Thursday 6th July / 18 Dhuʻl-Hijjah 1444 AH

as Salaamu Alaykum

Welcome to the Optimized Muslim Newsletter on all things self-development from a Muslim's perspective.

If you recently started receiving these emails it's because you signed up but never confirmed the subscription. I upgraded my email provider and that removed the double opt-in. Anyway, hardly anyone has unsubscribed so hopefully it was a pleasant surprise.

Total read time: 5 minutes

Are these too long? Let me know

What's happening at Optimized Muslim?

I had an interview with Unity FM, a radio station in the UK which I had never heard of lol but it's actually one of the most listened to Muslim stations in the UK apparently. The interview was on self development and I'll be uploading it to my YouTube this week إِنْ شَاءَ ٱللَّٰهُ

---

Are you an ambitious Muslim looking to join an exclusive small group of brothers to focus on self development using accountability and weekly coaching?

I've had a good response to this ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰهِ. Why? Because accountability and good company are probably the biggest drivers for behavioural change and its hard to replicate without joining a group invested specifically for that purpose

If you're interested, book a call here:

Just get started

"The difference between how I feel before my first set in the gym and how I feel after my first set is enormous.

You don't even need a full workout (or work session, etc.) to feel good again. You are 5 minutes away from putting your day on a completely different trajectory." James clear

Qur'an Ayah

وَعِبَادُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ هَوْنًۭا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ ٱلْجَـٰهِلُونَ قَالُوا۟ سَلَـٰمًۭا ٦٣

The ˹true˺ servants of the Most Compassionate are those who walk on the earth humbly, and when the foolish address them ˹improperly˺, they only respond with peace.[Qur'an 25:63]

Note: To reflect on considering how social media has now increased the exposure to the "foolish" due to the perceived anonymity of social media amongst other factors

Importance of Mental Diet

"If either of us were building a home for ourselves, how careful we would be in regard to the plans; how we should study every detail; how we should watch the material and select only the best of everything; and yet how careless we are when it comes to building our Mental Home, which is infinitely more important than any physical home, as everything which can possibly enter into our lives depends upon the character of the material which enters into the construction of our Mental Home."

On Spending time in solitude 😱

It is reported that Imām Mālik said to one of his companions: Do not leave your house a lot, except for something that you must do. And do not sit in a gathering in which you do not benefit some knowledge. (A-Qādi Ayyād, Tartib Al-Madārik 2:63)

It is reported that Masrūq, Allāh have mercy on him said: Everyone should have times when they sit alone, remember their sins, and thus seek [Allāh's] forgiveness for them. (Ahmad b. Hanbal, A-Zuhd article 2038.)

Fear-Setting Exercise

Fear-setting is a powerful exercises popularised by Tim Ferris (check out his TED talk on this). Here's how it works

Step 1: Define your fears. Take a moment to identify the specific fears that are holding you back. Is it fear of failure, judgment, or financial insecurity? Pinpointing these fears is the first step towards conquering them.

Step 2: Quantify the risks. Now, let's evaluate the likelihood and consequences of those fears coming true. Rate each fear on a scale of 1-10 in terms of likelihood and impact. You'll realize that most risks are manageable, and the potential consequences are often less severe than we imagine.

Step 3: Plan for prevention and repair. Develop a strategic plan to address each fear. How can you prevent or reduce the likelihood of negative outcomes? What steps can you take to recover if things don't go as planned?

When examined in this way, you'll realise that the perceived fears are no longer as intimidating.

Sometimes happy, sometimes sad

It is reported that Ikrimah Allāh have mercy on him said: Everyone gets happy and gets sad, but you should turn your happiness into gratitude (to Allāh) and your sadness into patience (şabr). (Ibn Kathīr, Tafsir of A-Hadīd)

Note: Pain in life is inevitable. There are seasons to life. If you're looking to be 100% happy all of the time, you've got the wrong idea of where we are. This is the dunya. Build a relationship with pain. Have methods and protocols to deal with it

"So much to learn, so little time" 🧠

“When you first start to study a field, it seems like you have to memorize a zillion things. You don’t. What you need is to identify the core principles – generally three to twelve of them – that govern the field. The million things you thought you had to memorize are simply various combinations of the core principles.”

— John T. Reed in Succeeding

More people are unmarried at 40 than ever before.

In 1980, just 6% of 40-year-olds had never been married. As of 2021, 25% of 40-year-olds in the United States had never been married. A significant increase from 20% in 2010. While many unmarried 40-year-olds are living with a romantic partner, most are not. In 2022, only 22% of never-married adults ages 40 to 44 were cohabiting. — Pew Research

A short lesson about kindness and generosity:

"I heard my mom asking our neighbour for some salt. We had salt at home so I asked her why she was asking.

She told me, "They don't have much money and they sometimes ask us for things. So I asked for something small that wouldn't burden them. I want them to feel as if we needed them too. That way, it will be much easier for them to ask us for anything they need."

Source: James Clear

Interesting links and recommended content🤔

• Can Muslims Thrive without a Caliphate? with Dr Uthman Badar |Podcast Link

• Ticktick - Task management app that's pretty good link

• Women & Men Free Mixing In Islamic Gatherings | Sh Asrar Rashid - 4 minutes - Link

Ooo controversy. Sh Asrar addresses some important points and rebuts the common "But women prayed at the back 1400 years ago"

• https://afterfund.co/ - I've not used this or done extensive research into it but I love the idea. Something to investigate.

"Your Afterfund donation is continuously multiplied through halal investing, and profits are automatically distributed each year to causes you care about."

Currently Reading

The Road to Mecca - Muhammad Asad link

"Part travelogue, part autobiography, "The Road to Mecca" is the compelling story of a Western journalist and adventurer who converted to Islam in the early twentieth century."

Questions to ask ourselves

Would you do this if you couldn't tell everyone afterwards?

Some quotes from my readings:

"You don’t need more time because you already have all the time that you will ever get; you need more focus" Excellent Advice for Living by Kevin Kelly

Forwarded this and would like to get this straight to your inbox?

Click Here!

Like to read all previous newsletters? Click here

Thanks for reading . Please forward it to a like-minded friend if you benefit.

Aadil

Work with me. Book a call

Want to sponsor a newsletter? Get in touch

PS

Please give The Optimized Muslim Podcast a 5* review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Email me if you do because then I know you're special