The BJ Fogg. Model, PART 2- ABILITY
I entered the hall after one entire week, with an entirely different approach and outlook towards not just my religious practices, but life itself.
As the scholar walked in and passed his Salam to the students, and right after, he said “Today, let’s talk about ABILITY”.
A sudden pause in the hall. After which the scholar continued to explain how this is a continuation of the BJ Fogg Model, following the first element, now onto the second.
A student quickly raised their hand and when asked, he said, “Sir, I researched a lot on the BJ Fogg Model, I was compelled to know more. But it was all too complex.”
The scholar responded, “yes of course, knowledge is but a light which Allah places in the heart”. With that delightful smile, he expressed how happy he was to see his students taking interest.
He began, “Allah never changes the condition of a person unless they strive to change themselves”. Quran 13.11
As soon as he mentioned this beautiful verse from the Quran, it had already started making so much sense.
He commenced with an example, “You’re reciting the Quran, you stop at a Rukuh, and close the holy book and place it back to where it was kept. Next time, you pick it up, open it, you have no idea where you left off previously, which Juz it was, which Surah or even which Rukuh.
So now what do you do? Start over? But you wanted to finish this Juz today. It was your goal. It has now become challenging and more so, discouraging. Here your ABILITY is dropping low. You might just close the Quran and may not read at all, or you might possess a slight ability remembering your goal, so you start over. But this time round, you place a bookmark and a small point at the Ayat you stopped your recitation.
Next time when you open the Quran for recitation, you follow the bookmark, trace the point and you know exactly where you stopped and where you need to start again. You made it SIMPLE for yourself which directly leads to increase in ability. Therefore, the ABILITY spectrum is directly linked with SIMPLICITY.”
It was so refreshing to hear such examples that make comprehension so unequivocal…
He proceeded towards another example, “Or let’s take another example. It’s Ramadan. You’re out somewhere but there’s a little bit of waiting involved. So, you’re just sitting there, idle. You’ve got some time on your hands, you think to yourself, I really wish I could recite Quran at this time and complete my goal for today. But you don’t have the Quran over there in a book format. You realize, you’ve got an application in your phone, and you could recite on it.
So, what just happened? SIMPLICITY gave rise to your ability. The technology world is hitting the sky now, but if made use of in the correct manner, then only it is beneficial for us.”
Therefore, if a person really wills to recite Quran daily, it’s vital to make other things simpler to maintain consistency and reach the desired targets and goals. One of the purposes should be to not let ability slide towards the lower end, it needs to be kept high and before you know it, Quran recitation will become a regular habit and a part of the everyday routine.
Part 1: The Bj Fogg Model. PART-1-MOTIVATION
Part 3: BJ Fogg Model Part 3 — Trigger.
