Storytelling is a fundamental da’wah technique. It effortlessly communicates a message in a memorable medium. Storytelling is so powerful that you see it in the Qur’an (Surah Baqarah and Surah Yusuf, for example), in ahadith (The People of the Ditch). Among the benefits: storytelling communicates a message without spelling it out. Human beings recall stories more easily then they recall other forms of teaching. With a story, you can continually extract lessons and benefit from it.

An asset is anything that brings reward (usually income) with little effort. A waqf is an asset donated to the Muslims feasabilillah (for the sake of Allah). Looking for an inexpensive asset to deposit continual good deeds into your akhira bank account? Try this: purchase an ‘itter bottle–one of the big oil ones–and place it somewhere in a masjid or prayer space. Or a kleenex box (especially if it’s winter or flu season).

The key to gender interaction (aka gender relations) is professionalism. During the lifetime of the Prophet, peace be upon him, ‘Umar said to one woman sahaba in Abysinnia: “We have more right to the Prophet then you”. She said (to the effect of) “nope”. She approached the Prophet and narrated the incident to him, and he said “‘Umar was incorrect. You (Abyssinians) made hijrah (migration) twice, you get double the reward.

Common reactions among many types of people when their spouse burns their food, or forgets the salt, or oversalts, or otherwise destroys it, are statements such as “what’s wrong with you, don’t you know how to cook” and “didn’t your mother/father ever teach you anything” and so on. Remain patient, as the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) remained when his wives cooked food he didn’t like. He sat, and said nothing at all, nor did he eat from it.

From the teachings of the khulafa rashideen: when you’re about to do something, ask yourself: “Would I be happy and unregretful of how I spent my time today?” If the answer is “no”, then find something better to do with your time. And remember: Time is one of the ONLY irreversable resources. Money comes and goes, status builds, but time, once it’s gone, it never comes back. The Prophet, peace and blessings upon him, said: Two things about which people are deceived are their health and their time.

For those who missed the train for UIA’s two-year Arabic course, email info@uia.ca and ask them to put you on the waiting list. They’re planning on holding another session (same content, different teacher) starting in May inshaAllah. Register today. There are only approximately ten seats left! Related Links: Classes: Understanding Islam Academy

The true measure of leadership is influence, nothing more, and nothing less. When you can influence people, you’re a leader, even if nobody recognizes you. And when you can’t influence people, you’re not a leader — even if the masjid says so, or the organization says so, or your friends say so, or your car says so. And remember the command of the Prophet, peace be upon him: Do not covet leadership, for it entails blame, regret, and punishment on the Day of Judgement — except for the just ruler.

In Surah Baqarah, Allah says: وَإِذَا لَقُواْ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ قَالُواْ آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْاْ إِلَى شَيَاطِينِهِمْ قَالُواْ إِنَّا مَعَكْمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِؤُونَ Translation: “When they meet those who believe, they say ‘we believe,’ but when they are alone with their shayateen, they say ‘we are with you‘ …” (Al-Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:14)1 Although the hypocrites say they believe, they associate their identities with shayateen (devils, or “evil ones”). The lesson: your belief system shapes your identity.

If you want your Islamic work–your project, or organization, or masjid, or whatever it is–to survive you, you need to train leaders, not followers. When you train followers, they work well, for a time–a month, or two, or a year, or ten, or 20–but without a leader, the project collapses. Instead, train leaders, who in turn train followers and other leaders in your absence, and the cycle perpetuates inshaAllah. This is also part of what you need to transform your project from a mom-and-pop-style business to an independant self-existing entity.

“Eman is to believe, even when an overpowering tide of evil surrounds you.” –Imam Anwar al-Awlaki Remember, Allah controls eman. Even great Muslims sometimes die as disbelievers, wa iyyadubillah. O Allah, protect us from that evil end. Among the many means to strengthen include constant rememberance of Allah and reminders of the hereafter. Ask Allah to strengthen your eman, and inshaAllah even your low-points become higher and higher over time.