ISLAMIC VIEW:
How to Attain this Quality
There are three recommendations that can help someone stay focused on what is of concern to him or her, and not being distracted by superfluous issues.
Exercise a degree of shyness and modesty, as rare and endangered as these qualities are today. Haya’, the qualities of humility, shyness, and modesty before Allah, is a valuable possession that the Prophet (sas) praised very highly. Allah says in the Quran, “Do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private counsels? Indeed We do, and Our messengers are by them, to record.”
Control your speech. Once a man noticed the Prophet Luqman surrounded by his followers and asked him, “Weren’t you the slave of so and so? Didn’t you used to be a shepherd for so and so? How did you get to such a respectful position among people?” Prophet Luqman, peace be upon him, answered, “Truthful speech, and long silence upon what does not concern me.”
Think about how you spend time. Al-Hasan al-Basri once said, “You are nothing but a compilation of breaths.” Every time you exhale, a piece of your life, a part of you, is lost. How many of our interactions are worthwhile and how many are useless? Allah says, “Most of their discussions do not contain any good, except of the one who enjoins charity or goodness or peace-making among people.” (4:114)
