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.
01
Apr
2019
Why Your Ramadan Resolutions Don’t Work

Why Your Ramadan Resolutions Don’t Work

Ramadan 1440 AH is just four weeks away. The internet is filling up with blog posts, videos, courses and social media posts on how to get the best out of Ramadan.

But something isn’t right. No matter how many Ramadans go by, and how many of these videos you watch and articles you read, things just don’t change.

You feel like the some person you were before Ramadan began. And it is really bugging you out.

This may be the reason why you are unable to make your Ramadan Resolutions work.

Ramadan 2019

You are setting the bar too high

I get it. You want to be the best Muslim possible. You want to be perfect and sinless. We all do. But it isn’t humanly possible. Sooner or later, you will slip up and err.

So when you set your Ramadan goal as ‘never commit a sin ever again’, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. The truth is that as a human being, you will make mistakes, you will err, and you will fall short at times. If you expect perfection from yourself, you will never be able to achieve that goal in this life.

Instead try this: set a realistic goal like giving up one specific sin or adding one specific good deed to your life. This is specific and measurable enough that you can stick to it for life.

Ramadan 1440

You try to accomplish too much in one month.

We often overestimate what we can accomplish in the month of Ramadan. And we underestimate how much we can accomplish in our lifetime.

Sometimes, you can get so excited about Ramadan and goal setting that you try to cram too much into it. You plan to read 10 books, study the Tafseer of the entire Quran, pray Taraweeh every night, recite the entire Quran 10 times, donate $10000 in charity, and spend two hours every night in Qiyam Al-Layl.

After three days, you will be burned out and give up.

Instead, set moderate practical goals. Understand your limits and set your goals accordingly. Do not overburden yourself. It is better to focus on two or three practical goals, than ten impossible goals.

So pace yourself and make sure you schedule some downtime during Ramadan as well.

Ramadan Goals

You limit your goals to Ramadan only

Personal growth is a life-long process. Ramadan may give us a super-charge but it cannot be the only time of the year we spend trying to be better people. That needs to be a life long commitment.

If you set goals for Ramadan, and forget to follow up on them after Ramadan, you will not experience long-term change. Long-term change comes from working on yourself all year round.

If you set a goal to recite 1 Juz of Quran every night of Ramadan, then also commit to 10 minutes of Quran daily for the rest of the year. This is manageable and will help you maintain your spiritual level throughout the year.

Summary

We tend to fail at our Ramadan goals because we set goals that are too high, too many, and restricted to Ramadan. If we instead aim at realistic goals, restrict the number of goals, and keep working on them all year round, then we will experience more meaningful growth during Ramadan.

To learn more about preparing for Ramadan, sign up for our free course here.

Ramadan Course
Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Inner Peace
22
Mar
2019

A List of Good Deeds That Erase Sins

This is an extract from The Book Of Hope For Sinners. Access the full eBook here.

Part of Allah’s Infinite Mercy is that He legislated many good deeds that wipe away our minor sins. The beauty of this is that even people who don’t actively seek forgiveness may still have their minor sins forgiven if they commit to these good deeds.

These specific deeds are mentioned in the hadiths below and include the following:

1. Establishing the five daily prayers:

Jabir Ibn Abdullah (radiallahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alahi wasalam) said, “The similitude of five prayers is like an overflowing river passing by the gate of one of you in which he washes five times daily.” Hasan said, “No filthiness can remain on him.”(Muslim)

2. Prostrating to Allah in the salah:

Ubadah ibn al-Samit (radiallahu anhu) narrated: The Prophet (salallahu alahi wasalam) said, “No servant prostrates for the sake of Allah except that Allah will record for him one good deed, erase one sin, and raise his status by one degree. So, perform many prostrations.” (Ibn Majah)

3. Performing ablution and praying two rakat with khushu:

Uthman (radiallahu anhu) narrated: The Prophet (salallahu alahi wasalam) said, “He who performed ablution like this ablution of mine and offered two bowings of prayer without allowing his thoughts to be distracted, then his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

4. An accepted umrah or hajj:

Abu Huraira (radiallahu anhu) narrated: The Prophet (salallahu alahi wasalam) said, “The umrah pilgrimage to the following umrah will expiate whatever sins were committed between them, and the accepted hajj pilgrimage has no reward other than Paradise.” (Bukhari)

5. Converting to Islam, emigrating for the sake of Allah, or an accepted hajj:

‘Amr ibn al-‘As (radiallahu anhu) narrated: The Prophet (salallahu alahi wasalam) said, “Do you not know that embracing Islam wipes away all sins committed before it, that emigration wipes away what came before it, and the hajj pilgrimage wipes away what came before it?” (Muslim)

6. Fasting the days and praying during the nights of Ramadan for the sake of Allah:

Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (radiallahu anhu) narrated: The Prophet (salallahu alahi wasalam) said, “Verily, Ramadan is a month in which Allah Almighty has obligated its fasting. And verily, I have instituted for Muslims the (recommended) practice of its prayer at night. Thus, whoever fasts it with faith and expecting reward will be rid of sins like the day he was born from his mother.” (Musnad Ahmad)

And many others

There are many other good deeds that also wipe away our sins. This is just a glimpse of how merciful Allah is to us and how many opportunities He gives us to be free from our sins.

If Allah wanted, He could have made forgiveness dependent only upon repentance. Instead He created so many ways for us to be forgiven that it would be our fault alone if we missed every one of these paths to forgiveness.

It may be impossible to avoid committing sins for the rest of our life, but it is possible to do so many good deeds that Allah may forgive all our minor sins on account of our good deeds.

The Most Important One

In order to earn this forgiveness, we must commit to these good deeds. Begin with praying five times a day. Establishing the five daily prayers is the most important good deed in the life of the believer.

Prayer is the second pillar of Islam, the first thing we will be asked about on the Last Day, and a means through which all minor sins can be forgiven.

The Prophet (salallahu alahi wasalam) compared it to bathing in a river five times a day. Just as bathing five times a day would wash away all physical dirt, praying five times a day washes away all sins.

So let us start with this. Let’s commit to praying five times a day for the sake of Allah. And let us make this a priority and habit in our lives. This one habit alone could save us on the Last Day and be the means through which our sins are forgiven.

To learn more, purchase the full eBook by clicking here.

Good deeds that erase sins
Also available in Kindle and Paperback.
Posted by Ismail Kamdar
07
Mar
2019
Hard Work is Hard…and Work

Hard Work is Hard…and Work

“I want to do it but it is too much work and too hard!”

It always baffles me when people say they want to accomplish great thing without hard work. Some people assume that there is a easy path to success. There isn’t.

There is no shortcut to success. (in any definition)

Whatever you wish to accomplish, there is only one way to do it: hard work.

If you want to go to Paradise, be prepared to work hard for it.

Do you want a successful business? You need to put in the necessary hard work.

What about a successful marriage? Again, it is all about hard work.

Even parenting, when done right, boils down to hard work.

But it is hard

Of course, it is hard. That is why it is called hard work.

Anything worth accomplishing is difficult to accomplish.

That is one of the things that makes victory so sweet. The fact that you overcame the difficulty.

Getting into Paradise means living through several tests of life, all of which are hard.

Succeeding at business means pushing through the difficult times and adjusting your strategies accordingly.

Making a marriage work can be very difficult, but is extremely rewarding when both parties work hard together.

And raising children properly is extremely hard work.

But it is too much work

No! It is the right amount of work.

Everything you want in life requires work, so be prepared for work.

Lazy people get left behind, but those who work achieve.

Do you want Paradise? Then work for it by doing good deeds.

A thriving business requires you to show up every day and work for it.

You need to constantly work on your marriage to make it something special.

And parenting is work. In fact, it may be the hardest work you ever do.

But it is also highly rewarding

We often complain about things being too hard or too much work. But we forget that these same things are also highly rewarding, and worth the hard work.

A successful business is worth working hard for.

The love and peace that a happy marriage provides is worth the work put into it.

Raising your children and helping them grow into amazing men and women is deeply satisfying.

But most of all, there is nothing more rewarding than reaching Paradise.

So put aside the excuses, and dedicate your life to hard work.

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Productivity
28
Feb
2019
5 Tips For Effective Self Study

5 Tips For Effective Self Study

Self-Study VS Formal Study

I believe we are entering an era in which self study is more important than formal studies. With almost any subject available online for study in the form of eBooks, online courses, and videos, self study is easier than ever.

But self study is very different from formal classes. And for those of us who grew up accustomed to having a teacher tell us what to learn and when to learn it, self study can feel very daunting. So it is important for us to first learn how to self study effectively.

These five tips will help you effectively study almost any subject you choose.

1. Plan Your Studies

Don’t just grab the first book you see on the topic and start reading. Have a game plan instead. Organize your thoughts on a piece of paper and write the following:

  1. What subject do I want to study?
  2. Why do I want to study it?
  3. What do I hope to achieve from this study?
  4. What do I already know about the subject?
  5. What is the most effective method for me to study it?
  6. What is the best starting point for me?

By figuring out the above, you can choose your first book/online course more rationally and work accordingly.

2. Start at the beginning

It is never a good idea to jump into an advanced book or course if you are new to a field.

I see this all the time in Islamic Studies. New students who haven’t learn the basics of Islamic principles and Arabic grammar yet ask to be taught the highest level academic books.

If you do this, you are setting yourself up for failure.

Everything has a system and an order.

So the wise thing to do is to start at the beginning with the most basic course/book. Find out what is an introductory course or book in a field and study that first.

This is especially important for subjects that have their own language. It is essential to learn the lingo of the subject before studying the subject itself.

3. Make time to study and stick to it

Self Study requires self-discipline.

The reason many of us lack self-discipline is because we are accustomed to teachers and parents telling us when to learn. But you are your own teacher now. So it is your duty to tell yourself when to learn.

Set a standard study time and stick to it daily.

It could be an hour in the morning or evening, or any time you prefer. Simply choose a time that suits you and train yourself to stick to it. (Hint: Choose your peak concentration time or time with least distractions)

This level of self-discipline is crucial for ensuring that you complete your studies and don’t go off track.

4. Hand Written Notes are key

One problem with online education is that too many of us depend on others for notes.

We like to download notes and email them to each other. We assume that just reading someone else’s notes is enough. It may be enough for short-term study, but not long term learning.

The key is to hand write your notes (not type them). This helps your brain store information in your long term memory and understand it deeper.

Whether you are reading a book, reading an article, studying an online course or watching a YouTube video. Whatever it is, make sure you have a pen and paper nearby. then write down everything you learn in your own words.

That last part is crucial.

Writing it in your own words means you have understood it. It also means you are less likely to forget it.

To study even deeper, rewrite your notes into small summaries. And then write your own reflections on it as well. All of this will help you actually learn deeper.


5. Test Yourself

Testing has a place and purpose i.e. to help you realize how much you remember and understood.

So with self study, it is your responsibility to test yourself. The purpose of such a test is to check if you understood the work clearly. This helps you find the gaps. Then you can then go back and restudy the areas that remain unclear.

How do you test yourself?

There are many ways.

My favorite is to rewrite a summary of each lesson from memory, and then check if I did it correctly.

Other methods could be to make up a self-quiz, get a friend/family member to test you, or to take an online quiz on the topic.

Summary

Self study is highly effective if you do it right.

Plan your studies, start from the beginning, and make a time and stick to it. Then make sure you take down notes, rewrite them for understanding, and test yourself.

Doing all of this will ensure you gain maximum benefits from your self study.

Looking for exciting and life changing self study courses? Check out our online course section and get started with one of our free courses today.

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Life Hacks
25
Feb
2019

Sometimes procrastination and distractions are a good thing

I previously spoke about overcoming procrastination. But I need to admit something: I procrastinate daily…on purpose. And it really helps me get work done.

This may sound really confusing to folks to assume that procrastination is always a bad thing. However, my time management experience has thought me to embrace procrastination as another tool for productivity.

Don’t get me wrong. Procrastination can be really distracting and unproductive when left unchecked. But when done purposely, it can be very beneficial and productive. Here are some of the times I purposely procrastinate to stay productive.

When I need time to think

A lot of the work I do is mental work. It takes place in my head while I am busy with something else. I learned a long time ago that when I focus too much on trying to think up a solution, I get stuck. But if I leave it to go have some fun and relax, then a solution pops into my mind.

This is because is you think up a problem and then do something else, your subconscious works on the problems. And your subconscious is often better at thinking up solutions than your conscious. So yes, sometimes when I have a serious issue to deal with and solve, I may choose to sleep, drink coffee, play game or watch a funny YouTube video instead. And it often helps me find a solution.

When the timing isn’t right

We often try to rush things out the door as soon as we get new ideas. But sometimes an idea is ahead of its time and needs to incubate for a while before being released. In such situations, procrastination is key to success.

Even if your idea is 100% ready for release today, it may be better to delay the release date in order to test, fix and improve it. At the very least, to find a better timing for releasing it. Doing something right now isn’t always the best option.

When I know I’ll do a better job later

There are times of the day when we work better than others. For example, I write best in the afternoon. This is why even if I have time for writing in the morning, I’d rather have fun or relax. I leave my writing for the afternoon even if it means doing nothing for an entire hour in the morning.

The result: high quality writing during my peak concentration time. I get more writing done, faster, at a better quality because I left it for later. If you know you will be in a better state of mind to study, work or produce later in the day, then do not feel bad to put things off until later.

When I need an idea

Ideas don’t come to me when I am working hard or consumed by boring tasks. They pop into my head when I am relaxed or having fun. This is why I choose to distract myself when I need a new idea. I often find within a few minutes of relaxing or having fun a really good idea will come to mind…like writing this blog post. 🙂

So there you have it. Procrastination can be a part of productivity if done for the right reasons at the right time.

To learn more about time management, purchase our bestselling eBook here.

Procrastination Book
Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Productivity