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بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى أَشْرَفِ الأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالمُرْسَلِينَ، نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْلِيمًا كَثِيرًا كَثِيرًا، أَمَّا بَعْدُ.
When we examine our daily routines honestly, we must confront an essential question: where do I invest my time, my energy, and my resources?
Today, our greatest leak in productivity and spiritual focus is screen addiction. Look at the analytics on your phone: people routinely spend four, five, or six hours every single day staring into small screens: scrolling through endless social media feeds, consuming superficial reels, or playing games. If you are awake for sixteen hours and spend five to six hours on a screen, that means more than a third of your conscious life is being poured into digital vanity.
When you ask people, “What beneficial book did you read in the last six months? What Islamic subject did you systematically study?”, the immediate, reflexive answer is almost always: “I simply don’t have the time.”
Let us be entirely truthful with ourselves: you have time to scroll Instagram, you have time to watch YouTube clips, you have time for messaging and idle banter, but you do not have time for the Book of Allah or for reading that which elevates your mind and soul? We do not suffer from a shortage of time. Allah ﷻ has given every single human being precisely twenty-four hours in every day. What we suffer from is a shortage of focus and a profound distortion of our priorities.
Another crucial element of personal growth and ROI is capturing and retaining the lessons of life. When you read, attend lectures, or experience life’s trials, do you record what you learn? If you do not maintain a journal or notebook to capture reflections and wisdom, the experiences pass through your life like water through a sieve, leaving no lasting trace. You repeat the same errors year after year because you never consolidated the lessons.
Remember that the angel of death does not check your birth certificate or wait until you feel ready. We see young, healthy, vibrant individuals suddenly suffering heart attacks or passing away in unexpected accidents. Death does not wait for old age. When your appointed hour arrives, your book is closed.
When you stand before Allah ‘Azza wa Jall on the Day of Judgment, what will be your Return on Investment? Will you stand empty-handed after spending decades of precious life and intellect consuming digital trivia, or will you stand with a record brimming with sincere worship, beneficial knowledge, upright character, and deeds that outlive you?
Wake up your heart while you still possess breath, health, and opportunity. Direct your focus, master your attention, and ensure that your highest investment is in the eternal kingdom of Allah.