Ramadan Notes #17: Tune out your external distractions and Reclaim your Focus on Ramadan

As-salamu alaykum,

We did not quite finish our discussion about optimizing our focus on Ramadan as we approach the #Best10 of Ramadan 1445AH.

We started the conversation in Ramadan Notes #15 discussing the need to call upon Allah with a sincere and needful heart and proceeded to explore the inner dimensions of focus in Ramadan Notes #16.

Before I proceed, let me apologize for mislabelling the note from yesterday as #18 - maybe it's partly fatigue - #MidRamadanStory…smh…or some component of enthusiasm to reach the #Best10 by Allah’s mercy. Today’s note was actually planned for yesterday but I had a change of heart around the scheduled post because of the impact the Ramadan Check-in session had on me. So thank you for being gracious in overlooking this error. JazakAllahu khayran.

Back to the discussion for today - let’s set the stage for this conversation with the following Hadith;

‘Abdur-Rahman bin Aban bin ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan narrated that his father said: “Zaid bin Thabit departed from Marwan at mid-day. I said: ‘He has not sent him out at this time of the day except for something he asked.’ So I asked him, and he said: ‘He asked me about some things we heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Whoever is focused only on this world, Allah will confound his affairs and make him fear poverty constantly, and he will not get anything of this world except that which has been decreed for him. Whoever is focused on the Hereafter, Allah will settle his affairs for him and make him feel content with his lot, and his provision and worldly gains will undoubtedly come to him.” [Sunan Ibn Majah 4105]

More than at any other time of the year, Ramadan is the ultimate opportunity to reset our focus where Allah SWT wants it to be for all of us - on our abode in the eternity; on the life after this short lived one; on the investments in an everlasting existence and ultimately on earning His pleasure. 

The Hadith above highlights the balance that we should strive for in our relationship to our priorities in this world and to limit being distracted by its fleeting enjoyments but rather to leverage all that we do here in a way that pays off immensely for an eternal life of bliss. 

Having explored the internal dimensions of our distractions especially as it relates to us as healthcare professionals, we recognize that we all share these inner struggles that some authors also describe as discomforts that manifest as anxiety, boredom, etc that often lead us to seek different modalities of escape to cope without formally dealing with them through writing therapy, leaning on others or gratitude journaling like we discussed.

The predominant escape routes that we often turn to in this day and age center around the proliferation of the internet and our always-connected, always-on disposition through our smartphones from scrolling endless webpages to engaging on social media and chatting on the many messaging applications.

Here are a few things to consider to mitigate the drain from these distracting channels;

1. Set aside some disconnect time from your smartphone and the internet - the fresh mind of the early hours of the day is fertile ground for remembering Allah and our purpose in this life to set us up for a productive day 

2. Turn off notifications for all messaging applications including emails as well as on your desktop or laptop devices. 

3. Create a me-space and time for solitude and personal reflections - this will serve as your personal recharge and refocus space and time

4. Find your own special spot in the chaos of your healthcare setting where you can work distraction. This is especially important in the last 10 days of Ramadan if you will be working so that you do not expend all of your energy and focus capacity on the work-related obligations but that you make an intentional effort to save some for those special nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan.

5. Let your colleagues know about Ramadan and your limited bandwidth (be creative here!) so that they can support you where possible and also help you avoid some other issues that can wait or can be taken care of by others.

As healthcare professionals who often carry a heavy burden of critical decision-making, proactively managing your  distractions is key to optimizing at work and creates the mental space for you to be able to focus on your spiritual intentions and the mindfulness of Allah for the rest of the blessed month.

May Allah SWT grant us the Tawfiq (capacity) to stay firm and focused on seeking His mindfulness the rest of this blessed month and may He allow us to arrive at Laylatul Qadr. Amin

Sincerely,

Sulyman

P.S. Join like-hearted #HealthCareWorkers on Zoom every Thursday this Ramadan for weekly check-ins at 4.15pm CST/9.15pm GMT/10.15pm WAT . Register and join with this link.

P.P.S. What other suggestions do you have for me and others in this regard? Share in the comments section or reply to [email protected]

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