It’s my strong belief that the Quran contains one of the best personal-development technologies in existence. Islam has all the tools we need to succeed and we must put them to use. The following lessons can transform our lives in profound ways.
Every little thing matters
Anyone who does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and anyone who does an atom’s weight of harm will see it.
Quran 99:7-8
Human beings tend to think that the small actions we do daily are irrelevant and that only big decisions have the power to affect the course of our lives. This view is mistaken. Small actions are our lives and they create our future because life builds on a moment-by-moment basis.
Value time
Our time is truly our only resource in life and it’s the most precious asset that we possess. Unless we learn to manage our time, we’ll be unable to achieve anything of value. Mindless, meaningless continuous entertainment is a complete waste of life and is entirely against the teachings of Islam.
It’s something followers must be very careful about since it is promoted constantly in our instant gratification and consumerism focused society. Followers must be vigilant about their time and consciously decide how to spend it.
Problems are opportunities
And behold, with every hardship comes ease. Indeed, with every hardship comes ease.
Quran 94:5-6
Problems and hardships are an inevitable part of life. They’re indeed a sign of life. We’ll only stop having problems when we stop having a life. Once we accept this reality, we can move ahead and change how we see our problems.
Problems have purpose and meaning. They aren’t random and they aren’t God’s punishment. They’re placed in our lives for our benefit and growth. Through problems we grow, become stronger, and rise to the next level.
Self-Confidence through reliance on God
Lack of self-confidence is an epidemic in our society. People look for it in all the wrong places where it can never be found. Self-confidence comes from depending on God and knowing that He’s there to help and protect us. In Islam, followers believe that everything comes from the grace of God. They’ve self-confidence because they’ve complete reliance and trust in the creator.
Willpower as a result of faith
Strong will power and perseverance are required to achieve any goal in life. Without willpower and sustained effort, a person can’t do anything. The Quran explains that one of the basic weaknesses in human nature is the weakness of will.
As most of us have experienced, it’s very difficult to achieve anything with willpower alone. We need faith and prayer to affirm our efforts. Faith is the very thing that gives followers the strength to systematically and continuously persevere in our efforts.
