How to Find Spiritual Focus in a World Full of Advertisements?

In today's world, where we are constantly bombarded with information and advertisements, finding and maintaining spiritual focus has become a significant challenge. Advertisements, designed to stimulate artificial needs and create a desire for consumerism, pull our minds towards materialism and fleeting worldly pleasures. This can easily divert us from our spiritual path. However, the Holy Quran, with its boundless wisdom, offers profound and lasting solutions for achieving tranquility and focus amidst this worldly clamor. The answer to this question lies not in completely abandoning the world, but in transforming our perspective and strengthening our connection with the Origin of existence, Allah the Almighty. This is an internal journey that, by following Quranic principles, can overcome the challenges of the material environment. The first and perhaps most crucial step to achieving spiritual focus in this noisy world is "Dhikr Allah," or the remembrance of God. The Quran repeatedly emphasizes the importance of Dhikr. In Surah Ar-Ra'd, verse 28, Allah says: "Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured." This verse reveals a fundamental truth: the true and lasting tranquility we seek is not found in buying new products or following trends, but solely in a heartfelt connection with the Lord. Dhikr acts as a powerful spiritual shield against the deceptive allure of advertisements. When the heart is alive with the remembrance of God, the carnal desires ignited by advertisements lose their influence. Dhikr encompasses reciting the Quran, Tasbih (glorifying Allah), Tahmid (praising Allah), Tahlil (declaring Allah's oneness), Takbir (magnifying Allah), and sincere supplication (Du'a). These continuous reminders rescue the mind from scattered worldly thoughts and direct it towards perfection and meaning. This spiritual practice creates a kind of 'barrier' around the mind and heart, preventing the flood of external information and temptations, thereby providing space for spiritual growth and contemplation. The second step is to shift priorities from "worldly life" (Dunya) to "the Hereafter" (Akhirah). Advertisements strive to present worldly life as the ultimate aspiration and success, but the Quran invites us to a deeper insight. In Surah Al-A'la, verses 16 and 17, we read: "But you prefer the worldly life, while the Hereafter is better and more enduring." These verses remind us that what we acquire in this world is fleeting, and true value lies in the rewards of the Hereafter and divine pleasure. When one grasps this profound understanding—that this world is merely a cultivation ground for the Hereafter, and material goods are merely tools for living, not its ultimate purpose—they will no longer be deceived by the glitter of advertisements. This perspective fosters a kind of "Zuhd" or positive detachment from the world; not in the sense of abandoning worldly affairs and legitimate activities, but in the sense of not being excessively attached to them and not allowing them to control one's heart and mind. This Quranic insight frees individuals from the servitude of artificial needs that advertisements try to impose, granting them the liberty to live according to lasting and divine values, rather than chasing every fleeting desire that the market presents. Third, seeking help through "patience and prayer" (Sabr wa Salat) is essential. In Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 153, it states: "O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient." Prayer, as the pillar of faith, is not merely an obligation but an unparalleled opportunity to disconnect from the world's clamor and reconnect with the Creator. The five daily prayers serve as spiritual stations that slow us down from the pace of life and invite us to contemplation and solitude with God. These regular spiritual breaks help us regain our focus and free ourselves from the whirlpool of advertisements and carnal desires. Patience, too, means steadfastness and resilience in the face of temptations and difficulties. Against the continuous onslaught of advertisements that pressure us to want and have more, patience gives us the strength to resist these pressures and be content with what we truly need, rather than what advertisements tell us we must possess. Patience and prayer together create a spiritual support system that makes an individual resilient against material pressures and enables them to live with greater insight and awareness in today's world. They act as anchors, preventing one from being swept away by the currents of consumerism and materialism. Fourth, contemplation and reflection on the signs of Allah in the universe (Ayat al-Afaq) and within oneself (Ayat al-Anfus) are crucial. The Holy Quran repeatedly calls upon humanity to ponder the creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of night and day, and the intricacies of one's own existence. This deep reflection shifts the mind from superficiality and attention to worldly appearances towards the majesty and power of the Creator. When a person, instead of focusing on the deceptive facade of an advertised product, contemplates the beauty of creation and the wisdom embedded within it, they realize that true and lasting pleasures lie in connecting with the reality of existence, not in consumable products. This contemplation strengthens a sense of gratitude and frees one from material anxieties, offering a profound sense of wonder and spiritual satisfaction that no commodity can provide. This insight enables one to distinguish true values from artificial ones and, consequently, stay away from the negative influences of advertisements. Finally, it can be concluded that to find spiritual focus in a world full of advertisements, a comprehensive approach must be adopted. This approach includes strengthening the remembrance of God at every moment of life, shifting one's outlook from the worldly to the Hereafter as the ultimate goal, continuously utilizing prayer and patience as spiritual tools, and contemplating divine signs. The deeper these principles are rooted in our lives, the less impact advertisements and worldly temptations will have on us, and our hearts will achieve a tranquility and focus that no material good can provide. This path is continuous and requires effort, but its reward is inner peace and divine contentment, an invaluable treasure. We should remember Allah's words in the Quran: "And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest you be touched by the Fire" (Hud: 113). While this verse specifically refers to inclining towards wrongdoers, a broader concept can be inferred: excessive reliance and attachment to worldly manifestations that distract one from the remembrance of God is a form of injustice to the soul and leads to loss. Therefore, freeing ourselves from the shackles of advertising and consumerism is not only vital for our spiritual peace but also guides us towards a more meaningful life centered on eternal values. This spiritual focus helps us calibrate our internal compass according to divine pleasure amidst the market's clamor and material temptations, ensuring we do not deviate from the right path. This not only aids individual growth but also empowers us to act with greater insight in society and resist the wave of consumerism and materialism, finding our own way illuminated by divine light instead of following the crowd.