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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Qualities of a Productive Manager

A manager who is productive leads his team to realize the vision of the organization that they all are a part of...
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Productive Team, Productive Manager[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

For a manager to be productive, he should have a productive team. However, that is not always possible since, in most cases, teams are composed of individuals with varied levels of qualifications and experience.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It becomes imperative for a manager to groom his team members so they can fulfill their fullest potential.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]You are a manager because you are considered to be most qualified and experienced among your team members. Below are some of the qualities a manager should possess to make himself and his team more productive.[/FONT]
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Lead by Example[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Your team works under your guidance. At times when they are stuck, you need to roll up your sleeves and get involved to solve critical issues. While doing so, you should not be boasting your contribution or belittling theirs...[/FONT]

[Productive Professionals] Qualities of a Productive Manager - Productive Muslim

 

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Toward Understanding Allah's Names:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Six Meanings of God's Name Al-Haseeb [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The rewarding, the sufficient, the identical rewarding are some of the different meanings that God’s name “Al-Haseeb” stands for.[/FONT]
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You say: “someone is another one’s haseeb”, it means he is his rewarding, identical, or peer. Al-Haseeb also is: He who suffices, from sufficiency, God is the sufficient, you say: So and so honored me and sufficed me, which means he gave me to my satisfaction and gave over my need...[/FONT]

Six Meanings of God's Name Al-Haseeb - Allah - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ethical Sayings of Prophet Muhammad - Hadith 40:

Brother Abdel Rahman reflects on this hadith:

[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:

"Verily, Allah loves that if and when someone does something that you do it with perfection and with skill and sincerity"
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[youtube]opgp7XEnLVM[/youtube]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opgp7XEnLVM

(7 minutes)

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Allah's Name As-Sabur (The Patient)
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The other dimension of Allah’s patience with us is His appreciation for and patience with our baby steps.

A mother carries her child all the time until he starts to walk. When he takes two steps, his parents are excited, cheering him on, even though he falls after those two steps. It might take him months to walk properly. But they are by his side, helping him. Very few parents would give up on their child because he falls after taking every few steps. Most parents are lovingly patient even when their child is slow to walk.

Allah (swt) is far above any analogy, but to bring the message home, this is Allah (swt) with us. He is al-Sabur. He is not quick to punish the heedless or even the sinful, and He is not impatient with those of us who are slowly but surely on the path. He is patient when we stray, and makes the path still open to us when we come back.

There is a beautiful wisdom in the statement of the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him). “The best actions are those which are small and consistent,” [Bukhari & Muslim].

It is better than what is grand yet inconsistent, and eventually fades away. To me, this epitomizes Allah’s attribute of patience. He is not asking you to be super Muslim in a day and a night. He does not mind that you take small steps to build yourself...

[/FONT]As-Sabur: The Patient

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Zakah and Distributive Justice[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Islam doesn’t insist on superficial and full equality where everyone must give the same amount. In the mean time it tries to work to reduce the gaps between rich and poor so that it allows for initiative but also looks after the needs of those who are in need.[/FONT]
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A second economic aspect is that Zakah being a regular annual determined thing provides for a stable source of income for the State to meet certain expenses and needs.[/FONT]
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A third aspect which is not as clear but is very important because of its economic implications is that by its very nature the system of Zakah forces the individual to invest his money and discourages hoarding of money...[/FONT]

http://www.onislam.net/english/read...ht/472621-zakah-and-distributive-justice.html

 

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Love for the Sake of Allah:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Love for Allah: Transcending Worldly Boundaries [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In the Quran, Allah says that it is He who creates and nurtures affection between the hearts of believers, and that this is a blessing that could not have otherwise been acquired, even if Prophet Muhammad had spent all that was in the earth:[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]{And He had put affection between their hearts, if you had spent all that is in the earth, couldn’t have produced that affection, but Allah had done it. For He is Exalted in might, Wise.} (8:63)[/FONT]
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Loving someone for the sake of Allah alone is a kind of love that is devoid of any other worldly motive or desire. It is a love that is born and that grows “in” (as denoted by the Arabic letter used for it, “fi”) (the path of) Allah, and is therefore the most special kind...[/FONT]

Love for Allah: Transcending Worldly Boundaries - Society - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Foreign Policy of Islam: Peace or War? [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Does Islam enact enmity against non-Muslims?[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Is the rule in Islam for any non-Muslim to either take up Islam or else the sword (war)?[/FONT]
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This write-up discusses what the ground rules of Islam are on this topic...[/FONT]

Foreign Policy of Islam: Peace or War? - Comparative Religion - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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Taqwa is a very important spiritual and ethical term of the Qur’an

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Tips for Perfecting Your Prayers [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Assess your mental readiness for Prayer before its commencement, during the various postures with its attendant recitations, after each rakah (unit of prayer) and ultimately, at the end. Try to make improvements at each stage. [/FONT]

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Pray with humility both in your mental state and in your physical manner.

Pray with hope and awe, asking Allah for His mercy and forgiveness.[/FONT]
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Remind yourself continually that you are talking to the most important 'Being' in your life: your Creator and Sustainer.[/FONT]
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He is in front of you. You are facing Him and you are involved in a dialogue with Him. Commence your Prayer by seeking Allah's help and protection from the influences of Satan. Lower your gaze while praying and do not allow the physical environment to distract you...[/FONT]

Tips for Perfecting Your Prayers - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net​

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Why is Paradise at the Feet of Mothers?
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Motherhood is not merely defined by bearing and raising children; but is a statement regarding the divine nature of woman and her position in Islam.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]We are taught that we must always feel a deep appreciation for our mothers, not just when people celebrate Mother's Day but every day. Prophet Muhammad says in his famous narration:[/FONT]
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"Paradise lies at the feet of mothers." (An-Nasa'i, 3104)[/FONT]
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What can be greater evidence of honoring women than this?[/FONT]
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Islam has effectively placed the ultimate reward for human beings in their devotion to their mothers...[/FONT]

Why Is Paradise at the Feet of Mothers? - Family - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Concept of Success in Islam[/FONT]
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To define success within the perspective of civilization, I would say that success won’t count unless it is inclusive, and unless you were successful in your connection with Allah, with your wife and kids, with your family, at work, and in your health, otherwise, any lack of any of these items will negatively affect the rest of the items, and this is the facts of matter.[/FONT]

The Concept of Success in Islam (Part 1) - Society - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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The Sweetness of Ramadan

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]There are countless reasons to fast during Ramadan.

But many Muslims look forward to the holy month because of the feeling they get when they put the needs and desires of the soul first.

Those who taste the sweetness of Ramadan look forward to this time of year to detach from the worldly worries and fulfill the needs of the soul...

[/FONT]The Sweetness of Ramadan - In Their Own Words - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]What Was the Prophet Doing in the Cave?

Q: The Prophet was a regular visitor to Cave Hira' and he received the Quranic revelations there. What EXACTLY was he doing there?

A: [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was known to be a reflective and pious man all his life.

Let's read what the biographers of the life of the Prophet wrote about the early revelation ...

Reflection & Meditation: The Prophet's Preparation - Islamic Creed - counsels - OnIslam.net
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Three Steps to Success: Iman, Islam & Ihsan [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Archangel Gabriel once visited Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in human form, in order to practically demonstrate to those present around him how to seek knowledge from the Prophet by asking relevant and wise questions.[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

Belief: The First Step[/FONT]
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A hadith recorded on the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih Al Bukhari describes this visit:[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]“One day while Allah's Messenger was sitting with the people, a man came walking to him and said:[/FONT]
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“O Allah's Messenger. What is Belief?”[/FONT]
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The Prophet said:[/FONT]
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“Belief is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Apostles, and the meeting with Him, and to believe in the Resurrection.”[/FONT]
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Faith or “iman” as it is called in the Arabic text of both the Quran and Hadith means: the belief that one harbors in the heart. This belief forms the core or basis of everything else, particularly the outward actions that one performs in order to acquire the pleasure of Allah...[/FONT]

Three Steps to Success: Iman, Islam & Ihsan - He Said - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Turn to Allah & Trust in Him[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
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We all want good things to happen in our lives, but too often we want it now; not later.[/FONT]
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When it doesn't happen the way we want it to, we are tempted to ask, "When, God, when?"[/FONT]
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Without doubt, most of us need to grow in the area of trusting God instead of focusing on the "when" question.[/FONT]
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If we are missing joy and peace, we are not trusting God. If our mind feels worn out all the time, again we are not trusting God...[/FONT]

Turn to Allah and Trust in Him - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] First Summer as a Muslim

An American Convert Tells Her Story

At the end of summer, I moved away from my family to finish my university education out of state.

I used the move as a way to begin again in a new place with new friends and a new identity...
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First Summer as a Muslim - In Their Own Words - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Fatherhood in Islam (by Tariq Ramadan) [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, himself was a role model as a father.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]When his own daughter would come to him, he would stand up out of respect for her, as people in traditional societies often do.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]We have forgotten these aspects of the Prophetic example. We are replacing these values with an obsession with enforcing rights and duties. That is what is destroying the spirit of the family.[/FONT]
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But what does fatherly authority mean in the Islamic tradition? Is it all about saying yes or no to the actions of your children?...[/FONT]

Fatherhood in Islam (Tariq Ramadan) - Family - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Happiness at Home

It is very important to be happy in the family home

Brother Abdel Rahman Murphy explains how from his own experience
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[youtube]ahC_KoqDmfQ[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahC_KoqDmfQ

(41 minutes)

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Self Actualization in Islam
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Interestingly, some of the common behaviors of self-actualizers are built into the Islamic code of conduct.[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

1. Living with mindfulness, concentration, and being fully-absorbed: When Muslims offer the daily prayers, we are required to strive towards a state of khushoo’, which can be loosely translated as focus and mindfulness in the prayer...[/FONT]
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2. Honesty and avoiding false appearances: Ikhlas (sincerity) is one of the pre-requisites for any action to be accepted...

3. Accepting criticism and opposition with ease: Self-actualizers often take the least trodden routes or carve out their own routes in the mission to attain their fulfillment...

4. Commitment to hard work and sense of responsibility: Self-actualizers are people who go the extra mile and who persevere when others have already given up...

5. Honest self-assessment and improvement: In Islam, we call this tazkiyah. Man is in constant labor over his soul...[/FONT]

Self-Actualization

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]7 Cs of Seeking Knowledge

If you want to change the world, build your mind[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

Part of a speech by Dr. Tariq Ramadan at the ISNA 2010 Convention on the priority of seeking knowledge, and seven important Cs to keep in mind. [/FONT]

Tariq Ramadan