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" Your practice of faith will not be correct unless your actions are correct " (Hadith)
The renowned philosopher, Aristotle, once said; "You are what you repeatedly do ". What you do repeatedly
through thoughts and actions eventually become your habits. Habits are conditioned responses, formed through repetition,
until the action or reaction becomes second nature; they end up as unconscious behavior, automatic reactions in a
particular situation; (e.g. The way you sign your name, cigarette smoking after a meal, ....)
It was the English writer, Shakespeare, who said; " First we make our habits, then our habits make us ".
Thinking in a particular pattern creates a mental path, the mental path affects our attitude and our behavior, and
these reflect our personality and character. In other words, our thoughts affect our attitude which affect our actions
which determine our habits which reflects our character which could determines our destiny. The Roman poet Naso Ovid
rightly said, "habits eventually become character"; or as the Greek writer Plutarch said; "character is
simply habit long continued."
Habits decrease or disappear by abstaining from exercising them and then replacing them. In the words of the Roman
orator, Cicero, "consuetudo consuetudine vincitur = habit is overcome / conquered by habit".
According to Islam, habits are viewed from an ethical perspective. Habits are classified as virtues or vices;
as repeated actions that are in conformity with or contrary to the rules of morality. Virtuous character emanates from
good habits and good habits emanates from resisting negative temptations.
Good habits, unfortunately, seem so much easier to give up than bad habits. Remember though, that every habit;
whether good or bad, is acquired and can be disowned.
We form habits then they form us. If we do not conquer our bad habits they will conquer us. Bad habits are like a
comfortable bed; easy to get into but difficult to get out of. The chain of bad habits are generally too light to be
felt until they are too strong to be broken.
The Russian existentialist, Fyodor Dostoevsky stated that many unfortunate people end up spending much of the second
half of their lives trying to undo bad habits they acquired in the first half.
Thought of the Day
I can be whatever type of person I choose to be; for my behavior, my attitude, my reactions, my habits and my character
are all by my choice. As I desire to do, so I become, Those habits are good that serve to improve and enrich my life,
habits that are consistent with what and who I really want to be.
Reflect on the saying of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
"The best of deeds are those (good ones) done consistently, though little by little."
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By Br. Saduallah Khan
This article is posted in the Weekly Bridge Publication: Features, Reflections, Stories should not be told, Film in a spoon, Book in a Spoon, Letters to Editor, YouTube Basket
Reflections
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