Gate of Change

Habit 1

HABIT TWO

What should be the end result of my life?

Your answer is

What do I want in life ?

What have I painted?

Habit two Teaches us to mentally create things.

Everything is created twice 1.Mental creation (Planning) 2.Physical execution

The difference Planning Writing the script Doing the right thing Execution Acting it out Doing things correctly

Execution Climbing efficiently

Am I climbing The right wall? Stop !!! Think … planning

Wrong execution! Titanic

No destination

1.Planning

2.Physical execution

Just as it is unwise to start building your house without a plan, it is unwise to start your day, your week, your month, your year AND your life without a plan

Example of Planning in the Qur’an

"Moses said: Oh my Lord! Expand my chest (with faith, knowledge and affection); ease my task for me; and remove the impediment from my speech, so they may understand what I say: and give me a minister of my family, Aaron, my brother; add to my strength through him, and make him share my task." Surah At Taha: Verses 25-32

Musa’s (as) Identification of Areas Knowledge, wisdom and deep faith Effective Communication Human resource and support

Other Examples from Qur’an Breaking of idols by Ibrahim (as) Planning of Yusuf (as) for 7 years of good yield and 7 years of famine.

Plans of a Muslim Set long-term goals Have a vision – Vision is the ability to see further than one's immediate surrounding and circumstances. Look at the bigger picture Don’t be short sighted Don’t get distracted

Vision of a Companion of the Prophet (pbuh) before the Battle of Badr Sa'id ibn Mu'ath said:"Oh Prophet of Allah, let us build for you a shelter and put your riding camels in readiness beside it. Then we will meet our enemy, and if God strengthens us and makes us victorious over them, that is what we fervently desire. But if not, then you can mount and ride back to join those whom we left behind us in Medina...they would not have stayed behind, if they had known that you would be faced with war. Through them God will protect you, and they will give you good counsel and fight at your side."

Sa’id’s (ra) Vision Centered around the safety of the Prophet, rather than just the present circumstances of the battle. The survival of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was far more important than winning the battle.

Prophet’s (pbuh) Migration to Madina Devised a top secret plan with his closest companion, Abu Bakr. Hired Abdullah Ibn Uraqitt as a guide for the journey. Asked Abu Baker to prepare a camel load of food and drinks. Instructed Asma, Abu-Bakr's daughter and her brother Abdullah to provide him and their father with food and news in their hiding place. Instructed Abu Bakr's servant, 'Aamir Ibn Faheerah to graze the herd of sheep behind Asma' or Abdullah and to destroy their foot prints as they delivered the food and news to the Prophet (p) and their father.

Instructed his faithful son-in-law, Ali Ibn Abu-Talib, to wrap himself in his clock and lay in his bed. To mislead his enemy, who believed he would head north to join the rest of the Muslims in Yathrib, Muhammad (s.a.w)and Abu Baker headed south instead and hid in the cave of Thour, south of Makkah.

After leaving their hideout, they met Abdullah Ibn Uraqitt and started on their journey to Yathrib by taking the longer route, first going west towards the Red Sea, then north along the shorelines of the Red Sea, then east to Yathrib, instead of the normal shorter route. Drew up his plan of migration with care and deliberation.

Advice of the Prophet (pbuh) " If the Hereafter is about to occur and in the hands of one of you is a plant (he is about to plant it in ground), he must do so as long as he has a chance.“ (Bukhari)

Advice of Umar Bin Khattab (ra) "For your worldly affairs, construct your plans based on the assumption that you are going to live forever, and as for the work reserved for the Hereafter, construct your plans based on the assumption that you are going to die tomorrow."

Planning is a must before execution

Planning should be very clear

Misconception Don’t plan and have tawakkul on Allah !

Tawakkul and Planning?

"..And that man can have nothing but what he strives for.." (Surah An-Najm 53:39).

"..One day Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) noticed a Bedouin leaving his camel without tying it and he asked the Bedouin, “Why don’t you tie down your camel?” The Bedouin answered, “I put my trust in Allah.” The Prophet then said, “Tie your camel first, then put your trust in Allah.." (At-Tirmidhi).

"You do your best, and Allah will do the rest..“ Mufti Abdul Rehman ibn Yusuf

1.Plan 2.execute 3.Exhaust your resources 4.Tawakkul on Allah 5.Content on Allah’s decision

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail

Practice Think of an upcoming event. Decide what would you like to be the end of that event Now plan for it.

What should be the Ultimate Vision of a Muslim?

Gaining the Pleasure of Allah (swt)

Final Destination?