Experiencing Spiritual Cloudy Conditions, Here are the Characteristics and How to Overcome It

darulmaarif.net – Indramayu, 13 October 2025 | 10.00 WIB

“The point is that every alms has a spirit and every moment there is a blessing.” (HR. Imam Ahmad, Sahih al-Jami’is Shoghir)

The hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad above shows that every practice has a moment of enthusiasm and also a time of future. Futur linguistically means broken, weak and weak. (Al-Mukhtasr As-Shihah, Chapter fatara). According to Ar-Raghib in Al-Mufradat fi Gharibil Qur’an (p. 731), Futur means breaking after being connected, soft after being hard, and weak after being strong. In line with Ar-Raghib, Ibn Mandzur in Lisanul Arabic wrote, “A person has futur; breaking up after being connected and soft after being hard.” (Lisanul Arabic, Bab fatara). Meanwhile, in the Book of Afatun ‘alat Tariq (1/19) it is explained that futur is lazy, slow and relaxed after being serious, diligent and enthusiastic.

Future is an important term in Sufism. He described the situation when a spiritual person who is on the path to godhood experiences a situation of being “down,” discouraged, and discouraged. Like a lamp, “futur” is a condition when the mental lamp is as “mblêrêk,” fading its light.

But “futur” also describes mental states in general; not only in terms of Sufism. When one morning we are suddenly “sluggish,” lazy to move, unwilling to do our morning walking or jogging routine, that is futur.

The condition of human “innards” is very fluctuating, like a wave. There are times when a person experiences a high/up situation: his enthusiasm overflows. This is what is called euphoria. There are other times when the person’s innards recede. In moments like this, he seems to lose his “taste” to do anything, aka he is lazy.

Everyone has experienced ups and downs in mental conditions like this. If this future situation occurs, we will usually experience discomfort, melancholia, and even sadness. This is the moment of “gloomy,” cloudy in our souls; spiritual cloudiness.

Maintaining conditions so that our “innards” or mental state are continuously stable is clearly difficult and very difficult. The most that can be done, the furthest thing, is to ensure that the fluctuations and ups and downs of our “innards” are not too drastic. If you are enthusiastic, don’t overdo it; if you are losing “fire” it is also not extreme. Middle. This is perhaps the spiritual situation called “istiqomah”.

Birth usually occurs slowly. This means that a person is not immediately completely cut off from a charity after previously being diligent, enthusiastic and routine in carrying out a charity. But it starts from the phenomena of laziness, boredom and the like which are not realized and not overcome. So when the phenomena and symptoms become more acute, it is difficult to recover.

Therefore, recognizing future phenomena and symptoms is very important, so that it is easy to avoid them or overcome them when they first occur. Like a disease, recognizing the symptoms is one way to avoid and treat it when it occurs. The following is a brief description of 10 future phenomena and symptoms that you need to know so that you can easily avoid this disease.

Being lazy in performing Worship and Obedience

This is also one of the characteristics of the Munafiq, Allah SWT says about it in Surah An-Nisa verse 142:

Hypocrites deceive God, and He deceives them, and when they stand to pray, they stand lazily.

Meaning: “Indeed, those who want to deceive Allah, even though the Almighty has power over their culture, if they wake up for prayer in a lazy state. (QS. An-Nisa verse 142)

This phenomenon includes laziness in performing evening prayers, witr prayers, and sunnah prayers, which if missed, are rarely made up to. Apart from that, another example of this symptom and phenomenon is neglecting to read the Koran and make dhikr. Usually this starts from feeling difficult to do (reading the Qur’an and dhikr), then gradually abandoned.

The heart feels barren and hardened

The hardness of the heart due to sin makes a person no longer deceived by reading the Koran and mau’idzah (advice). Because the heart has been closed by sin. As Allah says in surah al-muthaffin verse 14;

No, but what they gain is visible in their hearts.

Meaning: “No, but their hearts are closed by their sins.” (QS. Al-Muthaffin Verse 14)

Sometimes the heart is hard to the point of not being able to learn lessons from death or the presence of dead people. He saw corpses or passed graves, but his heart was not touched in the slightest. However, death is a warning. “Shaping the bilmati into ‘IDzone“;Death is sufficient as a warning,” said Amirul Mu’minin Umar bin Khatab Radhiyallahu ‘anhu.

Committing sins and crimes

The acts of sin and evil referred to here are sins and sins that are committed without realizing it and are accompanied by an attitude of disdain for sin and evil. Sins and sins that are committed with conscience and deliberately without feeling guilty will continue in the attitude of mujaharah (committing open sins).

“Every one of my people deserves forgiveness, except those who act openly,” said Rasulullah (SAW). (Ter. Sahih Bukhori and Muslim Hadith)

Not being responsible and underestimating and underestimating the trust placed on his shoulders

The future person usually does not respect the hidden trust in him. He lives without high targets and goals. Attention and targets are very low. His ambitions and desires are not high. Whatever problems befall Muslims. If you are given the mandate and obligation to preach, you will take it for granted and ignore it, even though fulfilling the mission is part of your faith. The Prophet denied the perfection of faith because of insecurity.

The Termination of the Fraternal Relationship Between Two People Who Previously Loved Each Other

Among the future phenomena is hating each other and distancing themselves from each other after previously loving each other. Of course, this phenomenon is caused by the sins of each or one of the parties. The Prophet said about this, “No two people love each other because of Allah or because of Islam, unless they are separated by a sin committed by one of them.” (HR. Ahmad and Al-Haitsami).

This then continues with the attitude of avoiding pious friends and relatives, then choosing to be alone or hanging out with bad friends which makes him even further from the right path. The words of the noble Apostle are true, “A person depends on the religion of his close friends, so each of you should pay attention to who he makes close friends.”

Busy with worldly affairs and neglecting worship

The world is tempting and tempting. Few people survive his trap. So sometimes we find someone who was once famous and very enthusiastic about studying and preaching. But after exploring the world and being busy with it, he became more and more absorbed so he changed. His heart depends on the world. His enthusiasm, busyness and obsession are only for the world.

Lots of Talking and Little Work

People like this are usually busy talking and telling what they have done in the past. “I used to do this and that”, “I used to do this and that”, “I was the one who initiated and pioneered the program”, etc. He is more busy discussing what he has done in the past than doing work that is useful and brings results in the present. People like this are also happy and are good at debating and putting forward theories, but are lazy about working.

Excessive in matters of eating, drinking, clothing, and reception

These things should not be too overwhelming to ignore and completely ignore. Just enough and no need to overdo it, as God has done; “O grandson of Adam, wear your beautiful clothes in every (mosque), and eat and drink, but do not overdo it. (Ter. QS. Al-A’raf verse 31)

People who have contracted futur disease usually devote all their attention to the things above (food, drink, clothing and vehicles). In fact, for a Muslim it is limited to wasilah and a means of worship to get closer to Allah.

The Extinguishing of the Fire of Jealousy, the Weakening of the Flames of Faith, and the Absence of Anger When God’s Rules Are Violated

Future society is usually insensitive to previous accidents and abuses. He saw the criminal, but it seemed normal to him. Seeing people sin, as if nothing had happened. Although at least you can act with a minimum standard (weak faith), namely hating sin and being honest in your heart, like Rosululloh saw.

Other Phenomena and Symptoms

Apart from the nine symptoms and phenomena above, there are still other forms which are signs of the future, including,

(a) Wasting time and not using it well to do more useful things. He spends more time on unimportant things.

(b) Working haphazardly and haphazardly and without clear targets and objectives.

(c) Deceiving yourself by pretending to be busy, even though you are actually unemployed and relaxing. He is busy with trivial and useless work, so other more urgent work is best.

(d) Criticize all positive activities and do not participate in charity. He mostly looks for excuses to cover up his fussiness and laziness, and

(e) Likes to procrastinate work and daydreams for a long time, so that none of the work or assignments are completed.

It is important to know that there are future dangers and the obligation to free oneself from them, both with preventive and curative efforts. This is so that we can take advantage of various therapeutic methods and various solutions. Sheikh Prof. Dr. Nashir bin Sulaiman Al-Umar in the book Al-Futur: Al-Madzahir, Al-Asbab, wa Al-‘Ilaj mentions several effective steps to ward off spiritual clouds:

1. Keeping the faith and renewing it,
2. Muraqabatullah and many meditated on Him.
3. Sincerely and fearfully,
4. Clear your heart,
5. Seek knowledge, study discipline, and diligently attend religious and religious lectures,
6. Understanding Fiqh Waqi’ (Fiqh of Reality).
7. The correct Manhaj, the basic points of reduction, and carrying out Manhaj Talaqqi,
8. Wasathiyah (fair, moderate, middle),
9. Managing time and self-introspection,
10. Commitment to the Jama’ah,
11. Take care of futurism people,
12. comprehensive and complete training,
13. Carry out various acts of worship and charity,
14. great example,
15. High ambition, noble goals, and fertilizing spirit,
16. Increasing dhikrul will and worrying about su’ul khatimah,
17. Be patient and strengthen your patience,
18. Pray and ask for help from SWT.

(Dinuil dare Buku All-Futur; Al-Madzahir, Al-Asbab, Apa All-‘Illage, Carria Sheikh. Prof. DR. Nashir was Sulaiman All-Umar)

When future or “SUCCESSFUL SUCCESS” start to cover your heart, don’t panic. These gray clouds can be removed with dhikr, tholabul ‘ilmi, and sincere prayer. A heart that continues to be watered with faith will become bright again. May Allah SWT keep us always in the light of istiqomah and kept away from debilitating futures.

Hope it is useful. Wallohu a’lam.