Spirit of Islam, Sep-Oct 2026

T here is a Japanese saying: “Discover something new every day, even if it be a new method of threading a needle.” This saying expresses an important law of human nature. Man is born with a mind, and the mind demands continuous development. Intellectual growth is not an occasional activity; it is a lifelong process. The world around us is full of material for such development. Every experience contains a lesson, every observation has something to teach, and every encounter can become a source of new understanding. But this happens only when a person possesses an awakened mind. A curious person is always asking questions. Why did this happen? What can I learn from it? Is there another way of looking at it? Such questions transform ordinary experiences into intellectual discoveries. What appears insignificant to others may become a source of wisdom for him. Discovery is food for the mind, just as ordinary food is nourishment for the body. We eat every day because yesterday’s meal cannot satisfy today’s physical requirement. The same principle applies to the mind. Yesterday’s knowledge is not enough for today’s intellectual life. The mind requires fresh nourishment in the form of new ideas, new observations and new realizations. The Quran describes people of understanding as those who reflect upon “the creation of the heavens and the earth.” (3: 191) DISCOVER SOMETHING EVERY DAY Food for the Mind Yesterday’s knowledge is not enough for today’s intellectual life. The mind requires fresh nourishment in the form of new ideas, new observations and new realizations.