Most Muslims today are busy, getting things done, yet still feel they aren’t moving forward.
You attend classes when you can, save Qur’an bookmarks, download productivity apps, make fresh schedules… but the results feel the same.
You’re doing a lot, but still not getting closer to your goals.
And the problem usually isn’t a lack of effort. It’s that most of us try to fix productivity by:
- adding more tools,
- adding more routines,
- adding more pressure,
instead of fixing the direction of our time.
You can organise your notes, colour-code your planner and buy the best Islamic course… but if your time isn’t anchored to purpose, it won’t matter.
That’s why many Muslims stay stuck in the same cycle:
You’re busy, but your progress feels slow. You’re trying, but Barakah feels low. You’re working hard, but not always on the things that count.
Real productivity isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things, with sincerity, in a way that fits real life - work, studies, children, family, responsibilities.
This blog is built on that shift: less pressure, more clarity, less noise, more Barakah, less intensity, more consistency
Islam already gives you the tools: a clear purpose, a structure for your day, a mindset that protects your heart, and habits that make time feel lighter, not heavier.
Here, we’ll show how three everyday Muslims - a working professional, a university student and a mother - can use those tools in simple, realistic, sustainable ways.
Let’s begin not by doing more, but by doing what actually matters.
Your Time Is Melting Ice: The Wake-Up Call
Scholars used to give the example of a man selling ice on a hot summer day. Every moment that passes, his stock melts. He doesn’t need a reminder that time is serious. He can see his capital disappearing in front of him.
Our lives are like that.
Whether you are:
- a Muslim working full-time, trying to fit in classes, Qur’an memorisation, family and parents,
- a university student juggling lectures, assignments, seeking knowledge and learning Arabic,
- a mother who spends her day caring, cooking, cleaning and still wishes she could sit with a book of knowledge,
your “ice” is melting at the same speed. Twenty-four hours, every day. No pause button.
- Allah sums this up in three short verses:
وَالْعَصْرِ (١) إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ (٢) إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ (٣)
"By Time. Indeed, mankind is in loss. Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to the truth and advised each other to patience." [Quran 103:1-3]
- Imam Shafi'i said:
لَوْ تَدَبَّرَ النَّاسُ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ لَوَسِعَتْهُمْ
If people were to reflect on this surah, it would be enough for them. [Mukhtasar Tafsir Ibn Kathir - Surah al Asr]
The default is loss. Not because you are doing nothing, but because time is always moving. You can be extremely busy and still be “in loss” if that busyness never lines up with iman, righteous action, truth and patience.
Surah al Asr doesn’t cancel your job, your degree or your family. It gives you a filter: What in my day counts in the sight of Allah, and what is just noise?
This is the starting point of real productivity.
The Four-Pillar Rescue Plan
To escape that state of loss, Allah mentions four qualities. Think of them as the frame that gives your hours meaning:
1. Iman: A Clear Centre
Iman answers the question: Who am I doing all of this for?
- The working Muslim still goes to the office, deals with emails and deadlines, but he begins his day with a quiet intention that earning Halal for the sake of Allah, praying on time and carving out a small slot for studying Islam are all part of worshipping Allah, not separate from it.
- The student doesn’t just chase grades; he sees his field as a trust and his Islamic studies as part of building his relationship with Allah.
- The mother doesn’t see herself as “doing chores all day.” She sees feeding, teaching and comforting her children as acts of worship, and seeking knowledge as her fuel, even if her study time is short.
The tasks may look the same from the outside, but believing in Allah and seeking His reward for the things we do changes them from within entirely.
2. Righteous Action: Move in the Right Direction
Iman is not just a feeling. It shows up in actions, even small ones.
- For the working Muslim, it might be praying in congregation in the Masjid, and fixing one daily slot in the morning or evening for a class or reading.
- For the student, it could be replacing one hour of scrolling with structured Islamic study or Qur’an Hifdh.
- For the mother, it might be ten quiet minutes with the Mushaf while the baby naps, or listening to a lesson while doing chores.
These are not huge heroic acts. They are realistic, small steps that slowly pull your time into the “profit” side.
3. Advising Each Other With Truth: Don’t Walk Alone
You stay steadier when you are not alone.
- The working Muslim finds a brother who also wants to study and they check in on each other once a week.
- The student joins a small study circle on campus or online where there is reminder, not just information.
- The mother connects with one or two sisters who share short reminders, check in on goals and make dua for one another.
Productivity is not only about private discipline. It is also about the environment that either drags you down or lifts you up.
4. Advising Each Other With Patience: Hold the Course
Nothing in this blog will work if you expect overnight change. Patience is not just “waiting”; it is staying on a good path even when progress feels slow.
- The working Muslim realises that he would take longer to become grounded in Islamic sciences than a full-time student of knowledge, but refuses to drop his small daily or weekly study habits.
- The student knows there will be exam weeks that are messy, but he returns to his routine instead of quitting entirely.
- The mother recognises that some days will be pure survival mode. She doesn’t see those days as failure, she just picks up from where she left off.
If you live by these four pillars, your time is no longer random. It has a clear direction.
The Power of Barakah (And Why It Matters for You)
A story is often told about a medieval scholar named Ibn al-Jawzi.
No laptops. No internet. No electricity. Yet he wrote over 800 books, delivered weekly sermons to thousands, and raised a family.
How?
Barakah. It is when:
- one hour of focused work produces the benefit of many,
- one small habit in seeking knowledge slowly transforms a person,
- one mother, in the middle of chaos, still finds a strange ease in fitting in Qur’an and dhikr.
You’ve probably felt this yourself: a short window where you got more done, with more peace, than on a regular weekend.
That is what we are aiming for in this blog: not a fantasy schedule, but realistic lives - job, degree, family, house - lived in a way that invites Barakah.
In the next sections, we’ll take these three people - the working Muslim, the student and the mother - and walk through how they can bring Barakah into their mornings, their routines and their goals in very practical ways.
The Barakah Multipliers - Do These!
Practical actions that reliably bring more ease, clarity and blessing into your time.
These are simple habits Allah has blessed. They work whether you’re a full-time employee, a uni student, or a mother with a packed day.
1. Wake Up Early (Bukoor)
- The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ made this specific dua:
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لأُمَّتِي فِي بُكُورِهَا
"O Allah, bless my nation in their early mornings." [Sunan Ibn Majah 2236]
One of his companions, Sakhr al-Ghamidi رضي الله عنه, was a merchant. He understood the significance of this dua, and started sending his trade caravans out at dawn.
The result? He became wealthy.
This isn't just spiritual theory: Your cortisol (alertness hormone) naturally peaks in the early morning. The Sunnah capitalises on your biological prime time for spiritual and intellectual work.
Practical Application (for everyone): Choose one or more fixed morning actions and do them immediately after Fajr:
- Memorise half a page of the Qur’an
- Take 5–10 minutes to revise your Islamic study notes
- Do an Arabic lesson with some sentence formation practice
That’s it. Two to three focused actions. The same ones every day.
When life is hectic: If someone’s morning is chaotic (e.g., mother with toddlers), the rule becomes:
“As soon as the first calm moment appears in the day, do the action with the highest level of priority, such as revising the Qur'an.” Even if it is at 8:30 a.m. instead of 6:00 a.m.
Struggling to Be a “Morning Person”? (Bonus tip):
As soon as you've prayed Fajr, avoid going back into a dark, sleepy corner of the house. Go towards the light instead.
If you can, step outside or sit where the sunlight reaches you - walk a little, read the Qur’an, or just sit and say the morning Adhkar in the brightness. According to BMC Public Health, spending time in natural sunlight is linked with feeling less sleepy during the day and staying more alert.
It becomes one more reason to thank Allah for creating the sun: it doesn’t just light the earth, it helps you wake up and use your morning well.
The Stomach–Focus Connection (A Quiet Productivity Booster):
There is a direct link between how much you eat and how sharply you can think. Heavy meals slow the body and cloud the mind, while lighter eating increases focus, energy and clarity.
The Prophet ﷺ taught us the golden rule of eating:
مَا مَلأَ آدَمِيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ بِحَسْبِ ابْنِ آدَمَ أُكُلاَتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ لاَ مَحَالَةَ فَثُلُثٌ لِطَعَامِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِشَرَابِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِنَفَسِهِ
“The human does not fill any container that is worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat what will support his back. If this is not possible, then a third for food, a third for drink, and third for his breath.” [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2380]
Practical takeaway:
- The most demanding work - memorisation, deep thinking, creativity - is best done on an empty or lightly filled stomach.
- Avoid doing your most important tasks after a heavy meal.
- Throughout the day, eat slightly less than you need. Lightness of stomach creates lightness of mind.
- This also makes worship easier, energy steadier and mornings sharper.
The scholars often advise memorising the Qur’an and studying when the stomach is light, because hunger sharpens focus and decreases distraction. This small change can quietly multiply the Barakah of your time.
2. Maintain Family Ties
- The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُبْسَطَ لَهُ فِي رِزْقِهِ، وَأَنْ يُنْسَأَ لَهُ فِي أَثَرِهِ، فَلْيَصِلْ رَحِمَهُ
"Whoever would like his provision to be abundant and his lifespan to be extended, let him uphold his ties of kinship." [Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 56]
Practical Application (for everyone): Every day, do these:
- A respectful voice note or a message to parents and the closest relatives
- A few short calls to parents at different, suitable times of the day
- A message checking in on a sibling
It takes only a few minutes and fulfils the minimum requirement. Of course, you also need to plan regular visits or meet-ups every week, month or so, depending on your situation.
As per the hadith: Maintaining ties of kinship extends your life or multiplies the blessings in your time. This is Islamic productivity in action.
3. Give Charity
- Allah says:
مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنبُلَةٍ مِّائَةُ حَبَّةٍ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing. [Qur’an 2:261]
Giving seems like subtraction, but spiritually it's multiplication. Charity purifies your remaining wealth and prevents calamities that would otherwise waste your time and money.
Practical Application (for everyone): Set a fixed weekly or monthly amount, and give it out seeking the Face of Allah. Try to hide it as much as possible.
Exception: If money is truly tight (e.g., student or single-income home), the charity can be:
- Sharing food,
- Helping with errands,
- Meeting people with a cheerful face,
- Teaching someone something beneficial.
Sadaqah is broader than money.
4. Do Regular Istighfar
Istighfar removes spiritual heaviness, clears the mind and opens doors.
- Allah says in Surah Nuh:
فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا (١٠) يُرْسِلِ السَّمَاءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا (١١) وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَارًا
And said, 'Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers. And give you an increase in wealth and children, and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers. [Qur’an 71:10-12]
The Quran directly links Istighfar (seeking forgiveness) to an increase in wealth and resources. Sin creates spiritual rust that clouds judgment and restricts provision.
Practical Application (for everyone): Make it a habit to say "Astaghfirullah" 100 times while doing something you already do daily, such as:
- washing dishes,
- walking to class or the Masjid,
- tidying the house,
- preparing breakfast,
- driving.
No extra time required. No exceptions needed. Istighfar fits every lifestyle.
5. Be Honest
- Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:
الْبَيِّعَانِ بِالْخِيَارِ مَا لَمْ يَتَفَرَّقَا ـ أَوْ قَالَ حَتَّى يَتَفَرَّقَا ـ فَإِنْ صَدَقَا وَبَيَّنَا بُورِكَ لَهُمَا فِي بَيْعِهِمَا، وَإِنْ كَتَمَا وَكَذَبَا مُحِقَتْ بَرَكَةُ بَيْعِهِمَا
The seller and the buyer have the right to keep or return goods as long as they have not parted or till they part; and if both the parties spoke the truth and described the defects and qualities (of the goods), then they would be blessed in their transaction, and if they told lies or hid something, then the blessings of their transaction would be lost. [Sahih al-Bukhari 2079]
The Prophet ﷺ taught that Allah places Barakah in truthful dealings and removes it from dishonesty.
Practical Application (for everyone): Pick one area of your life and commit to complete honesty there:
- Work tasks and deadlines
- University assignments
- Household matters and communication
- Financial dealings
Start with one area, master it, then expand.
Barakah Killers - Avoid These!
Certain habits quietly drain blessings from your time:
- Sleeping through Fajr or after dawn
- Breaking family ties
- Complaining often / being ungrateful
- Dishonesty or Riba
- Persisting in sins without attempting to change
Remove these, and the multipliers above become far more effective - bi-idhnillah.
The Early-Day Mistakes That Derail Productivity
Most people ruin their productivity before the day even begins - not by doing major things wrong, but by falling into subtle traps that sabotage focus and Barakah. Here are the real traps productivity experts highlight, and how a Muslim can avoid them in a simple, practical way.
TRAP 1 - Starting the Morning With Someone Else’s Agenda
Checking WhatsApp, emails, Instagram or the news first thing means your day begins on someone else’s terms. You react instead of lead.
Relatable examples:
- You open WhatsApp “just to check,” and suddenly 15 minutes are gone.
- You read a message that annoys you and start your day frustrated.
- You reply to work emails and end up opening tens of "Recent Tabs" on your browser.
Do This: Anchor your morning with Allah first: Fajr → a calm minute → Qur’an/dhikr → then the world.
TRAP 2 - Filling Your Brain Before It Has “Loaded”
The first 30–45 minutes after waking are the most sensitive for your mind. Dumping content into it too early overwhelms it.
Relatable examples:
- Playing YouTube while brushing your teeth.
- Scrolling news headlines while making tea.
- Listening to random videos before your brain is even awake.
Do This: Keep the early minutes quiet. Let your brain “load” first, then place Qur’an/dhikr on that clean slate.
TRAP 3 - Early-Morning Decision Fatigue
People drain their early mental clarity by thinking hard about things that don’t need thinking at all:
- “Should I clean my phone storage right now?”
- “Should I reorganise my wardrobe?”
- “Should I sort my notes before I start?”
These tiny decisions pile up and burn your best mental window.
Do This: Have one pre-decided morning action (your “default”). No deciding, no thinking. Just do it.
TRAP 4 - Using the Best Hours for Low-Value Tasks
People waste the most productive part of the day doing tasks that matter the least:
- Tidying random things
- Answering ten unnecessary messages before eating breakfast
- and the list goes on...
This kills momentum. Do you see Shaytan's move? If he fails to put you back to sleep after Fajr, he'll ensure your morning time gets wasted on trimming leaves in your garden.
Do This: Use the morning for things with weight: Qur’an, Dhikr, seeking knowledge, or the most demanding tasks on your to-do list.
TRAP 5 - Starting Your Day in “Urgency Mode”
Rushing immediately increases stress hormones and sets a reactive tone.
Relatable examples:
- Jumping out of bed in panic.
- Running around trying to multitask.
- Starting your day with frantic energy.
Do This: Take a few minutes of calm - a breath, Adhkar in solitude, 5 minutes of waiting for Fajr Salah in the Masjid between the Adhan and the Iqamah.
TRAP 6 - No Morning Boundary (Your Morning Hijacks You)
Without one clear rule, your morning becomes unpredictable and chaotic.
Relatable examples:
- Some days you pray first, some days you scroll first.
- Sometimes you study early, sometimes you don’t.
- Some days feel peaceful; others feel hijacked.
Do This: Your boundary is simple: “Worship first, world second.” This stabilises the entire morning.
TRAP 7 - Making the Wrong Thing Efficient (The Smart-Person Trap)
Productivity researchers warn that smart people often make the wrong thing efficient. Perfect execution of a useless task is still failure.
Relatable examples:
- Organising apps instead of doing real work.
- Colour-coding a planner instead of doing the tasks themselves.
- Cleaning the entire kitchen while avoiding the one task that matters.
Do This: Before improving anything, ask:
- “Is this worth doing?”
- “Is this the best use of my morning clarity?”
- “Does this bring Barakah or just busywork?”
This trap is subtle - it feels productive but steals the best energy of the day.
Small Deeds, Massive Impact: The Consistency Principle
One of the most important productivity lessons in Islam comes from this hadith:
- The Prophet ﷺ said:
سَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا، وَاعْلَمُوا أَنْ لَنْ يُدْخِلَ أَحَدَكُمْ عَمَلُهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَأَنَّ أَحَبَّ الأَعْمَالِ أَدْوَمُهَا إِلَى اللَّهِ، وَإِنْ قَلَّ
"The most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if they are few." [Sahih al-Bukhari 6464]
Translation? Consistency beats intensity.
You don't need to read the entire Quran in a week. You don't need to work 12 hours a day. You don't need to revolutionise your entire life overnight.
Remember: Most people burn out because they aim for intensity. Start with habits so small you can't fail:
- Half a page of Qur’an memorisation, or just one ayah, or just 2 lines from a page,
- Five to ten minutes of reading or study,
- one simple workout movement,
- a short daily Dhikr block.
The goal is to never break the chain, even on your worst day. The Salaf understood this deeply.
- Thabit al-Bunani said:
كَابَدْتُ القُرْآن عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً وَتَنَعَّمْتُ بِه عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً
"I suffered with the Quran for twenty years, then I enjoyed it for twenty years." [Quwat al-Qulub fi Muamalat al-Mahbub 1/92]
The initial phase of any productive habit will be difficult. That's normal. Push through the struggle, and eventually it becomes a source of energy.
The Dua That Destroys Procrastination
- The Prophet ﷺ taught a comprehensive prayer that acts as a shield against every productivity killer:
اللهم إني أعوذ بك من الهم والحزن، والعجز والكسل، والبخل والجبن، وضلع الدين، وغلبة الرجال
"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being overpowered by debt and the oppression of men." [Sahih al-Bukhari 2893]
Let's break down what you are seeking refuge in Allah from:
- Worry (about the future) and Grief (about the past): Both paralyse your present. Productivity requires being in the "now."
- Incapacity (can't do it) and Laziness (won't do it): One is a structural limitation, the other is a lack of willpower. The Prophet ﷺ sought refuge from both.
- Cowardice and Miserliness: These prevent risk-taking, delegation and growth.
- Debt and Oppression: External blockers to productivity.
Memorise this dua. Say it daily. Watch the mental fog lift.
The Ultimate Productivity Metric: The Hereafter
Islam offers a productivity shift far deeper than any planner or system: Modern productivity looks 5, 10 or 50 years ahead. A Muslim looks at eternity. That single change transforms how you measure effort, success and failure.
A small deed done with sincerity? Heavy on the Scale.
A huge project done for ego or attention? Weightless dust.
- Ibn al-Qayyim said something that should shake every productivity enthusiast:
إضاعة الوقت أشدُّ من الموت؛ لأنَّ إضاعة الوقت تقطعك عن الله والدار الآخرة، والموتُ يقطعك عن الدنيا وأهلها
"Wasting time is more severe than death for wasting time cuts you off from Allah and the Hereafter, whereas death cuts you off from the dunya and its people." [Al-Fawaid 44]
Death is a transition. Wasting time is a severing.
A believer’s productivity isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what carries into the next life.
Your Action Plan: A Simple Barakah-Focused Day
You don’t need a complicated timetable. You just need a simple structure that keeps your day connected to Allah and protects your time from chaos.
Here’s an easy, practical framework anyone can follow:
1. Let Salah Anchor Your Day
Treat the five daily prayers as the fixed structure of your day. Everything else fits around them.
Each Salah is a natural reset: pause → renew intention → a short dua → continue your day.
This alone brings order and clarity.
2. Give Each Part of the Day One Purpose
Instead of planning every hour, think in easy blocks:
- Fajr → Mid-Morning: worship + your most important tasks of the day
- Dhuhr → Asr: lighter tasks such as emails, chores and routine responsibilities
- Asr → Maghrib: bringing work to a slow close, calming the mind, reflection, light studying, reading around prayers or the way home
- Maghrib → Isha: family time, helping others, being present with people
- After Isha: protect your night, avoid heavy tasks and sleep in time for Qiyam and Fajr
Simple, clear and sustainable.
3. Choose Your 3 Daily Non-Negotiables
Keep it very small and very consistent. Example:
- Watching an Arabic lesson at least once a day (duration can be anything from 5 minutes to 1 hour)
- A small daily Qur’an revision
- One focused work or study block in the morning
These few actions, done daily, carry more Barakah than long routines you cannot maintain.
4. Highly Recommended Acts
If Allah opens the door and you have space in your day, these acts bring extra clarity, calm and blessing:
- Tahajjud (even just 5–15 minutes before Fajr)
- Duha prayer
- A short midday nap (Qailoolah) to follow the Sunnah and recharge for the second half of the day
Adding these, when possible, becomes light upon light in your day.
Why This Works
It’s simple, flexible and realistic. You’re not copying an ideal routine. You’re shaping your day around salah, purpose and small consistent acts.
The Secret of Ultra-Productive Scholars
Let us look at some "productivity legends" you've never heard of:
Ibn al-Jawzi: The Guardian of Minutes
This scholar wrote 800+ books without AI, Wi-fi or coffee shops.
His secret? He protected his time like a shepherd protects his flock.
When his energy was low and he couldn't write. He cut paper, sharpened pens and organised his desk, preparing for his next high-energy session.
He called people who waste time "passengers on a fast-moving ship chatting away unaware they're speeding toward their destination."
Ibn Aqil: Extreme Friction Reduction
Ibn Aqil wrote an estimated 800-volume work called Kitab Al-Funoon, possibly the largest book in human history.
His productivity obsession was intense. He said:
"I shorten my time of eating by choosing to crush dry cakes and swallow them with water instead of eating bread because of the time difference in chewing."
Extreme? No, just smart.
Here’s a principle: identify and eliminate friction in your daily routines. Automate decisions about what to wear, what to eat where to work. Free up mental energy for what actually matters.
Umar ibn al-Khattab: The Daily Audit
The second Caliph رضي الله عنه managed an expanding empire while maintaining justice and efficiency.
His secret? A nightly self-audit.
He would literally hit his feet with a whip at night, asking himself: "What have you done today?" This isn't about self-punishment; it's about preventing drift.
Your nightly audit questions:
- Did I accomplish my goals today?
- Was my intention only for Allah?
- Where did I waste time?
- Did I harm anyone?
The Sincerity Factor: Quality Control for Your Soul
You can work 18-hour days, build empires and impress everyone on LinkedIn.
But if you're doing it for ego fame or validation, your spiritual productivity is zero.
This is the concept of ikhlas, sincerity. Fudayl ibn Iyad explained that a deed must be both:
- Sincere (done purely for Allah)
- Correct (according to the Sunnah of our Prophet ﷺ)
If it's sincere but wrong, it's not accepted. If it's correct but insincere, it's not accepted.
The Secret Productivity Practice
The early Muslims practised "secret good deeds." They would hide their worship like others hide their sins.
Ayyub as-Sakhtiyani used to pray all night. When morning came, he'd raise his voice as if just waking up, to hide his night worship from visitors.
For you, this means:
- Do work no one sees or acknowledges
- Give charity anonymously
- Make dua for people secretly
- Take on thankless tasks without complaint
These are the "heavy lifters" in your spiritual portfolio.
The Mindset Shift: From Scarcity to Abundance
Modern productivity operates from scarcity: there's never enough time, never enough money, never enough you.
Islamic productivity operates from abundance: Allah is the Provider, your Rizq is written, and your time is sufficient for what you're meant to accomplish.
This isn't toxic positivity. It's Tawakkul, trusting Allah after you've done your part.
You play, you work, you optimise, but you don't carry the crushing weight of the outcome.
- That's in Allah's hands. He says:
وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ
"And that there is not for man except that for which he strives." [Qur’an 53:39]
You own the effort. Allah owns the result.
This liberates you from the paralysing fear of failure. If you give sincere effort, you've already succeeded, regardless of worldly outcomes.
Take Advantage of Five Before Five
The Prophet ﷺ gave us an urgent warning about resource management:
اغْتَنِمْ خَمْسًا قَبْلَ خَمْسٍ شَبَابَكَ قَبْلَ هَرَمِكَ وَصِحَّتَكَ قَبْلَ سَقَمِكَ وَغِنَاكَ قَبْلَ فَقْرِكَ وَفَرَاغَكَ قَبْلَ شُغُلِكَ وَحَيَاتَكَ قَبْلَ مَوْتِكَ
"Take advantage of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before your busyness and your life before your death." [Shu’ab al-Imaan lil-Bayhaqii 10250]
These are your assets. They're not renewable.
Youth gives you energy and flexibility. Health is the prerequisite for action. Wealth allows impact and charity. Free time is the hidden treasure most squandered. Life is the ultimate capital.
Don't wait until you're old, sick or on your deathbed to "get serious."
The market crashes eventually. Invest now.
Final Thought: What's the Real Endgame?
Here's the question modern productivity never asks:
When you're lying on your deathbed, what will you wish you had done differently?
More emails answered? More promotions earned? More followers gained?
Or will you wish you had prayed more? Spent more time with family? Given more charity? Read more Quran?
- Al-Hasan Al-Basri said:
يا ابن آدم، إنما أنت أيام، فإذا ذهب يوم ذهب بعضك.
"O Son of Adam, you are nothing but a number of days. Whenever each day passes, then a part of you has gone." [Qimat Az-Zaman 'Inda Al-'Ulama 27]
Your clock is ticking. Your ice is melting. But the doors of Barakah are wide open.
The question isn't whether you have time.
The question is:
What are you going to do with the time you have left?
Your Next Small Step (Start Today)
Real change begins with the smallest possible move - something you can do right now, without fear or overwhelm. Here are simple actions that pull you one step closer to Barakah-focused living:
1. Prepare your environment before sleeping
Make tomorrow's goals easier before tomorrow even arrives.
- Put your Mushaf or notebook where your phone usually is.
- Charge your phone away from reach.
- Open the page or task you want to start tomorrow and leave it ready.
Then do one more thing:
Put your phone on flight mode before sleeping. Tell yourself:
“I’ll switch this back on only after I’ve done one meaningful action tomorrow.”
This removes the morning rush of messages that usually hijack your day.
2. Do the 1% version of tomorrow’s habit today
To remove the fear of starting, simply “touch” the habit right now.
Examples:
- Look at the Qur’an page you want to memorise and read it a 2-3 times.
- Read just one paragraph of what you plan to study.
- Do one push-up or one stretch.
- Listen to 30–60 seconds of an Islamic reminder.
Start something now, then leave it slightly unfinished - so tomorrow you wake up wanting to complete it.
This small psychological shift is powerful.
3. Decide one tiny action for tomorrow
Finish this sentence before bed:
“Tomorrow, before I touch my phone or begin my day, I will do [one small action] for 2–5 minutes.”
One action. Clear. Tiny. Achievable.
4. Add spiritual anchors that keep your day alive
These are not “big goals.” They are small spiritual resets that lift the heart:
The Productivity Dua: Read daily: “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness…” It removes the internal blocks that silently kill motivation.
A Nightly 5-Minute Self-Audit: Ask yourself:
- Did today witness for me or against me?
- Did I waste time or use it with sincerity?
- What's one thing I can improve tomorrow?
This keeps your days intentional.
Tahajjud (Light Version): If Allah gives you the ability, wake up just 10–15 minutes before Fajr for two rak‘at and a dua. If even that is hard, at least make the intention - Allah gives by intention before action.
Your Real Goal
You don’t need to become a “productive Muslim” overnight. You just need to take one sincere step, and Allah will multiply it.
The productive Muslim isn’t the one who does the most. It’s the one who makes their moments count - for dunya and akhirah.
May Allah bless your time, place Barakah in your efforts, and grant you success in this life and the next.
Want more productivity tips to get closer to your goals? Watch our course How to Use Islam to Boost Your Productivity by Ustadh Muhammad Tim Humble.
