Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) was commanded by Allah to call people to Hajj. Though worried his voice wouldn't carry, Ibrahim trusted Allah and called from Mount Arafat, and miraculously every person heard. The story teaches one should make the necessary effort for a task while relying on Allah. Another story details Hajar's persistence - after being left with her son Ismail in the desert, she ran between hills until an angel revealed a water source. This teaches one should work hard and be proactive for miracles. The document provides lessons on sincerity, humility, teamwork, and persevering despite obstacles from summaries of Islamic stories.
Hajj is the pilgrimage to Makkah that Muslims are required to complete at least once in their lifetime if able. It involves performing rituals at important sites over several days. Key rituals include circling the Kaaba seven times, spending a day at Mount Arafat praying and asking forgiveness, throwing stones at pillars in Mina that symbolize the devil, and shaving heads or clipping hair upon completion. Pilgrims wear simple white garments called ihram to achieve equality and focus on worshipping God alone during the pilgrimage. Hajj commemorates the sacrifices of Prophet Ibrahim and is one of the five pillars of Islam.
The document provides an overview of developing spiritual productivity. It discusses the concept of barakah (divine blessings) and lists 18 sources of barakah, including good intentions, belief in Allah, following the Sunnah, charity, and marriage. It profiles several historically productive Muslim figures like Abu Hanifah, Abu Ja'far al-Munsoor, and Ibn Al-Jawzi who balanced spiritual activities, work, rest, and family responsibilities. The document also summarizes the stories of female scholars Hafsa bint Seereen and Zumurrud bint Jawlee who devoted their lives to seeking knowledge and leadership.
The survey found that the top factors posing challenges to respondents' productivity were not being organized, not being motivated, and not being self-disciplined. Respondents felt a greater need to improve their spiritual productivity, whether during Ramadan or otherwise, and expressed a critical need to attain an elusive balance among all areas of productivity. Over 2,800 respondents participated in the survey to help gauge challenges to productivity in general and during Ramadan specifically.
Productive Muslim Presentation Slides (2Days)Bint Jaafar
Here are some suggestions to develop a productive morning routine:
6:00 - 6:30 AM Wake up, make wudu, pray Fajr
6:30 - 7:00 AM Read Quran/do dhikr
7:00 - 7:30 AM Exercise - go for a walk, do yoga, etc.
7:30 - 8:00 AM Plan your day, make to-do lists
8:00 - 8:30 AM Have a healthy breakfast
8:30 - 9:00 AM Spend time with family, read inspirational material
You can tweak this based on your schedule but the key is to structure your morn
The document provides tips for making commutes more productive as a Muslim. It discusses activities that can be done while commuting by bike, car, or public transportation. These include memorizing Quran, contemplating Allah's signs in creation, remembering Allah through remembrances, exercising while biking, and listening to audio books, lectures, or courses while driving or on public transit. The document emphasizes investing in a good MP3 player or smartphone app to facilitate listening to Islamic content during commutes.
For the estimated 700 million Muslim global workforce, the sacred month of Ramadan has tremendous impact on work-life balance and spiritual life. Businesses and governments face many challenges balancing and adapting to their workers’ Ramadan needs, while striving for consistent productive output.
This groundbreaking study presents a fact-based assessment of the state of productivity during Ramadan across the world and offers recommendations for improving productivity of individuals, businesses and government institutions. The study includes 1), a survey that benchmarks actual Ramadan practices and Muslims’ expectations, and 2) an assessment of governmental policy implications on work-hour differences in various Muslim majority countries and their resulting economic impact.
The Productive Muslim Guide to ProcrastinatorsMohammed Faris
This document profiles different types of unproductive behaviors, including the Cleaner who cleans instead of working, the Panicker who panics about tasks, the List-Maker who makes lists instead of completing tasks, the Napper who naps instead of working, the Sidetracker who gets distracted by new ideas, the Social Sharer who shares on social media instead of working, the Internet Researcher who excessively researches without making progress, the Snacker who snacks instead of working, the Gamer who games instead of working, the Watcher who watches instead of working, the Delegator who delegates tasks instead of doing them, and the Perpetuator who perpetually puts tasks off until tomorrow. The document aims to humor
Book Trailer - The Productive Muslim: Where Faith Meets ProductivityMohammed Faris
Ever wondered if Islam teaches productivity? What's the link between Faith and Productivity? Is there one book that helps us learn the practical steps to lead a productive lifestyle - both from a faith perspective as well as scientific perspective? Learn more about the new Productive Muslim Book --> Visit ProductiveMuslimBook.com.
Hajj is the pilgrimage to Makkah that Muslims are required to complete at least once in their lifetime if able. It involves performing rituals at important sites over several days. Key rituals include circling the Kaaba seven times, spending a day at Mount Arafat praying and asking forgiveness, throwing stones at pillars in Mina that symbolize the devil, and shaving heads or clipping hair upon completion. Pilgrims wear simple white garments called ihram to achieve equality and focus on worshipping God alone during the pilgrimage. Hajj commemorates the sacrifices of Prophet Ibrahim and is one of the five pillars of Islam.
The document provides an overview of developing spiritual productivity. It discusses the concept of barakah (divine blessings) and lists 18 sources of barakah, including good intentions, belief in Allah, following the Sunnah, charity, and marriage. It profiles several historically productive Muslim figures like Abu Hanifah, Abu Ja'far al-Munsoor, and Ibn Al-Jawzi who balanced spiritual activities, work, rest, and family responsibilities. The document also summarizes the stories of female scholars Hafsa bint Seereen and Zumurrud bint Jawlee who devoted their lives to seeking knowledge and leadership.
The survey found that the top factors posing challenges to respondents' productivity were not being organized, not being motivated, and not being self-disciplined. Respondents felt a greater need to improve their spiritual productivity, whether during Ramadan or otherwise, and expressed a critical need to attain an elusive balance among all areas of productivity. Over 2,800 respondents participated in the survey to help gauge challenges to productivity in general and during Ramadan specifically.
Productive Muslim Presentation Slides (2Days)Bint Jaafar
Here are some suggestions to develop a productive morning routine:
6:00 - 6:30 AM Wake up, make wudu, pray Fajr
6:30 - 7:00 AM Read Quran/do dhikr
7:00 - 7:30 AM Exercise - go for a walk, do yoga, etc.
7:30 - 8:00 AM Plan your day, make to-do lists
8:00 - 8:30 AM Have a healthy breakfast
8:30 - 9:00 AM Spend time with family, read inspirational material
You can tweak this based on your schedule but the key is to structure your morn
The document provides tips for making commutes more productive as a Muslim. It discusses activities that can be done while commuting by bike, car, or public transportation. These include memorizing Quran, contemplating Allah's signs in creation, remembering Allah through remembrances, exercising while biking, and listening to audio books, lectures, or courses while driving or on public transit. The document emphasizes investing in a good MP3 player or smartphone app to facilitate listening to Islamic content during commutes.
For the estimated 700 million Muslim global workforce, the sacred month of Ramadan has tremendous impact on work-life balance and spiritual life. Businesses and governments face many challenges balancing and adapting to their workers’ Ramadan needs, while striving for consistent productive output.
This groundbreaking study presents a fact-based assessment of the state of productivity during Ramadan across the world and offers recommendations for improving productivity of individuals, businesses and government institutions. The study includes 1), a survey that benchmarks actual Ramadan practices and Muslims’ expectations, and 2) an assessment of governmental policy implications on work-hour differences in various Muslim majority countries and their resulting economic impact.
The Productive Muslim Guide to ProcrastinatorsMohammed Faris
This document profiles different types of unproductive behaviors, including the Cleaner who cleans instead of working, the Panicker who panics about tasks, the List-Maker who makes lists instead of completing tasks, the Napper who naps instead of working, the Sidetracker who gets distracted by new ideas, the Social Sharer who shares on social media instead of working, the Internet Researcher who excessively researches without making progress, the Snacker who snacks instead of working, the Gamer who games instead of working, the Watcher who watches instead of working, the Delegator who delegates tasks instead of doing them, and the Perpetuator who perpetually puts tasks off until tomorrow. The document aims to humor
Book Trailer - The Productive Muslim: Where Faith Meets ProductivityMohammed Faris
Ever wondered if Islam teaches productivity? What's the link between Faith and Productivity? Is there one book that helps us learn the practical steps to lead a productive lifestyle - both from a faith perspective as well as scientific perspective? Learn more about the new Productive Muslim Book --> Visit ProductiveMuslimBook.com.
This document provides information about the rituals and requirements of Hajj and Umrah. It begins with introductions to ihram, which refers to the state of consecration for pilgrims as well as the clothing worn. The rituals of both Umrah and Hajj are then outlined step-by-step. Key details include definitions of Hajj and Umrah, their ruling and eligibility requirements, the different modes of Hajj, and prohibitions that apply while in the state of ihram. The document aims to guide pilgrims through each stage of the pilgrimage rituals.
The document provides a day-by-day schedule of activities for performing the Hajj pilgrimage from the 8th to the 12th of Zhul-Hajj (November 26th to 30th, 2009). Each day includes prayer times, locations for prayers and activities, times for traveling between locations like Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah, and instructions for rituals like wuquf, throwing pebbles at jamrahs, and shaving hair.
A presentation on how to Perform the Rituals of Hajj.elimam
The document summarizes the different types of Hajj (Hajj al-Tamattu, Hajj al-Qiran, Hajj al-Ifrad) and Umrah. It provides details on the rituals and rules of Ihram, Tawaf, Sa'i between Safa and Marwah, Wuqoof at Arafat and Muzdalifah, and Rami or pelting stones at the three Jamarat in Mina on specific days of Dhul Hijjah.
The document summarizes the long and complex history between Pakistan and India, including their independence in 1947 which led to disputes over the region of Kashmir, sparking their First War. Their Second War in 1965 ended in a stalemate, while their Third War in 1971 was triggered by Pakistan's oppression of Bengalis and resulted in the creation of Bangladesh after India's victory over Pakistan. Subsequent conflicts have remained limited in scope.
The document discusses tensions between India and Pakistan over several decades. Key events include nuclear tests by both countries in 1998, military strikes by India in Kashmir in 1999, and the creation of India and Pakistan as separate states from Britain in 1947. The document also mentions the 1971 conflict in East Pakistan, Pakistan's relations with the US, insurgent activity in Kashmir allegedly supported by Pakistan, and the countries' history as long-time cricket rivals. It discusses both countries' missile capabilities and no-first-use policies regarding nuclear weapons.
The document discusses the importance of intention in deeds and their reward according to a hadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It emphasizes focusing on intention to increase sincerity and decrease hypocrisy. It provides common intentions for daily activities like sleeping, waking up, leaving home, going to the masjid, and eating to help transform ordinary acts into acts of worship by making the intention to please God. Specific intentions are also listed for certain activities.
This document contains a collection of wise sayings and advice from prominent Muslim scholars throughout history, compiled to benefit and provide guidance to readers. It begins with a dedication and preface by the compiler expressing their hope that the reminders and sayings will help soften readers' hearts and guide them to better themselves. The main body of the document then presents over a dozen brief sayings on topics like gratitude, patience, the impermanence of this life, and striving to please God. The sayings aim to bring comfort and hope to the soul by reminding readers of spiritual truths.
This document provides information about an introductory course on Islam being conducted in Singapore. The course, titled "A Beginners' Course on Islam", teaches lessons on Fardhu 'Ain (obligatory acts) in English for adults. It is conducted every Friday night by Ustaz Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail using a textbook and curriculum he developed for Muslim converts and young English-speaking Muslims. The document provides details about the course location, times, and contact information for registering. It also previews some of the lesson topics that will be covered, including discussions on Allah, Muhammad, and the criteria for determining a holy book with a focus on the Qur'an.
This document provides a summary of Lesson 10 of an online course on understanding the Qur'an and Salah. It discusses memorizing Surah An-Naas and the meanings of its words. It also covers grammar rules like the imperfect tense and exercises practicing verb forms. The dangers of whispers from Shaitaan are explained. Students are assigned their first two homeworks on recitation and filling out a worksheet.
This document provides a summary of Lesson 10 of an online course on understanding the Qur'an and Salah. It discusses imperfect tense in Arabic, provides examples from Surah An-Naas, and assigns the first two of seven homework assignments related to reciting from the Qur'an. It emphasizes continuing to learn and avoiding giving in to Satan's whispers through taking refuge in Allah.
1) The document provides guidance from Islamic teachings on proper etiquette and conduct when interacting with others, especially leaders and teachers.
2) It emphasizes the importance of lowering one's voice and speaking respectfully to avoid arrogance.
3) Rumor-mongering and believing negative information without verification is strongly discouraged as it can unjustly harm people's honor.
1. The document is a lesson from an online course about understanding the Quran and Salah.
2. It discusses learning grammar terms like فضل and كم from Quranic Arabic texts and emphasizes understanding the Quran's spiritual and intellectual message.
3. The lesson encourages seeing the Quran as taking the reader on a journey through time and space to understand history, prophecy, and lessons on faith.
The document outlines lessons from a beginner's course on Islam conducted in Singapore. It discusses several lessons from the textbook "Beginner's Manual on Islam" focusing on establishing criteria for determining if a book is from God. It argues a divine book must claim to be from God, be unique and inimitable so that others cannot produce something similar. It presents verses from the Quran where God and the Prophet Muhammad claim the Quran is from God and challenges others to produce a surah like it, which none have been able to do.
Among the reasons the Qur'an was revealed was to warn those who say "Allah has taken a son." As converts from Christianity, attendees may face challenges on this from family and friends. The talk will present knowledge from the Qur'an to help eradicate doubts and establish certainty in Islam, and prepare attendees to become witnesses. It will discuss the criteria a holy book must meet, including claiming itself to be from God and being unique and inimitable.
This document discusses the importance of unity among various efforts to spread the religion of Islam. It notes that each righteous effort, such as jamaat work, khaanqah circles, Islamic schools, publishing Islamic literature, social work, and jihad, plays an important role in guiding people to Allah. Rather than arguing over which effort is superior, Muslims should support and make dua for the success of all efforts. The diversity of efforts is a blessing from Allah. The goal of all efforts is the same - to bring people closer to the Creator. As long as efforts are made sincerely for Allah's pleasure alone, then unity and mutual support among the efforts is crucial.
The hadith describe the importance of modesty according to the Prophet Muhammad. One hadith states that the Prophet told Abdullah ibn Amr that those who have modesty will be treated modestly by Allah. Another hadith narrates that the Prophet said mercy is only removed from wretched people who lack modesty. A third hadith relates how the Prophet gently kissed Hassan ibn Ali in front of others, and advised that those who do not show mercy will not receive mercy. Overall, the hadith promote cultivating humility, gentleness and compassion for others.
This document provides information about the rituals and requirements of Hajj and Umrah. It begins with introductions to ihram, which refers to the state of consecration for pilgrims as well as the clothing worn. The rituals of both Umrah and Hajj are then outlined step-by-step. Key details include definitions of Hajj and Umrah, their ruling and eligibility requirements, the different modes of Hajj, and prohibitions that apply while in the state of ihram. The document aims to guide pilgrims through each stage of the pilgrimage rituals.
The document provides a day-by-day schedule of activities for performing the Hajj pilgrimage from the 8th to the 12th of Zhul-Hajj (November 26th to 30th, 2009). Each day includes prayer times, locations for prayers and activities, times for traveling between locations like Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah, and instructions for rituals like wuquf, throwing pebbles at jamrahs, and shaving hair.
A presentation on how to Perform the Rituals of Hajj.elimam
The document summarizes the different types of Hajj (Hajj al-Tamattu, Hajj al-Qiran, Hajj al-Ifrad) and Umrah. It provides details on the rituals and rules of Ihram, Tawaf, Sa'i between Safa and Marwah, Wuqoof at Arafat and Muzdalifah, and Rami or pelting stones at the three Jamarat in Mina on specific days of Dhul Hijjah.
The document summarizes the long and complex history between Pakistan and India, including their independence in 1947 which led to disputes over the region of Kashmir, sparking their First War. Their Second War in 1965 ended in a stalemate, while their Third War in 1971 was triggered by Pakistan's oppression of Bengalis and resulted in the creation of Bangladesh after India's victory over Pakistan. Subsequent conflicts have remained limited in scope.
The document discusses tensions between India and Pakistan over several decades. Key events include nuclear tests by both countries in 1998, military strikes by India in Kashmir in 1999, and the creation of India and Pakistan as separate states from Britain in 1947. The document also mentions the 1971 conflict in East Pakistan, Pakistan's relations with the US, insurgent activity in Kashmir allegedly supported by Pakistan, and the countries' history as long-time cricket rivals. It discusses both countries' missile capabilities and no-first-use policies regarding nuclear weapons.
The document discusses the importance of intention in deeds and their reward according to a hadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It emphasizes focusing on intention to increase sincerity and decrease hypocrisy. It provides common intentions for daily activities like sleeping, waking up, leaving home, going to the masjid, and eating to help transform ordinary acts into acts of worship by making the intention to please God. Specific intentions are also listed for certain activities.
This document contains a collection of wise sayings and advice from prominent Muslim scholars throughout history, compiled to benefit and provide guidance to readers. It begins with a dedication and preface by the compiler expressing their hope that the reminders and sayings will help soften readers' hearts and guide them to better themselves. The main body of the document then presents over a dozen brief sayings on topics like gratitude, patience, the impermanence of this life, and striving to please God. The sayings aim to bring comfort and hope to the soul by reminding readers of spiritual truths.
This document provides information about an introductory course on Islam being conducted in Singapore. The course, titled "A Beginners' Course on Islam", teaches lessons on Fardhu 'Ain (obligatory acts) in English for adults. It is conducted every Friday night by Ustaz Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail using a textbook and curriculum he developed for Muslim converts and young English-speaking Muslims. The document provides details about the course location, times, and contact information for registering. It also previews some of the lesson topics that will be covered, including discussions on Allah, Muhammad, and the criteria for determining a holy book with a focus on the Qur'an.
This document provides a summary of Lesson 10 of an online course on understanding the Qur'an and Salah. It discusses memorizing Surah An-Naas and the meanings of its words. It also covers grammar rules like the imperfect tense and exercises practicing verb forms. The dangers of whispers from Shaitaan are explained. Students are assigned their first two homeworks on recitation and filling out a worksheet.
This document provides a summary of Lesson 10 of an online course on understanding the Qur'an and Salah. It discusses imperfect tense in Arabic, provides examples from Surah An-Naas, and assigns the first two of seven homework assignments related to reciting from the Qur'an. It emphasizes continuing to learn and avoiding giving in to Satan's whispers through taking refuge in Allah.
1) The document provides guidance from Islamic teachings on proper etiquette and conduct when interacting with others, especially leaders and teachers.
2) It emphasizes the importance of lowering one's voice and speaking respectfully to avoid arrogance.
3) Rumor-mongering and believing negative information without verification is strongly discouraged as it can unjustly harm people's honor.
1. The document is a lesson from an online course about understanding the Quran and Salah.
2. It discusses learning grammar terms like فضل and كم from Quranic Arabic texts and emphasizes understanding the Quran's spiritual and intellectual message.
3. The lesson encourages seeing the Quran as taking the reader on a journey through time and space to understand history, prophecy, and lessons on faith.
The document outlines lessons from a beginner's course on Islam conducted in Singapore. It discusses several lessons from the textbook "Beginner's Manual on Islam" focusing on establishing criteria for determining if a book is from God. It argues a divine book must claim to be from God, be unique and inimitable so that others cannot produce something similar. It presents verses from the Quran where God and the Prophet Muhammad claim the Quran is from God and challenges others to produce a surah like it, which none have been able to do.
Among the reasons the Qur'an was revealed was to warn those who say "Allah has taken a son." As converts from Christianity, attendees may face challenges on this from family and friends. The talk will present knowledge from the Qur'an to help eradicate doubts and establish certainty in Islam, and prepare attendees to become witnesses. It will discuss the criteria a holy book must meet, including claiming itself to be from God and being unique and inimitable.
This document discusses the importance of unity among various efforts to spread the religion of Islam. It notes that each righteous effort, such as jamaat work, khaanqah circles, Islamic schools, publishing Islamic literature, social work, and jihad, plays an important role in guiding people to Allah. Rather than arguing over which effort is superior, Muslims should support and make dua for the success of all efforts. The diversity of efforts is a blessing from Allah. The goal of all efforts is the same - to bring people closer to the Creator. As long as efforts are made sincerely for Allah's pleasure alone, then unity and mutual support among the efforts is crucial.
The hadith describe the importance of modesty according to the Prophet Muhammad. One hadith states that the Prophet told Abdullah ibn Amr that those who have modesty will be treated modestly by Allah. Another hadith narrates that the Prophet said mercy is only removed from wretched people who lack modesty. A third hadith relates how the Prophet gently kissed Hassan ibn Ali in front of others, and advised that those who do not show mercy will not receive mercy. Overall, the hadith promote cultivating humility, gentleness and compassion for others.
4. Part 1 | The Call
When Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) completed the But he relied upon Allah and did his best: he climbed
structure of the Ka’bah, Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) Mount Arafat and called out in his loudest voice, “O
commanded him to call the people to Hajj. Ibrahim People! Verily Allah has prescribed upon you
(Peace be upon him) got confused he said, “O Allah! Hajj, so perform Hajj.”
How shall my voice reach all of those people?”
Every human being on earth at that time heard that
Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) told him that his duty call and Hajj began since that day. Allah (Subhanahu
was only to give the call, and it was up to Allah to wa ta’ala) revealed in the Qur’an:
make it reach the people. We should never stop ourselves from making the
Here we have a beau- “And proclaim the Hajj among mankind. They
tiful productivity les- will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on
son; don’t worry every camel, lean on account of journeys
about the results/ through deep and distant mountain highways”.
outcome of your (Surat Al-Hajj, Ayat 28)
effort; rather, worry
about making the
necessary effort to achieve something just because
effort and ensuring you do the task to the best of
your ability. If Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) saw that we think the results are impossible to achieve.
the expected outcome of his task is impossible, he Do your part and leave the rest upon Allah
would have given up and there would have been no (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala).
Hajj.
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2 http://productivemuslim.com/
5. There are 2 important ingredients for Ibrahim’s suc- I’ve always been in awe at the verse that talks about
cess in this task : Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) and Ismail (Peace be up-
on him) building the house of Allah. The verse says:
1. He took all necessary means to complete his
task; he went to the highest mountain at that
time, mount Arafat, and called with his loudest “And remember Abraham and Ismail raised the
voice. foundations of the House (With this prayer): “Our
2. He was sincere! He sincerely believed that Allah Lord! Accept (this service) from us: For Thou art
(Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) would deliver his call to
all mankind. the All-Hearing, the All-knowing” .
(Surat Al-Baqarah, Verse 127)
These 2 ingredients - sincerity and hard work - are
the ingredients for true success in dunya and akhira.
One of the most respected scholars I know of our Notice that although they were doing the most noble
time gave me advice I’ll never forget it: “have good task on earth at that moment, they weren’t arrogant
intentions and work hard”. I’ve carried this message about it and asked Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) to ac-
wherever I’ve gone and it’s a formula of success I try cept it from them.
to live by.
Write this message down, place it somewhere on When you’re being productive, always be humble
your desk, and remind yourself daily to have good in- about it and don’t boast. Remember, it is Allah
tentions and work hard in whatever you do and see (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) who gave you the means to
how Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) will open the doors be productive at that time, so be thankful and always
of success for you, inshaAllah! ask Him to accept from you your hard work.
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3 http://productivemuslim.com/
6. Notice how their prayer ended with “For Thou art the
All-Hearing, the All-knowing.” Imagine if in all our
work we remember that Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala)
is watching us and knows what we’re doing; how will
our work be? What sort of tasks will we choose to
do? What would happen to our level of productivity?
How far would we go to ensure that the task is done
perfectly or in an excellent manner?
Here’s a practical homework exercise for you: pick a
task you need to do, perhaps something you’ve been
procrastinating upon for a long time, and ask your-
self, “If I was to do this task sincerely for Allah
(Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) knowing that Allah
Allah says in the Quran about the building of the
(Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) is watching me do it, how
Ka’bah:
should I go about it and get it done?”
The answer may surprise you.
“And remember Abraham and Ismail
raised the foundations of the House
(With this prayer): “Our Lord! Accept
(this service) from us: For Thou art the
All-Hearing, the All-knowing” .
(Surat Al-Baqarah, Verse 127)
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4 http://productivemuslim.com/
7. So far we’ve derived 2 lessons from the story of Ibra- Try your best when you undertake a task, project, or
him (Peace be upon him) and Ismail (Peace be upon good deed that you do it with other people – whether
him) building the Ka’aba: it’s with your spouse, children, co-workers, friends, or
even random people who passionately belief in your
task. Working with someone, or within a team, will im-
1. When you’re being productive, be humble and don’t mensely help you keep up the productivity and work
boast, but thank Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) and ask hard to get the work done inshaAllah.
Him to accept from you.
2. Whenever you approach a new task, you should re-
member that Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) is watching
you and you should try your best to do the task sin-
cerely for Him.
A final lesson that we can draw from the story is the
following; notice how Ibrahim (Peace be upon him)
and Ismail (Peace be upon him) were working togeth-
er to build the Kaa’ba. Good companionship (whether
related or unrelated) is a true helper in making you
productive.
Sometimes being along or doing something alone can
be discouraging and you might easily give up, but if
you work with people and work within a team, it’ll
force you to be productive.
5 http://productivemuslim.com/
http://productivemuslim.com/
8. Part 2 | Persistence
Now we move to a different Hajj story: the story of to have this belief that Allah will not forsake you.
Hajar (May Allah be pleased with her) and her son Is- You’re a Muslim, you believe in Him; He’ll not forsake
mail (Peace be upon him). you. Do your best in all your endeavours regardless of
the trials you face, and Allah will not forsake you. This
feeling of certainty in Allah’s help will boost your
Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) woke up one day and productivity when you feel like giving up.
asked Hajar to prepare herself and baby Ismail for a
Hajar went on nursing Ismail and drinking from the
long travel. Ibrahim and Hajar kept walking, crossed a
water until it was all used up. She became very thirsty
fertile land followed by barren mountains till they ar-
and the child was crying. She left him on the al-Marwa
rived at the Arabian Desert. Ibrahim brought Hajar to a
hill and hurried to the nearest hill, as-Safa.
high hill called al-Marwa, made her and her baby sit
under a tree, placed a bag of dates and some water
near her, and simply walked away. She stood there and started looking at the valley
keenly so that she might see somebody, but she could
not see anybody. She descended from as-Safa,
You can imagine Hajar’s reaction at this - she ran after
crossed the valley running, and reached al-Marwa hill.
him and said, “Are you going to leave us in this desert
She stood and started looking but could not see any-
where there is no one to keep us company?” She re-
body. She kept running between as-Safa and al-
peated this many times, but he would not look back at
Marwa seven times. When she reached al-Marwa for
her. Finally she asked, “Has Allah ordered you to do
the last time, she was exhausted - and there, the mir-
so?” He said, ‘Yes.” She replied, “Then He will not ne-
acle happened! Angel Jibreel dug the earth until water
glect us.”
flowed underneath Ismail (Peace be upon him) & Zam-
This story teaches us a very beautiful lesson: When zam was born!
Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) is testing you, you need
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6 http://productivemuslim.com/
9. I always ask this question to my students; Ibrahim (Peace be upon him) saw a vision of himself
Why did Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) make Hajar slaughtering his son, knowing that it’s a command from
(May Allah be pleased with her) run 7 times before Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala), he spoke to his son Ismail
this miracle happened? (Peace be upon him) about his vision and the obedient
son dutifully agreed. As Ibrahim (Peace be upon him)
was taking his son to the slaughter location, shaytaan
If He (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) wanted, he could have pro- appeared 3 times in 3 different locations “advising” Ib-
vided her with Zamzam without her even lifting a finger, rahim to abandon his task and go back home with his
but there’s a lesson here for all mankind: you need to son. Angel Jibreel came down and told Ibrahim that this
work hard for miracles to happen!
is shaytaan trying to tempt him from obeying Allah, he
should throw 7 pebbles at him and he’ll disappear.
The sky does NOT rain gold - you have to be proactive,
do your best, and push yourself; and Allah will provide When they reached the designated spot, Ibrahim placed
from where you didn’t expect! his son Ismail face down on the ground, reached for his
son’s neck with the knife and pulled it! Nothing hap-
This is a message to the Ummah of Islam: Sitting down pened. He did it again, nothing happened. He tried a
and doing nothing for the Ummah and hoping that our third time but still, nothing happened and the miracle
Ummah’s situation will change does not grant us victory. occurred. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) says in the
Quran:
We need active societies, people who care more about “So when they had both submitted their wills (to
those around them than their own comforts. Each one of Allah, and he had laid him prostrate on his
us needs to be productive in an area of our lives, and forehead (for sacrifice), We called out to him “O
boost those around us to be productive as well. This is Abraham!” “Thou hast already fulfilled the vision!”
how we’ll rise as an Ummah, inshaAllah. – thus indeed do We reward those who do right.
For this was obviously a trial- And We ransomed
The story of Ibrahim’s (Peace be upon him) sacrifice of him with a momentous sacrifice: And We left (this
Ismail (Peace be upon him) is probably the most famous blessing) for him among generations (to come) in
story of Hajj and one that we all memorize. later times” (Al-Saffat, Verses 103-108).
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10. What productivity lessons can we learn from this story?
Here’s the productivity lesson I wanted to share with you: remember the part when Shaytaan was coming to
“advise” Ibrahim not to obey Allah? This is the sort of “advice” that we mostly fall for each day that makes us un-
productive! Shaytaan each day turns up and tells you “no need to work on that project...it’s too hard, leave it today,
you seem tired”…OR “you can’t do that, you’re too young/old/incompetent/busy to work on this project, someone
else will do it.”
Day in and day out, he comes to us and distracts us, acting as our trusted advisor to stay away from good deeds
and keep us lazy and unproductive. Today, I want you to pelt shaytaan with stones of knowledge, hard work, sin-
cerity and perseverance whenever you hear such ‘advice’ from him!
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11. Part 3 | The New Year
Even though there are no prescribed celebrations for a new
year in Islam, however, it’s always good to take such occasions
as opportunities to reflect on how well you’ve performed over
the past year, in terms of dunya and akhira, as well as what
you want to achieve over the coming year.
When reflecting back, if you see that you were successful in
achieving lots of good deeds and good work, then say “Al-
Hamdulillah!” and ask Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) for more in
the coming year.
If you see otherwise, then ask Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) for forgiveness and start a new sheet with the new year
promising yourself to do better, inshaAllah.
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12. When we think about the Hijrah (migration of the This spiritual migration won’t be easy and might be
Prophet from Makkah to Medina), we rarely imagine challenging at times, but if done for the sake of Allah
the difficulty it must have been for our beloved (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala), it will be beneficial in the
Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his companions to end inshaAllah.
leave their homes, their businesses, their families,
and migrate to a different new city. Can you imagine
yourself doing it? Leaving all the comforts you’ve Here’s an article I wrote on Productivity lessons from
built over the years in your hometown and simply the Hijrah, which I hope you’ll find beneficial:
starting a new life in a new town? http://www.productivemuslim.com/productivity-
lessons-from-the-hijrah-part-2/
It’s not easy. But sometimes such migration is need-
ed in order to kick start a new life and propel us to-
wards productive pursuits just like it was needed at
Hope you like it!
the time of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in order
for Islam to find a new home in Medina and be able
to spread more freely in the Arabian peninsula.
Today I invite you all to a spiritual form of Hijrah, a
Hijrah for the sake of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala)
from sins to good deeds, from bad friends to good
friends, from non-halal job to a halal job, from living
for dunya to living for akhira, and of course from un-
productivity to productivity!
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13. « Oh! And if you liked this newsletter, and want someone else to get it, send them to this page
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