EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA — A member of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah’s Council for Religious Opinion and Reform, Muchammad Ichsan, reminded Muslims not to become trapped in their comfort zones.
He delivered the message during the Tarjih Sermon held on Wednesday (24/6).
Ichsan explained that the term comfort zone refers to a state of life that is stable, secure, and involves minimal risk. By nature, people are drawn to comfort because it provides peace and well-being. However, excessive comfort can become a trap that discourages individuals from changing and improving themselves.
“A comfort zone is a condition in which a person feels safe and faces no significant challenges. The problem is that such a condition often causes people to lose the motivation to strive and grow,” he said.
According to Ichsan, popular psychology commonly identifies three life zones.
The first is the comfort zones where individuals feel safe and secure.
The second is the learning zone where people are continuously encouraged to acquire new knowledge and develop their potential.
The third is the panic zone, a state of excessive pressure that prevents individuals from thinking and acting effectively.
He emphasized that Islam does not encourage believers to remain in a state of panic, nor does it promote complacency in a comfort zone. Rather, the ideal position for a Muslim is the learning zone, a continual process of self-improvement and growth in both personal development and faith.
Comfort is a Need, Not a Goal
Ichsan explained that Islam does not oppose comfort. On the contrary, comfort is a legitimate human need that is permissible—and even encouraged—when pursued within proper boundaries.
People naturally desire comfortable homes, satisfying jobs, reliable transportation, and peaceful places of worship. Facilities that enhance devotion, such as clean and well-maintained mosques, represent positive forms of comfort.
However, he cautioned against making comfort the ultimate goal of life. When comfort becomes one’s primary pursuit, people tend to seek only pleasurable experiences while avoiding struggle and sacrifice.
“What feels comfortable is not necessarily what is good. Comfort should be a means of living well, not the purpose of life itself,” he stressed.
According to him, many people eventually become trapped in overly comfortable lifestyles, losing the motivation to improve themselves. Yet genuine growth and progress arise from the willingness to face challenges and continue learning.
To illustrate the dangers of remaining in a comfort zone, Ichsan referred to the story of Nokia, once the world’s leading mobile phone company.
“A comfort zone is necessary, but when it makes us complacent and unwilling to grow, that comfort becomes a disaster,” he said.
He added that this phenomenon affects not only individuals but also organizations, institutions, and even entire societies.
Tawakkul Does Not Mean Passive Surrender
Responding to a participant’s question about the relationship between tawakkul, qana’ah, and the comfort zone, Ichsan emphasized that Islam teaches a balance between personal effort and reliance upon Allah.
According to him, qana’ah means accepting Allah’s provision and decree with gratitude. However, it should never be interpreted as passivity or an excuse to stop striving.
Likewise, tawakkul does not mean abandoning effort. Rather, it means entrusting the outcome to Allah after exerting one’s best efforts.
Ichsan explained that in the well-known hadith about birds relying upon Allah for their sustenance, the birds still leave their nests each morning to search for food. In other words, tawakkul is always preceded by effort.
“If someone simply surrenders without working, that is not tawakkul taught by Islam,” he said.
During the session, Ichsan also discussed the relationship between comfort and istidraj. He explained that istidraj refers to a condition in which Allah continuously grants a person worldly blessings, yet those blessings are used to persist in sinful behavior.
Therefore, not every form of comfort is beneficial. Some kinds of comfort should be abandoned because they contradict Islamic teachings.
He cited examples such as becoming comfortable with neglecting prayer, delaying acts of worship, gambling, or other harmful habits. Although such behaviors may feel pleasant, they ultimately distance a person from Allah’s pleasure.
“In Islam, comfort is not measured simply by how pleasant it feels, but by whether it conforms to the guidance of the religion,” he said.
Learning until the End of Life
Responding to another question regarding the obligation to continue learning about Islam, Ichsan stressed that every Muslim should constantly move from the comfort zone into the learning zone.
He observed that many Muslims have allowed their religious knowledge to stagnate since childhood. Their Qur’anic recitation, memorization, and understanding of Islam remain at the same level they had in elementary school.
Yet, according to him, Islam is a religion of action and continuous striving that requires its followers to keep developing throughout their lives.
“We should never be satisfied with our current condition. Every day should bring improvement and move us toward becoming better than we were before,” he said.
He also reminded the audience that retirement should never be seen as the end of one’s productive years. On the contrary, once people have achieved stability and gained more free time, they should continue developing themselves, serving others, and producing works that benefit society.
