The Optimized Muslim Podcast - Self Development For The Muslim

Welcome to another episode of The Optimized Muslim Podcast! With the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadhan, we're all eager to make the most of this spiritually uplifting time. In this episode, I am joined by Br Mounir Lazouni, founder of The Modern Muslim Man, to discuss the importance of optimizing our nutrition and energy during the fasting period.

Together, we will delve into practical tips and advice to help you maintain a healthy and balanced diet, ensuring you have the energy to engage in worship and fulfill your daily tasks. Br Mounir shares his expertise in nutrition offering best practices for suhoor, iftar and energy management.

We also talk about sadaqah jariyah, online coaching, restraining the ego and engaging in spiritual self development.

Br Mounir Lazzouni is a fitness coach hugely popular on Instagram and Tiktok. His mission:

Helping Modern Muslims get fit & healthy and become the best Muslims they can be!

The Modern Muslim Man YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCJ1XUSeYAyDYbQIAINJihcQ

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themodernmuslimman/

Daniel Haqiqatjou on Muslim Skeptic, Debating, Controlling Emotions, Tasawwuf, Hijrah & more.

Ustadh Daniel joined me for the second time to discuss a variety of topics starting from the developments in his work over the last two years, debating effectively, managing emotions, the power of social stigma, apostasy laws, hijab, importance of tasawuf, hijrah and more.

As many of you know I have benefitted immensely from Ustadh Daniel Haqiqatjou and have followed his work since 2014. I was also a student with Alasna and will look to rejoin in the future. I have no affiliate relationship with his work but fully endorse it.

Sh Muaawiyah Tucker was a guest on the podcast for a second time and we discussed the developments in the crypto space since March 2021, his views on Ethereum, how to live the "Bitcoin Standard" and avoid Riba based banking, the flawed arguments behind "necessity" for mortgages and loans, Making Hijrah, Artificial Intelligence and Central Bank Digital currencies.

Most Importantly duʿāʾ requested if you found this to be of benefit.💚

A wide-ranging conversation on how to get Muslims to take action through understanding their purpose, incorporating Da'wah to Non Muslims in our daily lives, carrying our Muslim Identity, helping New Muslims, focusing on innovation and "loon shots", cybersecurity, effective philanthropy and managing a diverse workload.

HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 Introduction
03:40 Coach Zubair's background
12:00 How to get Muslims to excel and take action
26:50 Coach Zubair's thoughts on Da'wah - Be proactive
35:00 Guiding New Muslim Converts-  
44:00 Most people aren't militant atheists
50:45 a Shahadah is the start, not the end
57:00 Muslim Loon shots & Innovation
1:05:00 Cybersecurity
1:08:45 Optimizing charity and philanthropy
1:15:20 Productivity, motivation and Managing everything

RESOURCES MENTIONED: 

Islam & Mental Health with a Consultant Psychiatrist: Depression, Trauma, combining Western & Islamic treatment modalities, Sihr and Black magic, Jinn possession Stories, working in Qatar & more!    

Dr Abu Eesa is a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist specialising in addiction, who is working in Qatar  He is on a mission to try to integrate therapeutic interventions from Quran and sunnah with the  Western understanding and treatment modalities to tackle Muslim Mental Health issues. 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrAbueesa 

Most Importantly duʿāʾ requested if you found this to be of benefit.💚

Ustadh Gabriel Al Romani joined me on the podcast for a second time to discuss his new Muslim Masculinity Course which you can find out more about and join here: https://muslimalpha.com/

Ustadh Gabriel is one of my favourite people in the Online Muslim space. Online and offline he is legit ma sha Allah. Please follow and benefit from his work.

Paul Williams of Blogging Theology - Becoming Muslim, Podcasting, Books, Addressing Criticism & More

I had the great pleasure of being joined by Br Paul Williams who you will be familiar with from the Blogging Theology YouTube Channel.

I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation and I hope you all do too. We spoke on a number of wide-ranging topics. Chapter headings are listed below for your convenience.

Br Paul is doing some great work so please subscribe to his channel if you have not already.

Blogging Theology YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BloggingTheology

Twitter: https://twitter.com/freemonotheist

Website & blog: https://bloggingtheology.com/

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Preview & Intro 02:10 Br Paul's Background and Religious Journey
13:00 What do Christians mean by "encounters with the Lord"
16:50 How Br Paul embraced Islam
20:02 Br Paul's thoughts on Dawah
26:30 The "No Design 🙄" Posts
29:48 Navigating sects in Islam following conversion
37:20 How Blogging Theology started?
45:40 Response to criticism of Dr Michael Millerman/Dugin Podcast
49:50 Dealing with Criticism & Differing viewpoints
1:00:50 How is Blogging Theology managed behind the scenes?
1:05:15 Guests Br Paul would like to interview? Jordan Peterson?
1:09:50 The Viral Clip on King Charles
1:12:00 Paul's thoughts on reading and his current books
1:22:55 Day in the life and previous career experience
1:26:30 Paul's views on the future of Islam in the UK

Most Importantly duʿāʾ requested if you found this to be of benefit.💚

How much of the conventional self-help and self development content can we apply as Muslims?

Which ideas are problematic and are opposed to our creedal beliefs and faith? Sh Ismail provides a helpful framework on how to filter the correct information from Ideas such as "manifesting", "being in control of your own destiny" and others which may conflict with our understanding of qadr.

We also discuss how Islam is flourishing in South Africa and the reasons why. What can Muslim Communities in other countries learn from them. How much of being productive is inherent in someone's natural ability, and how much can be improved? Productivity, time-management, gratitude, vision planning, managing finances, online business, home schooling and more.  

Ismail Kamdar graduated from the ʿĀlimiyyah program in 2006 and completed a BA in Islamic Studies at International Open University in 2014. Specializes in the fields of Fiqh, Tafsir, and History. The author of over a dozen books in the fields of Islamic Studies and Personal Development. He is the founder of Islamic Self Help, and the research manager at Yaqeen Institute.   

RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED

 Sh Ismail Kamdar's website: https://www.islamicselfhelp.com/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/IsmailKamdar
4 hour Workweek: https://amzn.to/3TGU1jb

Most Importantly duʿāʾ requested if you found this to be of benefit.💚

I was joined by Imam Tom Facchine for a wide-ranging interview on Self-Development, Learning Languages, Problems of Modernity, Attaining Balance, dealing with overwhelm, Ibn Al Jawzi,  the moral considerations of YouTube Creators & more.  

It was one of my favourite interviews and I am thankful to Imam Tom for being so gracious with his time and honouring this project.  

I was joined on the podcast by br Muhammad Deen, a performance psychologist from the UK currently working in Malaysia. We discuss Islamic psychology, charisma, growth mindset, morning routines, stoicism, Islamic resources on psychology, Hijrah to Malaysia and more. (see chapters below)

Brother Muttaqi Ismail who is the founder and host of The Islamic History Podcast joined me for an interview. We talked about Br Muttaqi's background, how he became interested in Islamic History. why he decided to start a podcast, his process for creating episodes, productivity tips and much more.

The Islamic History Podcast is an amazing resource for Muslims and non-Muslims alike and I recommend that you subscribe to the podcast on whichever platform you use.

Podcast Link: https://pod.link/islamichistorypodcast

The Islamic History Podcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSJ...

Do you like the content? 

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER  ► https://geni.us/OMNewsletter

HIGHLIGHTS:

00:00 Introduction

03:20 Brother Muttaqi's background

10:20 Upbringing and why

15:39 Trip to Senegal and time spent there studying

20:49 Why Islamic History Matters

29:49 Mistakes of Arab Leaders in the Palestine Conflict

35:34 Importance of having strong faith before studying Islamic History

41:08 The early Shia were more diligent in recording their history

45:29 People trying to edit Islamic history to fit in with modern values

52:50 The Creation of Pakistan 

01:02:07 Interesting remarks about Vikings by a Muslim historian

01:04:48 How the Islamic History Podcast is made

01:12:42 Balancing the podcast with life and work commitments

01:15:48 Br Muttaqi's productivity system

Most Importantly duʿāʾ requested if you found this to be of benefit.💚

We discuss Qur'an memorisation and tajweed tips, the common mistakes people from the Indian Subcontinent make in Tajweed and fascinating insights into Ustadh Farhan's own journey during which he won an Indian National Qur'an memorisation contest and spent time in Dr Zakir Naik's International Islamic school. Farhan Somani is an international Qur'an & Arabic teacher and Tajweed Tutor.

He is the founder of Tajweed Essentials Learning Community. He has obtained Ijazah 

Mِistake: At 46:00 the arabic acronym was cut out by mistake, the full acronym for the "heavy" letters is خص ضغط قظ 

Tajweed Essentials YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVx1-CMERDgRt14L3zzdkVQ/ 

00:00 Introduction 

03:50 Ustadh's Qur'an Hifdh Journey

12:00 His daily Hifdh Revision Routine 

16:00 Can you memorise the Qur'an by yourself? 

19:50 Which Mushaf type to Choose? 

28:00 Process of Memorising Qur'an 

37:00 Learning Arabic & his admission into Hadith Studies 

38:25 Obtaining Ijazah and its significance 

44:00 Common Tajweed Mistakes  

53:30 How he started teaching Online Courses 

59:00 Final Reminder 

Most Importantly duʿāʾ requested if you found this to be of benefit.💚 

Interview with Jan The Slovak Muslim on his journey to Islam, different methods used in Da'wah, how Islam impacted his Business life, happiness and finding balance.

Link to the video o Optimized Muslim YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/gDTaOD5hGvo

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Introduction

02:25 Jan's Bio & Path To Islam

10:20 Discussion on Dawah

17:30 Self Development Seekers Becoming Muslim

22:00 Importance of a Strong Muslim Identity & Frame

32:00 Different Types of Dawah 

43:00 Lifestyle Dawah

50:40 The special case does not disprove the general rule

53:15 How becoming Muslim Changed Jan's Business Life

58:45 Hedonic Adaptation & How Money doesn't Make You Happy

01:07:30 Balancing Deen & Dunya according to your Skills

01:17:00 Jan's Daily Routine

Most Importantly duʿāʾ requested if you found this to be of benefit.💚

Want to be an activist? Purify yourself before attempting to lead and serve others.  Please follow UTICA Masjid's channel.

I was hooked after first hearing Imam Tom on Blogging Theology. Imam Tom creates short, poignant and powerful clips eloquently addressing contemporary issues as well as traditional self-purification. 

DESTROYING The Free Speech Argument used to Insult our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  - Hamza Tzortzis 

Please watch the full source video on Sapience Institute for more. They have a few videos on this topic which go into much more detail. The purpose behind this was to direct you towards them.

Dr. Ali Ataie powerfully offers that Islam is the last stand against woke liberalism.

"Ustadh Dr. Ali Ataie gives spiritual insights about Muslims becoming the last line of defence for traditional religion and being necessary vanguards for values and faith in a postmodern world. "

Audio from the link below has been repurposed for educational purposes

Link to other similar animations: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

Source video: https://youtu.be/84cHNipqd8c

Most Importantly duʿāʾ requested if you found this to be of benefit.💚

Business, Side Hustles, Self-employment. Making Hijrah, Muslim Money Advice & more - Interview with Br Abu Musa  

Grateful to be joined by Br Abu Musa who kindly agreed to feature on the podcast. A real nice brother. Navigate by using the chapters below. A broad range of topics were discussed.  

Watch the Episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/D1BlsJuV_MU

CONNECT WITH BR ABU MUSA IG: abumusa_ch 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqjJAM4ZA2CykLaWs9TKoiQabumusa_ch  

Link to Associated article: https://www.optimizedmuslim.com/muslim-self-employment/

HIGHLIGHTS: 00:00 Podcast Intro 03:24 Abu Musa's background 06:30 Why Muslims should try to become self-employed 09:20 How difficult it is to manage everything with a 9-5 13:00 The massive effect of tax on a "salary" 18:00 Mitigate Haram by doing what you can 24:00 Abu Musa's Motivation & diversifying income 28:00 Abu Musa's advice to someone who wants to start 31:00 Making money vs saving money 36:00 Paying for courses and Mentorship 40:30 Ethical Online marketing 46:20 Abu Musa's future Business/life plans 50:00 Hijrah to Pakistan?

Most Importantly duʿāʾ requested if you found this to be of benefit.💚

How to give advice to someone who has asked you or you want to encourage to start praying Salah. 

You want to enjoin Good and forbid evil الأمر بالمَعْرُوف والنَهي عن المُنْكَر - how to go about it?  

I was happy to hear this advice from a classically trained scholar (Hanafi) as I've previously thought about and heard the same from other sources. 

Obviously, if the amount of action deemed necessary to "pray Salah" is a lot, the level of adherence from those trying to build the habit will decrease. This is supported by the literature on Habit formation. The old adage of "start small". Needless to say, this is only applicable as by praying the faraaidh, you are still completing what is obligatory upon you. Don't get too airy fairy and say pray half a rakat, for example.  

Source Credit: Full Ramadhan Q&A https://youtu.be/pYuud6cUlCI

Study with Isyllabus UK 

 Books:  Atomic Habits by James Clear  

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg 

Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg

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Most Importantly duʿāʾ requested if you found this to be of benefit.💚

Daniel Haqiqatjou debunks the myth of "If We Don't Water Down Islam, No One Will Accept It!".  

Wait, isn't Optimized Muslim about Self Development? Yes, and having a correct understanding of Islam as well as being equipped to intellectually defend traditional Islam is of paramount importance if you are to be a proud and practising Muslim. If you are not confident in your Islam and being able to unapologetically preach and practise it, how are you to excel? You have to have a strong identity and foundational beliefs upon which to build.   

Why do you Work Out? Get "Jacked" and get Good Deeds by mastering your Niyyah (Intention)

Alif goes to the gym for most of his 20s but he never takes the time to think about and correct his intention for it to be Islamically aligned. His intention may be to simply get "hench" and impress people. Will he be rewarded for all of his time and effort at the gym over the years?

Ba, on the other hand, took the time to deeply think about his intention before embarking on his fitness journey and began each workout by reminding himself of his intention to ensure that any lower or more basic intention that may fleetingly occur to him does not become his primary intention and prevent him from getting rewarded for his gym efforts. Ba, spent his 20s going to the gym to optimize his health and body as an act of gratitude to Allah SWT for blessing him with many physical attributes; to be in good physical shape for his spouse and to inspire his kids or be able to do so in the future; to inspire other Muslim youth and to have a stronger frame when representing Muslims...amongst a set of multiple good intentions.

Both Alif and Ba spent many hours of their most energetic and youthful, testosterone filled days in the gym, but who comes out a winner or more "jacked" when it comes to acquiring good deeds and bettering his place in the Hereafter? Something to ponder about.

00:00 Introduction & Preview

01:00 Importance of Intention in Islam

03:15 Optimizing your intention for the Gym

05:50 Linking everything back to Allah SWT

07:20 Good Intentions for Working out

11:00 Benefit of having Multiple Good Intentions

( 🤲 Prayers/duas requested if you found this to be of use.💚)

Treat going to the gym like going to the library too. 

In this video I discuss how I combine my time at the gym with various more passive activities mainly using different forms of audio input such as Arabic vocabulary, Podcasts, audiobooks, the Noble Qur'an and various adhkar (litanies/invocations/remembrances) to make my time there more productive.

Going to the gym, with the right intention, can be a means of reward by its own. However, given that you will likely be able to complete your workout whilst also listening to some form of audio, it is definitely an avenue through which you can learn a lot. If you have a busy lifestyle,, this can afford you an extra 60-90 minutes that you would otherwise not make use of. Compounded over many weeks and months, you can calculate how much of a difference this could make to your mental input which makes up your mental diet and translates into what you produce.

( 🤲 Prayers/duas requested if you found this to be of use.💚)

In this podcast I explain the basic and simple method of how to memorise a passage of the Noble Qur'an for the first time.  

I have come across various different methods with numbers involved "repeat the first line 8 times" etc - there is no special number to use. You simply repeat each part until you are able to recall it.  This is a continuation of the playlist titled, " A Practical & Deep Guide on How to Memorize the Qur'an" which I will continue to build on in sha Allah  

The video may be useful with this episode as you will be able to see a passage from Surah Mulk on the screen. 

Does the Religion of Islam need to be watered down in order to attract Non-Muslims to it?   

Link to the Full Blogging Theology Podcast: https://youtu.be/laFLPKZBUZE 

Why Muslims Say STUPID Things around Christmas?  

"The fundamental reason is lacking the requisite mental strength or emotional resilience to be seen as different or strange, to undergo a bit of discomfort..." 

00:00 Preview Clips 

02:10 Introduction & disclaimers 

04:00 The main reason why... 

07:50 "not everyone is assertive" 

09:20 "My Non-Muslim friends celebrate Eid so why can't I?" 

11:40 "It's just being nice, don't want to be rude" 

14:55  A message to Muslims who celebrate 

16:15 How to be more confident as a Muslim?

If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊).

The Jordan Peterson and Mohammed Hijab podcast will in sha Allah be a foundational step towards true, orthodox traditional Muslim being invited on platforms to present the mainstream Muslim view.  

How many times have we sat back and watched in annoyance whilst a liberal "Muslim" with whacky views is invited on to shows to speak on behalf of Muslims?   It was amazing to see alhamdulillah.

 00:00 intro - why it was a big deal 

02:00 represents a vast change 

04:30 Feeling happy when Islam is represented well 

07:00 Shows that you don't have to be a reformist to present well 

08:30 A request for Br Hamza Tzortsis to re-engage in debates/discussions

If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊).

"Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad warns us that materialism and desire for reputation only leads to anxiety and distracts us from reality, whilst reminding us that criticism, no matter the form, should not make us forget our duty as Muslims" 

Can you actually learn Arabic to a good level whilst living and working in the West? If so, how does one go about this journey? Where do you find tutors? Should you focus on Grammar first? How long does it take an average student to become fluent if they apply themselves? 

I interview my Arabic tutor with whom I have studied solely for about a year after having had other teachers in the past. Mohammed Hafez is well-suited to answer the above questions, and more, in this wide ranging discussion. He primarily teaches students who are based in the West and cannot study full-time. This allows him to offer more pragmatic advice tailored to us as inevitably the advice of a University professor teaching full-time students in an Islamic University will differ significantly when it comes to practical steps.

Through this interview, and the other content already on or to be featured on this channel, I hope your journey is made easier by the Will of Allah SWT.

00:00 Introducing Podcast and guest

07:30 Best way to Learn Arabic? 

12:45 How I began my Arabic Journey

15:25 Focus on speaking or Grammar?

18:50 Language as a cultural Lens

24:40 Isn't paying for lessons expensive?

28:00 Time it takes to attain fluency

35:00 Qualities of the best students

42:40 Benefit of Italki & Learning online

50:00 Closing remarks and Practical Steps

"I want to learn Arabic" - Have you ever said this to yourself or others before? I know I did prior to beginning my journey. As a student (albeit struggling) I show you EXACTLY how to start today.  

The modern age brings with it problems. We love to bemoan these problems. But what about the benefits? 20 year ago we would not be able to book an Arabic lesson with a qualified teacher from Egypt whilst sitting in your residence in the West. We would perhaps validly say "if only I could go to Egypt to learn Arabic". Well, what excuse do we have now? What excuse have we had for so long?  

Video/podcast is made with the intention to motivate. Obviously, everyone has their own journey and happenings of life that may or may not legitimately prevent them from doing a certain action. In that case, do the best you can given your situation and avoid comparison. The reward is in the effort, anyway. 

If you are living in the West, should you bother to learn your mother tongue or ancestral language? If you are a second-generation immigrant then should you learn the language of your ancestors? In this podcast, I argue that you should do so for a number of reasons.  Firstly, a lot of people understand a language but cannot speak it. Therefore, they cannot transmit the language or teach it. This, in effect, is a sign that the language is being cut off from future generations.  Why should you care? If you are interested in Dawah and changing culture in a positive way towards Islam, then you are putting yourself at a significant disadvantage by losing the means to meaningfully connect with a large population of not just people, but likely your extended family.  Other reasons are mentioned in the podcast.

Available in video form on the Optimized Muslim Youtube channel

If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊).

In this podcast, I discuss the topic of increasing "willpower" by dividing it into 4 components which can be classed as the factors somewhat in our control that we can experiment with and manipulate to improve our level of willpower.

All of these topics require individual episodes as this podcast serves merely as an outline.  

These are:  

1)Eeman (certainty of faith, having an akhirah-centric World view)

2)Mindset (Growth Mindset vs Negative Thinking) 

3)Body (Sleep, Diet, fitness, etc) 

4) Hacks/Tools (The tools that may give you that extra 5% such as physiological interventions to temporarily increase adrenaline (Breathing methods and supplements) to nootropics to certain app) 

In this video/podcast I discuss a clip I came across in which Moeen Ali can be seen celebrating a win in Cricket with his team mates until they involve alcohol - at which point he and Adil Rashid can be seen literally running off stage.  This video gained hundreds of thousands of views and it made me think about why we as Muslims feel a sense of pride when we see observant Muslims acting in accordance with their faith despite external pressures to fit in or avoid "awkwardness". A similar Lesson can be learned from Khabib Nurmagomedov who is also known to openly Practise and make reference to his Faith.  

 Recorded in March 2021

If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊).

Ameer Khan and I worked together as part of the Islamic Society leadership whilst studying at University. He is now a sports journalist working for the BBC.  

We discuss the benefits of joining an Islamic Society or Muslim Students Association whilst at University and we draw upon some of our experiences to offer advice (in sha Allah) to young people at University or otherwise.

If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊).

A broad discussion with Br Maarten Van Elst on the role of factors outside of our control on attaining Worldly Success; meritocracy and social mobility; Practical tips to effectively use Social Media; effects of the internet age on personal identity; whether self-discipline is overrated and the "Tony Robbins Islam" & more. Brother Maarten is the first guest to appear on the podcast for a second time. Find out more about Maarten at www.muslimfit.com

If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊).

Ustadh Mu'aawiyah Tucker graduated from the University of Madinah in 2008 from the faculty of Shari'ah. He now runs Cryptohashreview.com - a resource for educating Muslims on cryptocurrency. 

Investing in Bitcoin for Muslims? - Masterclass with Ustadh Mu'aawiyah Tucker Is investing in Bitcoin Halal? One of many questions in this interview with Ustadh Mu'Aawiyah Tucker.  (Timestamps below)

If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊).

Ustadh Daniel Haqiqatjou worked in a corporate job for 7 years. Learn how he transitioned from feeling like a failure working as an intern to exiting his corporate role. A humorous clip asking him how he dealt with Christmas party invitations. Hear a different side of Daniel.

If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊).

Gabriel Al Romani explains why he argues that there is a crisis of masculinity. This provides some background and context into his views in light of the recent controversy involving Mufti Menk's knitting video refutation which garnered a lot of attention on social media.

If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊).

It was an immense honour interviewing Ustadh Gabriel Al Romani (see below for Bio) who was very gracious in offering his time to this project. This series aims at interviewing inspiring “Optimized Muslim” personalities and trying to delve deeper into their mindset and way of thinking intending to discover practical tips we can apply in our lives.

Please enjoy this wide ranging interview on a range of topics pertaining to self-development from setting goals, finding purpose, practising what you preach, connecting with the youth, the crisis of masculinity, exercise /keeping fit/nutrition, social media and his daily routine.

I have learned much from Ustadh Gabriel Al Romani’s content and I would recommend incorporating his teachings into your “mental diet”.

Recorded 24 January 2021

If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊).

You may have heard about visualising or “the law of attraction” in the context of pursuing “success” in the worldly life. In this video, I talk about how this technique can be used as part of a spiritual practice to help us to become better Muslims. It is part of a larger message – that we take practical steps to improve our faith. I came across visualisation being used in the Islamic context whilst reading Sheikh Hamza Yusuf’s Purification of the Heart.

It was an immense pleasure interviewing Ustadh Daniel Haqiqatjou who was very gracious in offering his time. This series aims at interviewing inspiring “Optimized Muslim” personalities and trying to delve deeper into their mindset and way of thinking intending to discover practical tips we can apply in our lives. The content will only get better in sha Allah – constructive feedback most welcome. 

One part of the course currently in development in sha Allah titled: “A Practical & Deep Guide on How to Memorise the Qur’an”. Be sure to subscribe to the Youtube channel for more.

If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊).

When it concerns dealings with people, actions of worship, ensuring justice, and more – the small things matter in Islam. I discuss how different cultures often exhibit different attitudes and societal norms that impact upon how the population will practice the religion. If it is a cultural norm for 5 minutes to be 55 minutes, inevitably it will be difficult to shed this norm when it comes to the incredibly specific conditions of worship. I further discuss the idea of how psychological personality profiles impact religious practice, suggesting that a conscientious personality type may find obedience easier. Irrespectively,  the obligations remain the mandated same for all which should allow us to be more empathetic and humble. 

The end of the podcast includes the original Urdu/punjabi version which is also on the Optimized Muslim Project Youtube Channel. I would love to hear your views.

If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊).

*Apologies for the bad audio quality – will be improved in future in sha Allah – recorded [August 2019]

As a community, we need to move beyond disagreeing in an intellectually dishonest or childish way. Let’s first learn the foundational principles of the Deen, in order to know what has been deemed to be even worth arguing about and then let’s look for the “Steel Man” argument instead of the Straw Man.
In order to understand an alternative view, we should seek out the strongest (Steel Man) argument supporting that view. This will enhance our own understanding and avoid childish mischaracterizations. Then, irrespective of whether we understand it or not, there’s the obvious point about maintaining manners and exercising Husn adhann (having a good opinion) in relation to others. A podcast on how to practically do this will follow in sha Allah.
– A few clarifications in light of some respectful feedback: –
1) Undoubtedly there are some issues of differences that have to be highlighted and called out to prevent people from becoming “misguided” and to preserve the religion. In this video, as I mention, I am referring to the “average Joe” fiqhi minor points of difference.
– 2) I make reference to Indo-Pak Imams mainly due to having a greater experience in their presence relative to Imams from other regions of the World. The issues mentioned are human problems, they “plague the ummah” as stated. Perhaps more pronounced in certain cultures but I do not have the anthropological evidence (I don’t think you will find a study comparing Imams from different parts of the World) so my reference is anecdotal.
– 3) Those who use terms such as “wahabi” are often perceived to belong to a certain group. Again, there are many such terms used by many different groups on any side. This was just used as somewhat of a comedic example. If I was to even begin to go through more of them just to make it appear that I am not highlighting only one particular side…I would be part of the problem.

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We want more but how do we use the blessings and gifts we have already been given?

We do not use what we have in a way that is pleasing to Allāh. We sell-out and run to cash out at the haram bank. Be grateful for the understanding that your blessings are a test just like your trials.