Update for 1st July 2022

as Salaamu Alaykum,

An Idea I was thinking about this week

"Yo did you hear about Hafiz Fulan who is now a big-time drug dealer?". "There was this hijabi that I saw once doing ....." Yes, it sticks out in your mind and you think it's worth sharing because it's a massive EXCEPTION i.e a relatively uncommon occurrence. Have you heard about that Hafiz who, well, now I think about it, is still a decent guy and practising like he always was and more? What about the hijabi who erm yeah wears the hijab and obeys the commands of Allah? That doesn't make for a good story, does it? This way of thinking belongs in the dustbin next to the "don't juj me" fallacy which I've spoken bout before. What's your point? Everyone sins. Nothing new. If, however, you're trying to suggest that people who are generally more committed to the Deen are worse when it comes to sinning in public? You're silly to think that and are unwittingly helping to facilitate an environment where the average Muslim gets a licence to sin.

An Islamic Reminder

"Whoever loves something other than God will be tormented by it three times in this world: He will be tormented by its lack before he acquires it, and once he acquires it he is tormented by the fear of losing it [...] and when he loses it, his torment increases further." Source: The Way of The Spiritual Muslim

Seerah & Hadith

"That signal by the angel Gabriel gave the Prophet more than a hint about his position with God. It gave him an indication that God loves those who are self-effacing. Therefore, it was a characteristic of the Prophet for the rest of his life. ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb reports: “I heard the Prophet when he said to us: ‘Do not exaggerate my position like the Christians did with Jesus, son of Mary. I am only God’s servant. Say of me: God’s servant and Messenger.’” (Related by al-Bukhārī.) Source  Muhammad ﷺ, Adil Salahi

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A quote to think about

The great gnostic Ibn Ata'illah in his hikam says:

"Consider the Greatness of the one you're sinning against, not the apparent smallness of your sin."

Recent life/energy hack I've come across

"The goal of NSDR is to achieve an extremely deep, recuperative level of rest—and not necessarily through sleep. Essentially this involves lying in place, unmoving, and directing your awareness to the rise and fall of your breath and the sensations in different parts of the body." I first heard of this a few years ago from the Ben Greenfield Podcast before Andrew Huberman popularized the term. It works for me. Now I consistently do a 10-minute NSDR and I come out of it feeling like I've had a small nap. A lot more mental clarity and focus. Try it, it's free.

Book recommendation

Saviours of Islamic Spirit: "This book, by the late Indian historian and intellectual, Shaykh Abu 'l-Hasan Ali Nadwi, is a story of the ebbs and flows of this Ummah; the challenges, the setbacks, and most importantly, the successes. ​ It is a poignant story of the accomplishments, attainments, and triumphs that propelled the Ummah forward. It is a story told through extraordinary figures: the revivers, men of courage, vigour, and zeal...."

 Content I found beneficial this week:

25 parenting tips: https://ryanholiday.net/best-parenting-advice/

Example: “The parenting style that is good for grit is also the parenting style good for most other things: Be really, really demanding, and be very, very supportive.”

Isn’t Islamic banking just a sham? https://youtu.be/4G_2zOyLKFA

I've had conversations on this before. If I buy a £10 pen using an Islamic mortgage but end up paying £13 for it which is the same as I would pay with a conventional mortgage, isn't it interest? And other common questions are nicely addressed in the video.

Powerful Reality Check

More quotes:

• “Whenever you feel yourself getting angry, Caesar,” he instructed, “don’t say or do anything until you’ve repeated the twenty-four letters of the alphabet to yourself.” Essentially trying to delay the stimulus to response. There is a hadith that teaches a similar practice

• It’s easy to stay active. It’s also easy not to. And if you stop, it won’t kill you today—but that simple error in judgement, compounded over time, will destroy the getting of any goal you’re after. (The Slight Edge, Jeff Olson)

• Work for this world as if you will live forever, but work for the next life as if you will die tomorrow. (Location 3,377) Purification of the Heart by Hamza Yusuf

Something unrelated but I found interesting:

Vitalik Buterin's (co-founder of Ethereum) geeky guide to travelling with just one backpack. Found the level of optimisation to be insane. The lesson is to try and facilitate your chosen lifestyle by setting up your life in a way that is conducive to it. https://vitalik.ca/general/2022/06/20/backpack.html

One question to ask ourselves

What's my worst character trait that I can try to improve this week?

🎥 Learn the basics of a skill before out-sourcing or delegating - Sh Muaawiyah Tucker

Click here to watch the video

🎥 DESTROYING The Free Speech Argument used to Insult our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ - Hamza Tzortzis

DESTROYING The Free Speech Argument used to Insult our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ - Hamza Tzortzis

Click here to watch the video

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Aadil