no effect on unexplained fatigue. It helps if the fatigue comes from an iron deficiency, of which it is a good source.
When should you get a blood test?
As soon as fatigue lasts more than a month despite proper sleep: ferritin, vitamin D, thyroid, blood glucose, complete blood count. The cause is often simple and correctable, and no strengthener replaces that correction.
