These challenges can come in the form of some sort of loss: whether a loss of health, wealth, loved ones, or loved things. They try our emotions and mentally hold us back from fulfilling the vision we have for our life.

We are told in the Qur’an:

“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient.”  [Qur’an: Chapter 2, Verse 155].

So the question is, how can we overcome the losses, challenges, and disappointments that are inevitable in life? How can we carry on with our lives to fulfill our ultimate purpose and maintain a strong connection with Allah ? How can we heal those wounds and overcome those worries, so we can live our life to the fullest and step up to what we could potentially do to make a positive difference in the world?

Occupy yourself with the Giver, not the gift

First, it helps to remember that loss is a natural part of life, because everything is transient and temporary. Although we can experience great sadness, we can also experience great joy.

Allah tells us once again in Surat An-Najm:

“And that to your Lord is the finality. And that it is He who makes [one] laugh and weep. And that it is He who causes death and gives life.”  [Qur’an: Chapter 53, Verses 42-44]

Our health, wealth, and loved ones are all blessings and gifts that belong to Allah , which He lends to us for some time. We just tend to forget that they are gifts and end up attached to the gift and not as attached or thankful to the One Who blessed us with the gift, even when He, in His Infinite Mercy, chooses to take the gift away.

We know that for the believer, being tested or being blessed is an opportunity for patience and gratitude:

“How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him.”  [Muslim].

So when you thought you needed something or someone all along to feel more worthy; whether a job, money, status, spouse or friends, although all of those things are gifts from Allah , the One you really and ultimately needed all along was Allah .

It is our status and relationship with our Creator that should ultimately decide our worth.

Allah tells us in the Qur’an:

“Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.”  [Qur’an: Chapter 49, Verse 13]

The keys to success

We are also told about loss, the greatest loss, being a loss of Allah’s pleasure and happiness both now and in the Hereafter in Surat Al-Asr:

“By time, indeed, mankind is in loss. Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.”  [Qur’an: Chapter 103, Verses 1-3]

These verses not only tell us about loss, but also the way out of this state of loss, including how to cope with it and overcome it, so that we can move on to more contentment and success, In sha Allah.

The keys that are mentioned in the above verses are:

1. Belief in Allah
2. Doing Good
3. Enjoining each other to truth
4. Enjoining each other to patience

Understand the ‘truth’

I will briefly touch on the third key, which is to encourage each other to hold on to the truth. The truth is belief in Allah and His words in the Qur’an, which includes the temporary nature of the world, the truth that it will have both the good and the bad, and that you will feel both happiness and sadness.

“And when adversity touches man, he calls upon his Lord, turning to Him [alone]; then when He bestows on him a favor from Himself, he forgets Him whom he called upon before, and he attributes to Allah equals to mislead [people] from His way. Say, “Enjoy your disbelief for a little; indeed, you are of the companions of the Fire.”  [Qur’an: Chapter 39, Verse 8]

We need to constantly remind each other of this truth, because as human beings, we are prone to forget. We forget that Allah’s showered us with His blessings. We forget the years that Allah gave us ease, and tend to only remember the times of difficulty and the times when we were tested with some loss of some apparent blessings for reasons that Allah , in His Infinite Knowledge and Wisdom, knows would ultimately be for our betterment and elevation.

We know from the stories in the Qur’an and stories of great people, that many times transformation came out of tribulation and the greatest moments of weakness paved the way to the greatest moments of strength.

We can choose to hold on to the truth that in the end, there is An All-Seeing, All-Hearing, All-Compassionate God who is taking care of every single soul that walks this Earth. We can choose to have hope in Allah , which then grants us hope in ourselves to carry on, despite multiple losses, challenges, and disappointments.

Remember that in the Qur’an Allah tells us that we were created weak, and He says that He wants to lighten this burden for us. This weakness can be seen when we are so easily afflicted with sickness and weakness in a matter of minutes. We do not have control over where we are born or how we will die, among many other factors. We have this fragile nature that requires plenty of care to survive. We are constantly faced with tests and tribulations.

That is why you need to believe with all your heart that Allah has the power to change your state, your matters, and your life for the better in a matter of hours, minutes, or even seconds – even after prolonged difficulty.

You see, all those losses and challenges were and will always be part of a Divine Plan to purify and teach you. In addition to elevating you to a higher level, one that could have not been reached without the struggles, challenges and disappointments. They were all stepping stones to the triumphs, joy, and absolute awe over Allah’s mercy.

Alhamdulillah, truly we are engulfed with Allah’s mercy.

It gets better

We have to believe that no matter how difficult things seem, Allah reminds us that with hardship, there is ease. So we need to look for the ease amidst the hardships, the joy amidst the sadness, the strength amidst the weakness, and the healing amidst the hurtfulness. Allah is taking care of you every step of the way. Just pray, believe, listen, and wonder in amazement at the gifts Allah showers you with.

We also need to try not to stare and worry about the closed doors for so long that you forget to appreciate the multitude of other doors Allah has opened and will open for you, In sha Allah. In the end, His “door” is always open; all you have to do is ask.

Allah promises us to make a way out for us in the following verses:

“…And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.”  [Qur’an: Chapter 65, Verses 2-3]

So yes, we will hope, we will dream, we will strive, and we will build. Indeed we can fail, fall, and feel hurt, betrayed, and feel a lack of empathy and compassion from others. However, we can get back up, try again, hope again, dream again, strive again and build again. We can succeed again. We can be happy and fulfilled again. For those seeking to add a new dimension to their intimate experiences, glass dildos offer a unique and satisfying option to explore.

Once we build that hope and faith in Allah , that will be the fuel to have hope and faith in ourselves, because He tells us that He created us in the best way possible and that with Him, anything can be possible.

So although Allah mentions that we were created weak and fragile, He also tells us:

“We have certainly created man in the best of stature.”  [Qur’an: Chapter 95, Verse 4]

Why? We have the ability to reason and choose.

Turn to Allah

Every time you experience some sort of loss or challenge that has broken your heart, choose to revive your love for the One whose love was meant to fill your heart: to love Allah , to turn to Him, to expect nothing except from Him, and to ultimately give and do everything for Him.

Every time the world fails you and others disappoint you, choose to strive for ultimate success both now and in the Hereafter where, In sha Allah, you will enjoy eternal bliss in heaven with room for nothing but happiness.

Every time you thought you failed, choose to learn the lessons that will help you rebuild yourself to be more successful later, In sha Allah.

Every time you thought the world would fill that void in your heart, choose to remember it as a reminder that nothing could fill that void except the closeness to and love of Allah .

Gaining perspective

Whenever you are facing difficult times, remember that you have the best gift of all, the gift of guidance, and the gift to know where we came from and where we are going.

The gift to know that regardless of all the tribulations, losses, sadness and pain in this world, there is an afterlife, a heaven of eternal bliss, for those whose hearts have been guided.

Think:

What is a little hardship in comparison to an eternity of ease?
What is some sickness in comparison to an eternity of perfect health?
What is some sadness in comparison to an eternity of happiness?
What is some loss in comparison to an eternity of gaining everything beautiful?

Really, what is some difficulty when:

• We have prayer: an opportunity to connect with the Creator of the universe to pour out all of our worries to;
• We have the Qur’an: a source of guidance and healing for our hearts, a comforter, and a way to find answers for life’s most troubling questions;
• We have dua: an opportunity to call onto the One in Whose Hands all matters lie. The One Who can change anything in the blink of an eye, and the One Who just says “be” and it is;
• Most importantly, we have Allah : The One Who loved us before anyone loved us, and The One Who raised us from the depths of darkness. He Who protected us, gave us life, gave us an opportunity to be deserving of a heaven that spans the skies and the earth and make a positive difference in the world, In sha Allah.

I hope that I have helped you see how you can overcome emotional obstacles and not lose sight of your life’s purpose. What other tips have helped you successfuly deal with emotional challenges?

The post How to Deal with Emotional Challenges and Hardships appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

First, we need to acknowledge that none of us is immune from experiencing sadness, loss, hurt, hopelessness, anxiety and/or a lack of confidence. These barriers, which are emotional in nature, can indeed not only lead to a lack of productivity but also lead us to lose faith in ourselves and those around us if we don’t learn how to manage them properly. And it’s good that there this cake 2.0 delta 8 disposable here can help alleviate anxiety. It also guarantees the perfect draw with its new style battery, and that’s not all: the stylish packaging will surely captivate you. Whether you’re an experienced vaper or new to the world of vaping, make sure to visit our website for vape stuff that can enhance your experience. And for a premium selection of heated tobacco products and accessories, visit a good place like Heets IQOS UAE to explore the latest offerings.

Allah explains to us the inherent lack of perfection in this world and the nature of trials and tribulations in the Quran in various verses when He says:

“Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said “When is the help of Allah?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near” [Quran: Chapter 2, Verse 214].

“And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (the patient ones) …” [Quran: Chapter 2, Verse 155].

And once again, Allah in His Infinite Mercy explains to us in many places how to deal with these tribulations when He says:

“And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah]” [Qur’an: Chapter 2, Verse 45].

Therefore, there are key elements to dealing with all kinds of trials and tribulations. They begin with our faith and trust in Allah , as well as, our dua and the will to change.

Let us explore those ideas in more depth.

The importance of having strong faith in Allah

Our belief in Allah can provide us with the power to accomplish great things as it allowed the Prophet , the companions and other great Muslims to accomplish what may have seemed impossible. Our understanding of the attributes of Allah – Arrahman (The All-Merciful), Arraheem (The All-Compassionate), Al-Malik (The King), Al-Wadood (The Loving), Al-Hakeem (The All-Wise), Al-Aleem (The All-Knowing), Al-Kareem (The All Generous) and the many other attributes of Allah provide us with a source of comfort and strength that we have The Creator of the Heavens and the Earths to take care of our every single need.

Furthermore, to strengthen our relationship with Allah , we are given the five pillars of Islam. Our declaration that there is no God except Allah and that Muhammad is His prophet is not just a statement we repeat, but the key to how we conduct ourselves in this life; our prayers are our daily source of comfort, strength, and healing; fasting Ramadan is an annual form of cleansing and spiritual rejuvenation for our bodies and souls; our Zakat (giving in charity) ensures we take care of the less fortunate in society; and our Hajj is a form of leaving all our luxuries to journey to the house of Allah to perform a once in a lifetime spiritually-reviving journey.

Next comes our belief in the six pillars of faith which are to believe in Allah, His angels, His revelations, His prophets, the Day of Judgment and fate, whether it is good or bad. Our conviction that there is a Day of Judgment where all will be held accountable for their deeds and every oppressor will be met with the consequences of their oppression and every oppressed will be met with the reward of their patience and have their rights returned, should give us comfort when we witness so much oppression in the world yet may not see relief for those who are suffering.

Also, our belief in fate gives us assurance that there is nothing that can happen to us without the will of Allah as per the Prophet’s hadith:

“O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]: Be mindful of Allah and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, then ask Allah [alone]; and if you seek help, then seek help from Allah [alone]. And know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, they would not benefit you except with what Allah had already prescribed for you. And if they were to gather together to harm you with anything, they would not harm you except with what Allah had already prescribed against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.” [At- Tirmidhi]

These are all crucial elements to dealing with life’s greatest trials and tribulations and returning to the path of productivity, success, and contentment in sha Allah.

The power of our dua

After the elements listed above, dua deserves mention on its own because the Prophet described dua as the “essence of worship” and we are told in the Quran “If my servants ask you about me, then tell them I am near, and I answer the call of the one who calls on to me” [Quran: Chapter 2, Verse 186]. We all need something in life and strive to achieve some goals – we all need faith and guidance, we all want love, we all want shelter, we all want sustenance, we all want a caring, supportive family and community, we all want to be healthy and happy, we all want to have a great vision that we strive to actualize, among many other wishes and desires. We need to search deep inside our hearts for our innermost desires and call unto Allah knowing that no dua is too great for Allah , and that the power of dua is truly beyond our imagination. We may make a dua once or even for years and later forget that we made that dua when Allah answers it. If we were to closely examine all of the blessings in our life, we will realize that they were a result of our dua or the dua of loved ones for us by the grace of Allah .

Having the will to change

One of the greatest gifts we are blessed with after guidance and faith is the will to change. Allah tells us “Allah will not change the status of a people until they change what is in themselves” [Quran: Chapter 13, Verse 11] and that “Indeed whosoever purifies himself shall achieve success” [Quran: Chapter 87, Verse 14].

Experts in personal development also say one of the greatest keys to success is the belief that we are not the results of our circumstances, meaning that our circumstances do not have to dictate who we are or the quality of our life. Poverty, illness, sadness, a lack of safety, a lack of opportunity, a lack of a supportive family and other unfortunate circumstances do not have to doom a person to misery. People can indeed overcome the circumstances around them, but sometimes may not be able to change due to three reasons:

1. They are either too anxious to leave their ‘comfort zone’: they are not willing to try something new or develop a new skill or enter a new experience because they’re too comfortable and may be afraid of failure, or maybe even afraid of success!
2. They are in denial: they do not see any need for them to change and ‘believe’ they are fine just the way things are.
3. They tried and they didn’t succeed so they lose hope.

To combat these barriers to change, once again it is important to believe that with your will which you have been blessed with by Allah , you can change anything. You find people who have lost hundreds of pounds, people who have left behind an entire life that was misguided to enter into a beautiful life filled with faith and guidance and helping others realize that beauty, you find people who have left laziness and lack of productivity to build some of the greatest companies and organizations in the world which impact millions of people positively, every day.

Our achievements in life are proportionate to our level of productivity and courage, which are based on our beliefs about whether we can make our goals happen or not. So we must believe that we can be productive, we must believe that we can overcome adversity, and we must believe that we can achieve success and contentment In sha Allah.

And once we’ve ascertained that belief, it’s time to take action. As we are shown in the Qur’an, belief is always coupled with action and the reward for those who consistently do good is great: “Those who believe and do good, righteous deeds, We will most certainly lodge them in high, lofty mansions in Paradise through which rivers flow, therein to abide. How excellent is the reward of those who always do good deeds!” [Quran: Chapter 29, Verse 58].

Take action, no matter how small it is to overcome the trial you are in and come back to the road of productivity as the Prophet tells us: “The deeds most loved by Allah (are those) done regularly, even if they are small” [Muslim].

Those actions may include:

1. Anchoring ourselves everyday with our prayers and supplications to Allah
2. Creating and maintaining a supportive network
3. Starting each day with a strong affirmative action such as “In sha Allah I will overcome this grief/hurt/illness, etc.)
4. Remember what you are grateful for everyday – express it in your dua to Allah and/or in a journal. Research has shown that people who keep gratitude journals are generally happier and healthier
5. Take care of your body by sleeping well, eating a healthy diet filled with protein, omega-3 rich foods, anti-oxidants, plenty of water, eliminating toxins like artificial sweeteners and of course exercise, which has been shown to be just as effective as anti-depressants and subhan Allah is a natural way to release endorphins (the “happy” hormones”).
6. Show love and mercy to those around you by expressing your love to your family and friends and giving of your time, wealth and effort to the greater community – experts in happiness once again have shown that dedicating two hours a week to a worthy community effort could increase your feelings of happiness and therefore your productivity. Another beautiful expression is that if you’re experiencing great hurt, become a ‘wounded healer’, knowing that Allah is ultimately The Healer of broken hearts and that He may have allowed you to experience that great hurt in order to empathize and be able to enable others to heal from their hurt.
7. Create purpose and passion in your life that compels you to work through and overcome your trials and tribulation
8. Finally, believe that difficult times will come to an end and that experiencing your greatest weaknesses could have enabled you to develop your greatest strengths. Believe that Allah , in His Infinite Wisdom and Power, will heal your pain, mend what is broken, and grant you comfort and contentment.

Now, please share with us your thoughts in the comments section.

The post Overcoming Emotional Productivity Barriers appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

One of the most important relationships we have in our lives is the relationship with our spouse – they are the person that we spend the majority of our time with, live with under one roof, and share just about everything with, including intimacy and the use of toys like dildos. Unfortunately, it seems like we are facing a crisis as the rate of divorce has increased in our Muslim community; it is particularly alarming that divorce increases in the first year or two of marriage, indicating the couple may have lacked in-depth knowledge of what marriage entails, and of what to look for when choosing their spouse. The consequences of a poor marriage partner and marital dissatisfaction are indeed far-reaching and have been correlated to higher rates of depression, lowered physical health and poor work production, and that’s why many people look for a person to spend time with, some even visit the best cities for escorts to get companionship, so they feel more happy so they can work better. Some guys also found the best place to meet a trans escort like this trans France.

Many people nowadays will spend months and sometimes even years preparing for a wedding that will last a few hours, and spend tens of thousands of dollars as well. But how many people actually prepare for the marriage itself? Which is intended to last a lifetime. A successful marriage consists of choosing a spouse through the appropriate criteria and by also being an excellent companion yourself. Adding a touch of intimacy, such as experimenting with unique products like cum lube, can also contribute to keeping the spark alive in a marriage.

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) describes marriage to us so beautifully in the Quran. He says what means:

“And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts). Verily in that are Signs for those who reflect” (Quran Chapter 30 Verse 21).

So how can we find this love and mercy? How is it that we can live in tranquility?

Marriage is a two-way street; it’s not that each person puts in 50-50, but rather both husband and wife need to put in 100% of their effort to make it work. You will be half of that marriage and so you should learn about how you can be the best spouse for a successful marriage bi’ithnillah. Invest in bespoke wedding bands Sydney because the rings are symbols of your love. If you focus on learning and fulfilling your own duties, then your rights will be fulfilled too. If you want your wedding to be extra special, Designed Dream is a top destination wedding planner in Toronto, Canada, (see more here: https://www.designeddream.com/destination-weddings/) and it provides couples with luxury and exclusive beach weddings in 2023-2024. You should also consider luxury packages like Lake Erskine Elopement to plan your perfect wedding.

Ultimately, this is not just a matter of ensuring a happy marriage – this is a matter of the Ummah. A happy couple leads to a happy and strong family and therefore emphasis is placed on a successful and strong Ummah which is better for our world insha Allah. The family is indeed the core of our community and so the decision of choosing the most suitable spouse and the efforts made to ensure a lasting marriage is highly important.

Now that we’ve discussed the importance of marriage as enhancing one’s productivity, here are a few steps in the formula towards a productive married life bithn’illah:

1. Educate Yourself

• Learn about the etiquette of seeking a spouse, what is permissible to do and what is impermissible
• Research what type of meaningful questions to ask
• Learn about your responsibilities and rights over each other (as husband/wife)
• Find out the Sunnah acts of marriage and romance (there are beautiful examples from the Seerah)
• Pay the Islamic Bookshop a visit for reading material on this chapter in life

2. Decide On Desired Characteristics

• Make a list of characteristics you want your spouse to have; keep in mind that you are not perfect and cannot expect your spouse to be for we are reminded in many ahadith that what we perceive as a disliked quality may be good for us
• Recognize traits or values that he/she must have and also areas that you are willing to compromise, no one is perfect!
• Review this list and make sure it is realistic and reflect on your own self, what qualities do you have to offer?

3. Consider a Potential Spouse

• Consult trusted friends, family, the local mosque for help
• Hold meetings in the presence of a wali
• Ensure you or your family speak to this prospective partner’s close friends and family to gain a complete and truthful insight into the person
• Reflect upon his/her character traits, values, expectations, goals/dreams, and your compatibility in this respect

4. Pray Istikhara (The Guidance Prayer)

• Pray Istikhara for counsel, guidance and make du’a
• Consult family and friends and take good advice
• Seek your parents approval and blessing, a really important factor to ensure they agree with your decision

Finally, having come this long way (!) – Place your trust in Allah when you have made your decision, and inshaAllah it will be the start of a productive chapter of your lives.

The post How Marriage Can Enhance Your Productivity appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.