Friday 17th March 2023/Shaaban 25, 1444 AH

as Salaamu Alaykum

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

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Qur'an Ayaat

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ

Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allāh. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allāh hearts are assured." Quran 13:28

Hadith

Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah the Exalted says: I am as My slave thinks of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me inwardly, I will remember him inwardly, and if he remembers Me in an assembly, I will remember him in a better assembly (i.e., in the assembly of angels)." - Sahih Bukhari 7405, Sahih Muslim 2675.

Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The similitude of one who remembers his Lord and one who does not remember Him, is like that of the living and the dead." - Sahih Bukhari 6407.

Some Reminders to keep you on 🎯

"Among the infamies of the soul is laziness. It is the offspring of eating one’s fill. When the soul is satiated it becomes strengthened, and when it is strengthened it takes its share. And when it takes its share it overpowers the heart and delivers it to its pleasures"

Among the infamies of the soul is its concern for sustenance even though Allah has guaranteed it for the individual, and its lack of concern for the work that Allah has made obligatory for him that no one else can do for him. This condition is treated by the individual knowing that Allah, the One who created him, has guaranteed for him sufficient sustenance, and said, “Allah is He Who created [you], then provided for you” (Q30:40). Just as one does not doubt His creation, one does not doubt His provision.

Furber, Musa. Infamies of the Soul and Their Treatments (p. 37)Kindle Edition.

"A person who truly fears his Lord will not fear people, but whoever fears people will not fear his Lord." - Ibn al-Jawzi, Al-Hath 'ala al-Tijarah wa al-Sina'ah, p. 11.

"O you who sold yourself for the sake of something that will cause you suffering and pain, and which will also lose its beauty, you sold the most precious item for the cheapest price, as if you neither knew the value of the goods nor the meanness of the price. Wait until you come on the Day of mutual loss and gain and you will discover the injustice of this contract." - Ibn al-Jawzi, Sayd Al-Khatir, p. 134.

A Post I shared on Deen vs Dunya - A false notion

A lot of people create a false divide between "deen" and "dunya".

If you focus on your intention, you can correct and constantly moderate your intention when engaging in things ostensibly not involving ritual worship to make it so you are getting rewarded for it.

Islam is a way of life. A beautifully connected system of living.

Examples:

1. A job, business or means of financial income is a vehicle for you to be able to provide and care for yourself and your family, pay zakat & sadaqah and contribute to the community.
2. Going to the gym or working out becomes a way for you to take care of your body and health which is seen as a trust or Amanah from Allah SWT
3. Taking care of a sick family member may be your "highest leverage" action to earn your akhirah given your situation.

This way of thinking also allows you to be more present and have a greater sense of meaning when engaging in the said activity rather than wrongly placing it in the "dunya" bucket and viewing it as an impediment to your "deen"

How to go about this in practice? Get in the habit of reflecting on intentions and reframing when necessary. Overtime, this behaviour becomes more habitual.

Any thoughts that you can share on this?

Improving Sleep

I've been experimenting with the sleep supplements recommended by

and my sleep has improved as shown by my Fitbit and Oura ring.

Consists of Magnesium L-threonate, Chamomile extract and L theanine What do you guys take (if anything) to optimize sleep?

Interesting links to make you smarter and recommended content🤔

• Healing the Stigma Against Mental Health – Abdallah Rothman (38 mins video) Link
• Restoring the Barakah in Your Time - Dr. Ali Ataie (6 mins video) Link

• ChinAI: Twenty years ago, China was seen as not much more than the manufacturing capital of the world. A new report from an Australian think tank suggests that China has a global lead in 37 out of 44 strategic technologies, from defence, space, robotics, energy, biotechnology, AI and quantum tech. 

Questions to ask ourselves

Would I want to make this purchase if there was no one to witness me having it?

Some quotes from my readings:

Monte Carlo Fallacy: The mistaken belief that, if something happens more frequently than normal during a certain period of time, it will happen less frequently in the future

Manual for the Practical Stoic by Kevin Malone

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The body and mind need to be maintained. Similar to a garden, without effort, weeds will pop up and overtake everything.

With a bit of consistent pruning, the results can be beautiful." James Clear

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Your character can also shape your face. George Orwell once remarked, “At fifty, everyone has the face he deserves.” If you have spent years smiling crow’s feet around the corners of your eyes, or scowling a deep groove into your brow, you did that yourself. Compelling People by John Neffinger and Matthew Kohut

Some recent content:

🎥 Daniel Haqiqatjou on the importance of managing emotions whilst debating

Click here to watch the video

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Aadil

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