<![CDATA[This study aims to reread Stephen R. Covey’s concept of productivity and personal effectiveness in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People through the Qur’anic perspective of Muhammad Ratib al-Nabulsi. Amid the growing culture of self-improvement, digital productivity, and personal leadership in contemporary society, Covey’s ideas have gained increasing popularity among professionals, academics, and young Muslims. Nevertheless, Covey’s principle-centered paradigm is often criticized for being rooted in a secular foundation that places effectiveness and individual achievement as the ultimate goals without a clear spiritual and teleological orientation. As a result, productivity is frequently understood in pragmatic terms and detached from ethical, religious, and existential dimensions. This study employs a qualitative approach using textual-comparative analysis of the works of Covey and Muhammad Ratib al-Nabulsi. The analysis focuses on three principal dimensions: productivity, spirituality, and Qur’anic purpose, examining how these concepts shape life orientation, character formation, and social relations. The findings reveal that al-Nabulsi does not reject Covey’s principles of effectiveness, but rather reconstructs them within a Qur’anic framework oriented toward attaining God’s pleasure and social welfare. Productivity is no longer understood merely as the capacity to achieve targets and individual success, but as a means of realizing spiritual purpose. The concepts of niyyah (intention), ikhtiyar (moral choice), and salah (prayer) transform the notion of private victory into a process of self-formation that constitutes an act of worship. Meanwhile, the principle of interdependence is reinterpreted through the values of ta‘awun (mutual assistance) and shura (consultation), so that social relations are not built solely on utility and pragmatic interests, but on solidarity and collective responsibility. The study also finds that the concept of ihsan represents the highest stage of character ethics within the Qur’anic perspective. Unlike Covey’s character ethic, which emphasizes personal integrity, ihsan integrates inner sincerity, moral action, and awareness of God’s presence. Accordingly, this study proposes the model of “Islamic Personal Mastery” as a synthesis of modern productivity, Islamic spirituality, and Qur’anic purpose. This model offers an alternative paradigm for contemporary Muslim society to develop personal effectiveness without losing ethical, spiritual, and eschatological orientation. Contribution: This study contributes by developing the “Islamic Personal Mastery” model, which synthesizes Stephen Covey’s modern productivity framework with the Qur’anic spiritual purpose articulated by Muhammad Ratib al-Nabulsi. It also expands contemporary Qur’anic studies by demonstrating how Qur’anic concepts can reconstruct the secular paradigm of self-improvement.]]>
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