The Barakah Effect

Stay tuned... Season 2 of the Barakah Effect podcast is coming up. إن شاء الله!

“Jom sembang politik!” Apakah perasaan anda ketika mendengar penyataan ini? Tak sabar nak kongsi pendapat?  Tak sabar nak dengar pendapat? Adakah tidak sembang tentang politik menunjukkan kita tidak peduli hak-hak kita ataupun masa depan anak-anak kita? Politik tidak dapat dipisahkan daripada kehidupan. Kerana apa yang berlaku dalam dunia politik akan beri impak dalam hidup kita. Namun tahukah anda, sebagai seorang muslim anda juga mempunyai tanggungjawab terhadap pemimpin-pemimpin anda? Sebagai penutup untuk musim pertama The Barakah Effect Podcast ini, kami kembali dengan edisi Bahasa Melayu untuk mengupas topik yang selalu menjadi perbualan hangat.  Jom sembang!

We all have life experiences that we aren't proud of. Failures, mistakes, a dark sinful past, perhaps even traumatic life experiences which have profound long term impacts in our lives and they can be very difficult. Because of these “negative experiences”, sometimes we live a life paralyzed by fear, we stick in our comfort zones, afraid to take action or refuse to reach out, or live a bitter and resentful life of regrets, or one that is constantly reminiscing wishful thinking of "What if I had done this?" or “oh I wish I could have done that instead” All of these have a severely damaging impact on our lives, not only as Muslims but could also affect our productivity and become a huge barrier against achieving success. So in this episode of The Barakah Effect podcast, we share some principles and ideas about how we, as Muslims, should approach mistakes, failures and regrets. In this episode, we discuss about isikharah, taubah, the role of regret, the Islamic perspectives in the belief in qadar. And how, with these principles, we can embrace our mistakes and "failures" as stepping stones towards achieving success. We also share some stories from our professional experiences - and the common dilemma: should we apologize for our mistakes, especially in the professional environment?

“And cooperate with one another in righteousness and piety" This profound and often quoted ayah from Surah Al Ma'idah is one of the key essence of Al Islam: to work together for the sake of Allah, towards the achieving the pleasure of Allah As we explored in the previous episode, it does not necessarily mean that we have to be an Ustadh to be able to participate in giving da’wah. Everyone has something to offer from our unique skills and efforts towards doing our bit to achieve the goals of da’wah In this episode, we continue exploring the attitudes and strategies that we, as common muslims can implement to insha Allah attain the great rewards of giving da’wah, despite not being an Ustadh.

"Convey from me, even with a single ayah” (Muslim) These words are one of the inheritance that Rasulullah ﷺ left for his Ummah, and we are fully aware that da’wah is one of the greatest deeds that one can invest in for the akhirah,  But, I’m not an Ustaz, how can I give da’wah? Is there a way for us, common muslims to also gain the rewards that Allah had promised for the one who conveys His religion? In this episode, we discuss the solutions, tips and attitudes that the common muslim can adopt to convey the religion using our strengths and skillsets as an advantage, despite not having the title of an Ustaz.

Does it matter who gets the credit? It's often a thought that plague us in our day to day matters, especially in the setting of the professional working environment. On one hand, we might say, "we should uphold the quality of sincerity, don't be so calculative about our contributions, just be grateful and patient on whatever the outcome is”. This is an exemplary attitude, but how can we address the aspect of adequate compensation to those who put in the work to go the extra mile? On the other end, when we put an overemphasis on giving credit to individual contributions, it might inadvertently create a culture of selfishness, lack of teamwork and trust, and unethical practices such as backstabbing each other to get ahead. In this episode, we discuss about balancing out the aspects of “professionalism” and justice in adequate compensation, including the Islamic attitudes such as ikhlas, qadr of Allah, patience, tawakkul (trust in Allah), justice, even the characteristics of Muslims such as humility and having high aspirations - how all of these come together holistically in this challenge about managing who deserves the credit Note: we recorded this episode even before we launched the podcast so please do excuse us on the quality aspects :)

Is the COVID-19 pandemic is planned by the “hidden hand”? or a cover-up by the Government? Before the real big event occurs? Are the bad things that happen in this world is a plot by evil people? What about 5G? Can it control our minds and body? Are these facts or just conjectures? In this week's episode of #TheBarakahEffect podcast, we discuss the topic of Conspiracy Theories: Debunk, Embrace or Ignore? We will be discussing why this topic is so important, especially in this internet era where information spread like a viral infection. Which may be true, false or maybe a mix of both.  The team also share their own personal experiences of how they were deeply involved and influenced by these theories, how they changed their worldview, and what they learnt from them.  Most importantly, we discuss: what is the right Islamic approach to these conspiracy theories? What are the right attitudes and mindsets we should approach Conspiracy Theories?

The great companion Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud رضي الله عنه once said: "Train yourselves upon goodness, for indeed goodness is found in that which is habitual" When we reflect upon these words, we find that it is precise and transcends any time period, as it is the nature of human beings to have habits and routines. But how can we effectively apply this statement practically in our lives today? In this episode of “Breaking Bad Habits: Quitting Addictions and Sins Part 2”, we continue to explore the many strategies and applications on how to cultivate good habits and kick out the bad ones, considering our daily challenges and obstacles.

If you feel that implementing the Sunnah is difficult, this episode is for you. One of the evident proofs that we sincerely love our beloved Prophet ﷺ is that we follow his teachings and his guidance in all aspects of our lives. And by following the Prophet ﷺ is a sign of our love for Allah. As mentioned in the Quran, Surah Ali 'Imran, 31, Allah said: "Say (O Prophet): “If you really love Allah, then follow me, and Allah shall love you and forgive your sins. Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful” In this episode, titled "Reviving the Sunnah in our lives: Where do we start?", we touch on the common misconceptions in our society at large about Sunnah. We also dive into why we should implement the Sunnah of our Prophet ﷺ in our lives. Lastly, we explore practical tips on how to start implementing and reviving the Sunnah in our lives from practical experiences and from the advice that we get from our scholars and teachers.

Habits - It is at the very fabric of what makes us human, and it is one of the amazing traits that Allah has blessed us with. From the good and the bad, once habits become intertwined with our daily or subconscious actions, it can really have a real influence on who we are today and even on the trajectory of our lives. Question is, have we ever taken stock to recognise our bad habits and its impacts on us and the people around us? Some bad habits may even be sins that we subconsciously do which might be detrimental to us in the long run. In a Hasan hadith collected by Ibnu Majah, Rasulullah ﷺ said, “When the believer commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents and gives up that sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished. But if (the sin) increases, (the black spot) increases. In this episode, we explore why recognising bad habits are important, we look at personal examples from the brothers and explore strategies to break free from the bad habits. P/s: Stay with us to the end to meet our special guest