Mohammed Faris's Blog

A few weeks ago, I asked our Barakah Effect course students to practice a simple exercise. Before every action, they needed to pause and ask themselves, “How can I please Allah SWT through this?”

A brother shared his struggles with this exercise a few days later:

To be very honest, the exercise itself has been quite jarring. My wife asked me to buy a chicken roll for my daughter the other day and I simply went thinking: ‘Wife’s request’, ‘Daughter would love it’… it seemed too much to think, ‘How to please Allah through this?’

I loved his honesty and decided to give him a detailed response.

But before I share my response to him, I want to share that even asking yourself this simple question, “What’s my intention for this next action?” already sets you apart from 99% of people who go through life on autopilot, never once questioning the intention behind their actions.

Upgrading Your Intentions for Buying a Chicken Roll

So let me break down what I shared with him. It’s based on the hierarchy of intentions framework that I cover in the Barakah Effect book.

Take his example: getting a chicken roll for his daughter.

He could have a Level 1 Intention, “What’s in it for me?”:

I’m getting the chicken roll to make my wife/daughter happy (so they’ll leave me alone, or I’ll have peace at home).

Or he could upgrade to a Level 2 Intention, “What would people think of me?”: 

I’m getting the chicken roll so my wife/daughter will think I’m a good husband/dad (reputation management, essentially).

Or he could upgrade to Level 3 Intention, “How will this make me feel?”: 

I’m getting the chicken roll because it feels good to provide for my family. I want to be a good dad/provider, and I don’t care if they appreciate it or not.

Most personal development gurus would stop here. They’d call Level 3 “Intrinsic Motivation” and pat you on the back.

But we’re not most people. We’re believers seeking Barakah and Allah’s pleasure.

Enter the Spiritual Intentions for Buying a Chicken Roll

This is where it gets interesting. Let’s level up by adding the akhira perspective to that same chicken roll purchase experience:

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told us that the best among us is the one who’s best to his family.Another hadith tells us that putting a morsel of food in your spouse’s mouth (and by extension, feeding your family) is sadaqah.

Suddenly, that chicken roll isn’t just food. It’s an investment in your akhira!

But wait, there’s an even higher level. This is where you act purely for Allah’s pleasure:

You recognize Allah as Al-Razzaq (The Provider) and see yourself as His instrument in providing for your children. What an honor!You overflow with gratitude for the countless blessings that enable you to easily buy a chicken roll for your family: no fear of hunger, poverty, or war. This gratitude itself becomes an act of worship.

Do you see what just happened?!

We took a small errand and transformed it into a Barakah-filled experience that connects you to your Creator and elevates your spiritual state.

Of course, the above feels like “too much thinking.” You’re rewiring years of automatic programming. You’re fighting against a culture that has stripped the sacred from the mundane. 

Your Mission This Week (Should You Choose to Accept It)

Pick ONE routine activity. Just one. Maybe it’s:

Making your morning coffeeYour commute to workPreparing dinnerPutting your kids to bed

For this ONE action, practice moving up from Level 1 Intention to purely doing it for Allah’s sake. Start wherever you are, then consciously try to upgrade it by one or a few levels.

Once you master upgrading the intention for small actions, you’ll start bringing this spiritual consciousness to other areas of your life. You’ll start thinking “What’s the intention for my next meeting?” or “Taking that trip” etc. Before you know it, you’re living what we call the Barakah Culture lifestyle, where every mundane moment carries the potential for Divine connection.

May Allah accept our small efforts and multiply them beyond our imagination.

The post How Getting a Chicken Roll Can Be an Act of Worship appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

Over the weekend, I received a call from an old friend who found himself at one of life’s crossroads.

A few months ago, he made what seemed like a smart career move: leaving his comfortable position at a Big Four accounting firm in the UK to join their Middle East office. Beyond the career advantages, he made some beautiful intentions: to perform Hajj, be closer to Makkah and Madinah, move his family to a more Islamic environment, and reconnect with his aging parents in Pakistan.

But after 2 months in his new position, he was having regrets.

The new office turned out to be a nightmare: A toxic boss seemed determined to make his life miserable. Office politics threatened to derail his career. The very opportunity he thought would bring him closer to his personal and professional goals was now jeopardizing everything.

“I can’t go back to the UK, I’ve already resigned,” he told me, frustration heavy in his voice. “I might lose this job too. I don’t know what to do.”

As we talked through his options, I found myself asking him a simple question that changed our entire conversation:

“What was your no. 1 intention for making this move?“

“To perform Hajj,” he replied without hesitation.

“You still have about 10 months until Hajj,” I reminded him. “Focus on that for now, and after Hajj, khair! Allah might open unexpected doors for you.”

In that moment, something clicked for both of us. When you have a clear, Allah-centered intention, it doesn’t eliminate difficulties, it gives you a framework for navigating them.

I told him that maybe this difficult boss, this toxic environment, maybe it’s all part of the test. Allah is checking his sincerity: Will he stay the course when it gets hard, or will he abandon his intention at the first sign of difficulty?

We all know that actions are judged by intentions, but I’ve learned that intentions also give us the strength to persevere through the inevitable challenges those actions bring.

If you’re facing a difficult situation right now, whether it’s a career crossroads, relationship challenges, or simply feeling lost about your next steps, ask yourself:

What’s my true intention here? And how can I connect this intention to serving Allah SWT?

My friend will still have to deal with his tough office situation. The toxic boss won’t transform into a warm friend overnight. The office politics won’t magically disappear. But something might shift in how he approaches each day.

When you’re driven by a God-centered intention rather than circumstance, you stop asking “Why is this happening to me?” and start asking “How can I serve Allah SWT through this challenge?”

The next time life throws you a curve ball, don’t just focus on solving the immediate problem. Step back and reconnect with your deeper intention. Let that intention be your Qibla, guiding you through whatever storms lie ahead. May Allah grant us sincere intentions and the strength to pursue them regardless of the obstacles we face. Ameen.

The post When Life Gets Confusing, Clarify Your Intention appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

I’ve been thinking about why some people seem genuinely calm about the future while others are consumed by anxiety about AI, nuclear war, economic collapse, and the usual suspects of modern dread. The difference isn’t optimism or naivety. It’s something else.

Most anxiety about the future stems from a hidden assumption that we’re supposed to control outcomes we can’t actually control. But Islam teaches us that the only certainty in this dunya is that it is uncertain.

The question isn’t how to eliminate uncertainty. It’s how to thrive within it.

I keep coming back to a powerful dua that cuts through all the uncertainty. It’s a dua that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would often start his Tahajjud with:

O Allah, You are the Truth, Your word is truth, meeting You is truth, Paradise is truth, and Hellfire is truth…
[Bukhari]

Notice what this dua does: it anchors you to what remains constant while everything else around you in this dunya may shift.

This is the advantage Islam gives us. While secular anxiety assumes we need certainty to function, this dua trains us to find stability in permanent truths that transcend worldly chaos:

Allah’s control remains absolute whether or not AI disrupts your industry.The Day of Judgment makes your ultimate destination certain, regardless of geopolitical upheaval.Your purpose in life is to worship Allah and serve His creation. This is crystal clear even when your career path becomes murky.

Understanding this intellectually is one thing, applying it is another. But here’s how this reorientation helps you navigate uncertainty:

1. Your Salah becomes much-needed daily pauses

Instead of making fear-based decisions when news breaks or challenges emerge, your five daily prayers force you to step back and realign with permanent truths before reacting. After consultation with Allah, you make measured moves, not panic-driven choices.

2. Quranic principles guide modern dilemmas

When facing moral decisions, you’ll apply Quranic principles to whatever life throws at you. The same Book that guided believers through the Mongol invasions, Crusades, and other challenging times in the Ummah, gives you frameworks for navigating what the future brings.

3. Dhikr calms you when everyone panics

Your morning and evening athkar aren’t just a spiritual routine. They’re reprogramming your nervous system to recognize Allah’s protection and calm your heart whenever a crisis dominates the headlines.

There’s one more advantage that Islam brings to the table beyond the above rituals: the power of community.

When preparing for an uncertain future, most people focus on individual resilience. However, the real advantage comes from community resilience. When you feel powerless as an individual, your community network is what will put you back on your feet. But this only works if you’ve invested before you need it, especially with your family and local community. 

The Prophet ﷺ taught us to seek refuge from “hamm” (worry about future) and “hazan” (sadness over the past). Most of our mental energy gets wasted on things we cannot control. Instead of trying to map out what the future may hold, focus on this: What’s the next most valuable step you can take today that aligns with your values and serves your ultimate purpose?

Your competitive advantage isn’t knowing what’s coming. It’s being spiritually and practically prepared for whatever does. May Allah SWT give us the wisdom (hikmah) to navigate our uncertain future in a way that’s most pleasing to Him. Ameen.

The post How to Future-Proof Your Soul appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

In over a decade of practice as a psychologist and many years of working intimately with couples, listening to their stories, bearing witness to their conflicts, hopes, and heartaches, one insight has crystallized with unwavering clarity: it’s not just the monumental events like say emotional infidelity, financial strain, triangulation, or parenting challenges that threaten a marriage. More often, it’s the silent, subtle build-up of daily disappointments, indifference and micro-frustrations, that slowly chip away at love’s foundation.

These tiny irritants may look like brushing off a partner’s comment, responding to a concern with sarcasm, or constantly checking your phone during meals. In isolation, they may seem harmless. But in the sacred space of a marital bond, they create invisible wounds. Each moment of emotional disconnection adds to an unseen tally, a kind of emotional erosion that leads to couples waking up one day feeling like strangers under the same roof.

Micro-Bids: The Hidden Language of Connection

But just as small things can break, small things can also build. What heals and strengthens a relationship are the micro-bids, small everyday gestures that seek connection. It could be your spouse saying, “Look at this video,” or asking, “Can you help me with the groceries?” These may seem mundane, but they are, in truth, small moments that call to be seen, heard, held and supported.

This brings to mind a profound hadith of the Prophet ﷺ:

If the Day of Resurrection were established upon one of you, and in his hand is a sapling, then he should plant it.
(Al-Adab Al-Mufrad)

Even in the face of the ultimate ending, the Prophet ﷺ taught us to act, to do something good, meaningful, and hope-infused. In the context of relationships, this translates into showing up, even when things feel bleak or distant. Planting a seed can be as simple as making eye contact, choosing to listen with presence, or offering a gentle touch. These micro-actions of love are what we call as bids. And when done with intention, can become the soil in which trust is rebuilt, emotional safety is restored, and connection begins to bloom again.

So let’s say when one partner makes a bid, the other has a micro-decision to make. Will I turn toward them or away? Will I acknowledge this moment as an opportunity for connection, or let it pass by, unnoticed? 

It could be something as simple as bringing two cups of coffee in the late Sunday afternoon, placing a hand gently on your shoulder without needing to ask, “What are you doing?”, or sending a meme with the message, “This reminded me of our early parenting days.” It could be pausing your scroll to really listen when your spouse speaks, saving the last bite of dessert for them without making a big deal, or a subtle wink across the room when no one else is watching or texting a du’a in the middle of a hard day.

These micro-bids, the quiet, everyday gestures that say, “I see you. I value you. I’m thinking of you.” They’re not grand or theatrical. In fact, they often go unnoticed by the world. But in the sacred space between two hearts trying to love each other just a little better than yesterday, they become sacred currency. They accumulate. They soften the rough days and sweeten the ordinary ones.

In the long story of a relationship, these small moments aren’t just filler, they’re the fabric. They are the tender brushstrokes that, over time, paint the masterpiece of emotional connection, safety, and enduring love. When done consistently, and with sincerity, they become acts of ibadah. Islam beautifully upholds this concept of consistent, intentional kindness. The Prophet ﷺ said:

The most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are consistent, even if small.
(Bukhari)

This reflects the divine wisdom that it’s not grand romantic gestures that sustain love, but the daily, steady work of tending to one another’s hearts.

Sometimes, when couples are carrying a lot of baggage, years of misunderstandings, hurt, or even deep-rooted contempt, grand gestures or elaborate rituals feel impossible, even artificial. In one such case, I gently suggested a very small daily ritual: It was to create a private WhatsApp group with just the two of them. The rule was simple: each day, send just one line of appreciation or love, or even a picture or a meme that made them think of the other person.

No long texts. No pressure to sound poetic. Just a daily whisper of connection. It could be as brief as “JazakAllah for yesterday” or “This color reminded me of you.” Some days it was a du’a. Other days, it was just a silly emoji or a screenshot of an inside joke. What mattered was the consistency, not the content. The heart does begin to soften when it’s met with small, steady drops of care.

This kind of ritual doesn’t take much time, but it creates a micro-space for emotional safety, a space where repair can begin quietly. Sometimes, all a tired relationship needs is for love to become simple again, light, sincere, and doable in the rhythm of everyday life.

This emotional responsiveness is foundational to relationship health. According to research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, a person’s sense of relational satisfaction is deeply tied to whether they feel seen, understood, and valued by their partner. In the swirl of daily life, from managing children to deadlines to spiritual aspirations, we often miss these tiny doorways to intimacy. But these are the very doors through which love quietly walks in, or slips away.

The Quran also guides us:

And live with them in kindness…
(Quran 4:19)

This is not a passive suggestion; it is an active, spiritual call to create a climate of mercy, respect, and emotional safety within marriage.

Rituals That Nourish, Not Burden

Now let’s talk about micro-dose of couple rituals, some couples have found these to be groundbreaking. They could be small, such as sharing morning tea, walking after Isha, or checking in with each other after a long day, serving as anchors amidst life’s turbulence. 

While micro-bids are the seeds of daily connection, couple rituals are the soil they grow in. These rituals, often understated and woven into the fabric of everyday life, are what help love become visible, dependable, and rhythmic. For many couples, these micro-doses of presence are groundbreaking. It might be something as simple as having morning chai together in quietude, a short walk after Isha, or a check-in before bed that asks, “How are you really?” In a world of constant noise and distraction, these small but steady gestures say what words sometimes cannot: You matter. I’m here. I chose you again, today.

At the same time, not all rituals land the same way for every couple. Structured formats like the 7-7-7 rule, every 7 days a few hours, every seven weeks a day and every 7 months a few days of togetherness, offer a compelling framework for intentional connection. And for some, this structure brings clarity and rhythm to their emotional world. But for others, especially in seasons of stress or emotional distance, these rituals can begin to feel like obligations rather than offerings. Instead of connection, they may quietly breed guilt, pressure, or comparison. “We don’t do date nights. Does that mean we’re failing?”

The key is remembering that rituals are meant to nourish, not burden. And that they look different in different couples. The spirit is found in flexibility, not performance. A quiet ten minutes of an honest check-in can sometimes do more than a grand weekend getaway. A quiet hand in hand while reading something together, rituals are something you decide to make with the couple and each couple is different from the other. Also missing a ritual doesn’t mean you’ve missed each other, sometimes, connection looks like resting in the same room in silence, knowing you’re held. The intention behind the ritual matters more than its frequency or form.

So whether it’s a 7-7-7 rule or a shared dua after Fajr, helping the other grow spiritually vs helping the other grow in their physical fitness goals, what counts is not how perfectly it’s done, but how genuinely it’s felt. These moments are invitations, not checkboxes, and when honored with kindness, they become sanctuaries where love quietly grows.

Choosing Each Other, Again and Again

If we were to create our own “Love Lab”, not just rooted in empirical findings like the Gottmans’, but enriched with Islamic and spiritual wisdom, we would likely discover that successful marriages are not devoid of conflict or free from hardship. Rather, they are built by couples who choose, again and again, to show up for each other in the small, unseen moments of daily life. They are held together by grace, not perfection. They battle not each other, but the whispers of Shaytan, who, as the Prophet ﷺ taught us, places his throne over the water and sends out his troops to sow discord, and the one he honors most is the one who causes separation between husband and wife (Sahih Muslim).

Harut and Marut were sent as a trial, and while they warned people not to disbelieve, some still misused the knowledge of magic they were exposed to, one of its earliest and most harmful misuses being to create separation between a husband and wife. This tells us something profound: the smallest unit of society, the marital bond, is so powerful that even our arched enemy (Iblees) targets it with special focus. And so, every kind glance, every act of patience during the micro-frustration moment, every micro-bid, every healthy micro-ritual responded to, becomes an act of resistance,  not just romantic, but spiritual.

So perhaps the real question isn’t, “Are we still compatible?” but “Are we still choosing each other?” In a world that often applauds dramatic gestures and instant gratification, it is the quiet, consistent choices, the ones no one sees, that hold the most power. Choosing to listen, to forgive, to sit close even in silence. Choosing to rebuild after rupture. Choosing to water love like it’s a garden, not a firework. Because love is not something we fall into once, it’s something we practice, again and again, together.

The post The Marriage is in the Micro: Frustrations That Destroy, Bids and Rituals That Build appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

What if I told you that being bored in your worship might actually be an opportunity for spiritual growth?

Stay with me.

You’re yawning while getting up to pray. You say “astaghfirullah” and remind yourself you’re standing in front of your Creator and should be more attentive… but you struggle.

You’re bored from Salah.

You get another WhatsApp message from a friend about a LaunchGood campaign for a personal or community tragedy. You click, donate the minimum to avoid guilt, and move on.

You’re bored with your sadaqah.

Another Monday, another Thursday, another fasting day. You get used to the hunger pangs. You don’t feel the spiritual ‘buzz’ from fasting anymore.

You’re bored from fasting.

If you’ve experienced any of the above, you’re not alone.

Why do we get bored with our worship?

I see boredom for someone sincerely trying to get closer to Allah as a stretch of ‘dryland’ between two spiritual oases. The first oasis was when they first tasted the sweetness of that worship. When Salah felt deep, when fasting brought clarity, when dhikr filled their heart with calm. The second oasis is the deeper level of worship waiting for them if they push through the dryness with consistency and sincerity.

Another way of thinking about this is that this boredom is like when you have been regular with the gym and you’re not getting those fitness gains you were getting when you first started working out. You’ve plateaued and you’re now in this zone where things aren’t improving and you don’t want to slide back. Do you quit the gym, or trust the process and keep showing up?

Boredom in worship can either kill our relationship with Allah or elevate it. Shaytaan wants to team up with your bored nafs and whisper, “You’re not feeling it anymore, so why bother?”

But what if that boredom is actually Allah’s invitation to worship Him with deeper sincerity? Sometimes Allah withdraws the sweetness of worship to reveal what’s truly in our hearts; are we worshiping for the spiritual high, or for Allah Himself? Other times, He may withdraw that sweetness because of our sins, gently calling us back to repentance and His forgiveness.

Regardless of how you feel, if you continue worshiping Allah despite boredom, you’re demonstrating the highest sincerity because you’re not doing it because it feels good, you’re doing it for Allah whether “it feels good” or “doesn’t feel good” and that takes real faith.

How to Deal with Spiritual Boredom1. Acknowledge it

Recognize you’re bored, but don’t let the tastelessness of your worship kill your appetite for worshipping Allah.

2. Renew your faith

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us:

Renew your faith by frequently saying ‘La ilaha illa Allah,’ for faith wears out in the heart just as clothes wear out from frequent use.
(Ahmad)

When your worship feels mechanical, flood your heart with dhikr (remembrance of Allah).

3. Add variety to your worship

Bored of Salah? Try a different masjid than the one you normally go to. Recite a different set of surahs in your Salah. Have a specific dua in your sujood for something you’re desperately seeking Allah’s help with.

4. Challenge yourself

That sadaqah you’re donating out of guilt? Double it! Better yet, make it a challenge where you get 10 contacts to join you. That fasting routine that’s become mundane? Try the fasting of Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him). He used to fast every other day. Sometimes our nafs needs a spiritual challenge to wake up from its slumber.

5. Take an intentional reset

Sometimes you need a break, not from worship, but from your routine. Travel, even locally, can help reset your spiritual state. Change your prayer spot at home. Read Quran in a park instead of your usual corner. Our hearts need new environments to rediscover the sweetness of our habits.

Remember, this is a journey of a lifetime. Allah says in the Quran:

And worship your Lord until there comes to you the certainty [i.e., death].
(Quran 15:99)

It’s natural to feel bored sometimes, just like it’s natural for a marathon runner to hit “the wall” at mile 20. But champions don’t stop running because it gets hard, they run through the wall, despite it being hard.

The next time worship feels tasteless, don’t despair. Smile knowing that you’re in good company; every sincere believer has walked this path. And somewhere in that boredom, Allah is preparing your heart for the next level of sweetness insha’Allah.

May Allah grant us sincerity in our worship, whether it feels sweet or we’re bored. Ameen.

The post Are you bored from your worship? appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

You know those mornings when you wake up and think, “This is going to be one of those days”?

Before you’ve even gotten out of bed, your energy feels drained. You’re dragging your feet to the bathroom. The thought of checking your calendar or to-do list makes you want to crawl back under the covers. You just want to lounge around and do absolutely nothing.

Guess what? Even Mr. “Productive Muslim” has those days.

Last Monday, I wrote about ‘ajz, that feeling when you want to do good but feel powerless to act. Today, I want to explore its close cousin: kasal (laziness).

While ‘ajz is “I want to, but I can’t,” kasal is “I want to, but I just don’t feel like it.”

Where does kasal (laziness) come from?

Before you can overcome kasal, you need to understand what’s driving it. Not all laziness is created equal, and the solution depends on the source.

1. Is it temporary fatigue?

Sometimes kasal is simply your body and soul saying, “We need rest.” You’ve been pushing hard, burning the candle at both ends, and now you’re running on empty. This type of laziness is actually your fitrah (natural disposition) protecting you from burnout.

2. Is it deeper burnout?

If your laziness has persisted for weeks or months, you might be dealing with complete exhaustion. This isn’t solved by a good night’s sleep; it requires a more substantial reset of your routines, priorities, and perhaps even your environment.

Another reason for deeper burnout is not having a clear high-himmah intention or purpose that drives you.

3. Is it spiritual?

Sometimes kasal has deeper roots than we realize. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us that:

When any one of you goes to sleep, the devil ties three knots at the back of his neck, sealing every knot with: ‘You have a long night, so sleep.’ So if one awakes and mentions Allah, a knot will be loosened; if he performs ablution, two knots are loosened; and if he prays, all knots will be loosened, and in the morning he will be active and in good spirits; otherwise he will be in bad spirits and sluggish in the morning.“
(Sahih Muslim)

Basically, our laziness might actually be the result of spiritual knots that weren’t untied through dhikr, wudu, and prayer.

But there’s another spiritual dimension to kasal that’s even more subtle. Have you ever noticed how laziness strikes hardest precisely when you’re about to do something meaningful? Just as you’re ready to start that important project, begin memorizing Quran, or launch that community initiative, suddenly you feel incredibly lazy.

This isn’t a coincidence. Shaytaan’s most effective tool isn’t always temptation; sometimes it’s simple procrastination through kasal (laziness). The closer you get to something meaningful, the stronger this spiritual resistance becomes. It’s as if an invisible force is pushing against your good intentions, making even simple tasks feel insurmountable.

How to overcome kasal (laziness)?1. Tackle Temporary Laziness with Intentional Rest

If your kasal is recent and you’ve been pushing yourself hard, then take a break with the intention of coming back stronger.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

Your body has a right over you.
(Bukhari)

Make this rest productive by sleeping well, eating nourishing food, and spending quality time with family and friends. Set a clear timeframe then get back in the game.

2. Break the Pattern with Salah

When you find yourself in a downward spiral of laziness, break the pattern with Salah. Remember the hadith about the three knots? Each act of worship (dhikr, wudu, and prayer) will refresh you and help you tackle laziness from a spiritual perspective.

3. Change Your Environment

If you’re sluggish at your desk, take your work to a coffee shop or library. Sometimes a simple change of scenery can break the kasal cycle.

4. Tap into Social Energy

In my Productive Muslim book, I talk about “Social Energy,” that unique energy that comes from being around people. When you feel lazy, reconnect with your team members, find an accountability partner, or go to the masjid and meet others. Sometimes the energy you lack individually can be borrowed from the collective spirit of others.

5. Seek Allah’s Help

The most powerful tool against kasal is the dua that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us:

“O Allah, I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by men.”
(Bukhari)

But don’t just recite it mechanically. When you say, “I seek refuge in You from incapacity and laziness,” visualize yourself being freed from these constraints. Feel the weight lifting. Trust that Allah can energize you in ways that coffee never could.

Kasal isn’t always bad. Sometimes it’s a signal, sometimes it’s just part of being human. And yes, sometimes it’s a spiritual attack that needs to be cured.

The key is not letting laziness become permanent. Understand where it’s coming from, address its root cause, and then, with Allah’s help, tackle it.

May Allah protect us from the kasal and ‘ajz. Ameen.

The post When You Just Don’t Feel Like It (Overcoming Laziness) appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

We’re all feeling it. That knot in our stomach whenever we see pictures of the unfolding genocide in Gaza and witness the hunger, starvation, and death.

It’s a heavy weight that presses down on us whenever we go through our daily routines. Unimaginable images flash through our phones between meetings, meals, and our comfortable beds.

“What kind of Muslim am I that I’m sitting comfortably while my brothers and sisters are suffering?”

Today, I want to talk about this guilt. Not to make it disappear, but to help you understand why it might be one of the most important spiritual signals you’re receiving.

The Guilt We Try to Escape

Our natural instinct is to run from discomfort. 

When guilt about Gaza hits us, we often try to reason it away:

“What can I really do? I’m just one person.”“It’s the governments who need to act, not individuals like me.”“I’ve already donated, shared posts, and made dua. What more can I do?”

We search for ways to feel better, to lighten this emotional burden so we can return to our normal lives without this pain.

But what if I told you that we shouldn’t try to eliminate this guilt, instead, we should use it as a spark for our hearts and the Ummah’s transformation.

The Guilt That Connects Us to Our Ummah

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy are just one body. When a limb suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever.
(Bukhari & Muslim)

The guilt you’re feeling is not a malfunction. It’s your spiritual immune system working exactly as Allah designed it.

When your physical body is injured, pain signals alert your brain that something needs attention. Similarly, when part of our Ummah is suffering, that spiritual discomfort you feel is your soul recognizing that the body of believers is wounded.

This guilt is actually a sign of healthy iman. It means your heart is still connected to the global community of believers. It means you haven’t become spiritually numb to others’ suffering.

The Prophet ﷺ also said:

Whoever does not care about the affairs of the Muslims is not one of them.
(Tirmidhi)

Your guilt is proof that you do care. Don’t wish it away, channel it.

From Guilt to Immediate Action

Yes, there are immediate actions we can take. The guilt should drive us to:

Donate consistently: Rather than one-time emotional giving, set up consistent daily/weekly donations that you can sustain. At the time of writing this newsletter, aid is starting to trickle into Gaza. Support reputable charities here.  Amplify with knowledge: Share what’s happening, not just the horrors but educate the uneducated about the history and the context for current events. Make dua intentionally: Dedicate specific sujoods and portions of your tahajjud or post-salah time exclusively to making dua for Gaza. 

Do the above but don’t stop there.

From Guilt to Long-Term Transformation

The most profound action you can take is to let this guilt transform you into a better Muslim, not just for Gaza, but for the long-term strength of our entire Ummah. 

Your discomfort about Gaza should drive you to strengthen your own relationship with Allah. Use this guilt as fuel to pray your five daily prayers with focus, pray tahajjud consistently, memorize Quran with renewed purpose, and study Islamic scholarship seriously. Every spiritually strengthened Muslim adds to our collective resilience.

Moreover, this crisis has exposed how intellectually, politically, and economically colonized we’ve become, dependent on others to resolve our own suffering. Let this guilt drive you toward civilizational consciousness. Start simple, like learning Arabic to understand the Quran or adopting the Hijri calendar more seriously. This isn’t just symbolic, it’s rewiring your mental framework toward an Islamic worldview.

Also, ask yourself, “What seeds can I plant today that might benefit the Ummah in 10, 20, or 50 years?” 

Maybe it’s:

Writing that book you’ve been thinking aboutStarting a business that creates halal employment opportunitiesRaising your children to be confident, capable Muslims who will serve the UmmahDeveloping skills that could contribute to Muslim communities worldwide

Your guilt about Gaza shouldn’t paralyze you or drive you to despair. It should drive you to plant seeds of positive change, both immediate and long-term.

When Guilt Becomes Sacred

The difference between ordinary guilt and sacred guilt is direction. Ordinary guilt turns inward, making us feel helpless and inadequate. Sacred guilt turns outward and upward, toward Allah (SWT) and toward service.

Ordinary guilt paralyzes us or leads to despair. Sacred guilt energizes us toward action.

Sacred guilt asks: “How can this pain I’m feeling be transformed into something beneficial?”

I’m not trying to make your guilt disappear so you can sleep better at night.

What I’m suggesting is that you sit with this sacred guilt and let it be a catalyst for both immediate action and long-term transformation.

This guilt is your soul’s way of saying: “I am connected to something larger than myself. I am part of an Ummah. What happens to them, happens to me.”

Don’t numb that feeling. Don’t run from that responsibility. Channel it into becoming the Muslim that can rise to meet moments like these with strength, wisdom, and meaningful action.

The guilt you feel today could be the spiritual fuel that transforms not just your own life, but contributes to the eventual victory and dignity our Ummah desperately needs insha’Allah.

May Allah accept our efforts and grant swift relief to our brothers and sisters in Palestine, Sudan, and everywhere Muslims suffer. May He transform our sacred guilt into sacred action, and may we be among those who answer the call of our wounded Ummah with both our hearts and our hands. Ameen.

The post The Guilt You’re Feeling? It’s Sacred appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

You refresh your news feed for the fifteenth time. Another video from Gaza. Another death toll. Another reminder that despite your university degree, your comfortable salary, and your access to information, you can do absolutely nothing meaningful to help. This crushing weight has a name in Arabic: ‘ajz.

‘Ajz is often translated as “deficiency” or “incapacity,” but these translations barely capture what this feeling really means. It’s not kasal (laziness); when you’re lazy, you want to do something but don’t feel like it. ‘Ajz is when you want to act but feel utterly powerless to do so, whether due to personal circumstances (lack of money, time, resources) or external barriers (politics, distance, systemic limitations).

The Crushing Weight of ‘Ajz

‘Ajz manifests in countless ways throughout our daily lives. Think about these scenarios:

You want to care for your aging parents, but you live in a different country.You have a great business idea that could serve the Ummah, but lack the capital to startYou want to run and get healthy, but an injury prevents you.

How do you maintain hope and purpose when you feel deficient in your ability to do good?

The Prophet’s ﷺ Experience with ‘Ajz

What gives me comfort is remembering that even our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ experienced something resembling ‘ajz during the Meccan period.

For thirteen years, he watched his companions tortured and killed. He saw Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) dragged across burning sand. He witnessed Yasir and Sumayyah (may Allah be pleased with them) murdered for their faith. He watched families torn apart and believers humiliated.

In those moments, what could he do? He was one man against an entire system of oppression. He couldn’t stop the torture. He couldn’t prevent the deaths. He couldn’t overthrow the powerful tribal structure overnight.

Yet he never despaired. He continued his mission with patience, knowing that Allah’s plan unfolds in His timing, not ours.

The transformation didn’t happen overnight. It took thirteen years of apparent ‘ajz before the Hijra to Madinah opened new possibilities. But those weren’t wasted years, they were years of building character, gathering sincere followers, and laying the foundations for our Ummah.

Three Islamic Responses to ‘Ajz

When we feel the weight of ‘ajz, Islam offers us a clear roadmap:

1. Never Despair in Allah’s Mercy

Allah SWT says:

“And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except for those who are astray?”
(Quran 15:56)

The moment we think, “What’s the point? I can’t do anything,” we’re stepping dangerously close to despair. This is exactly what Shaytaan wants; give up entirely because we can’t do anything meaningful.

We see this with Gaza; a lot of people who were passionate about Gaza when this whole situation started now feel quite helpless and have reached a place of despair.

2. Seek Refuge from ‘Ajz

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ regularly made this dua:

“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, helplessness (‘ajz) and laziness (kasal), miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being overpowered by men.”
(Bukhari)

Notice that he specifically sought protection from ‘ajz. This teaches us that feeling deficient is a spiritual challenge we should actively resist through dua and reliance on Allah.

3. Act Within Your Capacity

The Prophet ﷺ taught us that if we see the Day of Judgment starting and in the hands of one of us is a date palm tree, let him plant it. Imagine the feeling of helplessness when we see the Day of Judgment starting, yet we’re taught to do what we can within our capacity.

Practical Strategies for Overcoming ‘Ajz

Let me return to the examples I mentioned earlier and explore how we can transform ‘ajz into action:

Can’t visit your parents due to distance?

Schedule regular video calls at consistent times.Coordinate with local family members or neighbors to check on them.Send thoughtful gifts or hire services to support them.During every prayer, make dua for them.

Can’t start that business due to lack of capital?

Use this time to refine your business plan and strategy.Build relevant skills through online courses or mentorship.Network with potential partners or investorsStart a smaller version of your idea to test the concept.

Injured and can’t run?

Focus on upper body strength training or swimming.Use the time to study proper running technique and nutrition.Help coach or mentor other runnersDevelop a comeback plan with your physical therapist.

Feeling helpless about Gaza, Sudan, and global suffering?

Raise awareness through social media and conversationsDonate whatever amount you can afford to reputable charities.During the blessed times, make consistent dua for the oppressed.Educate your children about these issues so they grow up caring about them.

One thing I learnt is that when we try to tackle ‘ajz, it often forces us to think more creatively and broadly about how we can overcome our helplessness.

The Long-Term Perspective

Sometimes our ‘ajz won’t disappear overnight, and that’s part of Allah’s wisdom.

The Prophet ﷺ couldn’t transform Mecca immediately, but those thirteen years of apparent limitation prepared him and his community for the eventual victory. 

Your current limitations might be preparing you for future opportunities you can’t yet imagine. The financial constraints your business is facing today might be teaching you resourcefulness that will make you a better entrepreneur tomorrow. The ‘ajz our Ummah feels towards Gaza today, might be the painful wake up call our Ummah needed to wake up from its long slumber.

Your struggle with ‘ajz isn’t a sign of failure; it’s a sign of a heart that cares deeply about doing good.

Keep planting seeds, even in difficult soil. Keep making dua. Keep taking whatever small steps are available to you.

May Allah SWT remove all forms of ‘ajz from our lives and our Ummah. Ameen.

The post When You Want to Do Good But Can’t appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

In the last newsletter, I asked for your Salah stories. Thank you so much to everyone who sent in their Salah story and how it transformed them. I loved reading them and can’t wait to share some with you. The common theme across all the stories was that being intentional, mindful, and thoughtful about our Salah can transform our lives.

The challenge: for most of us (especially if you pray regularly), Salah has become a habit. It’s a task to check off, and it has lost its transformative power.

I started coining the term “Productive Salah” vs. “Unproductive Salah.”

What do I mean?

A productive Salah helps us become better versions of ourselves: spiritually, physically, and socially.

A productive Salah doesn’t just fulfill an obligation; it transforms your day and life.

If you’re truly present in your five daily prayers, you’re resetting yourself five times a day. In video game terms, you’re “restoring yourself” to the last “best” checkpoint to continue your life journey with renewed energy and focus.

You’re stepping out of the chaos of daily life and anchoring yourself in what truly matters. You’re trading anxiety for peace, scattered focus for clarity, and selfishness for God-consciousness.

Signs Your Salah is Becoming Productive

You know your Salah is productive when:

You feel spiritually fortified against Shaytaan’s whispers and the nafs’ desires. The Quran says “prayer prevents immorality and wrongdoing” (29:45). But how often do we experience this power? How often do we leave our prayer mat feeling prepared for the challenges ahead?You feel energized after sitting at your desk for a long time.Your relationships improve because you’ve practiced humility and gratitude five times daily.Your decision-making becomes clearer because you’ve regularly stepped back from the noise to connect with divine guidance.

This isn’t about turning prayer into a meditation exercise or productivity hack. It’s about recognizing that Allah designed Salah to be transformative, not just ritualistic.

What an “unproductive” Salah is: That’s a Salah without the above qualities. It’s soulless, doesn’t change you, and leaves you feeling the same or more rushed, stressed, and distracted.

To avoid Shaytaan’s tricks, keep praying regardless of whether your prayer feels productive. Don’t use this as an excuse to delay or stop praying. My challenge is to make each Salah an experience that transforms you, even a little.

How to Make Your Next Salah More Productive

Here are practical ways to shift Salah from a ritual to a meaningful experience:

1. #DropTheHammer

I once shared the story of a pious blacksmith who, upon hearing the call to prayer (adhan), would set aside his hammer mid-air, letting go of that last strike, to prepare for his prayer.

When I heard this story, I wondered what the ‘hammer’ symbolizes today. Is it that critical meeting with our boss? Or that Zoom call? Or that report you’re engrossed in because of a deadline?

How often have these ‘hammers’ delayed or caused us to miss our prayers?

What if, like the righteous blacksmith, we choose to ‘drop the hammer’ at the adhan?

This will let us prepare for Salah early, arrive early to our prayer mat, settle our hearts and minds, and use this time for dua and transition from dunya to akhirah mode.

2. #SlowSalah

I shared an article last year about #SlowSalah’s importance. I still think it’s the best way to enjoy a transformative Salah. Take time with each movement. Don’t rush through your ruku’ or sujood. Let your body settle into each position and allow your soul to catch up.

3. Have a Purpose for each Salah

My in-app running coach says each run needs to have a purpose. Without a purpose, my run training will be confused. I want to borrow this idea from running and apply it to Salah. In addition to fulfilling an obligatory ritual, have a purpose for each Salah. Maybe a specific dua for your upcoming Salah? Or practice a recently memorized surah? Or teach your kids the discipline of Salah?

4. Enjoy the Post-Salah Experience

Before resuming your day, spend a few minutes in the post-Salah Athkar. Do the post-Salah Athkar slowly and mindfully. Taking time to linger after Salah creates a richer spiritual experience than rushing back to your tasks.

These four practices have transformed my own prayer experience, and the research I’m doing suggests they work for others too. 

As I research Salah’s impact on our daily lives, I’m realizing this Divine technology touches everything from stress management to decision-making, relationship building to creative problem-solving. I can’t wait to share more insights with you in the future insha’Allah.

For now, I challenge you: Make your next prayer productive.

When you stand for your next Salah, remember you’re not just fulfilling an obligation. You’re accepting an invitation to change. Your Salah is productive when each prayer nudges you towards a better version of yourself: spiritually, physically, and socially.

May Allah SWT make all our Salah productive. Ameen.

The post Is Your Salah… Productive? appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

I was about to press play on another podcast about AI and business—a topic that’s fascinating me recently—when something made me pause.

We’re in the blessed 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah, the days where Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us that there are no days that good deeds are more beloved to Allah (SWT) than these 10 days. And he ﷺ encouraged us to fill these days with Takbeer.

So I found a YouTube playlist of continuous takbeerat and hit play. Within minutes, my home came alive with “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, la ilaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahi Alhamd”. Even my children joined in, saying it felt like Eid!

This got me thinking: In our hustle culture, we’ve been conditioned to believe every moment should be “productive”—filled with learning, networking, or advancing our careers. Spending time just saying “Allahu Akbar” can feel… “unproductive”.

There’s a spiritual cost to our endless productivity pursuit. When we fill every quiet moment with podcasts, audiobooks, or more work, we eliminate space for Allah’s remembrance. We become so focused on becoming better professionals that we forget to become better slaves (Abd) of Allah.

The genius of Islam is that it gives us spiritual seasons to remind us of our purpose in life: Ramadan forces us to slow down. The five daily prayers create mandatory pauses. And these ten days of Dhul-Hijjah? They’re asking us to step off the hamster wheel and witness the sacredness of these days and the year’s greatest event: The Hajj.

A Forgotten Practice

Abu Hurairah and Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) had a practice of going to the Madinah marketplace and reciting takbeer out loud.

Picture this: two of the most respected companions of the Prophet ﷺ, standing in the middle of the marketplace, declaring “Allahu Akbar” at the top of their voices. 

What moves me most about this story is that the merchants and customers didn’t ignore them or ask them to keep it down. Instead, they joined in, until the entire marketplace reverberated with the declaration that Allah is greater.

The people of Madinah understood something we’ve forgotten: bringing the sacred into our professional spaces isn’t disruption, it’s Barakah.

A Sacred Repetition

We often hear about the positive effects of repeating “positive mantras.” But here’s what makes “Allahu Akbar” infinitely more powerful than any secular mantra: we’re not just reprogramming our minds with positive thinking, we’re aligning ourselves with ultimate Truth.

Every time you say “Allahu Akbar,” you’re making a declaration that transcends your circumstances:

Allah is greater than your career anxieties.Allah is greater than your parenting challenges.Allah is greater than your marriage issues.Allah is greater than your financial worries.Allah is greater than endless to-do lists and looming deadlines.

Repeating this truth hundreds of times over these blessed days leads to a profound change. We’re not just coping with our challenges, we’re fundamentally reframing our relationship to them.

The Arabic word “takbeer” doesn’t just mean declaring Allah’s greatness, it comes from the root meaning “to magnify.” We’re magnifying our understanding of Allah’s power in our consciousness until our problems, no matter how large, feel so small.

Your Daily Takbeer Challenge

Here’s what I’m inviting you to do during these remaining blessed days, and I’m doing this alongside you:

Replace your usual audio diet. Instead of that productivity podcast during your commute, play takbeer. Instead of the audiobook while you exercise, let “Allahu Akbar” be your rhythm. It will feel strange at first, we’re so accustomed to consuming information that silence filled with dhikr can feel uncomfortable.
Transform your workspace. Play takbeer in your office. Between meetings, instead of scrolling your phone, spend a few minutes saying “Allahu Akbar.” When you’re stuck on a problem, let takbeer reset your mental state.
Involve your family. This isn’t meant to be a solo practice. Get your children involved—let them hear these blessed words filling your home. Make it feel special, different from regular days. Create an atmosphere where the sacred takes precedence over the routine.
Join the global chorus. You’re not alone in this. Right now, millions of Muslims worldwide, especially the pilgrims in Makkah, are engaged in this remembrance. It’s powerful to know your voice joins a worldwide declaration of Allah’s greatness.

This collective takbeer serves as individual and communal healing. As an Ummah, we’re reminding ourselves that Allah is greater than our challenges, the injustices we witness, and the pain our brothers and sisters endure in Gaza, Sudan, and worldwide. And with His Might and Power, can grant victory from where we don’t expect.

Preparing for the Day of Arafat

Repeating Takbeer isn’t just about filling time with good words, it’s a spiritual and mental preparation for the most powerful day of du’a in the Islamic calendar.

Every “Allahu Akbar” you say during these days is training your heart for the Day of Arafat. You’re not just going to stand before Allah on that blessed day with a list of complaints and requests. You’re coming with a heart conditioned to recognize His absolute sovereignty over everything that concerns you.

Repeat after me: “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, wa lillahi alhamd….” Now carry these words for the rest of your week.

The post 🔊 The Global “Allahu Akbar” Reprogramming appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.