A child, no older than maybe nine years old, was standing alone and was looking out of the window at the back of his classroom. It was the lunch period, and all his peers had left to eat. He decided to stay back and not go with them on that day.

Although it was a sweltering sunny day, there was a cool shade with fresh air breezes hitting his face where he was standing. An empty railway track that went past his school was the object of his curiosity. Since he lived in a bustling city with noise pollution everywhere, I guess the silence and calm of the empty railway tracks captivated him. He was calm beyond belief, and he had thoughts flowing through his mind. Who had built all these tracks? How many people had traveled there, where were all they coming from, and what were their destinations? He realized at that instant that there was tremendous peace and value in being alone occasionally. We need time by ourselves to contemplate, think and appreciate minor details that we would miss if others surrounded us.

That little boy was a younger me, and that peaceful moment has since been engraved in my memory, even though it was decades ago. I have always valued time alone to reflect. It allows me to clear my mind and relive that moment of calm that I sensed first on that day a long time ago.

I didn't know at that time that our beloved prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would also spend time alone by himself in mount Hira to contemplate and gather his thoughts. He would meditate and think about the greatness of God. He would reflect upon the issues plaguing society at that time and think about how those problems could be improved. Hence it is a sunna for us to ponder and contemplate as well.

These days, meditation, mindfulness, and contemplation is all the buzz. People are overworked, overstressed, and have developed a destructive pattern of overthinking. We are getting busier, and sometimes it feels like we don't have a moment to breathe, let alone find time to be mindful. However, gathering our thoughts and contemplating life is essential for our souls, the same way food is necessary for physical energy.

Science now confirms an association between downtime, learning, and creativity. Going on walks, being in nature, and exercising all offer life-enhancing benefits, including but not limited to improved memory, productivity, and physical health. Recent advancements in medical imaging technologies have allowed scientists and researchers to observe brain changes during prayer, contemplation, and mindfulness.

Allah blesses us Muslims with five daily prayers. Each one of those prayers is an act of meditation and contemplation. Although these five daily prayers are tremendously beneficial for us, we owe ourselves to take time and contemplate what is going around us, go on walks, and exercise.

Mindfulness and contemplation have been mentioned and encouraged in the Quran as well. It challenges the readers to reflect and ponder upon its verses.

In conclusion, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) showed us the value of contemplation and mindfulness through example, making it a sunnah for the believers. The Quran encourages them for a reason; they allow us to understand life deeper and clear our minds of harmful thoughts.

May Allah grant us all understanding and He knows best.