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.
28
Dec
2019
NEW RELEASE: Productivity Principles Of ʿUmar II

NEW RELEASE: Productivity Principles Of ʿUmar II

Productivity Principles Of ʿUmar II is a powerful book for serious individuals who want to Show Up, Take Responsibility for their lives and Take Action in attaining the Best and most Productive version of their true selves.
 
‘Time is money’, as the saying goes. With limited time on this planet, ‘how’ we use this most valuable currency of time is what truly differentiates success from failure – regardless of what we do.
 
This book unveils 15 powerful Productivity principles and lessons derived from the life of ʿUmar bin ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz (Arabic: عمر بن عبد العزيز) commonly known as ʿUmar II, the 8th Umayyad Caliph.

Who Was ʿUmar II?

Born in Medina in 682, he was the matrilineal great-grandson of Islam’s 2nd Caliph ʿUmar ibn Al-Khaṭṭāb (R.A). His immensely transformational rule as Caliph lasted from 717 until his death in 720.
 
Despite his short reign, ʿUmar II accomplished major milestones and brought about lasting change in the entire Muslim world through his robust manner of governance. He made solid reforms in provincial administration, military strategy, education, taxation, fair dispensation of Zakah, Islamic propagation and public works.
 
The book overviews a summarized history of the first century of Islam while presenting a detailed biography of ʿUmar II, as well as including two sections of discussions on some of the more difficult aspects of Islamic history such as military expansion and slavery.

 Imagine Being Able To..

  • Accomplish more by managing your Time, Attention and Energy
  • Cement Self-Discipline; hacking your daily habits while building unshakable Self-Control
  • Create and enhance laser sharp Focus
  • Eliminate Procrastination and lack of Motivation
  • Compound the effect of short-term tasks for long-term success
  • Do more with less – and get better results
  • Gain extreme and lasting Productivity
  • Reignite the love and passion for Islamic History

….and more!


Dr. Yasir Qadhi – a globally renowned Islamic Scholar, TV personality and highly revered theologian, lecturer and educator on Islam, says this about the book:

“Through a deep analysis of ʿUmar life, the author Shaykh Ismail Kamdar brings to light various life-changing principles that ʿUmar implemented. ʿUmar II is an excellent role model for each of these principles, which Ismail has broken down and discussed in detail throughout the book.”

Discover exactly where to start, what to do, and how to follow up each action you take with life-altering productivity principles that bring in lasting results!

Reclaim the Keys to the Extraordinary

Productivity Principles Of ʿUmar II is intricately written to remove the negative flow of energy, emotional and mental blockades, procrastination habits and self-limiting beliefs that have you locked outside the doors of your fullest potential.
The outside space is not fertile ground for change. Being locked out of your mind is a quicksand that swallows you with each passing moment. Nothing can be done in the outside space.

The keys lay on the inside, and while you’re scared to step in, the Productivity Principles Of ʿUmar II empowers you to do so – successfully, tangibly and sustainably, while creating the most pristine level of whom you are and what you can be.
From historical, contemporary and Islamic standpoints, the book dissects the important facets of your life and surgically enables you to identify, analyze, work towards and strengthen areas that eventually lead you to the keys within.
The keys to the Extraordinary; a life based on only the most highest, polished, magnificently wondrous and productive version of yourself.

And you accomplish all of this – without feeling like a stranger or without experiencing anything foreign. Everything is naturally and carefully aligned to resonate with your integral values as an individual, as a human being, and most importantly as a Muslim.

Unravel the Productivity gems of ʿUmar II that lead him to govern the Islamic State with great ability and progress until his passing at the young age of just 37!

Through the rich repository of ʿUmar II’s life and legacy of successful governance as Caliph, this book will empower you to achieve the most optimal, efficient and productive version of You.

How?

The book accomplishes this by combining the magnificence of Islamic history with the practicality of modern day productivity techniques. Techniques and approaches you can begin applying in all the critical areas of your personal, professional, social and religious spheres of life – today!

What If You Could Conquer These Obstacles In Your Daily Life?

  • Lack of self-confidence
  • Inability to retain information
  • Irregular consistency
  • Getting started and maintaining progress
  • Losing focus and not following through
  • Lack of accountability and performance measurement
  • No self-discipline
  • Laziness and loss of motivation through routine tasks
  • Feeling lost and discouraged
  • Struggling with procrastination in everything you do

….and more?

And…
What If You Could REPLACE Those Obstacles With…

  • Gain Immense Clarity                   
  • Harness Your Unique Talents
  • Create a Powerful Life Vision         
  • Actualize Your Full Potential
  • Increase Self-Care and Fun         
  • Attain freedom to Live Life on Your Terms
  • Develop Constructive Mind Shifts 
  • Produce Positive Flow of Energies
  • Become the Gatekeeper of Your Domain 
  • Counter Stress and Hardships
  • Re-Engage Your Inner Connectivity            
  • Ignite Your Passion

                        ….and more?

Discover how you can ELIMINATE barriers keeping you from a productive, wholesome and more successful life. Barriers can only be broken when the actual problems and existing struggles are identified, promptly fixed and successfully built upon.

This comes through the right approach, knowledge and direction.

Productivity Principles Of ʿUmar II accomplishes this by laying a solid framework for building a strong, uninterrupted and action-oriented approach to productivity with key principles such as:

  1. Delegation (The power of doing ‘more’ with less)
  2. Prioritization (Why our stop-doing lists need to be bigger than our to-do lists)
  3. Benefiting Society (Living life as a productive & responsible member of society and benefiting everyone in it)
  4. Shura (Consultation) with experts (The value of collective consultation within the light of Islam)
  5. Mentors and Role Models (The importance of selecting the right mentors and emulating legitimate role models)
  6. Abundance Mindset (Focusing on the limitless possibilities that exist in life. Choosing to think in positive terms about everything that happens in life, good or bad)

                                                                                                …..and more!
 
Productivity Principles Of ʿUmar II is your beginning to a journey enriched with clear, effective and results-oriented steps to leading a better and lasting productive life.
The book emphatically guides you with awe-inspiring lessons from Islamic history, while focusing on 15 Key Productivity Principles from the life of Umar II.

GET Your Copy Today!

This is your chance to live the highest most in-tune version of yourself – while you still have the valuable ‘currency’ of time left on this planet.

All you need is a beating heart, breathing lungs and the willingness to invest in yourself by taking charge.

Day One or One Day?

You decide, before one-day turns to many days, and many days become many years, and many years result in a life wasted.
Make your today, your day one.

About the Author

Shaykh Ismail Kamdar is a widely renowned and internationally respected author of several best-selling publications that focus on areas such as self-help, self-development, mindset, time management, productivity, organization etc. under the light of Islamic jurisprudence; the Quran and Hadith.

Considered by many in the Muslim space as a ‘go-to authority’ for what he does, his works include: Having Fun the Halal Way: Entertainment in Islam, Getting The Barakah: An Islamic Guide to Time Management, Best Of Creation: An Islamic Guide to Self-Confidence, and Homeschooling 101, among other popular titles.

Starting his study of Islam at the tender age of thirteen, Shaykh Ismail Kamdar has been actively involved in Islamic work since the age of sixteen.

Noticing a severe lack of Islamic literature dedicated to the field of Personal Development & Self-Help, he founded Islamic Self-help in April 2015. It was established as a platform to help Muslims gain knowledge that can assist them in personal development through Self-Help articles, books, and courses.
He completed a seven-year Alim course in 2007 and a BA in Islamic Studies from Islamic Online University in 2014. He is currently a senior lecturer, as well as the Faculty Manager of the Islamic Online University, and is involved in multiple Dawah projects around the world.

Purchase Links:

PDF Edition: https://gumroad.com/l/umar2 (53% DISCOUNT FOR LIMITED TIME ONLY!) alternative link – https://payhip.com/b/O573
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Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Books
20
Dec
2019
The upbringing of ʿUmar bin ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz

The upbringing of ʿUmar bin ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz

This article is made up of selected passages from my latest book; Productivity Principles Of ʿUmar II. To learn more about this book, click here.

Family Background

ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, aka ʿUmar II, was a descendant of the Umayyads on his father’s side and a descendant of ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb on his mother’s side. He was named after his maternal great grandfather.

On his father’s side, he was ʿUmar, son of ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, son of Marwān, son of al- Ḥakam, son of Abī al-ʿĀṣ, son of Umayyah.[1] King ʿAbd al-Mālik was his father’s brother, and that made Walīd and Sulaimān his first cousins.

On his mother’s side, he was ʿUmar, son of Layla, daughter of ʿĀṣim, son of ʿUmar, son of al-Khaṭṭāb. The story of how his grandparents met is often retold in Muslim circles due to its mythical and mysterious nature. When ʿUmar I was caliph, he had a habit of going around at night in disguise to see if anybody needed help. One night, he overheard a conversation between a young lady and her mother. The mother was telling her daughter to mix milk with water and sell it in the market. Her daughter reminded her that Caliph ʿUmar had prohibited such practices. The mother said, “ʿUmar cannot see you.” To which the daughter replied, “But the Lord of ʿUmar can.”

ʿUmar was so impressed by this reply that he asked his servant to find out who that young lady was. When he learned more about her, he approached her with an offer to marry his son ʿĀṣim. She accepted the offer, and they got married. It is narrated that later ʿUmar had a dream, after which he used to say, “I wish I knew the man from my descendants, with a scar on his face, [2] who will fill the earth with justice, just as it was full of injustice and oppression.”[3] Many Muslim historians claim that the just ruler ʿUmar saw in his dream was actually ʿUmar II.

How he was raised

Greatness does not occur in a vacuum. Great people are often the products of extraordinary parenting, and the parents of ʿUmar II were extraordinary.

In this section, I will focus primarily on ʿUmar’s mother Layla and how she raised him. The reason for this is twofold: First, as a governor, ʿUmar’s father was very busy running the province, therefore there are fewer narrations about the role he played in his son’s life. As a result, most stories are about ʿUmar’s mother and the choices she made. Secondly, we live in a time in which motherhood is often demeaned and overlooked. Women are taught to choose careers and money over children and parenting, and stay-at-home mums are frowned upon. Because of this, entire generations are losing out on one of the most important factors that contribute to success: extraordinary mothers.

ʿUmar II was born into the second generation of Muslims following Prophet Muhammad (s), at a time when traditional culture was still the norm. Traditional culture dictates that fathers work to provide for their families, while the mother plays the primary role in raising and nurturing the children. This view of clearly identified and balanced roles is part of the Islamic tradition, as well as the tradition of many other cultures and religions, and it is a precept that worked perfectly. It was only in recent times that the dominant culture has changed, and the results have been disastrous.

So, as was the norm at the time, ʿUmar’s father worked to support the family, and his mother focused on raising her children as best as she could. The results of her efforts are clear: an extraordinary and pious king, ʿUmar II.

Layla made several decisions that highlight her concern for her ʿUmar’s upbringing. She sent him to the greatest scholars of Medina to study Islam, so that he would not just learn the knowledge of the religion but would also see the active example of his teachers’ piety and personal virtues. Her decision gave ʿUmar the opportunity to emulate the behavior of the scholars as well as learning the knowledge they shared. ʿUmar’s mother chose ʿUmar’s grand-uncle ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿUmar to be his mentor so that ʿUmar could absorb the religion and piety directly from the first generation of Muslims. (Ibn ʿUmar was a companion of Prophet Muhammad) And when she migrated to Egypt, she left her son back in Madina so that he would grow up in the best possible environment.[4]

The decision to leave ʿUmar in Madina was particularly difficult. ʿUmar lived in an era before technology. By leaving him in Medina, his mother was sacrificing being physically close to her son in exchange for him growing up in a better environment. This would be an extremely difficult sacrifice for any parent to make, but the results speak for themselves.

As a result of these this mother’s three amazing decisions: educating ʿUmar in Medina under the scholars of Islam, choosing ʿUmar’s grand-uncle ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿUmar to be her son’s mentor, and leaving ʿUmar behind when she moved to Egypt, ʿUmar grew up to become one of the most extraordinary Muslims of his generation. ʿUmar benefited greatly from the environment of Medina. He became more religious, knowledgeable, and empathetic than his cousins. His growth into an extraordinary individual can be directly attributed to the amazing sacrifices his mother made in raising him.

To learn more, purchase the full book, which is currently available in PDF, Paperback and Kindle formats.

Purchase the PDF Edition here: https://gumroad.com/l/umar2
Purchase the Kindle Edition here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZQ27KSW
Purchase the Paperback Edition here: https://www.amazon.com/Productivity-Principles-%CA%BFUmar-II-al-%CA%BFAz%C4%ABz/dp/1703555384/

[1] As-Sallabi, ʿUmar Bin ʿAbd al- ʿAzīz, p. 48

[2] ʿUmar II had a scar on his face from a horse-accident during his childhood. His parents took this as a good sign that the vision was about him. (As-Sallabi, ʿUmar BinʿAbd al- ʿAzīz, p. 55)

[3] al-Dhahabī, Siyar aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ, vol. 5, p. 122

[4] As-Sallabi, ʿUmar Bin ʿAbd al- ʿAzīz, pp. 59-60

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Leadership
28
Nov
2019
20 Facts about the Islamic Golden Ages

20 Facts about the Islamic Golden Ages

The Islamic Golden Ages refers to points in time when Muslims were the dominant civilization in the world. It was a time of prosperity and cultural advancement. The Muslims led the world in almost every single field. I discuss the rise and fall of the Golden Age in more detail in this course.

This short article serves as a simple fact sheet on the Golden Ages, to help readers remember some core facts about these beautiful parts of our history. All the facts listed below are taken from authentic history books.

Facts About The Eras

  1. There were three Islamic Golden Ages (so far).
  2. The first two occurred concurrently in the Abbasid Empire and Umayyad Spain.
  3. The second occurred during the middle phase of the Ottoman Era.
  4. The Umayyad and Abbasid Golden Ages produced far more important developments than the Ottoman Golden Age.
  5. All of these Golden Ages were possible because the Muslim rulers of that time were committed to research, education, and development.

Facts About The Umayyad Golden Age

  1. It did not occur when the Umayyads were the sole rulers of the Muslim world. It occurred when their authority was restricted to Spain.
  2. Under Umayyad rule, Spain became the most advanced civilization in Europe at that time.
  3. The Umayyads built some of the most impressive buildings in history, including the Alhambra Palace, Madina al-Zahra and the Cordoba Mosque.
  4. The height of their Golden Age was the reign of Abdur Rahman III which lasted for fifty years.
  5. Spain remained a Muslim land for around three hundred years after the Umayyad Era, but it never experienced another Golden Age.
Cordoba Mosque
The Cordoba Mosque remains one of the most beautiful buildings in Spain.

Facts About the Abbasid Golden Age

  1. The Abbasid Golden Age began with Harun al-Rashid and lasted a few centuries.
  2. It was the longest of all the Islamic Golden ages and the most significant.
  3. Mamun al-Rashid set up Bait al-Hikmah (House of Wisdom) as the main research center in Baghdad. Many important discoveries and inventions can be traced back to Bait al-Hikmah.
  4. Math, Science, Fiqh, Hadith, Tafsir, Language, Philosophy, Medicine, and many other important fields all developed greatly during this Golden Age.
  5. The Abbasid Golden Age ended with the sacking of Baghdad by the Mongols in which thousands of important books were destroyed.

Facts about the Ottoman Golden Age

  1. The Ottoman Empire reached its Golden Age during the reign of Sulaiman the Magnificent.
  2. At the height of Sulaiman’s reign, he ruled fifty countries across three continents.
  3. The reign of Sulaiman lasted forty-five years.
  4. The main advancements of Muslim civilization during the Ottoman Era were in the fields of military science and politics.
  5. The Ottoman Era only ended less than a century ago during World War I.

These are just a few interesting facts about the Muslim Golden Ages. To learn more, check out our full online course here.

Golden Age Buildings
A remnant of the Islamic Golden Ages.
Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Leadership
20
Nov
2019
4 Fiqh Maxims for General Life Guidance

4 Fiqh Maxims for General Life Guidance

The Maxims of Fiqh (al-Qawāʿid al-Fiqhiyya) refer to simple formulas of Fiqh principles that scholars use in their Ijtihād. These maxims were developed in the second half of Islamic history to make Ijtihād and fatwa-making easier. They are taught in Islamic universities across the globe and memorized by students, in order to facilitate Ijtihād.

In this brief article, however, I want to show a different usage of these same maxims. I believe that these maxims can be used by the general public, not to make fatwas, but rather to guide their lifestyle choices and to keep their lives within an Islamic framework. To show, I have chosen for this article five basic maxims of practical value that all four madhhabs agree upon.

1. Actions are judged by their intentions

This is the first of the five major maxims of Fiqh. Some scholars state that as much as one-third of Fiqh is based on this maxim. In Fiqh, this maxim has multiple usages, which include deciding the ruling on something and whether it is rewarding or not.

In terms of practical everyday usage, we can use this maxim to guide our daily life choices. In everything that we do, we should ask ourselves first, “What is my intention in doing this?” The application of this maxim to our daily lives will ensure sincerity and ward off hypocrisy. It will keep us focused on pleasing Allah, and prevent us from straying in our intentions.

2. Harm must be eliminated

This is also one of the five major maxims of Fiqh. The Fiqh of ḥarām is generally based on this maxim i.e. anything whose harms outweigh its benefits is usually categorized as ḥarām. When judging the value of a thing, scholars weigh the benefits and harms and lean towards prohibition when the thing in question is harmful.

We can apply this maxim to our general lives by living our lives in a manner in which we do not harm anybody, including our own selves, with our actions. By consciously choosing to avoid self-harm and harming others, we can live a life of happiness, fulfillment, and satisfaction. Before doing anything, ask yourself, “Will this action be harmful to me or anyone else?” If the answer is yes, then avoid that action unless it is necessary.

3. The original state of people is innocent

This maxim also translates as ‘The original state of people is freedom from liability’. Not only is this an accepted maxim in all the schools of Fiqh, but it has also been adopted by the West under the maxim ‘innocent until proven guilty’. The application of this maxim in Fiqh is that people are innocent of any crimes they are accused of until sufficient evidence is produced to prove their guilt.

We can apply this maxim to our daily lives by avoiding rumors, gossip, and slander. Currently, there is a trend to believe any accusations made about people online. This is unislamic behavior and can lead to great harm in society. Whenever we hear an accusation, we should assume the individual to be innocent until there is clear evidence of guilt.

4. The lesser of two harms should be chosen

This maxim simply means that when a person is in a situation in which all options cause harm, they should choose the option that causes the least harm. This maxim is used in Fiqh to modify the ruling on prohibited things during times of need. Sometimes we will tolerate minor harm if it prevents greater harm.

We can apply this principle in our daily lives by being practical in our approach to life. It isn’t always possible to be perfect and to have choices that are nice and beneficial. Sometimes we are stuck in situations in which whatever we do, someone gets hurt. In such situations, we should choose the minor harm (usually to ourselves) over major harm. This principle can keep us from causing more harm than necessary in times of difficulty.

I hope you found this article beneficial. In shaa Allah, I will produce another article soon highlighting another four maxims that can be applied to our daily lives in a practical manner.

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Islam
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