How to break a bad habit
Whether it is endless scrolling, a sin you keep returning to or simply wasting time, change starts with you and Allah helps those who turn to Him.
لَهُۥ مُعَقِّبَٰتٞ مِّنۢ بَيۡنِ يَدَيۡهِ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِۦ يَحۡفَظُونَهُۥ مِنۡ أَمۡرِ ٱللَّهِۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوۡمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمۡۗ وَإِذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِقَوۡمٖ سُوٓءٗا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهُۥۚ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَالٍ ﴿١١﴾
Lahu muʿaqqibatun min bayni yadayhi wamin khalfihi yahfathoonahu min amri Allahi inna Allaha la yughayyiru ma biqawmin hatta yughayyiroo ma bianfusihim waitha arada Allahu biqawmin sooan fala maradda lahu wama lahum min doonihi min walin
For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah. Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron
Quran 13:11 · Surah Ar-Ra'd
۞قُلۡ يَٰعِبَادِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ﴿٥٣﴾
Qul ya ʿibadiya allatheena asrafoo ʿala anfusihim la taqnatoo min rahmati Allahi inna Allaha yaghfiru alththunooba jameeʿan innahu huwa alghafooru alrraheemu
Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful
Quran 39:53 · Surah Az-Zumar
Fear Allah wherever you are, follow a bad deed with a good deed and it will erase it, and treat people with good character.
Jami at-Tirmidhi
Steps
- Sincere repentance (tawbah): stop, regret it and resolve not to return. If it involves the rights of others, restore them.
- Know your triggers: time of day, place, feelings, people, apps.
- Remove access: delete the app, block the site, change the route.
- Replace, do not just remove: put a good habit in the same slot, for example Quran or a walk when you would normally scroll.
- Keep good company: "A person is on the religion of his close friend" (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi).
- Make dua for strength every day.
- Track the days clean. If you slip, repent and start again. Allah does not tire of forgiving until you tire of asking.
Pair this with istighfar every day.
Track your habits in Hadaff
Add any habit to your Hadaff habit tracker, tick it off each day and watch your streak grow. Prayer times with athan reminders, athkar with a counter and a khatma plan are built in. Free, no ads, no ad tracking.