Books

NEW RELEASE: 25 Keys to a Happy Life

NEW RELEASE: 25 Keys to a Happy Life

In this book, Shaykh Ismail Kamdar explains 25 keys that unlock genuine happiness, inner peace, and contentment. These principles are taken from the Qur’an and Sunnah and are timeless in their application and effectiveness.

The premise of the book is simple: happiness is not found in wealth, fame, entertainment or possessions. Genuine happiness comes from a purposeful life committed to God, supplemented with valuable relationships and good character.

The Quran and Sunnah are full of gems that train our minds to think better. The Quran reminds us that “It is only in the remembrance of Allah that hearts find peace.” (Surah al-Rad 13:28)

And the Sunnah reminds us that “The best worldly joy is a righteous spouse.” (Sahih Muslim 1467)

These are two samples of the treasury of verses and narrations I reflect on in this book. I pray that you find this book as valuable as I did, and that Allah accepts our efforts and makes this a means of guidance for many.

Learn more about this new book here at Kube Publishing or Preorder it from Amazon. If you are in South Africa, you can purchase the book directly from me for R200 each.

About The Author

Shaykh Ismail Kamdar is a graduate of a traditional ʿAlim program (Talimudin, 2006). He also holds a Bachelor’s in Islamic Studies (International Open University, 2014). He has studied Islam in both traditional and modern settings and has been a student of Islamic Studies for almost two decades. He began studying Islam full-time at the age of thirteen, began preaching at the age of sixteen, and wrote his first book at the age of twenty-three.

Over the years, he has taught multiple courses and seminars around the world and has worked with multiple leading Islamic organizations across the globe. Shaykh Ismail Kamdar currently works as a researcher at Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research. He is also the founder of Islamic Self Help and Izzah Academy. Shaykh Ismail specializes in Fiqh, Tafsir, and History, and is the author of over twenty books in the fields of Islamic Studies and personal development.

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Books, Positive Thinking
NEW RELEASE: Qur’an 30for30 FREE eBook

NEW RELEASE: Qur’an 30for30 FREE eBook

Alhamdulillah, we are excited to announce a brand-new eBook from Yaqeen Institute co-authored by Islamic Self Help’s Shaykh Ismail Kamdar. Download the free eBook here.

The Qur’an is the ultimate source of Allah’s guidance for us. To connect our hearts to the Qur’an and enrich our lives with its lessons, we need to understand it more deeply. This Ramadan, our all-new book Qur’an 30 for 30: Thematic Tafsir is here to help you in that journey.

This book compiles many of the key insights discussed in the 4 previous seasons of Qur’an 30 for 30 and presents them in an organized and easy to read way.

Explore how some of the most important recurring themes of the Qur’an — the Seerah of the Prophet ﷺ, Judgement Day, and the Qur’anic worldview — come together in each juz to provide us guidance for every aspect of life.

Download our new tafsir ebook today!

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Books
New eBook: A Caller’s Code of Conduct

New eBook: A Caller’s Code of Conduct

We are excited to announce our final product launch for 2023, a brand-new ebook: A Caller’s Code of Conduct: 12 Principles from the Qur’an and Sunnah.

This brand-new exclusive ebook will focus on 12 crucial principles that every da’ee (caller to Islam) must live by, with a critical focus on contemporary problems in the Dawah scene, and how they can be resolved by living by this code of conduct.

The book is currently available for early access along with a 14 video series explaining the book. (The first three videos are already up on our YouTube channel)

Paperback Edition available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP75M9NH

Every caller must live by a code!

As a caller to Islam (da’ee), you have a sacred duty to invite people to Islam in the best of manners. To do this, you must learn and live by the caller’s code of conduct. In this important new book, Shaykh Ismail Kamdar extracts from the Qur’an and Sunnah 12 crucial principles that every caller should live by.

Dawah Drama

There are many problems with the way dawah is conducted today. Many young men who lack both wisdom and knowledge take a harsh arrogant approach to preaching Islam that pushes people away and serves only to boost their own egos.

Others go to the opposite extreme, being too soft and lenient, not wanting to upset anyone, and as a result being ineffective in proving why Islam is superior to other ways of life. In both cases, the problem is simply a lack of balance. A preacher should understand that there is a time for softness and a time for harshness, and wisdom dictates when we should utilize each method.

Living By a Code

There are many teachings of Islam that preachers need to live by, we have limited the discourse to twelve principles for the sake of ease of learning, and so that this book does not become too long. A preacher must have ikhlāṣ (sincerity) which means doing whatever he does for the sake of Allah, never for ego or fame. He must be a student of knowledge, continuously seeking to increase his own knowledge of Islam for life. Preachers must make time to focus on their own spiritual development through purifying their souls regularly. They should seek sincere counsel, keep good company, have righteous mentors, and work towards a vision.

Learn more here: https://islamicselfhelp.gumroad.com/l/codeofconduct

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Books
Top 10 Books I read in 2022

Top 10 Books I read in 2022

Top 15 Books I read in 2022:

  1. Parables of the Quran by Dr. Yasir Qadhi
  2. Reflecting on the Names of Allah by Jinan Yousef
  3. What is a Madrasa by Ebrahim Moosa
  4. Lessons from my Life by Ahmed Totonji
  5. Istanbul Reflections on Life, Ideas & People by Sharif H. Banna
  6. Living where we do not make the rules by Ebrahim Rasool
  7. Our legends: Luminaries who revived Islam by Mufti Abdur Wahab Waheed
  8. Futuwwah and raising males into sacred manhood by Dawud Walid
  9. With the heart in mind by Mikaeel Ahmed Smith
  10. Islamic Manners by Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda
  11. Muhammad (s): 11 Leadership Qualities that Changed the World by Nabeel Al-Azami
  12. Khadijah: Mother of History’s Greatest Nation by Fatima Barkatullah
  13. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
  14. The Way of the Superior Man by David Deida
  15. The Masculinity Manifesto: How a Man Establishes Influence, Credibility and Authority by Ryan Michler
Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Books
6 Time Management strategies that work amazingly well

6 Time Management strategies that work amazingly well

Getting more done every day is difficult. With so many distractions and problems to deal with daily, it is too easy for days to go by without accomplishing anything.

Try these tips to get more done daily:

1. Plan on paper

When we try to do all our planning internally, it can be overwhelming and our train of thought can get derailed easily.

To get things done faster, think on paper or at least via typing. Write/type out your thoughts, analyze them, and work through them.

2. The Two-Minute Rule

If something takes less than two minutes to get done, then do it immediately. This will save you a lot of time, and free up your mind to focus on deeper topics.

3. Work in batches

Instead of answering email throughout the day, schedule specific times for answering emails. Do the same for phone calls, admin tasks, and other small tasks that take up the bulk of your day. This will free up a lot of time for deep work.

4. Optimize your work environment

Remove distractions, cut out social media, and ensure that you only have access to the tools you need for work. The more optimized your environment, the easier it gets to concentrate and get things done.

5. Do the hardest tasks during your peak performance time

Figure out which time of the day you are at your peak (early morning, afternoon, late night) and schedule your most important work for that time.

6. Stay healthy

Eating healthy, exercising, and getting enough sleep are all necessary for maintaining the energy and brain power needed to do great work. Taking care of your health is part of taking care of your time.

Want to learn more?

Our time management ebook bundle is on sale for only $5 here: https://islamicselfhelp.gumroad.com/l/CJPQX/2022i

Posted by Ismail Kamdar in Time Management