Are You Good Enough? How Musa (AS) Tackled Self-Doubt

 Dr Safi Shareef,

Do you experience self-doubt? Do you feel like an imposter at work? at home? In the big goals that you want to achieve in life?

You’re not alone.

I used to think confidence was a genetic trait imprinted on those destined to greatness. It was only after studying the lives of the accomplished- like prophets, business owners, athletes, change makers- that I came to a transformative realization: confidence must be built purposefully!

Musa  is the most mentioned prophet in the Qur’an. He is known to have stood fearlessly in the face of the Pharaoh in an attempt to free the people from tyranny: the epitome of bravery.

His courage and confidence were not built by happenstance, but rather a consequence of a very purposeful dua (supplication to Allah ).

Remember, Musa  started off pampered and privileged in the Pharaoh’s palace but an unfortunate accident led him to flee and become destitute. Years later, still with a guilty conscience, Musa  is called upon by Allah [SWT]. He must go back to the Pharaoh and intercede on behalf of the oppressed Israelites. At this point, Musa  makes his emotional dua:

“[Moses] said,
My Lord, expand for me my breast [with assurance]. 
And ease for me my task
And untie the knot from my tongue
That they may understand my speech 
And appoint for me a minister from my family -Aaron, my brother.
Increase through him my strength
That we may exalt You much 
And remember You much. 
Indeed, You are of us ever Seeing.”

[Qur’an: Chapter 20, Verses 25-35]

The Quranic description is vivid. What resonates in this account is the internal struggle between feelings of inadequacy, confidence, humility and self-awareness.

We experience similar feelings.

Know that Your Feelings are Not Uncommon

How often have we felt that despite our qualifications, the task ahead of us intimidates us?

Everything within us and around us says that this is the right next move, yet we hesitate. It may be the presentation to our colleagues, a career change, writing an article, enrolling in a course, or advocating for someone wronged. This sensation of fear, overwhelm, and self-doubt, often leads to unhealthy paralysis.

Fortunately, we can repurpose these feelings to our benefit.

Allah [SWT] shows us how to do that in describing Musa’s  dua.

First, Musa  begins with recognizing the status of Allah [SWT] as The Lord, and that all success comes from Him[SWT]. He asks Allah [SWT] to expand his mind/chest and ease the affair; he then acknowledges his impediment and asks for its removal; in the last part, he pleads for a supporter from his immediate family.

I’ll elucidate the intricacies and implications of each step.

1. Remember Allah  & that You were Chosen to Do Your Own Best

Allah [SWT] called upon Musa,

“Indeed, I am your Lord…and I have chosen you…” [Qur’an: Chapter 20, Verses 12-13]

Imagine being spoken to by The Mightiest Lord. What an incredible boost of confidence; the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth has chosen you to fulfil a role.

Everything starts with Allah [SWT].

Allah [SWT] is our Creator, Provider, Sustainer, and life’s Controller. When facing a new opportunity, a scary venture, it often gives us butterflies in our stomach. We feel an anxious sentiment of excitement. This is definitely out of our comfort zone.

How can we proceed in a way pleasing to Allah [SWT]?

Ask yourself “what direction does your moral compass point you?” Do those you respect and those who respect you consider this opportunity good for your growth?

Do you think 5, 10, 20 years from now you would look back on this decision positively?

Ultimately, is this new gig pleasing to Allah?

If yes, then continue :)

Facing a new opportunity often makes us nervous. Ask yourself “what direction does your moral compass point you?” Do those you respect and those who respect you consider this opportunity good for your growth?CLICK TO TWEET

2. Ask Allah [SWT] to Expand You

Allah [SWT] had tasked Musa ,

“Go to Pharoah. Indeed, he has transgressed.” [Qur’an: Chapter 20, Verse 24]

Pharaoh, the same ferocious tyrant who massacred baby boys and enslaved populations. Imagine how Musa  must have felt being asked to face the leader of the wicked. Undoubtedly daunting. In humility, Musa  pleads

“My lord, expand for me my chest” [Qur’an: Chapter 20, Verse 25]

– as if the calling has constricted his chest.

Sometimes we feel our responsibilities are overbearing.
I can’t stop eating and drinking for 18 hours.

I can’t wake up at 5 am to pray. I can’t speak up to criticize the new work policy.

I can’t be successful at work and have a loving relationship with my family.

“I can’t do that.”

Can you think of the last time an advisor or mentor asked you to do something and this was your immediate reaction?

These statements are classic examples of what psychologist Carol Dweck calls “fixed mindset.” It’s opposite, “the growth mindset” has been associated with greater success and accomplishment.

Expanding your chest is the Islamic growth mindset.

If you perceive your resources to be scarce, you will feel constricted and this will restrain your ability to see success. Allah [SWT] is The One who grants us our resources, and the abilities to utilize those resources.

By asking Allah [SWT] to expand your chest, you may see the abundance of opportunity and obtain a vision of what success may look like.

3. Own Your Obstacles

Musa [Alayhis] pleaded:

“Make easy for me this task and untie the knot from my tongue,” [Qur’an: Chapter 20, Verses 26-27]

He took his greatest concerns and impediments to success directly to Allah [SWT].

How often do we choose to ignore our obstacles instead of acknowledging their presence?

A toxic manager, an early deadline, inadequate experience, a limited budget…etc. Obstacles not only impede our progress, they often present very real harm. This harm is magnified when compounded with an unhealthy level of anxiety and fear.

The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad , taught us “If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts them with trials.” [Bukhari]

In this lens, we see that obstacles by themselves are not evil. But rather, our obstacles, can be a means for us to draw closer to Allah  and that which Allah deems good for us.

We learn from Musa  to not ignore the obstacles in our way, but rather — as Author Ryan Holiday described — “The obstacle is the way.”

Every new endeavour comes with territorial unfamiliarity that stems from our own inexperience.

First, acknowledge this inexperience. “I have never done anything of this scope. I have never launched a product in this industry. I have never interviewed for this type of position.”

Once we characterize the nature of our inexperience can we humbly pray for the courage to overcome it?

If we ignore our fears and downplay our obstacles, we hinder our growth- our ability to be greater tomorrow than who we are today.

4. Build a Support Network- Starting with Your Family

Musa  knew the critical nature of good company:

“and grant for me a helper from my family.” [Qur’an: Chapter 20, verse 29]

As a chubby high school freshman, I joined the wrestling team thinking that with enough training I could win at this individualized sport.

For the next three years, failure became my friend. My senior year was different; both in my success and in my approach. I swallowed my ego and solicited the help of my older, much more athletic brother in improving my stamina and technique.

His help led to my triumph. The sport became a family affair. In that season, Allah [SWT] showed me a lesson I continue to learn: those around you can either ground you or drown you.

Every success requires rock solid intentions and an unwavering vision of the destination. A friend may join you for the ride, but the family was placed by Allah to always be by your side.

Family comes first. I have often reflected on the beautiful dua in the Quran :

Our lord, grant us spouses and children who are coolness to our eyes and make us leaders of the pious! [Qur’an: Chapter 25: Verse 74].

If your spouse, family, and loved ones are not in support of your aspirations, kiss your dreams goodbye. Although there is value in garnering help from friends, I say first find support in your family by giving them support. Build their dreams, desires, and goals. Value their counsel. Appreciate their encouragement. And thank them when they critique you for straying. Let their presence be the twinkle in your eye.
—

With these steps in mind, apply the lessons of this dua to your own struggles; use the dua to not only acknowledge your fears and feelings but also embrace them to empower you.

As with other Quranic duas, this one carries weight not only because they are the words of Allah  but also because they were used by the greatest people of the past when facing fierce tribulations. During our own tough times, internal feelings of inadequacy, fear, and self-doubt can bring out the worst in us. Honesty with ourselves, humility in making dua, and a family-centred support network help transform these feelings into the confidence and courage needed to succeed.

Staying Productive After Ramadan: Yes You Can!

 Ghufran Khir Allah,

 Ramadan has passed! In those past 30 days, all Muslims have written their own story through their unique planning and commitment, their dua and hidden tears, inner peace in their hearts, and their relation with Allah . Today, apart from the good spirit of Eid that fills our hearts with joy, two important questions are certainly on everyone’s minds: Have I done enough? How can I sustain my religious and social productivity after Ramadan? 

First of all, let us be honest with ourselves: who has ever succeeded in perfectly executing his or her Ramadan plan?

As humans, no one is perfect and neither are we expected to be! All of us have certain goals that we could not carry out as efficiently as we had hoped to. It could be because our schedule was a little bit exaggerated or because of unexpected incidents. Many of us may have really tried hard but with little success. Please, do not feel bad or label  your attempt as a “failure”.  Focus rather on how much you tried and be proud of your attempt.

The Prophet  said: “(The value of) an action depends on the intention behind it. A man will be rewarded only for what he intended.” [Muslim]

This hadith is very reassuring because it does not only explain the importance of the intention, but it also indicates that the reward we are promised does not depend on what we eventually accomplish. Rather, the reward depends on what our true and honest intention was before we set out on doing the act. In other words: the reward does not depend on the results. Instead, it depends on our efforts even if the circumstances did not help us fully accomplish our intended act.

A worry that fills the hearts of parents is that they spent the majority of Ramadan working outside or inside home instead of doing ibadah (worship). Here is where they need to make a perspective shift. Their devotion to provide their family with a decent life is not only ibadah, but an important source of sustained and continuous reward In sha Allah. Accordingly, every minute you spend at work, in traffic, every little effort in housekeeping and caring for your kids is considered a blessed mission even on normal days. So imagine how much more rewarding it would be to do the same in Ramadan?

Now review your Ramadan planning. If you find that you had committed to 50% of your Ramadan schedule, that is a great sign! It means that you have boosted 50% of your productivity in 30 days, Alhamdulillah! Your heroic mission now is to sustain this progress as much as you can.

But how can we sustain our productivity?  

When Allah  gives us the privilege to be forgiven on the last day of Ramadan if we fast out of sincere faith and hope for His reward, all the expressions used by Him indicate that ALL our sins will be completely wiped off and our life will be like that of a newborn, pure baby [Bukhari]. If we really appreciate this new start, we will not take a step forward without caution and planning. We need to take this opportunity to carefully measure the progress we’ve made, assess where we had gone wrong and strive to be one of those who are the best of those who make mistakes – as described by the Prophet  when he said:

“All the sons of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who repent often.” [At·Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]

Here are some tips I’ve put together to help you in planning for and sustaining your Ramadan productivity levels In sha Allah:

1. Make Dua to Stay Productive

We complete the month of Ramadan with remarkable levels of spirituality and positive energy. Shaytan, who has been held for the past 30 days, will intensify his efforts to take this spirituality away as soon as possible. The conflict between our ego, our spirituality and shaytan is not a battle that we can win easily. Making dua is essential to guarantee Allah’s  support throughout our daily struggles. One of the most beautiful Prophetic duas for holding on to our spirituality and productivity is the following:

‘O You Who makes hearts steadfast make our hearts steadfast in adhering to Your religion.’ (‘Allahuma, ya Muthabbet al-qulub, thabbet qalbi ala deenek’) [Ibn Majah]

2. Pay Attention to Your Environment

Many of us have normal routines such as having a morning coffee or breakfast at work. Unconsciously, we miss doing some mistakes we used to do as well. Returning to our daily routine will include returning to the same environments that bring up those unpleasant desires again (extra free time and energy to waste, friends you used to smoke or waste time with, gossip or even miss salah). Paying attention to your environment is essential to sustain your productivity. When shaytan tries to seduce us, he does not come with his red horns and stick, trying to convince us to return to our old destructive habits. He will take on many forms and shapes, and the old unpleasant company is one of the most efficient sneak-back strategies. Try to eliminate or avoid unproductive environments as much as you can. You can knock the door of your friends’ hearts with a word of caring advice – perhaps they need help and could change. But be cautious: destructive company will drag you over to their side if you cannot drag them to yours!

3. Commit to Attending a Weekly Halaqa

Doing ibadah is easy in Ramadan because of the collective focus on it. It is a universal month when all Muslims around the world engage in more ibadah and ritual worship. The act of fasting itself is a good reminder about focusing on staying spiritually productive throughout the day. However, after Ramadan you need extra reminders to boost your motivation because you will not have the same communal support as before in performing ibadah. Moreover, with the busy pace of life, we gradually lose our spiritual energy. Attending halaqa (religious study group) once a week is a great way to bring us back to and stay on the right track. It keeps you aware of Allah  and helps you keep your Afterlife in view always. Attending halaqa keeps you in good company: people whom you can discuss your religious feelings, reflections and experiences with.
Attending halaqa at the masjid with good friends is the ideal image we have in mind. But in the 21st century, a halaqa can have many versions. You can watch a video on YouTube of any speaker whose style and message interests you and later discuss it with a friend. Wherever your are or whatever your circumstances, the Internet has made it difficult for anyone to claim he or she does not have any religious and social resources.

4. Set a New Schedule

I have always held on the belief that it is not heroic to attend taraweeh when every Muslim in your community does so. However it is heroic to remain consistent in performing 4 rakahs (units) of qiyam (voluntary prayer) every single night even if your friends are waiting for you to watch a football match, or when the lights are turned off and everyone is asleep. This is the heroic mission that we should stick to: to do ibadah when everybody returns to his or her usual routines.
Having a new schedule is absolutely essential. Your new plan should comprise at least 30% of what you achieved during Ramadan. You can review each activity you performed in Ramadan and include at least 1/3rd of it in your new schedule. For example: if you used to pray 20 rakahs of taraweeh, schedule 8 rakahs of qiyam daily in your new schedule. If you used to pray 8 rakahs of taraweeh, make that 4 rakahs of qiyam in your post-Ramadan schedule. Set monthly missions like: helping a friend, giving sadaqah (charity), doing dhikr, reading a specific amount of the Qur’an, voluntary fasting, etc. Always specify the quantity of your goals and stick to deadlines you can commit to. Do not exaggerate or try to replicate your Ramadan schedule. I know you will find the new schedule very minimal when you compare it with what you did during Ramadan, but consistency is what matters now. Our beloved prophet  said:

“The most beloved deed to Allah’s is the most regular and constant even though it were little.” [Bukhari]

 5. Keep Track of Your Ramadan Records

“In my first Ramadan, I discovered new limits in me as a human being. I will never, ever forget the feeling of water going down my throat after 17 hours of fasting!” 

This was one of many amazing reflections of a dear sister who experienced her first Ramadan two years ago. These words gave me a completely new understanding of Ramadan. It is an opportunity to discover your hidden limits and overcome them. If you ask any non-Muslim about abstaining from eating and drinking during the long hours of July while still being productive, his or her answer will be: impossible! This is what Ramadan is about: challenging the impossible. If you revisit your Ramadan, I am sure you will find a couple of things that you succeeded in doing even though you never thought you could do them before. That is why you should keep your Ramadan programme as a reference of your hidden potential. Every time you miss qiyam or reading the Qur’an because you feel tired, or stop doing dhikr because you are thinking about everyday problems, or even lose hope in changing the world around you, return to the records you set in Ramadan and get a dose of “yes I can in sha Allah!” energy.
Finally, may Allah  accept our every little effort and count it in our balance of good deeds. Let’s make dua that we will observe the next Ramadan with much more positive energy and honest intentions In sha Allah.

Difference Between Zakat and Tax

Zakat (زكاة) is Arabic for obligatory charity (the third pillar of Islam). It constitutes a portion of wealth prescribed by shari'ah to be paid to one or more of deserving recipients. It is the duty of every Muslim to pay zakat out of his/her own wealth, provided that a minimum amount of wealth (nisab) is attained over a lunar year.

On the hand, tax is a compulsory contribution to state revenue, imposed by the government on income and profits (direct taxes). It can also be added to the cost of some goods, services, and transactions (indirect taxes).

The main differences between zakat and tax are as follows:

	Zakat	Tax
Nature	Religious duty. Compulsory by shari'ah (Islamic law)	Government levy. Compulsory by "mundane" law
Purpose	Purification of wealth. Building a balanced society	A source of funds for governments. It helps finance development projects, etc.
Payers	Only Muslims	All members of the society
Payment requirements	Attainment of minimum amount of wealth (nisab) over a lunar year (hawl). Lower limit (it depends on ability to pay)	Indirect taxes do not consider the case of those who have not the ability to pay
Amount	In general, 2.5% of wealth subject to zakat (2.5775% for solar year)	Varies across jurisdictions
Changeability	Rates cannot be changed. It is fixed as per the Holy Quran	Rates can be changed by the government or legislators from time to time
Variability	The rate of zakat is flat (i.e., not variable)	It is usually progressive
Recipients	Specified categories: the needy, for release of slaves, for relief of debtors, new-converts, collectors of zakat, in the way of Allah and way-farers.	No direct recipients. It is collected by government and channeled to different uses as dictated by development requirements, among others
Collection	It can be paid individually	Tax is only collected by government or its agencies
Payers' expectations	Zakat payers do not expect anything in return (of course, other than rewards from the Almighty for their good deeds)	Tax payers expect certain facilities from their governments in return for the payment of tax
Geographic limits	If the amount of zakat is more than enough to meet the requirements of the country in which it is paid out, then it can be dispatched to other countries where poor Muslims live	It can only be utilized in the countries in which it is collected