Update for 24th June 2022

as Salaamu Alaykum,

An Idea I was thinking about this week

Alhamdulillah, I currently have a lot of things on my plate as they say. I like it. I like having a massive to-do list and getting a solid work session done (can hear "Toxic Productivity" somewhere...). When I say a lot on my plate, I'm referring to stuff I've chosen to put on there whether that's Optimized Muslim-related tasks or a side business that I work on. This is probably the reason why I enjoy it. It's the element of autonomy. Autonomy, even when assessed by employees, is one of the factors that massively improves their perceived level of fulfilment from work.

I'm now the bottleneck preventing progress on a lot of the projects I'm working on so I'm constantly trying to figure out how to automate or delegate whilst maintaining a focused intention. My advice is to cultivate a "plate" with stuff you want to put on it. A luxury, yes, but a luxury we can all work towards in sha Allah.

An Islamic Reminder

"The reasons why one half of iman is patience and the other half is gratitude are as follows:

1. Iman is a term which covers words, deeds and intentions, all of which are based on one of two things, action or abstinence. Action refers to performing a deed in accordance with the instructions of Allah, which is the reality of gratitude. Abstinence, as in refraining from wrong action, requires patience. The whole of religion is embodied in these two things: carrying out that which Allah has commanded, and refraining from that which Allah has prohibited. (Location 996)"

Patience and gratitude by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyah

Hadith

“Fear Allah SWT in your treatment of animals as they cannot express what they feel. Ride them when they are fit, and take them for food when they are suitable.” (Related by by Abū Dāwūd.)

Seerah

Abdullah Ibn Ubayy was the hypocrite who just before the Battle of Uḥud, withdrew from the Muslim army, taking with him about one-third of the soldiers.

A quote to think about

"A surefire way to make a bad situation worse is to continue replaying it in your mind. The damage is done. The only thing that matters now is making the best choice given your current position." James Clear

Health (kind of)

When paired with caffeine, L-theanine helps increase focus and attention. A study found that a combination of L-theanine and caffeine helped adults focus better during demanding tasks. There are many studies on the synergistic effects of this combo. Here's a snippet from one of the many randomized controlled trials: The combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognitive performance and mood: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18681988/ (source:ketogainz Instagram)

Book recommendation

The Alchemy of Happiness Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

Upon its release, the Alchemy of Happiness allowed al-Ghazali to considerably cut the tensions between the scholars and mystics. The Alchemy of Happiness emphasized the importance of observing the ritual requirements of Islam, the actions that would lead to salvation, and the avoidance of sin. 

Content I found beneficial this week:

Middle Nation Podcast. Fast becoming one of my favourite content creators. The brother has a series debunking "Red-pill. This particular episode was about geopolitics.

"The rise of the Ummah as an economic, political, and cultural global power is inevitable. We should begin laying the groundwork for ensuring that this rise proceeds smoothly and successfully by building bridges across the Global South – in the private sector and in civil society." Check it out

Powerful Reality Check

More quotes:

 Imam al-Ghazali says, “Your time should not be without structure, such that you occupy yourself arbitrarily with whatever comes along. Rather, you must take account of yourself and order your worship during the day and the night, assigning to each period of time an activity that must not be neglected nor replaced by another activity."

“When you see anyone eminent in honours or power, be careful not to be confused by appearances and to pronounce them happy.” - Epictetus 

One question to ask ourselves

How much can I get done if I actually focus? What helps me do this?

I want to hear from like-minded people, please feel free to reply.

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🎥 3 Practical Tips to Boost Iman and Fight Depression - Gabriel Al Romani (animation)

Ustadh Gabriel Al Romani shares 3 Practical Tips to Boost Iman and Fight Depression

Click here to watch the video

🎥 The Struggles when Trying to Optimize Life with a 9-5

The struggles for a Muslim working a 9-5 and trying to balance the various aspects of life.

Click here to watch the video

Please share if you learned something or found it interesting. Then again, if it were that good, I wouldn't need to ask so there you go.

Aadil