Friday 10 Rajab 1446 AH / 10 January 2025

as Salaamu Alaykum

I hope you’ve been keeping well. It’s been a while since my last newsletter—it was in September 2023. So I followed the content creator advice to a tee of not posting for 16 months.

In all seriousness, like most people, I felt the weight of events surrounding the Gaza war, and posting my usual content felt silly. I can probably analyse that statement hyper-rationally and come to a different conclusion especially considering the genocide continues, and other instances around the World, but still. I intended to take a few months off which extended due to various reasons no one cares about, but ultimately it was the right decision at the time.

Welcome to another issue of the Optimized Muslim Newsletter on all things self-development for Muslims. I synthesise and filter insights, ideas, quotes, resources and more so we can become Optimized Muslims إن شاء الله

In today's email: Mental tools for self-improvement, tranquillity, trustworthiness, humility, essential reads, practical implementation

Probably a 4 minute read or so.

On this occasion, please send a quick reply if you can to show the email illuminati that you still like reading it, and it doesn't get put in spam.

What's happening at Optimized Muslim?

I've started posting on socials. Soon, the podcast and other videos will recommence إن شاء الله

Another idea I have in mind is to record a video outlining my goals for the year, and schedule it for release in 12 months time. My intention is that it will serve as motivation for people to work on their mindset over "tactics". I will record it and show metrics a year in advance, followed by the results - kind of proving that most things are just executing on a pattern of steps. So many people just out-think themselves out of doing what's meaningful for them.

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Are you a Muslim looking to overcome procrastination & overwhelm, prioritise properly and take action on the goals that you know deep down matter the most?

I'm currently accepting new clients for my high-performance coaching, Find out more, see testimonials and book a free call here:

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Qur'an Ayah

"And when you see those who engage in [offensive] discourse concerning Our verses, then turn away from them until they enter into another conversation." [Quran 6:68]

Hadith

"He who cannot be trusted has no faith; he who has no covenant has no religion." (Ahmad, al-Bayhaqi)

This powerful hadith reminds us that trustworthiness is more than just a noble characteristic. In a world where breaking promises has become normalized, we must stand firm in our commitments.

An Idea I Was Thinking About: The Power of Mental Labels

In our journey of self-improvement, having ready-made mental tools can be transformative. One powerful phrase I've adopted is: "I'll have tranquillity instead". I used to be always up for a debate, which was generally a waste of time. So I remember using this as part of my self-talk starting in 2019.

Think about it - how many times do we get pulled into situations that drain our energy and peace?

• A heated political debate on Twitter?
• That urge to prove someone wrong in the comments?
• The temptation to engage in workplace gossip?

Instead of engaging, simply tell yourself: "I'll have tranquillity instead, Alhamdulillah."

This mental label serves as a pattern interrupt, helping us choose peace over chaos, productivity over distraction, and spiritual growth over ego satisfaction.

Wisdom to ponder🧠

""The wise take the business of laughing at themselves seriously. They hedge their pronouncements and are sceptical in their conclusions. Their certainties are not as brittle as those of others. They laugh from the constant collisions between the noble way they'd like things to be and the demented way they in fact often turn out." - Alain de Botton

This quote beautifully captures the essence of humility and self-awareness.

"Intelligence is the ability to understand many ideas. Wisdom is the ability to identify the few ideas worth understanding." James Clear

Practical Implementation

This week, try implementing the "I'll have tranquillity instead" technique:

1. Notice trigger moments that usually cause stress or anger
2. Pause and consciously choose tranquillity
3. Say "Alhamdulillah"

Reads for Your Journey:📖

• 📚 The Autobiography of Malcolm X (10/10) - A transformative journey of identity, faith, and purpose
• 📚 The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma (8/10) - Powerful lessons on simplicity and purpose
• 📚 The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg (8/10) - Scientific insights into behavior change

Question to ask ourselves

What would a Wali of Allah do here?

This profound question can serve as another powerful mental label, helping us align our actions with higher spiritual aspirations.

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

Aadil

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PS

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