“O Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your anger and in Your forgiveness from Your punishment, and I seek refuge in You from You. I can never do justice in praising You. You are as You have praised Yourself” [Muslim]

“A goal is only easy or hard relative to your vibe, which is a collection of your feelings, beliefs, thoughts and behaviours.”

Personal Case Study:

The task of writing seems an incumbent task to me which should always be done

the next day

when

i have more energy

and

when i feel more motivated to do it.

This ideal situation only occurs once every 3 months, if I am lucky(which means I will write one article in 2-3 years).

When this happens:

I clean my desk (procrastination)

Organize my folders and older writing pieces (Procrastination)

Try to write until it’s time to go to work or time to do other more important things.

BELIEFS:

Writing is a hard task and requires tremendous amounts of energy.

Writing should be done in a quiet and peaceful environment.

Writing can only be done effectively when my desk is clean and i have all the perfect equipment.

Writing usually ends up taking up a lots of time this means an hour or two(which is not a lot).

THOUGHTS:

Am I really cut out for this sort of thing?(self-doubt)

Is this really the optimal time?(Procrastination)

I should probably stick to doing something else, i am not good enough.(Self-doubt)

I have to get this done right now and i know I don’t have enough time to complete it.(Procrastination)

It is useless, I never go back and read my own stuff so it can’t really benefit me or anyone else.(Assumption)

BEHAVIOR:

I write for a day or 2 and find it valuable, still I end up doing other things and avoid writing.

Missing a day breaks the cycle and going back to it is seems useless. (Fear of Failure)

Reading pervious material is time consuming, and the writing is not in the same paradigm (Assumption)

It is assuring every time i write that I am actually interested in my potential or in self-exploration.

CONCLUSION:

Writing is an insightful activity which engages in and cultivates self-exploration and channels energy towards creative insight of self.

Approaching the goal with this vibe is empowering and yields better results. For example this article you are currently reading written within an 60 mins.

Exercise: (you can even do this in your head):

What is one important task which always seems daunting to me?

What is the first thing that I think about when I think of doing it ?

What are my beliefs about this goal?

What do I think about when I think of approaching this goal?

How do I behave when I approach this goal or when I think of approaching this goal?

The greatest pair of things is Implementation coupled with Kindness.”

Translated by: Mohammad Al Shareef

On thee I depend, I consider thee as my protector and to thee I turn my face

O God, you are the object of my trust and you are my hope

You are sufficient for what troubles me and what you know of me.

It is Glory to live in thy neighborhood, thy presence is sufficient.

There is no deity but thee.

O God, increase my God fear, Pardon my sins, guide me towards good wherever I go.

This is a prayer which I wrote down in a note book once I came across a little book which had the prayers of the prophet written by Ibn Qayyam. If anyone come across the arabic version please let me know. On my next trip to toronto I will see if i can find the book in the Reference library and scan it or something. Its from an old book, never the less its beauty is contained in the verses.

‘O my daughter, if it were deemed unnecessary to give you this advice because of good manners and noble descent, then it would have been unnecessary for you, because you posses these qualities, but it will serve as a reminder to those who are forgetful, and will help those who are wise.
‘O my daughter, if a woman were able to do without a husband by virtue of her father’s wealth and her need for her father, then you of all people would be most able to do without a husband, but women were created for men just as men were created for them.

‘O my daughter, you are about to leave the home in which you grew up, where you first learned to walk, to go to a place you do not know, to a companion to whom you are unfamiliar. By marrying you, he has become a master over you, so be like a servant to him, and he will become like a servant to you.

‘Take from me ten qualities, which will be a provision and a reminder for you.

‘The first and second of them are: be content in his company, and listen to and obey him, for contentment brings peace of mind, and listening to and obeying one’s husband pleases Allah.

‘The third and fourth of them are: make sure that you smell good and look good; he should not see anything ugly in you, and he should not smell anything but a pleasant smell from you. Kohl is the best kind of beautification to be found, and water is better than the rarest perfume.

‘The fifth and sixth of them are: prepare his food on time, and keep quiet when he is asleep, for raging hunger is like a burning flame, and disturbing his sleep will make him angry.

‘The seventh and eighth of them are: take care of his servants (or employees) and children, and take care of his wealth, for taking care of his wealth shows that you appreciate him, and taking care of his children and servants shows good management.

‘The ninth and tenth of them are: never disclose any of his secrets, and never disobey any of his orders, for if you disclose any of his secrets you will never feel safe from his possible betrayal, and if you disobey him, his heart will be filled with hatred towards you.

‘Be careful, O my daughter, of showing joy in front of him when he is upset, and do not show sorrow in front of him when he is happy, because the former shows a lack of judgment whilst the latter will make him unhappy.
‘Show him as much honor and respect as you can, and agree with him as much as you can, so that he will enjoy your companionship and conversation.

‘Know, O my daughter, that you will not achieve what you would like to until you put his pleasure before your own, and his wishes before yours, in whatever you like and dislike. And may Allah choose what is best for you and protect you.”