BY: M.M. Hassan Abdulhadi Rashed – University of Karbala – College of Islamic Sciences

Many young people interested in self-development often ask about a way to control their instincts, given the abundance of stimuli around them and the widespread traps of Satan, which aim to ensnare them in various aspects of life. This makes them fear for their purity, clarity, and spiritual and physical well-being.

So, what should one do when they are at university, where mixing is prevalent?

What should they do in response to what the channels broadcast and the websites spread in terms of stimuli and temptations?

What should they do when they see trends and hairstyles urging them to adopt them in order to keep up with modern life and modernity!?

And much more…

We direct your attention to these insights:

You must take control of yourself and not rush after every call or be drawn to every sweet idea. Keep in mind that if you lose the ability to control your thoughts, you will not benefit from any advice or guidance. Therefore, you must assess who is in control of your thoughts: Is it you? Is it your friend? Or is it some external entity manipulating your thoughts and feelings?

Think: What comes after the pleasure? Will you face consequences that you will be held accountable for in the afterlife? Will you carry diseases that will follow you throughout your life? For often a meal prevents other meals, and a momentary pleasure can lead to regret until death! Use this important strategy before everything else: What comes after the pleasure?

When you make a mistake or engage in something forbidden, try to compare how you felt before and after the error you made. Be both the judge and the one who holds yourself accountable. From here, it is important to establish a fixed procedure for yourself when you make a mistake. You must stand before the court of conscience and punish yourself in a manner that is corrective and deterrent. And know that if you neglect this aspect, you will lose the ability to distinguish between right and wrong! In fact, you may no longer care about committing the worst mistakes! Therefore, take care of this procedure of self-accountability because it will restore your spiritual vitality and clarity of heart.

Be cautious with the sources around you. There are three sources from which you will naturally draw without hesitation: family, friends, and media through various channels like TV and websites.

These sources accompany you in life and affect you automatically, and you consider them as the reality in which you live. You must organize your relationship with your family members, listening to the advice of your parents in good things. You are free to choose ways of thinking that align with knowledge and logic, but do not lean towards their culture if you see it outside the framework of religion and science. You should also treat them with honor and respect. As for your friends, you must be very cautious when selecting them, as choosing a true friend falls under your responsibility. Whenever you are sincere in adhering to your principles and values, your criterion will be correct in choosing the righteous and avoiding the deviant and corrupt. As for TV channels and social media, you must exercise twice the caution you use with real-life friends because you never know who you are talking to. The ease of communication can tempt the soul to form relationships outside the legal boundaries, so fear God and close this door. Do not create a fake account to fish for people! Avoid following useless groups or chats that do not benefit you in knowledge or religion…

Vacuum time is fertile ground for stimulating desires and falling into what excites them. Free time is the gateway for Satan to lead a young person to engage in ugly practices, especially in private. Therefore, set your determination from the start of your day not to remain idle, always engaged in some activity. Learn, teach, benefit, and engage in legitimate hobbies.

Excessive sleep, eating, and staying up late are three gateways that, when indulged in too much, can lead the young person to psychological and physical problems, wasting their time without any benefit. Therefore, both medicine and religious teachings encourage moderation in these activities. Meals should be limited to three per day, following the prophetic method: “A third for food, a third for drink, and a third for breathing.” Eat food when you desire it and stop when you desire it. Limit your sleep to seven or eight hours at night and an hour or less during the day. Avoid staying up late except for useful activities such as praying at night, reading the Quran, or engaging in study or learning a useful skill.

Lowering the gaze is the primary path to protect oneself from falling into forbidden actions. The fire of desire and imagination ignites in young people when they look at the opposite sex with a poisoned gaze or watch morally degrading pictures and films. We advise you not to own a personal device but to rely on household devices that are used by all family members. Use them in public, not in secret. This will encourage you to be more disciplined.