Looking at the above verse and many others, the thought may cross our minds about how everything has been made so clear yet we humans still struggle.
A key skill or quality we should all try to develop and improve is that of delaying gratification. Developing systems, routines, habits and constraints to facilitate delaying gratification and, instead, work towards that which is meaningful. This will help us in both Deen and Dunya.
An example: Scrolling through social media. Social media sites have been designed by marketing experts and even neuroscientists to keep your attention for as long as possible – the longer they have your attention, the more valuable these sites are to advertisers. The more valuable the sites are to advertisers, the more money they make…
Scrolling through a feed can be “addictive” as it manipulates the secretion of dopamine (and other hormones) in your brain. The science is not that relevant as long as you understand that at the core, chemical cascades and hormones in your brain drive action or inaction.
Now, an example of an action to limit this: Uninstall the app from your phone; set clear time limits for use; install web blockers on your browser etc.
You might say, well that’s obvious. But if it was, why do so many people waste so much time on these sites and then complain about it?
The point is rather than relying on willpower alone, acknowledge your human susceptibilities and leverage the power of systems, constraints or rules to help you live the life you know you should strive to live.
No one is perfect but we can all at least strive, and be smarter about it. In sha Allah.
Aadil
