Ismail Kamdar

Ismail Kamdar is the Founder of Islamic Self Help and Izzah Academy, author of over a dozen books, and the operations manager of Yaqeen Institute.
Ismail Kamdar is the Founder of Islamic Self Help and Izzah Academy, author of over a dozen books, and the operations manager of Yaqeen Institute.
18
Nov
2019
Misconceptions about Self-Confidence

Misconceptions about Self-Confidence

Misconceptions about Self-Confidence

This article is an extract from Best of Creation: An Islamic Guide to Self-Confidence, which is currently available on sale for only $2.50 here.

Some Muslims shudder at the words ‘self-confidence’, because of a confusion that links self-confidence to arrogance. This is due to a misunderstanding regarding the concepts of humility and arrogance.

Islam teaches us to be humble and that arrogance is one of the greatest sins. In fact, arrogance is regarded as the trademark quality of the devil and the Pharaoh. When Allah told the angels to bow to Adam, they all did so. Only Iblees, who was a Jinn, refused to bow and said the famous words “I am better than him,”[1] to justify his disobedience. He became Shaytaan (Satan) and this marks the beginning of a long history of people turning evil due to arrogance.

Pharaoh was one of these people. When Prophet Moses (Peace be upon him) brought him the message to worship God alone, he replied, “I am your Lord, the Most High,”[2] His claim of divinity is one of the worst acts of arrogance and defiance.

Another example of this is Abu Jahl, the leader of the disbelievers of Makkah. He knew that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was truthful and would never lie, and that his message was good and true, but he rejected it out of arrogance and preferred to die a disbeliever, rather than admit that he was wrong.

With these examples, it is clear why arrogance is something detestable to believers. Arrogant people are difficult to deal with, difficult to correct and tend to be nasty and tyrannical. However, self-confidence is the opposite of all this. People who are confident tend to be easy to deal with, open to correction and very well mannered. The two concepts may seem similar on a basic level, but in reality they are worlds apart.

It seems that this confusion was held even by some of the companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and he had to teach them the difference. The following narration is a beautiful discussion between the Prophet and his companions which summarizes the differences between Self-Confidence and Arrogance.

Abdullah ibn Masood reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “No one who has the weight of a seed of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise.” A man said, “Indeed, a man loves to have beautiful clothes and shoes.” The Prophet said, “Verily, Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty. Arrogance means rejecting the truth and looking down on people.”[3]

In this narration, the consequences of arrogance are clearly mentioned. The companions then asked about dressing well. Dressing well is an important part of self-confidence that will be discussed later in this book. The Prophet (peace be upon him) clarified that dressing well is actually something Allah loves, so having self-confidence is a good thing.

He then summarizes arrogance in two broad points that cover every aspect of arrogance: Rejecting the truth and looking down on people.

Rejecting the truth

Arrogant people believe that they are above correction and feel ashamed of being wrong. They refuse to accept any correction, no matter how strong the evidence that they are wrong is. This is a major cause of many people going astray. Many people recognize the truth but refuse to embrace it because that would mean admitting they were wrong all along, and they can’t handle accepting that.

A confident person, on the other hand, has embraced the fact that he is a human and is not perfect. He is comfortable with the fact that he makes mistakes and is always learning. As a result, he is always open to correction, and to constructive criticism, and he has no problem admitting when he makes a mistake. He is confident in his ability to learn from his mistakes and build upon his experiences.

Accepting the truth is crucial for success in both worlds. Every human alive today makes mistakes, has wrong ideas and wrong beliefs. This is a fact of life and we must accept that we too have such faults. The only way to overcome them is to be open and willing to learn from others, and to embrace the truth when we find it.

Looking down upon others

Some arrogant people are actually very insecure and have a constant need to compare themselves to others and put others down. They need to feel superior to others in order to feel good about themselves, so they look for reasons to judge others and put themselves on a pedestal.

This judgment takes many forms. It comes in the form of sectarianism, racism, sexism, tribalism, nationalism or judging people for their sins. Arrogance in this form is a disease and a major cause of disunity in the ummah today. Muslims no longer look at each other as brothers, but as the other. This has divided the ummah on so many levels that many Muslims are constantly in a state of internal bickering, and waste all their time in arguments and refutations, instead of using their time productively.

These judgments need to stop. They are wasting the ummah away and weakening us. How many generations have been lost in tribal, sectarian and racial wars? How many families have suffered from seeing one parent mistreat the other? How long will we continue to fight each other over the smallest of things?

Arrogance is destroying the ummah, but confidence can actually unite us. A confident individual feels no need to compare himself to others. He is focused on pleasing Allah and being the best he can be. He knows everybody else is traveling on a similar road but at different levels. He tries his best to be his best, and help everybody he meets to do the same.

The Key Difference

By now, you can see a trend. Arrogance by its nature is destructive and leads to problems and chaos. Confidence, on the other hand, is productive and leads to good for oneself and whoever you interact with. The two concepts are not linked. In fact, many psychologists link arrogance to low self-confidence. In reality, confidence is actually linked to humility, not arrogance.

Humility Explained

Just as arrogance is misunderstood, the same can be said about humility. When we think of a humble person, many people picture a poor man in shabby clothing who is weak and content with his current situation. Yet, this is not how the prophets, companions or great scholars lived and they were the greatest role models of humility.

The prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) dressed well, worked hard, supported a large family, walked with confidence and led by example. He was the very example of a confident, yet humble, individual. His companions were the same.

The problem is that many of us look at humility as an external condition indicated by a person’s dressing and behaviour, while in reality humility is a state of being, a condition of the heart. Humility means to free your heart from prejudice and judgment, to look at all people as equal with equal potential of a good or bad ending, and to be willing to accept correction. In short, it is the opposite of arrogance.

Humility has nothing to do with how you dress, walk, talk or work. These may give away whether a person is arrogant or humble, but the heart is what matters. People can spot when someone else is faking humility. Their true self gives itself away under the fake smile and pretense of piety. If you wish to become humble, you shouldn’t focus on what you do, but more on what you think and feel about others. Changing that is essential, and it is directly linked to confidence.

The Best of Creation

When Allah told the angels to bow to Adam, it was a symbol that humans are the best of Allah’s creation. Allah informs us in the Qur’an that those humans who choose to live lives of obedience to him are “The best of creation”[4] while those who choose to disobey Him are “The worst of creation”.[5]

If you are striving to be the best of creation, be confident that Allah has given you the ability to do so. We must also understand that we are Allah’s creation and we are not allowed to mistreat the Creation of Allah, and that includes our own selves.

Just like we are not allowed to harm ourselves physically, we are also not allowed to harm ourselves emotionally. Negative thoughts are a trick from Shaytaan to stop us from excelling and being the best we can be.

Shaytaan knows that people with low confidence can’t accomplish much, so he whispers evil thoughts into our minds and tells us that we are weak and sinful and that we will never be good enough for Allah. In this way, we believe our own minds and give up on our noble pursuits. If we can recognize these evil whisperings of the devil and learn to ignore them and block them out, our confidence in our ability to be better will increase.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us many things that help us to remain confident and all of it is proof that confidence is part of Islam. He taught us to walk properly, sit up straight, groom ourselves, wear our best clothing, treat people with respect, be dignified in our manners and speech, keep positive names for our kids, avoid negative speech about anybody including ourselves and to think positive thoughts about our Creator, as well as His Creation.

All of these points that be found in Hadiths too numerous to list here. These teachings are clear evidence that believers are supposed to be confident, just like the companions were confident. Our confidence is directly linked to our trust in Allah as will be explained later in more detail.

On one occasion, when the Muslim army was greatly outnumbered, the great military leader Khalid Ibn Waleed rode right through the enemy ranks and back to boost the confidence of his army. Khalid Ibn Waleed was an excellent example of the confidence of early Muslims. On another occasion, he needed to take his army from Iraq to Syria via the shortest route possible.

The guides explained to him that the shortest route was very dangerous and smaller groups died along that route, so an entire army would not be able to survive. Yet Khalid was confident in his army’s ability to survive the route, he made some plans to deal with possible setbacks and led his entire army to Syria in record time without any casualties. This is an amazing example of the confidence of the early Muslims, and the kind of confidence their leaders instilled in their followers.

Confidence and Arrogance should not be confused. One is a positive trait necessary for success, the other is a negative trait that will destroy you and anything you attempt. This book will focus on confidence as understood from an Islamic perspective, free from ego and arrogance and rooted in Tawheed because for Muslims everything goes back to Allah, The Creator, and Master of the universe.

This article is an extract from Best of Creation: An Islamic Guide to Self-Confidence, which is currently available on sale for only $2.50 here. To learn more about self-confidence in Islam, purchase the full ebook here.

Best of Creation Ismail Kamdar
Currently Available for only $2.50! (Offer expires end of November 2019)

[1] Surah Al-A’raf 7:12

[2] Surah An-Nazi’at 79:24

[3] Saheeh Muslim 1:91

[4] Surah Al-Bayyina 98:7

[5] Surah Al-Bayyina 98:6

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Self Confidence
13
Nov
2019
5 Ḥadīths on the importance of Family

5 Ḥadīths on the importance of Family

In this age of individualism, it is often easy to forget the rights of the family. Many people live self-obsessed lives, oblivious of their duties to their parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended families.

To help revive the Sunnah of caring for one’s family, here are 5 Ḥadīth on the importance of family in Islam. Special Thanks to Abu Amina Elias (Justin Parrot) for his amazing website from which I sourced these Ḥadīths. All these Ḥadīth have been graded authentic by scholars of Ḥadīth. More details are available on the source website.

1. Part of his final advice

Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah (s) said in his illness before he passed away, “Your family relations! Your family relations!” (Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān 463)

So important are the rights of the family in Islam that the Prophet (s) mentioned it during his final illness. The Prophet (s) only advised regarding the most crucial matters during his final illness. The matters he emphasized during his final illness include monotheism, Salah, hygiene, and family. This raises the rights of family members to be among the most important matters in our religion.

2. Help them financially

A man asked the Prophet (s), “What act of charity is best?” The Prophet (s) said, “One given to an estranged relative.” (Musnad Aḥmad 15022 )

If a distant relative has become estranged or tries to break ties, the Islamic thing to do is to try and reconnect with them. To emphasize this, the Prophet (s) gave preference to charity towards family over others, especially towards estranged family members who may be too proud to ask for help. Charity here does not refer only to wealth but includes all acts of kindness. The Prophet (s) said, “Every act of goodness is charity.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1970)

Often many people overlook their relatives when it comes to charity. They may be very generous to others, while the thought of assisting a struggling relative doesn’t even cross their mind. This is an unislamic mindset. Muslims must care for each other, and Muslim families must be especially caring towards each other.

3. The most beloved and hated of acts

Qatadah reported that a man of Khath’am came to the Prophet (s) and he said, “Are you the one who thinks he is the Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet said, “Yes.” The man said, “O Messenger of Allah, which deeds are most beloved to Allah?” The Prophet said, “Faith in Allah.” The man said, “Then what?” The Prophet said, “To maintain family relationships.” The man said, “O Messenger of Allah, which deeds are most hateful to Allah?” The Prophet said, “To associate idols with Allah.” The man said, “Then what?” The Prophet said, “To sever family relationships.” The man said, “Then what?” The Prophet said, “To enjoin evil and forbid good.” (Musnad Abī Ya’lá 6793 )

In this lengthy narration, the Prophet (s) lists some of the greatest good deeds and some of the worst sins. The high status of family relations is clear as he lists it as the second most beloved act to Allah. Likewise, the severing of family ties is listed as a major sin, second only to disbelief/polytheism.

This narration provides a double emphasis on family ties, maintaining it is a high priority for every believer. Severing it is a major sin and a source of Allah’s displeasure.

4. More important than voluntary worship

Abdullah ibn Amr reported the Messenger of Allah (s) said to him, “I am told you fast and never break your fast and you never stop praying at night? Fast and break your fast, pray at night and sleep. Verily, your eyes have a right over you, your own self has a right over you, and your family has a right over you.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1876)

Sometimes we can become so self-obsessed in our spiritual journies that we neglect those closest to us. This narration is a reminder to find balance. We need to excel in worship, but we also need to make time for our families and to fulfill their rights. True piety is finding a balance between worshipping Allah and fulfilling the rights of His Creation.

5. Gentleness with family always benefits

Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet (s) said, “The people of a household are not granted kindness except that it will benefit them.” (al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr 13261)

We end with a beautiful reminder that the reward for goodness is always goodness. When we are kind, gentle and loving to our families, the return from Allah is His Infinite Mercy and Divine Reward. There is always benefit in being gentle with others. Let us make gentleness the foundation of our interactions with our extended family.

I hope you found this article beneficial. I am selling a bundle of 10 of my best eBooks for only $30. All profits from these sales will go towards funding the production costs of my upcoming book. You can purchase the full bundle here.

Self Help Bundle
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Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Islam
05
Nov
2019
Virtues of Surah Fatiha

Virtues of Surah Fatiha

There are many powerful hadiths about Surah Al-Fatiha. I have translated some of them below but haven’t written any explanation for them.

I did this so that you can read them and reflect on them yourself to gain a deeper understanding.

Read and reflect:

Hadith 1 – The Greatest Surah

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal recorded in the Musnad that Abu Sa`id bin Al-Mu`alla said, “I was praying when the Prophet called me, so I did not answer him until I finished the prayer. I then went to him and he said, ‘What prevented you from coming,’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! I was praying.’

He said, `Didn’t Allah say, O you who believe! Answer Allah and His Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life?’ He then said, ‘I will teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur’an before you leave the Masjid.’ He held my hand and when he was about to leave the Masjid, I said, `O Messenger of Allah! You said, I will teach you the greatest Surah in the Qur’an.’ He said, ‘Yes. It is Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil-`Alamin. (All praise to due to Allah, Lord of the Universe)It is the seven oft-repeated verses and the Glorious Qur’an that I was given.”

Hadith 2 – Nothing Like It

Imam Ahmad[1] recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, “The Messenger of Allah went out while Ubayy bin Ka`b was praying and said, ‘O Ubayy!’ Ubayy did not answer him. The Prophet said, ‘O Ubayy!’ Ubayy prayed faster then went to the Messenger of Allah saying, `Peace be unto you, O Messenger of Allah!’ He said, ‘Peace be unto you. O Ubayy, what prevented you from answering me when I called you?’ He said, `O Messenger of Allah! I was praying.’ He said, ‘Did you not read among what Allah has sent down to me, Answer Allah and His Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life?’ He said, `Yes, O Messenger of Allah! I will not do it again.’

The Prophet said, ‘Would you like me to teach you a Surah the likes of which nothing has been revealed in the Tawrah, the Injil, the Zabur (Psalms) or the Furqan (the Qur’an)?’ He said, `Yes, O Messenger of Allah!’ The Messenger of Allah said, “I hope that I will not leave through this door until you have learned it.”

He (Ka`b) said, `The Messenger of Allah held my hand while speaking to me. Meanwhile, I was slowing down fearing that he might reach the door before he finished his conversation.

When we came close to the door, I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is the Surah that you have promised to teach me?’ He said, ‘What do you read in the prayer?’ Ubayy said, `So I recited Umm Al-Qur’an to him.’ He said, ‘By Him in Whose Hand is my soul! Allah has never revealed in the Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms or the Furqan (Quran) a Surah like it. It is the seven repeated verses that I was given.”

Hadith 3 – A Conversation With Allah

 Abu Hurayrah narrated that the messenger of Allah said that Allah said, “I have divided the prayer (Al-Fatihah) into two halves between Myself and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.” If he says, “All praise and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of existence.” Allah says, “My servant has praised Me.”

When the servant says, “The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.” Allah says, “My servant has glorified Me.” When he says, “The Master of the Day of Judgment,” Allah says, “My servant has glorified Me,” or “My servant has related all matters to Me.”

When he says, “You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.” Allah says, “This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for,”

When he says, “Guide us to the straight path. The way of those on whom You have granted Your grace, not the way of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray,” Allah says, “This is for My servant, and My servant shall acquire what he asked for.”

Note: All three hadiths are narrated in Tafsir Ibn Kathir. You can find more Hadiths about Surah Al-Fatiha there.

To learn more, grab our 10 eBook bundle which includes our book on Tafsir and many others!

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Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Islam
17
Oct
2019
The Islamic Mentorship Paradigm: A Case Study of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn and Nūr ad-Dīn

The Islamic Mentorship Paradigm: A Case Study of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn and Nūr ad-Dīn

Mentor: An experienced and trusted adviser.

In the world of business, mentors are crucial for success. Every good business book recommends getting a mentor to help you succeed in your field. This is true in Islam as well. Mentorship has always been an important part of Islamic relationships.

But how does the Islamic concept of mentorship differ from modern understanding?

In this article, we will explore the answer to this question through a practical example; the relationship between Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn al-Ayūbī and his mentor Nūr ad-Dīn al-Zengī.

Brief Biographies of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn and Nūr ad-Dīn

Nūr ad-Dīn al-Zengī was a commander of the Seljuk army in Syria during the 12th Century. His father ʿImād al-Dīn was also the commander of the Seljuk army, and he took over the army after his father’s death. Nūr ad-Dīn conquered Damascus, liberating it from the rule of the crusaders’ allies, and unified the greater Syrian region making it part of the Seljuk Empire. However, he wasn’t able to liberate Jerusalem, which remained under crusader control. (Alkhateeb, pp. 100-101)

Nūr ad-Dīn was the teacher, commander, and mentor of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn al-Ayūbī. In was under his care that Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn grew into the successful leader that he is renowned across the globe for being. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn spent his youth training under Nūr ad-Dīn and developed a very close relationship with him. (Sallabi, vol. 2 pp. 30-31)

Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn al-Ayūbī is one of the most famous Muslim leaders in history. He was a commander of the Abbasid army during the 12th Century. He is most famous for fighting against the crusader invasion and repelling them from the region. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn’s legacy can be summarized in three major accomplishments; liberating Egypt from the Fāṭimids, liberating Jerusalem from the Crusaders, and establishing the Ayūbī Dynasty in Egypt. (Alkhateeb, p. 102)

The details about Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn’s life, and his relationship with Nūr ad-Dīn, in this article, have been extracted primarily from Dr. Ali Salabi’s three-volume book Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi. Firas Alkhateeb’s Lost Islamic History was also consulted for additional details.

Islamic Mentorship: A Spiritual Framework

This brief summary of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn’s life and accomplishments doesn’t reveal any differences between the Islamic and modern systems of mentorship. Through effective mentorship, Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn grew into a confident leader who achieved worldly success and accomplished his goals. He was even able to accomplish some of the goals that his mentor was unable to accomplish, like the liberation of Egypt and Palestine.

However, there is a big difference between the two systems of mentorship that can only be uncovered by digging deeper. That is what we will focus on now.

While it is true that both modern mentorship and Islamic mentorship are effective in achieving worldly goals, it is important to note that this is not the primary focus of Islamic Mentorship. It is simply a byproduct of it. The focus of Islamic mentorship is on achieving righteousness, eternal salvation, and the life of Barakah.

The achievement of worldly goals, in this context, is considered a matter of destiny. The focus is on pleasing God, achieving closeness to Him, and attaining Barakah in this life. If all of this is accomplished, then worldly success is simply the cherry on top and a matter that is left up to destiny.

How Nūr ad-Dīn prepared Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn for true success

Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn started serving Nūr ad-Dīn at a very young age. Nūr ad-Dīn recognized his potential and developed a close relationship with him so that he could help him develop his skills. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn was so close to Nūr ad-Dīn that he was like a private secretary to him. (Sallabi, vol. 2 p. 30) It was in this position that he was able to learn from Nūr ad-Dīn’s personality.

Dr. Ali Sallabi describes the relationship between Nūr ad-Dīn and Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn as follows:

Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn was influenced by the Sultan Nūr ad-Dīn who gave him a brilliant example of devotion and a serious sense of religious responsibility; he learned from his sincerity and self-sacrifice, and how to converse with his lord in private prayer in his own place of worship, taking from that the spiritual strength to engage in Jihad. (Sallabi, vol. 2 p. 31)

This quotation summarizes some of the key differences be the Islamic and modern systems of mentorship. Nūr ad-Dīn’s methodology focused primarily on spiritual development. Prayer, sincerity, responsibility to God and devotion were all essential qualities that Nūr ad-Dīn helped Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn develop. This fits in the Islamic Paradigm for success, which teaches us to be God-Centric, Purpose-Driven, Hereafter focused, Sincere, and have a sense of responsibility.

Nūr ad-Dīn taught Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn how to take spiritual strength from prayer. This is an essential quality that every Muslim mentor needs to pass on to his/her mentees. A Muslim’s life must revolve around prayer, and this prayer should provide the necessary spiritual strength to fuel our productivity.

Nūr ad-Dīn also focused on a serious sense of religious responsibility. This is another important concept. Islamic culture emphasizes the importance of having a sense of responsibility. This sense of responsibility is religious in that God had made us His representatives on earth, and we are responsible to Allah for what we do with our lives. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn how was taught this sense of responsibility from a very young age, and it guided his focus for his entire life. This is the result of effective Islamic mentorship.

A third crucial quality that Nūr ad-Dīn taught Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn was sincerity. In Islam, sincerity is crucial for success. Without sincerity, there is no reward, no Barakah, and no real success. Everything revolves around sincerity. This is why it is crucial for a Muslim mentor to guide his mentees towards sincerity. Without it, there is no success.

These are three of the most important things that Nūr ad-Dīn taught Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn. from this relationship, we learn the proper Islamic method of mentorship, the focus points of such a relationship, and we can see the fruits in the results.

The effects of successful mentorship on Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn

This beautiful mentorship led to the Barakah effect in the life of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn. Let us take a look at some of the blessed accomplishments on Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn’s life.

Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn converted Al-Azhar into a Sunni university. It continues to operate today and is currently the oldest active university in the world. Many of the greatest scholars of every generation since have studied or taught at al-Azhar University. This is the Barakah of sincerely setting up a traditional Islamic University in Egypt.

Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn’s legacy is fondly remembered by Muslim and Non-Muslim alike. He remains a popular hero renowned for his justice, forgiveness, and tolerance to other faiths. He is even promoted as a hero in several movies, TV series and even videogames. How many leaders can say that Muslim and Non-Muslim alike will still take them as a role model a thousand years later?

The third aspect of Barakah in his legacy is the Ayūbī and subsequent Mamluk dynasties. Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn’s conquest of Egypt created two amazing dynasties that ruled Egypt for centuries. First were the direct descendants of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn, the Ayūbīs. Then came the Mamluks, a dynasty of freed slaves who started life as loyal servants of the Ayūbīs. This legacy includes the Mamluks defeating the Mongols at the Battle of ʿAyn Jālūt, similar to how Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn defeated the crusaders in Jerusalem.

All of these are clear examples of the Barakah found in the legacy of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn which carried on into his successors, and their successors. As long as sincerity remained, the Barakah remained, and it lasted for centuries.

Summary: Muslim mentors should primarily focus on spiritual success

As Muslims, we believe that success is in Allah’s Hands. It is a matter of destiny and so we should trust Allah’s plan for us. It is far more important for us to focus on spiritual development by improving our relationship with Allah, sincerity and focus on the afterlife. One of the ways to achieve this is through a strong mentor.

A good Muslim mentor will assist his mentee in changing their perspective from the material towards the spiritual. A good mentor, like Nūr ad-Dīn, would teach their mentee the importance of Salah, Dua, Tawakul, and sincerity.

A relationship like this is blessed and leads to Barakah in one’s efforts and projects. When seeking a mentor, we should seek out righteous mentors who can help us elevate ourselves spiritually, and move our goals in a direction that is pleasing to Allah.

Check out our latest eBook bundle. This bundle of 10 eBooks includes our bestsellers on self-confidence, time management, and goal-setting, and is currently available for only $30 here.

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Leadership
11
Oct
2019
Crowdfunding my new book

Crowdfunding my new book

The Book

Alhamdulillah, I am three months away from launching my next book ‘Productivity Principles Of ʿUmar II’.

Below is the description of the book:

Imagine ruling a kingdom for only two and a half years, yet accomplishing so much that the world still benefits from your legacy a thousand years later.

That is the legacy of ʿUmar bin ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, the 8th Umayyad King, and one of the greatest rulers in the history of the Muslim World. In this revolutionary new book, author Ismail Kamdar explores the principles that made ʿUmar II such a productive and influential ruler.

Take a trip through the first century of Muslim History, to explore the fifteen productivity principles that made ʿUmar II one of the greatest kings in the history of this world. In this book, author Ismail Kamdar discusses the biography of ʿUmar bin ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz focusing on the principles that made him an effective and productive leader.

The Obstacle

Unfortunately, I have run into a major hurdle along the way, and to be fully transparent, I am sharing it with you here.

In order to complete the production of the book (cover design, editing, typesetting), I need $3000.

The Win/Win Plan

I only need to sell 100 of these to cover the cost of production, and I am confident that this method is the best way to meet production costs while providing my readers with value for their money.

I came up with a Win/Win plan. To raise the money to cover the production of the book, I am selling a new eBook bundle: all 10 of my best eBooks + 7 time management templates for only $30. (or more, you can pay more for the bundle if you want to contribute more to the production of my next book)

The Pitch

So here is my pitch. If you enjoy reading my books and want to help see my next book hit the shelves, please purchase the eBook bundle here: https://gumroad.com/l/selfhelpbundle

I trust my readers, as, without your support, I wouldn’t be able to write any books. I hope that you all find this bundle worth your money, and will enjoy and benefit from my next book once it hits the market.

The Alternative

Some readers have been asking how they can contribute to my book production cost without purchasing an ebook.

I don’t ask for direct contributions but if you want to do so, you can send it to my PayPal here: paypal.me/IslamicSelfHelp.

Thank you all for all your support

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Books