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Nothing kills productivity like waking up at 10 am to start your day, or waking up with just enough time to sloppily get dressed and race to work, arriving frantically and foggy-brained. You try to get through your To-Do List but before you know it, it is time for dinner, and then Isha prayer, and you are feeling quite unaccomplished. The problem is that you had a good 2-5 hours during which you could have achieved maximized productivity, but you slept through it!

What time am I talking about? The time right after Fajr prayers. It is a blessed time that Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) made dua for, He said: “O Allah, bless my Ummah in its early hours”.

Here are 7 ways to help you stay up after Fajr to become a beneficiary of blessings and success insha’Allah:

1. Go to bed early and rest

After the Isha prayer, the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) would not like to engage in unnecessary talk and would take to his house to go to sleep. This is a similar life-style for many communities where electricity has not created a false sense of daylight. Societies that maintain going down with the sun inevitably rise with the sun, making the most of their morning to do ‘ibaadah or secure their livelihood. If you need to fit in more sleep, try taking a nap before or after Zhuhr.

2. Untie your three knots

”During your sleep, Satan knots three knots at the back of the head of each of you, and he breathes the following words at each knot, ‘The night is, long, so keep on sleeping,’ If that person wakes up and celebrates the praises of Allah, then one knot is undone, and when he performs ablution the second knot is undone, and when he prays, all the knots are undone, and he gets up in the morning lively and in a good mood, otherwise he gets up dull and gloomy. ” (Bukhari)

It is not a surprise that Shaitan is trying to prevent us from the worship of Allah and prevent us from a productive morning. However, Alhamdulillah, we were given the prescription to combat his whispering:

1. Celebrate the praises of Allah by saying:
   Alhamdulillahi allathee ahyaanaa ba’da maa amaatanaa wa ilayhin nushoor.
   ‘All praise and thanks is for Allaah who gave us life after having taken it from us and unto Him is the Resurrection.‘
2. Perform ablution
3. Pray

Then after you have prayed, do not allow yourself to get back into bed. Perhaps splashing your face with cold water, having a bite to eat, or drinking some water or fruit juice will help brush off any drowsiness.

3. Perform the prescribed dhikr after Fajr

If you still have the urge to jump back into your warm comfy bed after Fajr, remember that the best extension of the prayer is the dhikr that you perform afterward.

”The angels keep on asking Allah’s forgiveness for anyone of you, as long as he is at his Musalla (praying place) and he does not pass wind (Hadath). They say, ‘O Allah! Forgive him, O Allah! be Merciful to him.” (Bukhari)

Plus, the longer you stay up, the less likely you will go back to sleep (and the less likely you will be able to fall asleep).

You can find the dua to say after prayer and in the morning in Fortress of a Muslim, or online at makedua.com

4. Aim to pray Duha

Duha prayer is an extra voluntary prayer you can pray approximately 20 minutes after sunrise until 45 minutes before Zhuhr prayer.

In the morning charity is due from every bone in the body of every one of you. Every utterance of Allah’s glorification is an act of charity (Subhan Allah). Every utterance of praise of Him is an act of charity (Alhamdulillah), every utterance of profession of His Oneness is an act of charity (Laa ilaha ill Allah), every utterance of profession of His Greatness is an act of charity (Allahu Akbar), enjoining good is an act of charity, forbidding what is disreputable is an act of charity, and two rak’ahs which one prays in the forenoon will suffice. [Muslim]

Who wouldn’t want that reward?

By the time it is allowed to pray Salat-ul-Duha, you will be more awake and will have already completed your morning dhikr

5. Recite/reflect/memorize Quran

After Fajr prayer is an amazing time to be alone with the Quran. Before the day’s distractions set you off course, use this time to recite, reflect and memorize The Quran. If you are like me, if I do not read my daily dose of the Quran in the morning, I find it incredibly difficult to sit after work or at the end of the day to try to get some quality time with the Quran. Believe me, you will feel the benefit when you start your day remembering Allah.

Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur’an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed. (17:78)

6. Exercise

An early morning walk or stretches will get your blood moving and you will find that you have the energy to stay up and make the most of your day insha’Allah.

7. Have a list of tasks ready

Has this ever happened to you? You are awake, bright and early, feeling particularly productive. You look around…and you begin to ask yourself what to do. If you do not have a plan for your morning, then you will inevitably waste time wandering and half-completing tasks. Use the morning wisely by writing your To-Do List first thing after Salat-ul-Duha, or even better, the night before. Aim to complete 3-5 tasks before you set off to work or school.

You will energized and fantastic having recited Quran, remembered Allah (dhikr), performed an extra prayer, and knocked off items from your To-Do List…all before you go to school or work! And you will still have the whole day ahead of you insha’Allah.

O Allah, help us benefit from the beautiful morning hours. Ameen.

More reading: What’s your Morning Routine? 

P.S.:

How to Wake up for Fajr

7 Tips on How to Stay Up after Fajr

Do You Want to Easily Wake Up For Fajr, Every Day, Without Fail?

Learn the Productive Muslim way to wake up for Fajr every single day and enjoy a productive start to your day by joining the ProductiveMuslim course on How to Wake Up Early and Never Miss Fajr (Again!)

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In the sweltering heat of the summer months, it can become very difficult to stay productive during the day. The sun, humidity, and sweat seems to simply drain our energy and we feel lazy and lethargic – we just want to lie down with a cold lemonade and do nothing at all.

The good news is that you’re not alone. Research has shown the detrimental effect of heat on productivity; here are a couple of interesting studies:

1. Office workers who were exposed to temperatures of 75°F for keyboard tasks showed a reduction in their productivity of up to 40 or 50% compared to their peers at cooler temperatures for the same tasks and with the same clothing.

2. In another experiment, normally-clothed young people were asked to perform mental tasks. They were most comfortable at 80.5°F, however they exerted the least amount of effort and did the least work at this temperature. They performed the most work at 68°F.

So how exactly do we fight the lazy summer days and stay productive in the middle of the heat?

Here are some practical tips on how to take the heat:

1. Try to get the most demanding work done in the early hours of the day, ideally after Fajr until mid-morning (around 10am). It is especially to get your work done at these cooler, early hours if your work involves doing tasks outdoors.

2. Avoid going outside in the middle of the day when temperatures are at their highest point. You want to avoid getting a sun burn, sun stroke, or feeling extremely fatigued upon returning home. It is known from the seerah that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to delay Dhuhur prayer in the hot summer months to wait for the heat to calm down. On the authority of Abu Dhar, he said: “We were on a journey with the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Mu’adhin (caller to Prayer) wanted to call the Adhan for the Zhuhr Prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘Let it get cooler.’ He again wanted to call the Adhan, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to him, ‘Let it get cooler,’ until we saw the shadows of the hillocks become equal to their sizes. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said: ‘The severity of heat is dispersed from Hellfire, so when the temperature gets very hot, pray (the Dhuhr Prayer) when it becomes cooler.” (Al-Bukhari)

3. Drink lots and lots of water, and eat lots of summer fruit (melons, berries, etc). Carry a water bottle and cup with you to stay hydrated and mentally fresh throughout the day. Don’t forget to drink in sips rather than big gulps and also refresh yourself with plenty of summer fruits.

4. Reduce the usage of air-conditioning devices in your life. I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but the constant use of A/C in every part of our life (car, home, office, masjid) makes us less adaptable and tolerant of the summer heat. Moreover, it is quite unhealthy for our bodies to adjust from boiling heat outside to freezing air conditioning indoors, within a matter of seconds! The furnace fan limit switch, an essential component of your heating system, can benefit greatly from a good service like milwaukee furnace tune up. It is designed to activate and deactivate the furnace blower assembly. Read more on what does a limit switch do on a furnace. This is to ensure a good running condition, and you could always have a regular furnace maintenance service in Rochester NY. Also check your heat pumps system, and if there’s a need for repair, contact an expert now! You can visit sites like https://www.performanceacoftx.com/ or https://mullinsmechanical.com/ for additional guidance on HVAC units.

Protect your car and yourself from extreme temperature by using car window shades when driving. I’ve recently tried to minimize my use of air-conditioning and to be honest, it doesn’t feel too bad and I feel healthier in fact. More importantly, hire Truck Electrics for their service of wiring for cars and autos.

Here are some tips to reduce A/C in your life (also, you’ll reduce your electric bill!):

• Do wudhu with cold water; wash your hands and face with cold water; take a cold shower.

• Cool your room 1 or 2 hours before you sleep, then turn off the A/C when you hit the bed, and turn on the fan instead. (Yeah, you might sweat but trust me, waking up for Fajr will be so easy!). You may install a sunscreen blinds Melbourne on your window; it has excellent insulation to keep your room cool during the summer. ESA Awnings Inc. in Los Angeles, CA offers quality retractable awnings for your patio.

• Open your car windows when you drive

• Open your office windows and have a fan to ventilate the room

May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) ease the heat of the summer months for us and protect us from the more intense heat of Hellfire. Ameen.

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You know the drill: Open your e-mail, click on a couple of links, your browser pops up with some interesting articles, you read them, find and click on more links on the side bar, jump to Facebook to let your friends know about this awesome article you came across, jump to twitter to do the same, whilst at twitter you find some interesting tweets with some more links, you click on those, you get to more interesting articles… [to be continued]

I can see you sulking behind your computer screen feeling guilty about the above, not to worry, it’s a common behaviour, and I admit that I sometimes fall prey to the above mindless surfing. Yes, Abu Productive falls into the above trap! But…the key is to catch yourself before the hours pass and you have no idea where they went. More importantly, the key is to redirect your purposeless surfing to a purposeful research/study/read.

We need to understand that the jump from tab to tab is our attempt to feed our pleasure senses in our brains with ‘mini-surprises’. Because the internet never failed to deliver a constant stream of such amusing news, it’s so addictive to find yourself constantly trying to look for the most recent, hilarious, or moving article or video clip you can come across online.

So how does one stop this mindless surfing?

1. Rather than trying to totally abolish it, control it. Give yourself 10 minutes of mindless surfing for every 90 minutes of work you do. Note: You must do 90 minutes of pure work first though.

2. Before you log online, make sure you know exactly what you want to get done, and write that on a post-it note and stick it on your computer. That way every time you’re wandering aimlessly online and you forget what you were looking for in the first place, a quick glance at the note will remind you why you went online in the first place.

3. If you’re bored at home, and really feel like doing nothing but surfing the web, try to think of interesting topics you always wanted to research but never found time for, e.g. some answers to fatwa questions you had in mind, or books on certain topics you want to know more about – just don’t allow yourself to drown in 20 open tabs with no benefit! Also, you could try picking up a book about Islam the next time you feel like learning new stuff online.

[continuing our story…]

So you arrive at those interesting articles, on an interesting site called ProductiveMuslim.com, and you come across this article and write a nice comment below and turn off the internet to focus on your work!

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Beep, beep, bee-beep, before you know it, it is another Monday morning, full of dreary work and demanding people. All the inspiration and motivation of last night’s lecture seem to be a dream. Sounds familiar?

Our generation is blessed to be in an age where gaining Islamic knowledge is literally a click away, we can listen to our favorite shuyookh wherever and whenever. Lectures and courses have a bit of humour and their content has become more relatable and applicable – alhamdulillah, it is all very beneficial. Unfortunately, the sudden rush of imaan we feel right after hearing these speeches is quick to escape us when we slip back into what we call “reality”: in other words, our work, school, and family life.

To combat this type of withdrawal, it is first important to note that our Islam is our way of life, and it is our reality, and therefore we should integrate worldly work into our Islamic life, not the other way around. Secondly, the lectures, classes, and seminars we attend are bursting at the seams with inspiring quotes, lessons, and practical tips, and we cannot retain most of what we hear.

Here are a couple of tips to help us implement what we learn:

• Take Notes
Even if you do not like writing, or just want to absorb what the speaker is saying, you won’t be able to properly benefit if you cannot refer back to the content at a later date. There will be knowledge, quote, and thoughts that you will want to remember later on. The best thing to do is to buy a small notebook and keep it with you whenever you attend a lecture or listen to one on your ipod while commuting. This will allow you to transcribe it into your brain and will be readily available for reading as needed.

• Stick Note Reminders
Keep these motivational messages in sight by writing them on sticky notes and placing them on your calendar, planner, computer screen, desk, fridge, etc. Reading these everyday will allow you to both remember how you felt when you first heard them, and will also allow you to reflect on them throughout your day. Also, add short du’a on notes like this – by simply reading these adhkar everday, they will effortlessly enter your memory.

• Small Deeds=Big Rewards

“The most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if they are little in amount.” A lot of times we feel that because we cannot volunteer a lot of our time for the community or stay up all night praying, our deeds are worthless. However, the smallest and most consistent of deeds are the ones that show our sincerity and love for Allah. By claiming that small deeds aren’t worth anything and thus not doing anything at all, we are lowering our imaan. Instead, we should make a plan to implement one specific good deed everyday, and ensure that we are consistent with it – consistency is the key. For example, maybe you want to donate $2 a day, or add 2 nafl rakat in addition to the salaat you pray every day. Or perhaps a lecture may have motivated you to pray Fajr in the masjid every morning, but soon enough you find excuse after excuse to prevent yourself from gaining the reward. Instead, as soon as you realize that this is something you want to implement, make a plan on how you are going to ensure that no matter how tired you are, you will make it to the masijd. This could include leaving your clothes and shoes out the night before, or sleeping earlier at night. Whatever it takes, once you make the intention, it is important to discipline yourself and make sure that you follow through. Though it is a ‘small deed’, the struggle and the feeling of accomplishment can boost your imaan everyday. Furthermore, this so-called small deed becomes quite big when you do it consistently, for years, insha Allah.

• Make The Qur’an a Part of your Day
Though lectures are a great way to improve our relationship with Allah, the application and hard work has to come from us; we cannot always rely on speakers to keep our Imaan up, and rather we must ensure that we are productive on our own. The best way to keep your emaan steady (and/or increasing) is through reading and connecting with the Book of Allah, The Qur’an; make this a routine and a commitment, 1 ayah, 1 page, or 1 juzz a day. If we want inspiration, motivation, comfort, advice, we should turn to The Qur’an, sent as a guidance and mercy for us.

• Have a Plan
It may seem tedious, but we have plans for our careers, school, and our family, so why don’t we have one for our most important goal? How are we going to work for Jannah? The list should be specific and goal-oriented. It is important to challenge yourself, but be realistic and work your way up. If you know you can’t pray 12 rakat tahajjud every night, then don’t write it down – why not start with 2-4 rakat once a week and then increase it to a few times a week. I’m not telling you to aim low, but to take measured steps and upgrade your goals as these deeds become established and you become stronger. After writing down what you want to do, list what you are going to do to attain it, step by step, and make sure you set the date of which you will start, and stick to it insha Allah.

About the Author:

Asma Malek is a university student who attempts to follow her own advice in managing her time and keeping her level of imaan high.

The post Re-charging your battery: How to deal with imaan dips appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

Former president Obasanjo, commented on the debt Nigeria faces:
“All that we had borrowed up to 1985 or 1986 was around $5 billion and we have paid about $16 billion. Yet we are still being told that we owe about $28 billion. That $28 billion came about because of the injustice in the foreign creditors’ (lenders) interest rates. If you ask me what is the worst thing in the world, I will say it is compound interest.”
-Jubilee 2000 News Update, August 2000

Isn’t it strange how a Muslim will strictly stay away from eating pork because it is haram, yet the same person has no problem devouring riba (otherwise known as usury or interest)?

“…but whoever returns (to dealing in Riba), such are the dwellers of the Fire- they will abide therein”. (Surah Baqarah, verse 275).

Riba brings hardship into this life, but much more importantly and frighteningly are its consequences in the grave and akhirah (the Hereafter).

So how can we avoid Riba?

Living in a Western, riba-based or at the very least riba-involved society, makes it a bit more difficult, however this should not and cannot be used as an excuse to freely indulge in it. Some tips are:

1. Having tawakkul that Allah will provide for you and your family
2. Not taking out loans which incur interest
3. Choosing halal investments (for example gold rather than the stock market)
4. Renting and saving the cash for a home instead of a mortgage
5. Being wary of contracts you sign and having a student of knowledge/imam/shaykh check them
6. Opening up bank accounts without interest (in other words, chequing accounts)
7. Making bill payments on time so as not to incur a late penalty (set your account to automatic payment so the bank will automatically withdraw and you will be sure to not pay late)
8. Borrowing money from family or friends where possible
9. Not buying what you simply don’t have the money for – live within your means
10. Dealing with Islamically compliant banks
11. Accepting/Organizing a “Goodly Loan” (al Qard al Hasanah), which is a loan by means of which one intends to show kindness to another, which does not involve taking Riba
12. Taking a gap year before university to save up and avoid interest loans or bad credit payday loans at vivapaydayloans.com, and/or doing a co-op/working during university

If you have received interest, you should spend it in the way of charity without expecting reward.

The most effective way to avoid Riba and to determine which transactions are permissible is by consulting Islamic scholars and utilizing their knowledge.

Myth Buster
There is a common misconception amongst Muslims with regard to buying a first house using Riba. Some claim that it is permissible, a “necessity”. The fact that one can easily rent a house instead of buying disproves this claim. Shelter is a necessity, and renting is the solution if you cannot afford to buy a house yourself at the moment. Paying rent is not “wasted money”. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala the most Appreciative and you will be rewarded for your obedience and patience bi’ithnillah. “When someone spends on his family seeking his reward for it from Allah, it is counted as a charity for him.”(Bukhari and Muslim)

Success in this Life and the hereafter
When examining the issues of riba, we should remember that true success lies with the help of Allah alone. If we abide by what which is lawful, and avoid that which is haram, our wealth will be blessed and beneficial in this world and the hereafter. What good extra money earned through Riba if there is no blessing in it, and it is cursed-a source of misery? To be productive, there should be barakah in our lives. It is also important to keep the life of this world in perspective and remember to be like a traveller. Don’t trade a house (or palace insha Allah) in Jannah for a lowly house in this transient world.

Those who consume interest cannot stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity. That is because they say, “Trade is [just] like interest.” But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest. So whoever has received an admonition from his Lord and desists may have what is past, and his affair rests with Allah . But whoever returns to [dealing in interest or usury] – those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein. (Surah Baqarah, verse 275).

Summary
Undoubtedly, riba/usury/interest is haram and a major sin, and if we have engaged in it then we must repent. We must remember that the life of this world is short and fleeting, and that the purpose of our existence is not to lust after beauty and wealth, but rather to worship Allah correctly and live in obedience to Him Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. Just because riba is widespread and common, like zina, pork and alcohol is nowadays, does not make it permissible. When the haram in this dunya seems easy, a productive Muslim should remember his ultimate goal and objective in life.

About the Author:

The post How can we avoid Riba? appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

We’ve all complained and continue to complain of a shortage of Baraka (blessing) inthe hours of the day, of cramped schedules, of family commitments and other things when justifying our lack of productivity. The slack times – the time interval between any two activities – do form a generous portion of your day when calculated! Try thinking of all the time spent sitting on the train, walking to the bus stop, waiting between classes, waiting for the kettle to boil, and so on and so forth.

Let’s extract lessons from the examples of our past…

Al-Hasan al-Basri says: “I have encountered people who were more stingy with regards to their time than they were with their dirhams!”

AlKhateeb al-Baghdaadi, when walking the streets, would always be seen carrying a book and reading it.

Ibn Al-Qayyim says: “I know someone whom, when he’d become ill, he’d place the book next to his head, and whenever he’d regain consciousness from his fevering, he’d pick up the book and read. But when he feels that he is about to lose consciousness, he’d put it down”

Saleem al-Raazi once returned back to his house and upon arrival he said: “I recited a whole chapter from the Qur’an on the way.”

Dear reader, now it’s your turn.

Begin by first pinpointing your own slack times within your daily schedule. You may say – for example: “I spend 20 minutes walking to work. I’ll use that to listen to a lecture whilst I still feel fresh and alert. I also have a 30 minute lunch break. I’ll spend 10 minutes eating, but as for the other 20 minutes, I will read a book because I’ll be sat down. As I walk back home from work, I’m usually tired and my head is throbbing. I’ll plug my ears in with some Qur’an and calm down until I get home.”

We should try not to lose a single breath without investing in it; these intervals of time, if utilized wisely for worship and productivity, will bring benefit for our dunya and akhirah.

Even if your situation does not allow you to read, listen, or memorise anything – we can still harvest time for our akhirah with our mind and tongue by the remembrance of Allah. What prevents us from saying: Subhan Allah walhamdulillah, la ilaha il Allah, wAllahu Akbar.

Won’t we feel regret over a moment in this dunya in which we did not remember our Lord or utilize properly?

About the Author: Ali Hammuda

The post Filling In Slack Times appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

Many of us cannot forgive our parents or friends or spouses when they say hurtful things in anger. We hold grudges for years, unable to forget the things people have done to us. On the one hand, we feel justified in feeling this way. After all, we are the ones wronged. On the other, bottling things up inside is unhealthy at the very least, on both a spiritual and psychological level.

It is natural to be upset at someone when they’ve hurt you. The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) told us that a Muslim is not allowed to break off ties with another Muslim for more than 3 days, recognizing that we need time to cool off. Yet what is unhealthy, and often destructive, is the inability to forgive and move on.

So what does forgiving actually mean?

Forgiving means not carrying a grudge in your heart against that person. Forgiving means that if you were given the chance to retaliate, you would choose not to. Forgiving means not wishing evil, even if secretly, upon the person. It means you can continue to be civil towards them, and that you can even bring yourself to pray for their well-being and guidance.

However, forgiveness does not mean that you cannot learn from the trial. It doesn’t mean that the person did not do wrong, nor does it justify what they did. If you trusted someone and they betrayed your trust, forgiveness does not mean that you have to trust them again if they haven’t given you reason to. You are able to treat them well, without resentment in your heart, but if you learned something about their character, you should keep that in mind when dealing with them.

So how can we benefit from forgiving others? How can this help us to be productive Muslims?

1. Spiritual productivity: Earning Allah’s pleasure

When we are preoccupied with the wrongs others have committed against us, we lose focus of one of the most beautiful ways to get closer to Allah. The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said:

“There was a merchant who used to extend credit to people. If he found one of his customers to be in straightened means, he would say to his assistants: “Forgive them their debt, perhaps Allah will forgive us.” Allah did forgive him.” [Bukhari/Muslim]

There is a direct correlation between the ways we treat others and how Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) treats us. We all know the Prophet’s (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) famous saying “Have mercy on those on the earth, and the One in heaven will have mercy on you” [Tirmidhi]. Of course, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) is incomparably greater and more merciful than us. Therefore, whatever we do for others, Allah will multiply that for us. If we are sincere in wanting Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) to forgive us for our many slip-ups and sins, we should be prepared to do that for others.

The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), while sitting in the mosque with the Companions (radi Allahu anhum), pointed out a person who entered the mosque as being of those who would enter Jannah. He did this for 3 days, and every time, it was the same person who entered the mosque. Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radi Allahu anhu) wanted to know what quality this man possessed that made the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) say that about him, so he spent three nights with that man. He did not notice that the man prayed the optional night prayers during any of these nights, but if he woke up during the night, he would simply mention Allah. So before he left, he had to ask him what he did that was so special that the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) identified him as a man of Jannah. The man replied: “My deeds are nothing more than what you saw”. When Abdullah (radi Allahu anhu) left, he (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) called him back in and said: “My deeds are nothing more than what you saw, but the only thing I do is that I do not hold any grudge against any Muslim or envy anyone for what bounties Allah has granted them”; thereupon ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr (radi Allahu anhu) said to him: “This difficult quality to obtain is what granted you this rank”. [Ahmad]

That is what it means to be true believer. Our focus is not simply in how much we pray, although that has its place. Rather we are so focused on gaining the pleasure of Allah that people’s wrongs against us are insignificant. This is why Allah described the believers as “those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, and when they are angry, they forgive” [Surat ash-Shu’ara, 42:37].

2. Psychological Productivity: Gaining Strength

Psychologists have said that the inability to forgive may cause a person to repeatedly bring anger and bitterness into every relationship and new experience. The hurt and insecurity caused by our offender is projected onto others, because we were not able to move on from our previous experience.

We are not being asked to condone what others have done to us, but rather we should acknowledge that they have hurt us and it was wrong. We should reflect on why this was hurtful, what may have been the motives of the person who hurt us, and what we should learn. And then we should move on, because we cannot change the past, but we can certainly use it to empower ourselves and become better people, insha Allah.

When we take the step to learn from a hurtful experience, we should be able to prevent ourselves from doing the same to others. Many times we condemn what we do ourselves- we are hurt that someone has spoken behind our backs, but we backbite all the time. We feel slighted when we are not appreciated by our parents, but never once did we recognize and thank others for the things they do for us. This introspection should help us to gain greater clarity into our own dealings with people.

Another psychological effect of forgiving others is that it teaches us sympathy. When we let go of anger, we can better understand those who are put in the same situation that we were in previously. Sometimes it helps us to not demonize the person who hurt us; the specific thing that they did may have been bad, but when we step back, we sometimes learn that they have their own baggage that caused them to act in a certain way. This is not to condone what they did, but it is to enable us to see that the world is not always so black and white.

3. Physical Productivity: Healthy mind, healthy body

The inability to forgive affects us spiritually and psychologically, and furthermore, has a detrimental effect on our health. One study showed that people who focused on a personal grudge had increased blood pressure and heart rates, as well as increased muscle tension and feelings of being less in control. Participants in this study were asked to imagine forgiving their wrongdoers, and they said they felt more positive and relaxed and thus, the changes disappeared.

May Allah give us the strength to forgive others for their faults, and to forgive us for our own. Ameen.

About the Author:

Jinan Bastaki  is a Law graduate from the London School of Economics (LSE), and is now specializing in Public International Law. She manages a www.thebelovedmessenger.com and learning from the life of the Prophet Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam);  As well, she manages the blogzine ‘Tarbiya’. She writes for www.SuhaibWebb.com and you can find more of her articles here

The post Forgiving Others, Enhancing Personal Productivity appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

We often find that the people that shook the world and changed the course of history, by the Permisson of Allah, were able to do so through the phenomenal decisions and character of their mothers.

You will find their motherhood had an extraordinary impact on humanity: Aasiya (May Allah be pleased with her) and Musa (Peace be upon him), Maryam (May Allah be pleased with her) and Isa (Peace be upon him), Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) on Hassan and Hussain (May Allah be pleased with them). Look at the impact a righteous woman can have on the world!

A good mother is at the foundation of all those with a hunger for greatness.

For example, if we head to Central Asia, and to the house of Ismail, a healthy boy was born. But then he was tried with something that every person would fear – he lost his sight. His mother was obviously distraught. However, she was a pious woman, and thus did not fall into extreme despair. Rather she turned to her Lord, Allah (Azzawajal). She invoked Him, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and thus Allah, answered her prayers. She brought her son up with great care and attention and concern for the Ummah of Muhammad (Peace be upon him). This boy grew up to become a household name, Imam Bukhari (rahimullah).

Brothers and sisters, why do I use this example? I do so, as we see throughout history, ordinary people achieved extraordinary results through the efforts of their mothers. I have the privilege to know a sister who is firmly focused on achieving greatness and she strives to follows example of our pious predecessors. Aside from homeschooling her three children, being an author, speaker and entrepreneur, she still finds the time to be a major supporter of dawah and humanitarian projects across the globe, mash’Allah! We all need to take note and ask ourselves, do we really want to leave our mark on the universe, for the sake of Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala)?

For those people with a sincere desire to be more productive, consider this:

1. Sisters: You have an enormous scope to grow your productivity. Look at the example in history of the great women of Islam. You have some fine examples of true greatness, from the mothers of the believers to all the women that brought forth the great people that allowed the Ummah to flourish. These women, their lives must be studied, and emulated insha’Allah. What you will undoubtedly find in is that they (May Allah be pleased with them) sincerely made dua to Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) on a daily basis. Build this into your day, insha’Allah. If you’re seeking greatness, ask The Great One. If you’re seeking greatness, and have been blessed with children, invest in them and make them great people, insha’Allah. When Salahuddin’s mother inculcated the desire in him to free Palestine from the Crusaders, she was sincere, and as we know, the rest is history.
2. Brothers: Consider the examples of our great women, and realize what is incumbent upon us. How will we use our time? What will we do, knowing that it was the women of this Ummah, that aside from fulfilling their family obligations, they dedicated time to du’a, the night prayer, and serving their communities. So what are we doing? Oh men of this Ummah, are you finding the barakah in your day that our sisters had? If not, increase your productivity, by looking at their lives and imitating some of what they and their pious sons did.

Therefore aspiring productive Muslims, consider the example of the great women of this Ummah (may Allah be pleased with them), and take from the example they set insha’Allah. Know that the tarbiyyah of Maryam was manifest in Esa, know the supplication of Abu Abdullah made Imam Bukhari, and know that many times the roads to greatness lead back to a phenomenal mother.

Continued – Series on Increasing Productivity

About the Author
Azim Kidwai is an aspiring ProductiveMuslim and General Manager of Mercy Mission

The post Increasing Productivity: Lesson 6 – Know Your Mother appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.