Strengthening Focus
Strengthening Focus: Reading Books and Allocating Small-Time Windows for Focused Activities
Young people often ask me how to navigate the vast world of Islamic knowledge amidst today’s distractions. A young man in his late teens recently asked me for advice. He wanted to know how he could learn more about Islam while managing academics. While answering his inquiry, I realized the importance of reading good books in enhancing attention span and nurturing proper comprehension.
Today, many Muslims have a delusion that knowledge can easily be gained through casual browsing, scrolling, and watching social media shorts and reels. I once heard one of our Dayees mentioning his encounter with a young guy who didn’t do anything for a living even after three years of his graduation. The reason he gave was that he spent this time learning about Islam. He couldn’t quantify his effort when asked. All he really did in those three years was scroll through Islamic videos and listen to a few of them- that was his quest for knowledge. History shows that true knowledge/ilm comes from a structured learning process that is rooted in the wisdom of Salaaf, coupled with guidance from Scholars of Quran and Sunnah, and good companionship.
As I reflect on my own university days, I recall how we managed to find time to play football for a prolonged period despite being at the end of a long day of academic activities. The physical exertion did not affect our focus or stamina. Through these experiences, I realized the connection between physical endurance and mental resilience: just as our bodies adapted and strengthened through consistent practice, so too can our minds develop a greater attention span through the habit of reading. It is important that we read good books to develop sustained focus (which has been eroded by social media clips/shorts/reels) and a deep understanding of the subject matter. A regular reading habit gradually builds cognitive stamina, which empowers individuals to read beyond the brevity of social media updates.
The advice I gave that young man was not to get caught up in the idea that the minimum time to engage in learning should be one hour or more. He should start his day by reading a page of the Quran, followed by the abridged Tafsir. It shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes to complete this activity. If he thinks 1 page is too long, he can resort to half a page and associated tafsir. As he commutes to his educational institutions, he should keep the Adhkar book close to him (avoiding reading from his mobile).
Finally, devote a focused block of time at the end of the day—90 minutes divided between 45 minutes of book reading and 45 minutes of Scholarly Lectures on a particular topic in a playlist (not just random videos suggested by YouTube, even if they are by scholars of Quran and Sunnah). Structured reading sessions and focused content watching incorporated into daily life can improve the habit of sustained attention and ultimately tangible knowledge for Allah.
Developing a profound connection with Ilm begins with reading good books. May Allah give us Barakah in our time. Always remember the Hadith:
Narrated `Aisha RA: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Do good deeds properly, sincerely, and moderately and know that your deeds will not make you enter Paradise and that the most beloved deed to Allah is the most regular and constant even if it were little.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6464)
Abu Aaisha
23 Rajab 1445