We Value Women
Dec 18, 2022 2:18 pm
Sunday 18th December 2022
as Salaamu Alaykum
Weekly Newsletter bringing together some (hopefully) beneficial content on all things self-development from a Muslim's perspective.
If you like reading this email, please forward it to someone that is like-minded. Thank you
Forwarded this and would like to get this straight to your inbox?
Qur'an
كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوٓا۟ إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَىٰهَا
On the Day they see it, it will seem they lingered [in this life] an evening [at most,] or its morning.
[Al-Nazi’at: 46]
Hadith from Umar radi'Allahu anhu
Umar ibn al-Khattab saw a man with a large belly and he said, “What is this?”
The man said, “It is a blessing from Allah.”
Umar said, “No, rather it is a punishment.”¹
¹ Ḥadīth Muḥammad ibn ‘Abd Allāh al-Anṣārī 42
Dr Abu Eesa on mental health🧠
Mental health issues like depression and anxiety are on the rise amongst Muslims and non-Muslims. Why?
I asked Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Abu Eesa in my last podcast. Here's what he said:
1. Greater awareness of mental health issues and some reduction in the associated stigma leading to more cases being highlighted.
2. Social Media Usage. Studies show that young adults who use social media more frequently report higher levels of anxiety and depression. Social media usage can also negatively impact your soul by leading to illnesses of the heart like envy, resentment, showing off
3 Broken families. Lacking a stable family upbringing is a cause for many mental health and social issues. A lack of community or connection with others is yet another cause of mental health problems.
4. Delaying Marriage. Dr Abu Eesa advised that women are prioritising their careers and later struggling to find a suitable spouse can lead to mental health issues.
5. Atheist and secular paradigm. This causes a crisis of meaning among people leading to nihilism
Current Motivation/intention: 🌍
Hijrah and freedom from the "matrix" are one of my big motivations now. Could never really align with chasing money for material wants. Understanding hedonic adaptation is enough to unravel that.
What is hedonic adaptation?
Hedonic adaptation, also known as the hedonic treadmill, refers to the tendency of individuals to return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite significant positive or negative life events or changes.
This process of adaptation occurs because people tend to get used to new circumstances and experiences over time, and their feelings of happiness and well-being return to baseline levels.
Similarly, experiencing a negative event such as a breakup or a natural disaster may initially cause significant distress, but over time, the individual may adapt and return to their previous level of happiness.
Understanding hedonic adaptation can be helpful in setting and achieving long-term goals, as it suggests that temporary events or achievements may not have a lasting impact on overall happiness.
Also, there are ahadith that basically summarise all of that such as
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "If Adam's son had a valley full of gold, he would like to have two valleys, for nothing fills his mouth except dust. And Allah forgives him who repents to Him." Sahih - al Bukhari 6439
Easy Good Deeds to race towards: 🏇
Fasting right now in the UK is basically like taking a late lunch. CAPITALIZE
Unrelated but Interesting
1️⃣ChatGPT got to one million users in just five days. For context, Spotify took 5 months, and Facebook 10 months. I discussed this briefly with Sh Mu'aawiyah Tucker in a recently recorded podcast (to be uploaded soon in sha Allah)
At an annualized rate, Lensa AI’s iOS App Store revenue now tops $1.2 billion, up ~100x since the launch of the Magic Avatar only 2.5 weeks ago.[1] Until the release of Magic Avatar, the app had averaged less than $10 million in annualized revenue, peaking at ~$16 million (Ark invest)
2️⃣Rise of the UAE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3seZqqBuAE
A Geopolitical perspective on the UAE region by The Middle Nation (an excellent channel by the way)
3️⃣ Cool video of a guy snowboarding through mountains: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-mZTR1glq4
One question to ask ourselves
What's my biggest excuse? Is it really an excuse?
Some quotes from my readings:
Patience and Gratitude by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyah
“Every blessing that does not bring you closer to Allah is a disaster.”
We tend to assume that the worst that has happened is the worst that can happen, and then prepare for that. We forget that “the worst” smashed a previous understanding of what was the worst.
Farnam Street Newsletter
Ibn al-Jawzi said: “If you want to know your value with your Lord, look to how He is using you and what actions he has kept you busy with.”
Hanlon’s Razor.
“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
Hofstadter's Law.
“A complex task always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law" — Douglas Hofstadter
I want to hear from like-minded people, please feel free to reply.
Like to read all previous newsletters? Click here
Forwarded this and would like to get this straight to your inbox?
Some of the recent content:
🎥 Focus On The Prophetic ﷺ Model
Our main focus should be the Prophetic model.
To follow the ways and teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.
Everything else follows.
🎥 How This Muslim Entrepreneur Runs 3 Businesses In Just 3.5 Days A Week!
How This Muslim Entrepreneur Runs 3 Businesses In Just 3.5 Days A Week!
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be an entrepreneur and run multiple businesses?
In this video, I talk to an entrepreneur who runs three businesses while only working 3.5 days a week.
🎥 Is Money 💰 important to gain and maintain respect in a marriage?
How important are finances when it comes to earning and maintaining the respect of your wife as a Muslim man?
Gabriel al Romaani
Most men aren't willing to face discomfort
Gabriel al Romaani..
"Sit down bruv.." 😂 How some sisters speak to their husbands.
This one made me laugh
Enjoy, Aadil (Optimizedmuslim.com)
