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.
16
Jul
2018

The Problem With Self-Confidence Theories

The Problem With Self-Confidence Theories

“You are the Captain of your own ship!”

This statement negates belief in Qadar (destiny). Reality is that even if we think we are the captains of our own ships, God still controls the weather and the waters.

“You can accomplish anything you want to, you just need to want it bad enough!”

Nope!

Again, there is the matter of Qadar, resources, human limitations, and a variety of other factors.

These two common quotes represent the problem with most self-confidence theories.

The Egocentric Problem

The Problem With Self-Confidence Theories

The first problem with Self-Confidence theories is that they focus too much on the Nafs (self). Which is were it gets its name.

Self-Confidence today is obsessed with the self, overestimating the self, thinking all good and victory is from the self, and your self being all you need.

This level of egocentricism is unislamic. It goes against two primary Muslim beliefs: Belief in God and Belief in Destiny.

Removing God and Destiny from the Equation

Secular theories tend to be devoid of spirituality. This is why Muslims must be very careful about adopting secular beliefs, even in the field of self-help.

The problem with self-confidence theories is one example of this.

By focusing on the self, the existence of God is ignored. One’s gifts are no longer gifts from God, but one’s own achievements. God is never thanked. God’s help is almost never sort. And victory isn’t attributed to God.

By distancing yourself from God, you may achieve worldly success, but at what spiritual cost? As Muslims, we cannot afford to hold any beliefs that distance us from our Creator.

A Muslim firmly believes that Allah created them and their abilities. Allah gave them their gifts to test them. It is Allah who controls their destiny and grants them victory. And Allah must be thanked whenever things go our way.

Belief in Destiny

Qadar (destiny) is one of the six pillars of faith. To disbelieve in it is Kufr, and to ignore it is problematic.

Muslims must strive to be their best, while remembering that Allah is in control.

Because success is from Allah. And trials and obstacles are tests from Allah.

In fact, lack of victory is the Wisdom of Allah and a means of training us. So our confidence must be rooted in our belief in Qadar.

The Islamic Solution

It is because of these clashes that I developed the Islamic Self-Confidence theory. This theory is expounded in my eBook, Best Of Creation: An Islamic Guide to Self-Confidence. I also cover it in details in “The Ultimate Islamic Self-Confidence Course“.

The theory is summary is as follows:

  1. Allah created us in the best of forms and has gifted each of us with different strengths.
  2. We must use these God-given gifts to make this world a better place and be our best.
  3. So we must trust God (Tawakul), and seek His Assistance (dua) when chasing our goals.
  4. We must chase our goals with full confidence in Our Creator and the abilities He has blessed us with.
  5. After making our best effort, we must accept our destiny (Qadar) for what it is, and then repeat these five steps.

This model will keep a believer confident and consistently moving forward, while remaining grounded in the Islamic belief system. I believe that this is the self-confidence model that Muslims should adopt and follow.

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Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Self Confidence
29
Jun
2018

Incorrect Beliefs that are killing your confidence

Incorrect Beliefs that are killing your confidence

This is an extract from our bestselling eBook: Best of Creation: An Islamic Guide To Self-Confidence.

This was covered in the previous chapter (of Best Of Creation) to some extent, when we discussed the concept of arrogance and humility. That is an example of just one wrong belief that kills confidence. There are others too. For example, the belief that it is wrong to desire and try to obtain the good things of this world.

Is Wealth a bad thing?

Some Muslims look down upon the wealthy, and regard the pursuit of Halal wealth as evil. In this way, they limit their own potential and get in the way of their own success. If you look at the Sahaba, many of them were wealthy businessmen and this did not take away from their piety at all. Classic examples of this include Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Abdur Rahman Ibn Auf who were all wealthy businessmen and among the ten greatest companions.

In fact, through their Halal wealth they were able to do more good deeds than others by engaging in charity and humanitarian efforts that those with less wealth couldn’t do. The prophet (peace be upon him) never condemned them or stopped them from doing business and getting richer. He just emphasized that the wealth should be Halal, spent on good things and should not consume the heart in a way that leads to the disobedience of Allah or the oppression of his creation.

A Hadith about Wealth

The following narration is evidence that the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions regarded Halal wealth as a good thing:

Abu Hurairah reported that the poor amongst the emigrants came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said, “The wealthy have obtained the highest ranks and the lasting bliss,” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “How is that?” They said, “They pray as we pray, and they observe fast as we observe fast, and they give charity but we do not give charity, and they set slaves free but we do not set slaves free,”

Upon hearing this, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Shall I not teach you something by which you will catch up with those who have preceded you, and get ahead of those who come after you, only those who do as you do will excel you?” They said, “Yes, Oh Messenger of Allah.” He said, “Praise Allah, declare His Greatness, and Praise Him thirty-three times after every prayer,”

Abu Salih said that the poor amongst the emigrants returned to the Messenger of Allah (peace upon him) saying, “Our brothers, the wealthy have heard what we have done and they did the same,” So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “This is Allah’s blessing which He gives to whom He wishes.”[1]

In this narration, it is clear that the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions viewed wealth as a blessing from Allah that can be used for great deeds. And they competed in doing such deeds. In fact, the poorer companions envied the wealthy companions. Not for any negative reason, but because they wanted to do as much charity work as their wealthier brothers.

The blind leading the blind

Another incorrect belief that leads to low self-confidence is the belief in blind following of elders. Many Muslim communities teach young people that you can never be as good as, as intelligent as, or as knowledgeable as the early Muslims. Since you can never be like them, don’t even try! Just follow the local school of thought and conform. As a result, many young minds, who could have grown into Mujtahids[2] and great scholars, end up wasting their potential due to this self-defeating belief.

If you think about it, this belief is both illogical and baseless. There is nothing in the Quran or Sunnah that indicates that latter Muslims cannot rise up to the intellectual levels of early scholars, and psychologically it doesn’t make any sense either. So, on what grounds can we claim that people today who work hard enough cannot become great scholars? It is self-defeating beliefs like this that hold back the ummah from returning to its former glory.

Are you working to achieve your destiny?

Another incorrect belief that holds people back is a misunderstanding of Qadar (Destiny). A fatalistic approach to Qadar leads to the victim mentality. Many people assume they are just victims of a bad destiny and that their lives can never improve. As a result, they live each day complaining about all the problems in their lives. But never doing anything proactive to fix them.

Qadar is a complex theological issue and this is not the place for a detailed discussion. Suffice to say that the Islamic concept of Qadar does not negate free will or responsibility. It provides a context for understanding things beyond our control and helps us remain humble. But it is not meant to keep us down.

Islam teaches us to focus on solutions and finding a way out of our problems. If Allah puts us in a test, part of that test is rising above the problems and growing through it. And this cannot be done with a defeatist or fatalistic attitude.

Is the Afterlife all about Hellfire?

One more belief that needs to be discussed is an overemphasis on punishment and Hellfire. Some Muslim communities talk about sin in the most condemning of language and leave people with no hope of repentance. This leads to despair, low self-confidence and loss of any hope.

Islam teaches us to find a balance between fear and hope. Furthermore, both of these emotions should be based on love of Allah. Our love for Allah should lead to us hoping for His Mercy whenever we slip. Yet being fearful enough of displeasing Him to avoid living a sinful lifestyle. This fear is rooted in love. Just like a child fears displeasing its parents, a believer fears displeasing his Creator. Yet, just like a loving parent forgives the child for its mistakes, Allah is Most-Forgiving and accepts all repentance. As a result, there is no room for losing hope in His Mercy.

Conclusion

These are some of the most common causes of low self-confidence. Overcoming any of these requires changing some of our beliefs, habits and thinking patterns. This can be done with the right guidance. Inshaa Allah, this book will assist you in rising up to the challenge of life and overcoming any obstacles along the way.

[1] Saheeh Muslim 4:1239

[2] Mujtahid: A person who makes Ijtihad i.e. someone who has the skills, knowledge and intellectual capabilities to deduce rulings for contemporary Fiqh issues

This was extracted from Best of Creation. Purchase the full eBook today to continue learning more about how to gain self-confidence the Islamic Way.

Click Here to purchase the eBook.
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Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Self Confidence
19
Jun
2018

Studying Islam: Going Beyond Requirements

Studying Islam: Going Beyond Requirements

I have been studying Islam since the age of thirteen across a variety of institutes. During this time, I have observed the study habits of different students. I have also observed the impact these habits have on that student’s life.

In doing so, I noticed a very important trend: The students who became the leading scholars of their communities are…Those students who not only excel at the prescribed work but went beyond that and dedicated extra time to studying Islam.

Curriculum and Limitations

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Every Islamic institute has a set curriculum. The curriculum serves multiple benefits. These include giving students a structured approach to learning. As well as taking them from elementary knowledge progressing upward towards more complicated books. And finally providing a framework of reference to evaluate learning.

However, many people misunderstand the purpose of a curriculum. They look at it as all they need to study. As a result, they never study anything outside the curriculum. The problem with this approach is that it leads to a limited understanding of the subjects. The danger is compounded when the student thinks he is knowledgeable in the field.

Students of knowledge must realize that their prescribed curriculum is not a comprehensive study of everything there is to know of each topic. Rather the curriculum usually includes introductory level books to familiarize the student with each science and field.

The people setting the curriculum do so with the understanding that the chosen book will give the student the necessary tools to explore advanced books in the field on their own or with other teachers. It was never meant to be a limit on their knowledge intake.

Types of Students:

The few students who realize this are the ones who truly excel and become the leaders in their field. Imagine for example, if a university is offering an introductory level course on Fiqh Maxims.

In such a course, it is common to find three types of students:

1) The lazy student who just passes the exams by memorizing the minimum that is necessary to pass. Such a student is most likely to forget that knowledge afterwards. And will not be able to apply it outside the examples mentioned in the textbook.

2) The dedicated student who limits himself to the textbook. This student will likely do well in the exam. Maybe even be able to benefit from the knowledge and utilize it outside the classroom. However, such a student may not be aware of the detailed application of the principles, the differences of opinion and the intricate details because he limited himself to an introductory textbook.

3) The student who is dedicated to master the topic. This student will not only learn what is in the textbook but will go beyond that. He will ask the teacher for recommended resources on the topic, ask questions about differences of opinion and intricate issues, study each topic from multiple angles and viewpoints, and emerge from the course with a stronger understanding of the topic.

This is the kind of student who is most likely to become a Mujtahid and utilize his knowledge to solve contemporary Fiqh issues and lead his society in reformation.

Why it matters

While studying on this level is not obligatory, it is definitely beneficial and something that the ummah is in dire need off today.

We live in a time when the majority of Muslims are confused and do not have scholars who are qualified to solve their problems. The current generation of students need to make it their objective to grow into such scholars.

We need to dedicate our lives to going beyond what is expected of us and to go deeper into every field we study. Our objective being to benefit the ummah through that knowledge.

How to go deeper

There are many ways to go deeper into a field while studying the textbook with your teacher. The following are some of the most practical methods:

1) Study longer hours than the average student. There is big difference between someone who studies two hours a day and someone who studies five hours a day. The latter is likely to end up with more than double the knowledge of the former in the same time-frame. Make it a habit to go the distance and dedicate extra time to study.

2) Ask a lot of questions. The leading students of knowledge throughout history were known as inquisitive students before they become scholars.

Even among the companions, Ayesha Bint Abi Bakr (RA) and Abu Hurairah (RA) were known for asking deeper questions. This led to them become the leading scholars of their generation. The same method applies today. If you want to understand a concept deeper, ask your teachers the kind of questions that will give you a stronger understanding of the topic.

3) Study beyond the textbook. Ask your teachers or the senior students for recommended resources in the field that you are studying, make it a point and study those resources.

If there are four famous books on a topic, don’t limit yourself to the one prescribed as your textbook. Make time to read the other three as well. Studying such resources will give you a deeper understanding of the topic as well as open your eyes to differences of opinion and different approaches.

4) Attend supplementary classes. Research and find other classes on the topic you are studying, even if it means requesting a scholar to teach you a deeper book privately. Many scholars teach private classes outside their work time for the dedicated students and will be happy to accommodate such a request.

5) Never stop studying. This final point is crucial. Many people never study beyond the curriculum for the rest of their lives and are content with the introductory level courses. This limits your ability to benefit from your knowledge or benefit others with it.

In order to become a true scholar of Islam, you must embark of a life-long journey of seeking knowledge. You must be dedicated to being a student of knowledge for life. The thirst for knowledge should never feel quenched. There should always be a desire to learn more, to understand deeper, and to get closer to Allah through such knowledge.

Written by Shaykh Ismail Kamdar. Shaykh Ismail has spent almost two decades studying Islam and is the author of multiple books. All his ebooks can be found here.

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Productivity
21
Apr
2018

5 Ways To Build Your Self-Confidence

5 Ways To Build Your Self-Confidence

There are many ways to build your self-confidence. In my book, Best of Creation: An Islamic Guide To Self-Confidence, you will learn dozens of self-confidence boosting tips and lessons.

Here are 5 tips extracted from that book. You can purchase the full eBook here.

1. Focus on your strengths

Every one of us have both strengths and weaknesses. When we focus too much on our weaknesses, we tend to become pessimistic and lose our confidence. A simple shift in attitude towards thinking about your strengths instead will give you a boost in confidence.

Identify your strengths, give them attention, develop them, and choose goals that utilize them. In doing so, you will maximize the productivity of your life and maintain high levels of confidence.

2. Learn new skills

There are so many things we don’t know, and every new skill we learn can transform our lives for the better. Learning a new skill gives you confidence in your own abilities. You realize that you have the capabilities to continuously grow and become a better person, and it motivates you to pursue even higher goals.

It could be a simple skill like driving or using or computer, or something more complex like learning new languages or studying towards a degree. Whatever it is, learning new skills benefits you as an individual, gives you more value as a person and helps you fulfil your life goals.

3. Increase your knowledge

Never stop learning. Too many of us close our books forever after school or university and as a result, we limit our potential. The truly great people who accomplish wonders with their lives are those who remain students for life.

Take up new courses, explore new areas of interest, read new books, or attend a new class. Whatever method you choose to study, just keep at it and keep learning new things. In this way, you are always growing, and continuous growth continuously increases confidence.

4. Take up public speaking

The number one fear of most people is public speaking. In fact, some people fear public speaking more than death itself!

This is why learning to speak in public is one of the most powerful ways to build self-confidence. If you can overcome your fear of public speaking, you can overcome any other worldly fear.

Take up a course in public speaking, and slowly start developing this skill and overcoming this fear. You might just discover that you have a talent for it and then you can use this talent to benefit the ummah. Even if you don’t, the very task of overcoming this fear will give you confidence in other areas of your life.

A True Story

When I was a child, I was very timid and quiet. I was the quiet boy at the back of the class who never spoke up or put myself in the spotlight. I never imagined that one day I would speak in public professionally. During my teenage years, a classmate and I used to skip our turns at public speaking class by pretending to be sick. One day, we made a deal that if he speaks during his turn, I will speak during mine.

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He ended up holding up his end of the deal so I was forced into a situation in which I had to speak in front of a group of a few dozen fellow students. I still remember my nervousness and fear. I had written out a speech about unity and read it directly from the paper in front of the group, and afterwards many students came to praise me telling me I had a natural public speaking voice.

My friend never spoke again in public since that day, but I am grateful to him for pushing me to break my fear. Over the years, I attended courses, listened to criticisms and slowly improved my public speaking skills as it became something I do professionally and enjoy doing too.

Learning to speak in public was one of the defining moments in my life that boosted my confidence and shaped my future. You too can have such a confidence boost by overcoming your fear of public speaking too.

5. Practice, Practice, Practice!

Nobody is born a master of any skill. We all are born with certain built in strengths and weaknesses, but we can develop those strengths into real assets with constant practice. As a child, I loved to write, and as a teen I discovered that I was good at public speaking.

Looking back though, my early writing and public speaking skills weren’t all that good. I just kept practicing over the years, listening to criticism, reading articles, attending courses, and working on continuous improvement, and I continue to do so today.

If you discover you are good at something, don’t let it stop there. Take whatever you are good at and practice it until you become an expert in it. Doing so will boost your confidence and make you an asset to your community.

Learn more self-confidence tips!

These are just five, out of dozens, of self-confidence building lessons that you will learn from Best Of Creation. Purchase the eBook today to continue your journey towards Self-Confidence. Click here to purchase the eBook.

 

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Self Confidence
24
Feb
2018

4 Things About Barakah Every Muslim Must Know

About Barakah Definition

4 Things About Barakah Every Muslim Must Know

Barakah is one of those Islamic concepts that many people know of, but don’t know much about. In this short article, I will explain four important things every Muslim must know about Barakah.

1. What is Barakah?

Barakah is often translated as Blessings in English. But that doesn’t tell us much about Barakah and what it actually is.

Barakah can be defined as spiritual blessings in any thing. It is the phenomenon of getting more done with less, in a manner that defies logic.

Three Examples of Barakah:

A) Getting five hours worth of work done in an hour
B) Writing an entire high quality book in a day
C) Money not getting finished despite spending a lot and giving a lot of charity

Barakah can occur in anything: money, time, family, work, results, dawah, writings, effects on others, food, and even life itself. A person who gets more done in a short 35 year lifespan than someone who lived 95 years had Barakah in his life.

Simply put, Barakah can’t be explained in a single English word. So we should stick to using the Arabic word. It is a type of Karamat (miracle) that Allah can grant to any believer.

2. How to get Barakah?

There is no single method of getting Barakah outlined in the Quran and Sunnah. But there are core Islamic concepts that definitely lead to Barakah for those who do it properly and sincerely. These can be listed as:

A) Earning and eating Halal only
B) Fulfilling the commands of Allah
C) Making dua for Barakah
D) Giving Charity
E) Praying Qiyam Al-Layl (Tahajjud)

The above have led to Barakah for thousands of Muslims throughout history. And when done properly with sincerity can lead to Barakah for you and me too.

3. If you have it, don’t question it

A lesser known aspect about Barakah is what to do when you experience it. Based on authentic Hadiths, we can conclude that if someone experiences Barakah, they shouldn’t tell question it. Doing so may lead to the Barakah disappearing.

The following two Hadiths are evidence of this:

Jabir reported that a person came to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and asked for food. And he gave him half a load of barley, and the person and his wife and their guests kept on making use of it (as a food) until he weighed it (in order to find out the actual quantity, and it was no more). He came to Allah’s Prophet (ﷺ) (and informed him about it). He said, “Had you not weighed it, you would be eating out of it and it would have remained intact for you.” (Sahih Muslim 2281)

Jabir reported that Umm Malik used to send clarified butter in a small skin to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Her sons would come to her and ask for seasoning when they had nothing with them and she would go to that (skin) in which she offered (clarified butter) to Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ), and she would find in that clarified butter and it kept providing her with seasoning for her household until she had (completely) squeezed it. She came to Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) and (informed him about it). Thereupon, he (ﷺ) said, “Did you squeeze it?” She said, “Yes.” Thereupon he (ﷺ) said, “If you had left it in that very state, it would have kept on providing you (the clarified butter) without ending.” (Sahih Muslim 2280)

In both of the above hadiths, the Barakah only ended when the individual questioned how it was happening by inspecting it. So if you experience Barakah, don’t question how it is happening. What should you do instead? Read on!

4. Express gratitude to Allah for it

“And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you are ungrateful, indeed, My punishment is severe.” (Surah Ibraheem 14:7)

The key to successful living is an attitude of gratitude. If you experience Barakah in anything, then express gratitude to Allah for it and don’t dwell on how it is happening. Accept it as a gift from Allah and try your best to use it in a way that is pleasing to Allah.

The most basic way to show gratitude is to say Alhamdulillah (All Praise is for Allah) and to use it to earn Allah’s pleasure. But for really amazing occasions of Barakah, we should make Sajdah Shukr (prostration of gratitude). This is done by immediately going into Sajdah and thanking Allah for His Blessings on you.

So there it is, four key points about Barakah that every Muslim must know. We end by asking Allah to put Barakah in this article, this website, these ebooks and all our efforts. Ameen!

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Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Time Management