Saru/ Ramadhan 10 1444 AH

as Salaamu Alaykum

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

Project Update: The podcast with br Mounir from Modern Muslim Man is out. Looking forward to getting more guests after Ramadhan in sha Allah

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Qur'an Ayaat

“He created the heavens and earth in truth and formed you and perfected your forms; and to Him is the [final] destination” [Quran 64:3]

Hadith

ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar said: ‘God’s pleasure lies in the parents’ pleasure and His displeasure is caused by the parents’ displeasure’. Related by al-Ḥākim and al-Tirmidhi.

Image made using AI:

Ramadhan is all the proof you need

One of the many blessings of Ramadhan is that hundreds of millions of people fast throughout the month and generally engage in more ibaadaat.

It also acts as a "reset" of sorts. Ramadhan forces adherence to a different routine so it can be a sufficient "wake up and smell the coffee akh" type of jolt we all need which can lead to us evaluating our lifestyles, habits and goals.

From a coaching perspective, it's also great as when someone inevitably says "I can't", it's easy to remind them how they were able to relatively transform themselves in the month of Ramadhan. We can then break down some of the factors that led to behaviour change and try to replicate those at other times during the year. The biggest thing holding people back is often mindset related.

Fasting is also about tackling illnesses of the heart💚

Imam Ghazali distinguished between three levels of fasting in his treatise “The Secrets of Fasting:”

a)      Ordinary Fasting

This consists of abstaining from food, drink and sexual satisfaction.

b)     Special Fasting

This involves keeping one’s ears, eyes, tongue, hands and feet — and all other organs — free from sin.

c)      Extraordinary fasting

This highest level is fasting of the heart from unworthy concerns and worldly thoughts, in total disregard of everything but God, Great and Glorious is He.

I would suggest trying to pick one vice and focusing on that. Reflect deeply, maintain a journal and work towards tackling it. I always advise people to focus on this kind of inner work whilst young because we see so many examples of sillyness resulting from people who prioritised the wrong things in their 20s which leaves them with destructive habits to cause exponential wreckage as they gain more responsibility and power.

Tip: Read an English translation alongside the Arabic of the passages to be recited in taraweeh. You will be able to maintain greater khushoo as you will recognise certain words which will remind you of what you read earlier in the day. You don't have to be a hafidh to benefit.

Is the social media "be vulnerable" trend necessary

A comment that I added to a post on Linkedin:

There's a time, place and audience for vulnerability but think over the last 2-3 years it has become so commonplace on social media that it doesn't even have the desired effect. Also, it is ripe for marketers to abuse for clickbait.

Further, the argument that it helps make people come across as authentic is fine to an extent but I think a healthier lens through which to view social media, in general, would help as a starting point.

We all know that no one is perfect, that everyone sins and that we generally present the highlights on social media. I don't need to see someone expose their flaws or struggles to re-affirm that.

Interesting links to make you smarter and recommended content🤔

• A Twitter Thread summarising all of the Supplements recommended by Andrew Huberman in his podcasts: Link:

• From Egypt to UAE. A podcast interview on a brother's insightful Hijrah experience: Link

• I Read a DOZEN Books on Money - 5 Tips from the BEST one: A solid video with Qur'an-based advice from Islamic Finance Guru: Link

Questions to ask ourselves

If my main goal for the next week was to stop wasting time on this one thing, how would I do it?

Some quotes from my readings:

Seneca has said, “Without a ruler to do it against, you can’t make crooked straight.” That is the role of wise people in our lives—to serve as model and inspiration.

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Albert Camus once said, “An intellectual is someone whose mind watches itself.”

In psychology, “meta-cognition” is a person’s ability to be aware of their own thoughts and emotions and have thoughts/emotions about those thoughts and emotions in real time.

Meta-cognition is more casually known as “self-awareness” and is tied to all sorts of positive outcomes, from better emotional regulation to more focus and discipline and overall happiness and well-being.

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"Your problems adjust to their true level of importance after a hard workout and a good night of sleep." James Clear

Some recent content:

🎥 Optimizing Your Nutrition & Wellness This Ramadhan: A conversation with The Modern Muslim Man

In this episode, I am joined by Br Mounir Lazouni, founder of The Modern Muslim Man, to discuss the importance of optimizing our nutrition and energy during the fasting period.

Click here to watch the video

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Aadil

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