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Al Salam Alaikum 🌱 

Ramadan Mubarak! I pray this blessed month brings you and your loved ones peace, mercy, and abundant rewards, inshAllah ✨ 🤲 

I want to start with a heartfelt thank you. Your subscription to this newsletter is not something I take lightly, and I’m grateful to have you here.

I also owe you an apology. The last time I sent out a newsletter was on October 25, 2024- far too long ago. Life has a way of sweeping us in its currents, and while my priorities remained clear, I must admit that distractions and tempting opportunities led me astray.

And so, with renewed intentions, I’m returning to this weekly newsletter, inshAllah, to share what I’m learning from my own messy experience of living as a faith-first entrepreneur in a secular, capitalist business world.

📈 A Smart Investment

A smart entrepreneur knows a good investment when they see it. They know where to put their money, time, and effort for maximum return.

A faith-first entrepreneur does the same- but they think beyond this world. They don’t just invest in businesses or financial wealth. They invest in their hereafter.

And Ramadan is the ultimate investment opportunity. It’s a month where rewards are multiplied. Where one sincere act of worship could outweigh a lifetime of striving.

This is why I’m launching a special 4-part Ramadan series called “Trading with Allah in Ramadan.”

📩 Trading with Allah in Ramadan

Every Friday this Ramadan, I’ll be sharing reflection on how we, as faith-first entrepreneurs, can make the best trade of our lives- one that gives returns not just in this world, but in the next.

🤿 Craving Depth Over Breadth

One of the biggest lessons I learned last year was the power of depth over breadth. The world constantly pushes us to do more, learn more, be more. But I’ve found myself craving the opposite- a life of focus and intentionality.

And what better way to go deep than with the start of Ramadan? This month isn’t just an opportunity to start new habits or acts of worship, but to refine and perfect what we already do- to elevate our intentions and strive for higher levels of Ihsan and Itqan.

So, I’ve recommitted to just three priorities, one of which is Workship Labs and this newsletter. Instead of chasing every fleeting interest or opportunity, I want to embrace the joy of missing out (JOMO) and dig deeper into what truly matters: the intersection of faith, business, and social change.

💎 What is Your Akhira Project?

A faith-first entrepreneur doesn’t just build for this world. They build for the next.

The Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

This is the real definition of a smart investment- one that keeps giving even after you’re gone.

So here’s my challenge to you: Make the intention this Ramadan to start your Akhira Project.

🤔 What is an Akhira Project?

• It’s an effort that continues to benefit others after you’re gone.

• It could be teaching beneficial knowledge, mentoring faith-driven entrepreneurs, building a faith-based business that supports others, or creating beneficial content and sharing it with others.

• It’s not about size- it’s about sincerity. Even small actions, if done for Allah (SWT), can weigh so much more on the scales because He looks at what’s in our hearts, not how much we do, but whether we do it with Ihsan.

  🌱 This Ramadan, I invite you to think: What will you build that will outlive you, inshAllah?

💙 Commitment Renewed

During my time away, I spent a lot of time reflecting on what kind of project I could truly dedicate myself to- something that could serve as my “hereafter/akhira project” -a venture that continues to bear fruit long after I’m gone, inshAllah.

That project is Workship Labs. It started as a response to my own frustrations as a faith-first entrepreneur in a secular business world. From the outside, I was doing “well”, but internally, I felt disconnected- spiritually, mentally, even physically. And my relationships with Allah (SWT), my family, and social circle paid the price.

I’ve heard from some of you that this is a constant struggle- trying to balance faith with ambition, navigating a world that often pulls us in opposing directions. You’re not alone in this battle.

That’s why my mission is to support faith-first entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs by providing timeless Islamic principles and practical tools- so that we can all build our identities, lives, and businesses with faith as our foundation.

⏪️Revisiting: What the Noble Quran Taught Me About Entrepreneurship

Last year, I had started a series titled “Everything I Know About Entrepreneurship, I Learned from the Quran”, covering 27 out of 40 lessons. If you’re new here or would like to brush up on them, you can find them below.

My plan is to return and complete the series after Ramadan, inshAllah. But in the meantime, you’re welcome to revisit the lessons here:

💌 Don’t Miss Out: Weekly Newsletter Every Friday

To make sure you don’t miss any emails, please check your junk folder and add this email to your favorites. A new newsletter will arrive in your inbox every Friday, inshAllah.

Thank you and Jazakum Allah Khair for your trust, and for being a part of this journey with me. Here’s to renewing our intentions, planting our seeds, starting our Akhira project, and making the most of this blessed time.

I would love to hear from you! What topics resonate with you? What would you like me to cover in future newsletters? Please hit the ‘reply’ button and share your thoughts; I read and respond to every email 😊 

🤲 Closing Dua

I ask Allah (SWT) to guide us in our efforts, purify our intentions, and accept our work as an act of worship for His sake alone. May Allah bless us with sincerity, barakah, and success in both this world and the hereafter.

Ameen.