A PRODUCTIVE MUSLIM

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatu

Being busy at work all day sipping coffees and typing away on the computer doesn’t mean we should forget Our Great Lord, Allah. There are many ways we can remember Allah  while at work, walking, taking a jog, a stroll in the park, whichever. So we found various ways that you can adopted Islam in your life  In Sha Allah it will be beneficial.

COMMUTING HABITS.

A very important habit to be concious of is what you do in your daily commutes to work or school. Most people spend on average about 30-45 minutes commuting to work school, and in some cities this stretches to 2-3 hours. Instead of wasting these hours in thoughts, waiting for the bus or train to stop at your destination, build your daily commutes to include productive activities such as listening to beneficial audiobooks from different sheikhs on different topics or podcasts, planning your day and involving some Qur'an time, journaling, thinking strategically for the year, have time for Islamic books too, etc.

FIRST HOUR AT WORK.

What you do in the first hour of work will determine how productive you’ll be for the rest of the day. Thus, developing the right habits for the first hour of your work is crucial to building a productive lifestyle at work. The most important habit to STOP yourself doing is checking e-mails first thing in the morning! Many productivity experts advise against such a habit because it truly makes you submit to other people’s “urgent” demands and requests and you’re not in control on what gets done first. (Unless it is acceptably urgent). Take a chill read the morning adhkaar to freshen up your day. There is nothing more productive than having Allah first in your everyday life.

Now, while getting on with your day...

First be sure to pray Salah at work. Prayer is the perfect break for your mind and soul, allowing you to praise Allah  while relaxing yourself as well. Salah does take priority over work don’t let work ever become an excuse to miss Salah! And after don't rush it too, take some time and also do the adhkaars after Salah.

Secondly read Islamic books during lunch hour. This helps you gain Islamic knowledge instead of being involved with work 24/7. If you are not a big fan of reading, pick up a nasheed CD and pop it in your stereo in the car or listen on your iPod. You can sit with friends too (of the same gender) and have talks that will have more value to them and you, bit by bit you can invite them into Islam, clear out misconceptions, advise them, tell them this what we do, such talks.

Thirdly you can involve yourself in charitable activities. This doesn’t necessarily have to be financial, even helping someone crossing the road will count. Not only will you be helping out people in greater need than yourself, but you will also be pleasing Allah.

INVOLVING IN YOUR FAMILY LIFE.

We all have an endless list of things to do after we return home from work, including cooking, cleaning and looking after the children. However, it is possible to incorporate “deen building” into all these activities:

Firstly read the Qur'an together. Take time out every now and then to reflect on the Glorious Qur’an with your family. Even if it’s only 20 minutes a day, it is definitely worth doing this together! Excite them in the themes and stories of each Surah and the lessons.

Second watch Islamic lectures together. There is YouTube, a big phenomenon these days and it’s great for us Muslims too. The number of interesting Islamic lectures available are endless, so get on the Internet and have a look. Let them ponder on it and invite questions especially with kids, they can never end and its a good thing too.

Third, prepare meals together. Why should you have to cook alone? Try and get your children and husband involved! Not only will the meals be prepared quicker, but you can also discuss your day with each other. Especially in Ramadan, preparing Iftar together will allow you to reflect on the fast that you are undertaking collectively. Explain to the children about Rizq, thanking Allah for every fill and also Israf.

Such examples can be beneficial and with the help of Allah, it is possible to balance your family life, work and deen even if you are a woman in this 'busy modern age'. Don’t give up and become overwhelmed by just one aspect in your life. Prioritize your roles and keep giving your best knowing that Allah will always be there for you!

And Allah knows best.