10
Jan
2017

5 Islamic Reasons To Get Rich

5 Islamic Reasons To Get Rich

5 Islamic Reasons to get rich

Yes! 5 ISLAMIC Reasons!

Wealth is not a bad thing. Its how we earn it and spend it that we will be questioned about on the Last Day. The Sahaba viewed wealth as a means to earn more reward. This means there are many Islamic reasons to get rich.

The following Hadith is proof of this:

“Some people from among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to the Prophet (peace be upon him), ‘O Messenger of Allah, the affluent have made off with the rewards; they pray as we pray, they fast as we fast, and they give [much] in charity by virtue of their wealth.” (Saheeh Muslim)

What did these companions do with their wealth to get more reward?

Good deeds that require wealth!

Here are five such deeds: 

1. Give More Charity

Giving wealth in charity is one of the best good deeds we can do. The more we give, the more reward we get. When we give charity, we are rewarded ten times over or more!

If you want to give a million in charity, you will need to become a millionaire first!

2. Perform Hajj and Umrah more often

Each accepted Umrah is a cause of forgiveness for the sins before it. An accepted Hajj earns one Paradise. Hajj and Umrah require a lot of wealth to perform often.

This means we need to earn more wealth if we wish to increase in this act of worship!

3. Support The Dawah

Imagine being able to support an Islamic scholar by providing him a full month’s salary each month. By doing so, you allow him to free up his time to do Dawah, and you earn the reward of all the Dawah he does!

Likewise, if you fund a Dawah organization or project and it leads to many people converting to Islam. Imagine the rewards in such a scenario!

All of this requires wealth! Enough wealth and you can do such good deeds in future!

4. Build Masjids

Find a part of the world that needs a new Masjid and finance the entire project yourself!

Imagine the rewards you can earn if that Masjid lasts until the end of the world and millions of people pray in it over the remainder of history!

This kind of good deed requires us to get rich first, so that we can do these things.

5. Uplift the Ummah

The ummah is facing major problems today. We can sit around and grumble or work at improving the state of the ummah. I choose the latter!

You can too!

Build Islamic centers! Fund Islamic research! Donate to humanitarian institutes! Build Islamic schools! Help young Muslims with capital to start their own businesses! Invest in Muslim start ups!

The Bottom Line

There are hundreds of ways we can assist this ummah through wealth.

These are some of many Islamic Reasons to get rich!

So what are you waiting for?

Work hard, build your way up in life and then utilize your wealth to uplift this ummah and build your Akhirah!

Shaykh Ismail Kamdar is the founder of Islamic Self Help and author of multiple eBooks.

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Business
02
Jan
2017

Top 6 Books I Read in 2016

Top 6 Books I Read In 2016

At the start of 2016, I set a goal for myself to read 40 books. Alhamdulillah, by the end of 2016, I had read 43 books. books I readBoth meeting and surpassing the goal. As I did last year, I am going to list the top books I read this year and explain why they were so important.

Before that though, I want to share with you why I set this annual goal for myself. Reading is crucial for personal development. Every year that passes by without you reading a new book means your knowledge is outdated by a year. Reading the latest books and research keeps our knowledge up to date and relevant.

I personally read across all fields that I find relevant to my life. As you will see in this list, the genres vary from Islamic Studies to Business. The rule is simple: if it will benefit my life in any way, I will read it. I say this to encourage you all to set similar goals.

Personally, I use Goodreads to set the annual goal and keep track of it. It has proven to be a valuable tool and I may have missed my goal had I not been using it. Give it a try this year and set for yourself a goal to read at least 12 books this year. (one a month)

 Runner Ups

These are books which I benefited from in 2016, but didn’t leave the same impact as my top six:

  1. The Productive Muslim – Mohammed Faris (read my review here)
  2. The Fitrah Journal Volumes 1 & 2
  3. Al-Muhaddithat: Female Scholars of Islam – Muhammad Akram Nadwi
  4. The Art of War – Sun Tzu

6. Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell

Just like last year, a Malcolm Gladwell book makes my top list. Although last year, David and Goliath was number one. Outliers focuses on theories of success and proposes that nobody is a success on their own. Each person is aided by factors like where they were born, the opportunities they received and the people they met.

It is a fascinating book that proposes many alternative views on how people get to the top. The most famous theory that it proposes is that it takes ten thousand hours of practice to become an expert at something. Its an interesting theory, and only time will tell how true it really is.

5. Elon Musk – Ashlee Vance

This book revived my desire to produce things that change the world. The biography of Elon Musk is really inspirational for entrepreneurs. It shows us the biography of someone who is still around and chasing high goals which others deem crazy.

That is the point though. Our goals need to be crazy if we want to accomplish anything. Crazy goals lead to amazing results, which can be seen in Elon Musk’s success with Tesla. The initial reason I purchased this book was my fascination with Tesla and SpaceX, but I didn’t expect to enjoy it so much, or be inspired by it as much as I was.

4. 1001 Inventions – Salim Al-Hassani

I purchased this book initially to teach my children. I did not expect to be so greatly inspired by its contents. If the biography of Elon Musk showed how people today are still inventing amazing things, 1001 inventions shows how many amazing things Muslims have invented throughout history.

These two books together have inspired me to revive this legacy of Muslim inventions. 1001 Inventions is beautifully written and illustrated, and I believe every Muslim school and home should own a copy of it.

3. The 10x Rule – Cardone Grant

This is the one audiobook I am adding to this list. The 10x Rule is a powerful book for entrepreneurs. The book focuses around one core concept: whatever works, do it ten times over. It is a short simple rule, but has the potential to change your business, and is explained very brilliantly in this book.

2. Lost Islamic History – Firas Alkhateeb

I love Islamic history and have read hundreds of history books throughout my life. Despite that, Lost Islamic History has stood out as one of the most beautifully written Islamic History books I have read. This book summarizes the entire history of Islam from the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) until today.

However, it doesn’t just focus on the politics, but includes the scientific history of each time period as well. This is a unique aspect which is missing in many history books, and which made it so special. If you read just one book on Islamic History this year, make sure it is this one.

1. Parent-Child Relations – Hisham Al-Talib

This was the first book I read in 2016, and I immediately knew nothing was going to top it as the best book of 2016. This book is a comprehensive, well researched 600+ page manual on parenting. I have never in my life read such a well researched and thorough parenting book, and it has been a real game changer for me. Every Muslim parent should own a copy of this book and study it thoroughly. It is that good and that important

These were my top six books I read for 2016. What were yours? Comment below!

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Books
27
Dec
2016

Working From Home: 5 Tips For Effectiveness

Working From Home

Working from home is slowly becoming a norm across the globe. With more internet-based jobs launching each year, the number of people who work from homWorking From Homee is growing exponentially.

I have been working from home since 2010. Since then, I have worked in multiple roles online which include teaching, managing, marketing and running my own website. As someone with 7 years experience in working from home, I know the pros and cons this role.

5 Tips for Effectiveness

Working from home requires a lot of self-discipline. It is very easy to wake up late, get distracted with media and laze about. The following five tips will help you remain an effective worker as you adjust to working from home.

1. Create a designated work space

Having a designated work space is key to avoiding laziness. If you think that you will remain productive by simply working in bed in your pajamas. Or by working in your lounge or Jacuzzi, then you are dead wrong. Our brains associate certain places with work and certain places with pleasure. It is important to keep the two separate.

Set up a dedicated work space at home. One way to do this is to convert a spare bedroom into a home office like I did. Other options include setting up a designated corner in a room were you work from, or at least having a work desk set up in your garage. Just find a place with minimum distractions and set up there.

2. Create sources of motivation

Working from home requires a lot of self-motivation. You need to be driven to work up early, work a full day and complete your tasks. The best way to make sure it all gets done is to do work that you love. That way the work itself serves as motivation to help you get through each day productively.

If the work itself isn’t motivating you, then set up alternative sources of motivation. These can be motivational quotes on your wall, a motivational video you listen to each morning before work, or a side project that you are working on. The responsibility to create motivation falls squarely on your shoulders.

3. Have a To-Do List

Every night before logging off for the day, make a To-Do List for the next day. I make mine at 5 pm every day. Adopt a similar practice. This way, you wake up knowing exactly what needs to be done each day for that day. A To-Do list provides a sense of structure, and makes sure that you get everything done, regardless of the distractions you may face at home.

4. Take regular breaks

Don’t overwork yourself. Your brain needs downtime. When working from home, it can be easy to lose track of time and work around the clock. This is unhealthy and can cause burn out and even affect your physical health. Make sure you take regular breaks, schedule in some fun time and some family time. Maintain a balance in terms of work, family and caring for yourself. This will help you remain productive.

5. Schedule Your Social Life

Working from home can be a cause of feelings of isolation. This is perhaps the hardest part of working alone. In order to overcome this, you need to take charge of your social calendar. Plan events, invite friends over, attend conferences, meet friends at coffee shops, and do whatever else you can to fulfill your social needs.

Isolation can cause great mental harm, and even lead to depression. be aware of this and take care of your social needs by making time to meet up with family and friends. This will help you stay healthy and productive.

Final Word

Working from home is amazing. I get to spend a lot of time with my family. I  get a lot of alone time. A lot of work gets done daily because there aren’t many distractions. I am free to pursue my personal goals and dreams. And I don’t have to deal with office gossip or drama.

The key is to motivate yourself and stay focused on clear goals. If you utilize your time wisely, you can accomplish amazing things through the opportunities that come with working from home.

Learn a complete system for making and selling your own eBooks with our latest online course. Click here for details.
Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Business
20
Dec
2016

The Two Minute Rule: A Time Management Tip

The Two Minute Rule Two Minute Rule

A popular and effective Time Management Tip is called the Two Minute Rule. This basically means that if you have any task which will take less than two minutes to complete, then do it immediately and get it out of the way.

However, one should be careful not to apply this rule during times when you are supposed to be concentrating on other projects as it will distract you from that work and dull your concentration.

Ideally, the two minute principle should be used in batches like when replying to emails or returning phone calls. Alternatively, when you have extra time on your hand between major tasks then get some of these done.

The benefit of this principle is that it gets the short tasks out of the way, so they are off your mind and done with. This frees up your mind to concentrate better on the bigger tasks. Often, we feel like we have too much to do, but what we actually have is a large list of two minute tasks. Getting them over and done with can boost your moral and help you be more productive.

Examples of when to utilize the two minute rule

  1. When you need to make an appointment via phonecall or email
  2. If you need to pay a bill online
  3. When you need to reply to a short message/email
  4. Whenever you need to file away a document
  5. When you need to move a file from one folder to another
  6. When you need to rename a file on your PC
  7. If you need to delete something
  8. Whenever you need to throw something in the trash
  9. If you need to drink some water
  10. When you need to listen to a voice message
  11. If you need to reply to a missed call (and you know it will take less than two minutes)
  12. Whenever you need to update some software
  13. When you need to complete an order
  14.  If you need to grab a cup of coffee
  15. Right now, because you need to get our Time Management eBook 🙂

The Bottom Line

Sometimes your To-Do list may look overwhelming, but what you really have is a list of two minute tasks. Treating them as such will help you get through 30 items in one hour. Leaving the rest of your day free for more time-consuming and high concentration work.

Make the two minute rule a part of your life and see the dramatic improvements that come along with it.

Interested in learning more about Time Management? Get yourself a copy of our eBook or enroll in our online course today!

Alternative eBook link – https://gum.co/CJPQX

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Time Management
03
Dec
2016

The Test of the Beauty of this world

The Test of the Beauty of this world

There are many places in the Qur’an in which Allah uses the word beauty to describe this world, and it truly is beautiful. There are many types of beauty in this world, including pure beauty, deceptive beauty and tempting beauty. In this section, we will look at the different ways in which beauty is a test.

Pure beauty refers to the Halal and beneficial things of this world like Halal wealth, children, a beautiful spouse, a beautiful home or nature in general. These are things which Allah created and made beautiful for the believers to enjoy. The test in these cases is to thank Allah for these gifts and not allow them to distract us from obeying Him.

Regarding this, Allah warns us:

Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight, are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard in His Cause , then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment). And Allah does not guide a rebellious people.[1]

All of the things listed in this verse are Halal and good things. Yet, loving any of them more than Allah and His Messenger is problematic as it corrupts our intentions and goals, and it diverts us from the purpose of life. In this way, the good things in our life are a test.

Deceptive beauty refers to the evils of this world that are disguised as beautiful. The modern marketing industry is famous for this. It packages all forms of sin as good and beautiful and this leads many people down the wrong path towards self-harm and destruction. The test here is to recognize the evil hidden underneath the layers of beautiful wrapping and to avoid it as much as possible. Do not fall for the devil’s deception, as it will lead you down a part to darkness.

Allah warns us about this and says:

And I have appointed for them companions (from among the devils) who made their past and future sins seem attractive.[2]

The beautified deception

The worldly life has been beautified for those who disbelieve, and they mock the believers. But those who believe will rise above them on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah provides for whom He wills without restrictions.[3]

Tempting beauty are things of this world which are indeed beautiful, but their beauty might be so overpowering that people are willing to violate the laws of Allah to have it. The two most common scenarios are women and wealth. Men are tempted to have beautiful women, and many do not have the confidence to do it the right way by marrying them and treating them equally, so they go down the path of evil to get what they want.

Likewise, people desire wealth and many don’t have the patience and trust in Allah to earn it the Halal way, so they take Haram shortcuts like dealing with Riba[4]; and they end up with cursed wealth devoid of any blessings.

Yes, this world is beautiful but in this is a test for mankind. We are to enjoy the pure beauty of this world moderately, and to be patient with the prohibited. This patience will lead to even greater and more beautiful things in Paradise.

Allah says about this:

For mankind, (Allah has) beautified a strong love and desire for women, children, heaps of gold and silver, fine branded horses[5], cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of the worldly life, but Allah has with Him the best return.

Say: Shall I inform you of something better than that? For those who fear Allah will be gardens in the presence of their Lord, beneath which rivers flow. They will dwell therein forever, and have purified spouses and Allah’s pleasure. And Allah is All-Seeing over His Servants.[6]

Extract from Best Of Creation: An Islamic Guide to Self-Confidence. Purchase the full eBook here.

test

[1] Surah At-Tawba 9:24

[2] Surah Al-Fussilat 41:25

[3] Surah Al-Baqarah 2:212

[4] Interest-based transactions

[5] In modern terms, this would include expensive cars, instead of horses, and stock and businesses in place of farms and cattle

[6] Surah Aal-Imraan 3:14-15

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Books, Self Confidence

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