Avoid Boring Your Audience
📖Sahih Muslim 2821 a
Shaqiq reported: We were sitting at the door of Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, waiting for him to come out and deliver a sermon to us. At that time, Yazid ibn Mu‘awiyah an-Nakha‘i passed by and we asked him to inform Ibn Mas‘ud of our presence. He went in, and soon Ibn Mas‘ud came out and said:
“I was informed of your presence, but the only thing that delayed me was that I did not want to bore you. The Messenger of Allah ï·º also refrained from giving sermons on some days, fearing it might become a burden for us.”
This hadith shows the remarkable wisdom and emotional intelligence of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions. Ibn Mas‘ud, a senior companion and scholar, didn’t rush to speak just for the sake of it. He followed the Prophet’s method — avoiding overloading the listeners and being sensitive to their attention span. Even though they were eager to learn, he waited until it would be most effective and welcomed. This shows that true teaching isn’t about frequency. it’s about impact.
What we learn from this today:
Not everything needs to be said all the time. Over-teaching, over-preaching, or forcing reminders too often can cause people to tune out.
In an age of information overload, this hadith teaches us the value of wisdom, timing, and respecting people’s mental space.
Religious advice should be given with care, not pressure. Quality over quantity leads to better transformation.
Quranic Context:
📖Quran 20:2-3
We have not sent down the Qur’an to you to cause you distress, but only as a reminder for those who fear [Allah].
The Qur’an itself confirms, its purpose is not to overwhelm or burden, but to gently guide. Teaching should be done with this same spirit.
📖Quran 73:20
…Recite of the Qur’an what is easy for you… Allah knows that there will be among you those who are ill and others traveling… so recite what is easy…
Islam is meant to be a religion of ease and balance. This supports the Prophet’s ﷺ habit of not burdening the companions even with good things like sermons