Islam and Delayed Gratification: Building Resilient Kids

From Farmers, to Factory Workers, to Sedentary Office Workers… in Less Than 100 Years

Many of us have heard the hadith that, in the end of times, time will accelerate.
But is time just time? Or is it the events that happen within it that truly define what time is?

When we look back at the last century, the growth of our lifestyle has been unprecedented.
Our great-grandfathers worked the land. Our grandfathers were simple merchants or held straightforward jobs during the height of the industrial era.
And we… make our living sitting in front of screens, working alongside AI, in a deeply connected, digital world.

However… this article isn’t about AI doomsday predictions, nor is it a nostalgic plea to return to the “good old days.”

Let’s talk about something that hasn’t changed, no matter the era, technology, or lifestyle:

The Time It Takes for Things to Grow

Whether we’re talking about planting a seed that becomes food, training muscles through physical effort, or developing our minds to gain new skills or strengthen character—things take time.

And nothing changes that.

The fact that our attention span has shrunk to just 3 seconds, thanks to the lightning pace of information, has completely reshaped what we expect from the world.
But it shouldn’t.

Good things take time to build—just as they take time to grow.

Kids Living in the 3-Second Age

This is especially important for our kids, who are growing up in a world where everything is instantly available.
Bored? Tap a screen. Need something? It appears in seconds.
Even parents rush to help or provide, unknowingly feeding this expectation of speed and ease.

But this sets children up for struggle when faced with reality: learning takes time, homework can feel endless, and progress often feels slow.
If they’re not taught to wait, to trust the process, and to persevere—they’ll see effort as failure and slowness as punishment.

So How Do We Teach Sabr?

One of the gentlest and most powerful ways to teach sabr (patience) is through storytelling.

Our storybook With Sabr, What Allah Plans Always Grows is a fully illustrated tale that captures this exact lesson. It blends heart, moral, and science—explaining how patience is not just a virtue, but a universal truth.

📖 Inside the story, your child will discover:

• A simple fable inspired by nature
• The Quran concept of sabr
• Scientific facts about how plants grow over time

Let them grow with the stories you plant. 🌱