The prowess to catch trends is one of the most highly coveted abilities. Ultimately, most, if not all affluent people made their fortunes by catching a trend, or better yet, creating one.
Definition of a Trend
In very simple terms, a trend means “Mastering Timing”. To catch a trend you need to have the ability to master timing. Look at the world’s most affluent people. Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs. They all mastered timing. To shed more light on this matter, let’s take the example of Bill Gates. If he were to invent Microsoft in 1912 it wouldn’t have gone too far, due to the lack of technology present then.
So when you speak of catching a trend it fundamentally boils down to how good you are with your timing. When you have an idea, you must ask yourself these questions: “Is this the best time for my product or idea? Is it too early or too late?” Mastering timing is not only necessary to create wealth but rather the skill can be applied and be helpful in all facets of your life.
Story of Ukashaؓ
The importance of mastering timing can be seen in the life of Rasulullah ﷺ. Back then, the trend was to have a guarantee of going to Jannah; There was the possibility of having an affirmation by Rasulullah ﷺ himself. I’m going on a tangent here but just think for a moment that Rasulullah ﷺ promises you that you’ll be in Jannah with him. What kind of elation would you feel? As you can already imagine it’s a great joy hearing from none other than the last prophet of Allah saying that you’ll be one of the dwellers of Paradise.
So naturally, whenever possible, Rasulullah ﷺ, out of the kindness of his heart, would tell his companions what they were dreaming to hear. On many accounts, they’d say we want your company in Paradise. And Rasulullah ﷺ would subsequently make that supplication for them. I would like to present to you one of those occasions.
Once, Rasulullah ﷺ was giving a sermon, and in it, he mentioned that on the day of judgment there will be 70000 people that will enter paradise without giving any account. Upon hearing this, Ukasha ibn Muhsinؓ right away stood up and beseeched: “O Rasulullah ﷺ make dua that I be one of them.” There and then Rasulullah ﷺ said: “O Allah make him from amongst them.” Upon seeing what had just transpired another Sahabiؓ stood up and requested: “O Rasulullah ﷺ, make the same dua for me.” Rasulullah ﷺ simply replied سبقك عكاشة (Sabaqaka Ukasha) which translates to: Ukasha preceded you (in informal terms: he beat you to it).
It’s clear how well Ukashaؓ recognized the opportunity and timed it perfectly. On a side note: Ukashaؓ, although not quite known to many of us, was a very well known Sahabi, who participated in many major battles alongside Rasulullah ﷺ. He was also known as the most beautiful of the people. If you’re searching for a name for your child, you have a beautiful and unique option.
Principle Learned
One of the most important principles to derive from this incident is the behavior of Rasulullah ﷺ. Without a doubt, Ukashaؓ did a very good job in timing his request but notice how Rasulullah ﷺ reacts when the 2nd Sahabiؓ requested the same thing. As though he wanted to show and teach the importance of seizing opportunity when you see it. Rasulullah ﷺ could’ve very well have asked the same dua for the 2nd person, but then what would be the difference between the 1st and the 2nd. When he said the words “sabaqaka Ukasha” he taught us a valuable lesson: opportunity will manifest in front of you and you have to be quick to seize it. If you’re too late and you let it slip, it will go to someone else. When Rasulullah ﷺ was giving the sermon everyone heard it. They all had the same opportunity, but only one seized it. And that was Ukasha ibn Muhsinؓ. And certainly, he will benefit from being one of those fortunate 70000 who shall enter Paradise, no questions asked on the way.
Seize the Opportunity To Do Good
In his first sermon after being appointed as the 4th Caliph of Islam, Aliؓ said: “Seize the opportunity to do good whenever you see it.”
It all comes down to how good you are at seizing an opportunity and mastering your timing. We certainly learned the importance of that in the previous story. But the real question is how? How to have that eagle eye, that perfect timing? That ability to seize the opportunity. As I said earlier, catching a trend is all about mastering timing. A good sniper shoots at a moving target not where it is but where it’s going to be. If he aims and shoots where it is, he will always be delayed.
Another meaningful example is that of a wave and a surfboard. Trends and opportunities are like a wave. Riding the wave on a surfboard would signify recognizing the opportunity. Back in the late ’90s, there was the wave of online shopping, guess who rode that wave? In the late 2010s, there was the wave of the sharing economy. Precisely, ridesharing and short term accommodation rentals. Guess who rode that wave? The waves are there, but many times it’s washed away before someone even puts their boards on it.
So now that we’ve covered the “what” and the importance of having and recognizing that what, let’s talk about the how-to. Amazingly, the life of Rasulullah ﷺ also teaches us the how-to.
Incident of Rasulullah ﷺ Inviting Different Tribes to Islam
When Rasulullah ﷺ and the Muslims were being persecuted by the Meccans in Makkah, he needed another base to propagate the religion from. Makkah was no longer safe for them, as the abuse, torture, and the inability to spread Islam openly increased day by day. Consequently, Rasulullah ﷺ began his search for a city where he could find refuge and asylum. A city that can shelter the Muslims, a city where the Muslims can feel safe, and where the Muslims can lay their own foundation. Who would open their doors and accept the Muslims in their city? To be consistent with the example I gave you earlier, we can say that accepting the Muslims was like the wave (a big one, every surfer’s dream wave), and those who accepted the Muslims are similar to those who put their surfboard on that wave.
As the saying goes: people can be divided into 3 groups. Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happens. Our focus should be on how we can be from the first group.
In order to have asylum, Rasulullah ﷺ would go to the famous places where the Arab tribes would gather once a year, sometimes during pilgrimage season or in an annual festival. It was a perfect chance for Rasulullah ﷺ to present his agenda and religion to the people and convince them to shelter the Muslims and protect them.
The Meccans knew that if Rasulullah ﷺ manages to convince one of the tribes then the Muslims would gain the upper hand due to having a base. Hence, the Meccans would go to the same tribes and instigate them against the prophet ﷺ. Rasulullah ﷺ went to many tribes but none would accept his proposal. Some would insult and mock and others would go to the extent of throwing rocks at him. The most common justification: your own people are against you so why would we accept you? Another common reason: we’re already worshiping the gods of our forefathers.
He went through many tribes. But finally, it was a tribe of Madina, referred to as “Yathrib” at that time, that readily accepted Islam and gave the Muslims asylum. So the matter in question was the ability to catch trends and seize opportunities.
Lessons Learned From These Incidents
If you want to find the reality of something you need to look at its inverse. In reality, the fundamental lesson we learn from the latter stories is not how to catch a trend but rather “how to not catch a trend”. We learn exactly what we need to do to not catch a trend. So if you plan on never seizing an opportunity you should do what those tribes did that rejected the message.
What did those tribes do? What were their qualities? If we find out about it then we know exactly what we shouldn’t do. To begin with, all of those tribes were close-minded. Unable to experience something new and low tolerance for change. Too comfortable with where they’re at. We learn that in order to catch new trends we need to keep an open mind for all possibilities and opportunities. If we’re close-minded we’ll never be able to change and we’ll be blind to the countless opportunities present around us. Many times to recognize an opportunity all we need to do is open our eyes. You’ll be open-minded when you’ll not only be open to opinions and criticism but you’ll welcome it. You’ll be happy when someone corrects you. These tribes did not welcome it. They did not open their eyes and they missed a big opportunity.
Another quality that they possessed was that they made other people’s judgments their own. They believed blindly what the Meccans told them to instigate them against the prophet ﷺ. Most importantly, they made the Meccans’ opinion of the prophet ﷺ their own. They looked at Rasulullah ﷺ from the same lens that the Meccans looked at him from. This was the biggest reason for their missed opportunity. They did not think for themselves.
If you want to have the ability to seize opportunities then don’t let someone else’s opinion mislead you. Think objectively for yourself. If it makes sense, then take action. Look at the world from your own lens, not from the lens of others. Take opinions and criticism from everyone and correct yourself accordingly. Don’t let anyone get in your head and convince you about something without first thinking about it objectively.
Ultimately, those who accepted Rasulullah ﷺ got to witness their city turn into the capital of Islam, a beacon of light until the end of time. They saw their earth turn more fertile and they saw diseases leave their city. All because of the blessings of Rasulullah ﷺ for accepting him and giving him asylum. Their city saw the birth of an Islamic caliphate. All those tribes that declined, ridiculed and mocked him got to witness the biggest missed opportunity that the world has to offer. What a return on investment!
Once the investment starts showing growth, people will be ready to pay a much higher price for it and endure much more difficulty to obtain it. But the opportunity will be gone, so glad tidings to the one who seized the golden opportunity.
I would like to end with a quote from a Jew. When the tribe of Kindah returned home after refusing to give asylum to Rasulullah ﷺ they narrated the incident to their people and a Jew said to them: “You people have missed a golden opportunity. Had you received this man, you would have become the leaders of the Arabs. We have the description of this man in our scriptures.”. As he described Rasulullah ﷺ (from the scriptures), those who had seen Rasulullah ﷺ confirmed every description he gave.
Let us not be those who watch things happen, rather seize the opportunity to do good by having an open mind and looking at the world with our own lens.