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Some communities rise to greatness while others fade into obscurity. Why? It isn't just talent or wealth, the secret lies within our brain chemistry. Let's take a course through history to find out.
Madina→ Muslims migrated to Madina. The Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) united each immigrant (Muhajir) with a native (Ansar), turning strangers into brothers. Within years, this new community conquered half the known world.
Baghdad→ Under the Abbasids, Caliph Al-Mansur built the House of Wisdom. Scientists, thinkers, and astronomers came together and changed civilisation forever. (Al-Razi, Ibn Sina, Al-Khwarizmi and many more - Islamic Golden Age)
Florence→ Artists and thinkers united. A cultural explosion followed. Revolutions were born. (Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Machiavelli etc - The Renaissance)
Israel→ The Jewish community. Persecuted. Driven into the gutters. But they refused to stay there. They built tight-knit communities, worked together. Today, they shape global affairs.
What’s common in all of these powerful communities across history and faith? The answer isn’t just social or spiritual, it’s biological.
They lived and worked together with a shared purpose.
Community + purpose = success
But what exactly happens in a community that makes it so powerful, you might ask?
Let me introduce you to serotonin.
It’s a chemical released in our brain. Often called the happy hormone, but it’s actually much more than that. Its job? To create feelings of belonging, respect, stability, confidence… and most importantly, purpose. The happy mood is just an added benefit, how cool is that!
Studies show that higher levels of serotonin are linked to increased efficiency, greater risk-taking, and more innovation.
So, more serotonin → more progress.
But like every good thing, there’s a catch.
What is it?
Serotonin thrives on social behaviour. It increases when you’re part of a society that shares your values and purpose.
Serotonin is an extrovert. It thrives in connection, not isolation. It’s not selfish, it believes in collective flourishing. Not like the usual crabs we see around us (wink wink).
So when Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) told us that the Ummah is like one body, it wasn’t just a beautiful metaphor, it was serious business. Or rather, serotonin business.
We can aspire and dream of reaching the heights of Al-Khwarizmi or Ibn Al-Haytham. But let's not forget, without the community that supported them, none of them would have achieved what they did, and honestly, neither can we.
That’s some food for thought right there:
Gather your community → define your purpose → make serotonin your friend.
And who knows… you might just spark the dawn of a new Islamic Platinum Age.
