"I want to learn Arabic" - Have you ever said this to yourself or others before? I know I did prior to beginning my journey. As a student (albeit struggling) I show you EXACTLY how to start today. The modern age brings with it problems. We love to bemoan these problems. But what about the benefits? 20 year ago we would not be able to book an Arabic lesson with a qualified teacher from Egypt whilst sitting in your residence in the West. We would perhaps validly say "if only I could go to Egypt to...
Oct 25, 2021•7 min
If you are living in the West, should you bother to learn your mother tongue or ancestral language? If you are a second-generation immigrant then should you learn the language of your ancestors? In this podcast, I argue that you should do so for a number of reasons. Firstly, a lot of people understand a language but cannot speak it. Therefore, they cannot transmit the language or teach it. This, in effect, is a sign that the language is being cut off from future generations. Why should you care?...
Oct 13, 2021•8 min
In this podcast, I discuss the topic of increasing "willpower" by dividing it into 4 components which can be classed as the factors somewhat in our control that we can experiment with and manipulate to improve our level of willpower. All of these topics require individual episodes as this podcast serves merely as an outline. These are: 1)Eeman (certainty of faith, having an akhirah-centric World view) 2)Mindset (Growth Mindset vs Negative Thinking) 3)Body (Sleep, Diet, fitness, etc) 4) Hacks/Too...
Sep 21, 2021•20 min
In this video/podcast I discuss a clip I came across in which Moeen Ali can be seen celebrating a win in Cricket with his team mates until they involve alcohol - at which point he and Adil Rashid can be seen literally running off stage. This video gained hundreds of thousands of views and it made me think about why we as Muslims feel a sense of pride when we see observant Muslims acting in accordance with their faith despite external pressures to fit in or avoid "awkwardness". A similar Lesson c...
Aug 17, 2021•7 min
Ameer Khan and I worked together as part of the Islamic Society leadership whilst studying at University. He is now a sports journalist working for the BBC. We discuss the benefits of joining an Islamic Society or Muslim Students Association whilst at University and we draw upon some of our experiences to offer advice (in sha Allah) to young people at University or otherwise. If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the suc...
Aug 07, 2021•52 min
A broad discussion with Br Maarten Van Elst on the role of factors outside of our control on attaining Worldly Success; meritocracy and social mobility; Practical tips to effectively use Social Media; effects of the internet age on personal identity; whether self-discipline is overrated and the "Tony Robbins Islam" & more. Brother Maarten is the first guest to appear on the podcast for a second time. Find out more about Maarten at www.muslimfit.com If this content makes you think, you find i...
Jun 25, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Ustadh Mu'aawiyah Tucker graduated from the University of Madinah in 2008 from the faculty of Shari'ah. He now runs Cryptohashreview.com - a resource for educating Muslims on cryptocurrency. Investing in Bitcoin for Muslims? - Masterclass with Ustadh Mu'aawiyah Tucker Is investing in Bitcoin Halal? One of many questions in this interview with Ustadh Mu'Aawiyah Tucker. (Timestamps below) If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua ...
Mar 26, 2021•1 hr 41 min
Ustadh Daniel Haqiqatjou worked in a corporate job for 7 years. Learn how he transitioned from feeling like a failure working as an intern to exiting his corporate role. A humorous clip asking him how he dealt with Christmas party invitations. Hear a different side of Daniel. If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊). Sign up for just ONE email per week containing lin...
Mar 15, 2021•11 min
Gabriel Al Romani explains why he argues that there is a crisis of masculinity. This provides some background and context into his views in light of the recent controversy involving Mufti Menk's knitting video refutation which garnered a lot of attention on social media. If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊). Sign up for just ONE email per week containing links to...
Mar 05, 2021•8 min•Ep. 27
It was an immense honour interviewing Ustadh Gabriel Al Romani (see below for Bio) who was very gracious in offering his time to this project. This series aims at interviewing inspiring “Optimized Muslim” personalities and trying to delve deeper into their mindset and way of thinking intending to discover practical tips we can apply in our lives. Please enjoy this wide ranging interview on a range of topics pertaining to self-development from setting goals, finding purpose, practising what you p...
Feb 23, 2021•56 min
You may have heard about visualising or “the law of attraction” in the context of pursuing “success” in the worldly life. In this video, I talk about how this technique can be used as part of a spiritual practice to help us to become better Muslims. It is part of a larger message – that we take practical steps to improve our faith. I came across visualisation being used in the Islamic context whilst reading Sheikh Hamza Yusuf’s Purification of the Heart. “If athletes include as part of their tra...
Feb 22, 2021•10 min
Hayder Khan delves deep in a wide-ranging interview about how he was able to lose 40kg and maintain his new healthy outlook on life. Use the Timestamps below to skip to relevant parts of the Podcast TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Structure of Interview 03:13 Introducing Br Hayder 05:40 How the weight loss journey started (motivation) 12:00 Growing through Hardships 15:40 Islamic perspective on controlling food intake 17:50 Excuses, being “big boned” & genetics 24:53 The Methods he used ...
Dec 19, 2020•59 min
It was an immense pleasure interviewing Ustadh Daniel Haqiqatjou who was very gracious in offering his time. This series aims at interviewing inspiring “Optimized Muslim” personalities and trying to delve deeper into their mindset and way of thinking intending to discover practical tips we can apply in our lives. The content will only get better in sha Allah – constructive feedback most welcome. I have learned much from his writings and courses at Al Asna Institute and I would recommend incorpor...
Aug 05, 2020•1 hr 9 min
One part of the course currently in development in sha Allah titled: “A Practical & Deep Guide on How to Memorise the Qur’an”. Be sure to subscribe to the Youtube channel for more. If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊). Sign up for just ONE email per week containing links to the week's blog posts, videos and podcasts packed with tools, tips, tactics and though...
May 26, 2020•7 min
When it concerns dealings with people, actions of worship, ensuring justice, and more – the small things matter in Islam. I discuss how different cultures often exhibit different attitudes and societal norms that impact upon how the population will practice the religion. If it is a cultural norm for 5 minutes to be 55 minutes, inevitably it will be difficult to shed this norm when it comes to the incredibly specific conditions of worship. I further discuss the idea of how psychological personali...
May 03, 2020•27 min
“Br Maarten discovered Islam through his search for self-improvement, he was inspired by Islam’s teachings, that amongst other, promotes spiritual, social, physical and mental health. After converting to Islam in 2011, he didn’t see much of what was being preached actually being practised within the Muslim community. So combining his own hands-on knowledge from competitive bodybuilding (pre-islam), years of personal training and coaching experience and medical background (Maarten is a nurse anae...
Apr 21, 2020•41 min
*Apologies for the bad audio quality – will be improved in future in sha Allah – recorded [August 2019] As a community, we need to move beyond disagreeing in an intellectually dishonest or childish way. Let’s first learn the foundational principles of the Deen, in order to know what has been deemed to be even worth arguing about and then let’s look for the “Steel Man” argument instead of the Straw Man. In order to understand an alternative view, we should seek out the strongest (Steel Man) argum...
Apr 16, 2020•12 min
A lot of you reading this have thought to yourself, “I want to learn Arabic” or at least “I would love to know Arabic” – but the thought starts and finishes there for most of us. We struggle with translating this wish of ours into action. Without action, it will remain just that – a wish. In this podcast, we discuss how to go about learning Arabic. We know why it is a praiseworthy ambition to have right? Optimized Muslim project focuses on the how. We assume as a pre-requisite that you know the ...
Mar 17, 2020•44 min
We want more but how do we use the blessings and gifts we have already been given? We do not use what we have in a way that is pleasing to Allāh. We sell-out and run to cash out at the haram bank. Be grateful for the understanding that your blessings are a test just like your trials. Uploaded on Youtube https://youtu.be/6R6hBBHOinc *The video size is not optimal – a problem with editing which should be resolved moving forward إن شاء الله Resources mentioned: Dopamine: The Molecule of More – Dani...
Feb 17, 2020•4 min
We sometimes make the mistake of thinking that the great Muslims of the past had it different, they didn’t have our challenges right? This can lead to a defeatist attitude that is unlikely to help you succeed. This revealing quote from Ibn Jawzi reveals the mechanics of his amazing mind as he beautifully wrestles with the idea of attaining some form of balance in life in what resembles a journal or diary entry. He speaks of attaining wealth and being independent of rulers whilst also excelling i...
Feb 07, 2020•12 min
What is “Legacy” and “being remembered” worth? Reflecting on the death of a notable personality. If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊). Sign up for just ONE email per week containing links to the week's blog posts, videos and podcasts packed with tools, tips, tactics and thoughts to help you optimize your life and hereafter Click here ◼ Optimizedmuslim.com ◼ YouTu...
Jan 31, 2020•3 min
A deeper look into the mindset required to effectively start a new productive habit. Summary: Why is this important? Mastering this will help in Deen and Dunya 1) Examine and eradicate any limiting beliefs you may hold. – “It’s too late to start” – “too busy/not enough time” – “I’ve tried and never been able to before” Counter above with thoughts that act as antidotes THINK THE THOUGHTS THAT HELP GOAL 2) ACCEPT THAT DISCOMFORT IS INEVITABLE – You have to accept this as part of the process – Stoi...
Jan 16, 2020•22 min
This podcast briefly covers how we can increase our self-awareness, identify weaknesses in our faith and actions by using a daily practice of self-reflection or self-inventory (muhaasabah). This is a life-changing practice that a Muslim should engage in to continually improve themselves. For example, you may note one day that spending time in a certain place or with certain people affects your deen negatively. You can then “tie your camel” by taking action. You engage in monitoring yourself and ...
Jan 06, 2020•8 min
There’s a reason why public sins or making sins public is regarded as such an evil in the deen (Hadith below). Positive social pressure; Public Sins; steps to changing culture. What is positive social pressure and why is it important to embrace it to create a culture of strong morals and ethics? How this was prevalent in the past and how it at least partly explains the different “practising” levels of Muslim communities. This Episode focuses on the societal implications of sinning in public and ...
Nov 13, 2019•11 min
When people say “That’s not possible” or “it doesn’t work like that in reality”, often it is a projection of their thinking on what behaviour/action is acceptable in relation to a particular topic which may be limited by their frame of reference. If the frame of reference is formed by the “crowd”- inevitably it will be limited. Great achievements or habits are a result of a process. This process is likely alien to the masses. Whether it is in Deen or dunya, you have to be willing to live/think d...
Nov 07, 2019•10 min
Topics/issues discussed in this episode: 1) Some nuance and clarifications behind the quotes shared regarding overweight Imam 2) The importance of leaders and Muslims, in general, to embody what they preach and how this will affect future generations. 3) The idea of carrying your faith with “swagga” and what is meant by this. 4) The importance of Imams having a certain respected status in society and having freedom of thought not bound by mosque committees. 5) Muslims excelling in permissible pu...
Oct 12, 2019•12 min
A unique application that allows you to search the Qur’an using “phonetic search” I demonstrate how you can use and benefit from this app especially for huffadh! Optimized Muslim is not affiliated in any way with this application or its creators. From the app: Type any phrase in guess english. Don’t worry about spelling. Just write it however you think it sounds – ‘wala tahinoo’ / ‘walaa tahinu’, the search will get the idea and show you everything or the one thing you would want to find… in a f...
Oct 01, 2019•7 min
BOOK REVIEW FEATURING SAMPLE CHAPTER This is one of the books I referenced in my last video titled “THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND PRAYING 5 A DAY” – I briefly mentioned it as a potential aid to those going through a period of low eeman or motivation or a “there’s no hope for me” mentality. The book contains many accounts of people who were guided in an instant and changed their lives to become great worshippers and saints. You are the product of your thoughts. Therefore, we should be self-aware enough t...
Sep 03, 2019•10 min
I discuss another core mental model or thinking framework that can change the way we practise – if internalised fully. Understanding this concept can potentially change your life. When we see someone who habitually practices a certain behaviour and it will vary depending on our own level, we can make the self-limiting mistake of ascribing super-human discipline to this individual rather than focusing on the simple steps behind building a habit – that anyone can do. The obligations of this deen a...
Aug 06, 2019•13 min
Some thoughts on how to maintain the good practices and habits developed during Ramadhan for the rest of the year. Each year there should be improvements. A few tweaks in thinking could lead to Jannah in sha Allah. If this content makes you think, you find it beneficial and it improves your life in any way, please make Dua for the success of this project 💚(and give a good rating 😊). Sign up for just ONE email per week containing links to the week's blog posts, videos and podcasts packed with t...
Jul 22, 2019•7 min
