The Barakah Effect

Ahlan ya Ramadan! The "Treasures from Qur'an" series returns, as the team at The Barakah Effect are hosting a special series of Live episodes dedicated to sharing some reflections (tadabbur) of some of our favorite surah and ayah from the Book of Allah. Come & join us this Sunday 26th March 2023 on the 4th day of Ramadan 1444AH, as together, we ponder and reflect upon the Divine Words of the Almighty, extracting some important life lessons and practical wisdoms from the Final Revelation. Kicking off the series in for Ramadan this year, brother Amir will be sharing some of his selected gems from the 70th Surah: Al-Maarij. See you there! BarakAllahu fikum

A common thing we share with everybody else is that we all are in pursuit of happiness. Some tirelessly chase after money, while others obsess about finding the perfect spouse. Today, we see so many people do unbelievable things all in the name of "happiness". So this begs us to ask: what is the true meaning of happiness? Where can we actually find contentment in this chaotic world we live in? In this book entitled "8 Steps to Happiness", the author Shaykh Abdur Rahman Bin Nasir as-Si'di (may Allah have mercy on him) penned down 8 profound ways for a person to achieve true happiness and simultaneously get rid of sadness, grief and anxiety all through the lenses of the Quran and Sunnah. The book addresses everyone, especially Muslims who are struggling to achieve real contentment. What's great about the book is that the content put forth in it is so relevant for people of this generation, even though the book was written before the 60s! In this book review discussion, we review "8 Steps to Happiness" to unravel the following: ✅ The true meaning of happiness ✅ The summary and main theme of these 8 steps ✅ Points which stood for us ✅ Why you should read it Hopefully, this review is enough to encourage you guys to pick up a copy and read it. May Allah grant us to benefit from the works of our rightly-guided scholars.

Ever seen this pocket-sized book lying around somewhere? Perhaps you've seen it been given out like free doorgifts at a walimah. You might have seen some iteration of it as a digital application in the Appstore or Google Play. So, what is it? And why is it so popular? This is Hisnul Muslim - translated as "Fortress of the Muslim", compiled by Said Al-Qahtani. This important book captures the recorded daily sayings and practices of our beloved Prophet ﷺ in various situations, so that we too can emulate them, and carry them as treasures for the rest of our lives. True to its title, the Fortress of the Muslim serves as a fortification of knowledge composed in a simple arrangement, making it an easy reference for common Muslims everywhere. In this episode, we break down and review Fortress of the Muslim to uncover: ✅The features of this book ✅Inspirational personal stories connected to the book ✅What stood out for us - why it's such a Legend! ✅How to best use/approach the book May Allah allow us to benefit from this immense work on the Sunnah of Rasulullah ﷺ.

Do you fear public speaking? It affects more of us than you think. In fact, studies show that up to 75% of the population experience this debilitating anxiety. And if you, like us at The Barakah Effect happen to be in that majority, this episode is for you! Can we rise above our fears of public speaking? It might just be that key to unlock our potential for growth; to galvanize, empower and inspire. In this episode we demistify what’s behind the fear of public speaking relating from our own experiences, and discuss practical strategies to overcome it.

Assalamualaikum. Hi friends! It's Faisal here and for this episode, I review "Good to Great" by Jim Collins. It's a title that you've probably heard so many times it's practically become a professional cliché or a corporate meme by now 😂. In this book, which is arguably one of the most influential and often cited business books of our modern times, author Jim Collins and his team produce a work based on extensive research of how some average companies break free from mediocrity and explode into GREATNESS, far ahead of their peers in the Fortune 500 ranks. I don't normally read business books, but this book turned out to be one of my favorites, and I was genuinely surprised at how useful and practical the themes and ideas are, not only to drive organizations and businesses but also for personal development. Themes like Level-5 Leadership, the Flywheel, Confronting the Brutal Facts (Yet Never Lose Faith), and the hedgehog concept: are timeless principles we can implement, many of which are surprisingly already taught - either directly or implied indirectly - in the Qur'an and Sunnah! In this book review discussion with brother Aziz, I summarize the core themes and approach of the book and give emphasis to sharing some of the concepts which I resonate with the most, and some practice ideas of how we can implement these ideas in our lives, where it be: ✅ Our Day to day interactions at the workplace ✅ Our careers ✅ Parenting ✅ Da'wah efforts ✅ The Barakah Effect podcast itself Hope you guys find this discussion beneficial, and insha Allah, can learn a thing or two to help you propel yourselves and those around you to achieve that breakthrough into greatness! Time stamps / chapters 0:00:00 Intro - Why Faisal selected this book 0:07:53 Overview & Summary: What is this book about? 0:10:49 The eleven Good-to-Great companies 0:14:45 Writing style & accessibility 0:19:21 Summary of Ideas 0:24:34 Ideas that impacted Faisal the most: "Good is the Enemy of Great" 0:26:09 Level-5 Leadership 0:34:34 the Prophet was the Level 5 0:37:44 Confront the Brutal Facts 0:44:52 Remembering Death 0:45:54 The Flywheel concept 0:52:49 Seerah of the Prophet: flywheel in practice 0:59:43 Closing thoughts: Unexpected personal lessons from the Book

In this episode, we discuss the art of collaboration and working with others. The habits of likeable people; the kind of people you want to work with, who are appreciated when present and missed when they are away. Is it a skill we can learn? Or is it something that we are innately born with? We cover two important aspects: 1. Why should we talk about it, and who is it for? 2. Becoming more likeable at work Come let’s join us!

Assalamualaikum, I’m Abdul Aziz. I'll be the first to review a book for the TBE's new book review segment. I don’t know about you guys, but there was a time in my life “I was wondering why does Allah create us and the universe.” I was too shy to ask the teacher and would always ignore searching for the answer too. I was browsing through a bookstore one day when I came across this thin book titled The Purpose of Creation. Then I wonder how a 74-page book can answer such a big question. Out of curiosity, I read the book in only one sitting. Surprisingly, the author did an excellent job of answering such a complex question in simple English and explaining it concisely according to the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ teachings. After reading this book, I am grateful that Islam has clearly stated the purpose of creation. Without the knowledge of the purpose of creation, we will live to wander aimlessly throughout life. Come and join the book review. May Allah guide us and make us from the people who fulfill our purpose of creation. Ameen. Get the book at: Dakwah Bookstore: https://www.dakwahbookstore.com/product/purpose-creation-pb/ Shopee (Malaysia) : https://invle.co/clegrdf

The subject of pornography is a subject that is considered taboo and shameful, and therefore rarely ever talked about publicly, especially among us shy Malaysians Pornography is one of those problems in society that we KNOW is a major issue, but we never really want to talk about. Either it’s because  🤔 We are ignorant of how harmful it truly is to society, Or, that  🙈 We choose to be in denial and think “nah, not me, my family is not affected.. We’re FINE insha Allah”, or  😟 If we are struggling with this ourselves, we feel a sense of shame, we consider this as our own personal struggle and therefore isolate ourselves from finding solutions In this episode, brought to you in collaboration with the AWARE academy, we at The Barakah Effect would like to make a conscious effort to stop being in denial, and play our role towards being a solution to heal the ummah from pornography. We talk about ✅ Why should we discuss this subject? How pornography negatively impacts your productivity, your marriage, your iman, and society at large ✅ What causes pornography addiction? Why is it so addictive and why is it so difficult to quit? And, what makes it even worse now in the 21st century, compared to how it was in the past ✅ Solutions: How can we play our roles - as an individuals and as a society - to help overcome, prevent and heal our ummah from pornography? This episode is also intended to instill a sense of optimism and hope. If you - or anyone you personally know - is currently facing this problem of addiction to pornography, we’re not here to condemn you. We are here to provide solutions. There is a way out. You are not alone. There are thousands out there who are also struggling with this, too, and, here’s the good news: on the bright side, there are also thousands of those out there who have successfully repented and quit their addiction to porn! Please do share this episode with others, with at least one person, ESPECIALLY if you know of someone who is struggling with this addiction  If you need any assistance or support, or have your own success story and would like to play a role to contribute, we would love to hear from you, please do reach and get in touch with us, insha Allah Time stamps 0:00:00 Start 0:09:50 Part A: WHY talk about this topic? What's the big deal? Stop being in denial 0:13:57 The Islamic perspective 0:19:50 Dangeously Accessible: Your children are only one wrong Google search away from p0rn! 0:25:44 Halal intimacy and "s€x" in Islam 0:29:19 Endless novelty - How P0Rn pollutes the Fitrah 0:34:10 Imprinted in memory: how P0rn destroys your ibadah 0:35:38 Shocking: How P0Rn can lead one to kufur & abandoning Islam 0:39:54 Part B: CAUSES of P0RN Addiction 0:43:43 Poor S€X education and ignorance: encourages "learning" through P0RN 0:46:06 Understanding Dopamine: How P0RN hijacks your brain & destroys willpower 0:50:03 Protecting our children: S€X education the Need to upskill ourselves & take responsibility 0:54:19 Part C: SOLUTIONS - How to Heal our Ummah from P0RN 0:59:13 You MUST Seek Help 1:04:48 Joining Online Communities, e.g. Nofap OTHER RESOURCES:  AWARE Academy https://awareacademy.com.au  Your Brain On Porn - latest research on effects of internet porn https://www.yourbrainonporn.com  NoFap - Porn Addiction Recovery - https://nofap.com  Reboot Nation community - https://rebootnation.org  “Halal Intimacy from an Islamic Perspective” by Abdullateef Abdullahi - https://www.dakwahbookstore.com/product/halal-intimacy-dcb/

When we started The Barakah Effect Podcast, we aim to share our experiences and ideas about how to improve our work and life to gain success in this world and the Akhirah. We're excited to release this week's episode to you: 40 Easy Productivity Tips to Enhance your Life This is a collective tip from The Barakah Effect team that they use in their daily lives. The tips cover techniques and mindsets for getting things done and improving not only your life but also your ibadah. That you can put it into action immediately. You can pick and choose which tips are relevant to you. So, turn up the volume, prepare your notes, and enjoy the discussion. TIME STAMPS 0:04:29 #1 Design our Environment 0:08:22 #2 Strengthen your intention 0:10:13 #3 Share knowledge or teach others 0:13:28 #4 Seize the Early mornings, start the day right 0:17:10 #5 Housekeeping: Tidy up when you're done 0:19:11 #6 Tawakkal and making du'aa 0:22:39 #7 Keep busy & engaged with responsibilities 0:24:17 #8 Taqwa: The Key to attaining Rizq 0:25:52 #9 Make it Easy: Break tasks into small, accessible chunks 0:29:50 #10 Prioritize: Focus on the elephant, then the rabbits 0:34:11 #11 Journalling: Write down your thoughts 0:39:49 #12 Hasten to good deeds. Just do it 0:43:42 #13 Pomodoro technique: short bursts of work, sandwiched with breaks 0:46:44 #14 Don't waste time 0:48:20 #15 Be Humble 0:52:21 #16 Fully utilise your idle time e.g. Commuting 0:54:34 #17 The two-minute rule: Remedy for procrastination 0:55:32 #18 Be patient, stay positive 0:57:12 #19 Adapt to Boredom 0:59:53 #20 Consistently but moderately 1:02:11 #21 Rest. Relax. Recharge. Get adequate sleep  1:08:08 #22 Self-awareness: identifying your strengths and weaknesses  1:10:11 #23 Exercise  1:14:11 #24 Eating moderately, taking care of your food intake  1:15:28 #25 Daily Qur'an Recitation and reflection

What Legacy Do You Want to Leave Behind? | 060 When we started The Barakah Effect, one of the key drivers that motivated us to start this project was, “What legacy do you wish to leave behind?” What do we what to be remembered for? How do we live our lives in such a way that we consider them to be “fulfilled”? يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَلْتَنْظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ “O you who have believed, fear Allah. And let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow” (Surah Al-Hasyr 59:18) The thought of having a legacy can be the driving force that moves us everyday to take action towards a clear life goal. It requires self-discovery, knowing where we stand and our roles in this Dunya with the talent Allah has given us. Having listened to our awesome guests share their take on the legacy they wish to leave behind, in this episode of The Barakah Effect podcast, it's our turn to have a go at it! In this discussion, we talk about: ✅ Back to Basics: Why having a "legacy" is important and some Islamic perspectives about leaving a meaningful legacy; ✅ Some thoughts on our guests’ aspirations; and ✅ The legacy that we ourselves wish to leave behind. May this episode inspire us all to be people of high aspirations, and may Allah grant us the iman, strength, and steadfastness to attain them! Timestamps: 0:00:00 INTRODUCTION 0:02:42 Why discuss "What Legacy do you want to leave behind?" 0:08:39 To leave a legacy is a blessing from Allah 0:13:03 Case study: Nafi - How a former slave can leave behind a great legacy 0:19:04 Keep your intention sincere: not a legacy for selfish or narcsissidtic reasons 0:23:18 Seven Habits: What do you want people to say about you at your deathbed? 0:27:07 Some thoughts about what our guests have shared of their aspirations 0:29:25 to Have a Good Remembrance on the tongue of the believers 0:33:50 Focus on your niche & what you are good at 0:39:47 People might not know, notice or recognize your contribution, and that's okay - don't worry if your works "drown" or "fade into oblivion" 0:43:26 Be steadfast and don't compromise - time will tell 0:47:44 Leave the outcome to Allah, Don't be overly concerned about failure 0:51:02 Sharing from The Barakah Effect team members: what legacy do WE want to leave behind? 0:55:28 Faisal - his aspirations 1:04:01 Aziz - his aspirations 1:06:58 Amir - his aspirations 1:09:50 Reza - his aspirations