Ramadan is back. We’re alive and still able to learn and grow.
I loved comics and superhero stories as a young boy.. and I still do. The stories always felt inspiring. At their core, they were grounded in reality because the hero’s were most often flawed and struggling to overcome insurmountable odds. Through persistence, guidance and sheer will they overcame villains who were designed to beat them.
For those building businesses and working to better themselves, the world throws super villains at us all the time. As I continue to better understand and learn about my beautiful religion, I’m always in awe of the stories and lessons Our Prophet (ﷺ /PBUH) shared with humanity through Hadith. Here are 5 Hadiths that will accelerate your career and/or business:
(1) On being Thankful:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “He who does not thank people, does not thank Allah”.
How incredibly simple but often forgotten. How often is it that we work with and do business with people and truly thank them. Here, we’re reminded that a word of Thanks to those we deal with is equivalent to thanking God. Takes a few moments but has lasting value.
(2) On choosing who we engage with:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ““The believer who mixes with people and bears their annoyance with patience will have a greater reward than the believer who does not mix with people and does not put up with their annoyance.”
Demonstrating patience is considered a virtue in all facets of life. Warren Buffet famously said “The Stock Market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient“. But here we’re advised to be patient with those who test our patience and to put up with annoying behaviours and words. This is a true test of patience and a quality our Prophet (PBUH) was recognised for by even those who others would not entertain.
(3) On Negotiation:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “None of you will have faith till he wishes for his brother what he likes for himself”
We’re constantly negotiating in our work lives. For obvious things like compensation, deal terms, time off and when presenting our point. This beautiful advice tells us that unless we wish the same benefit for our brother, we do not truly have faith. Think of the magnitude of this statement. May we all be granted true faith. In this instance, he is speaking on Muslim brothers not direct family.
(4) On Kindness:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Verily Allah is Kind and loves kindness. And he rewards for kindness in a way that He does not reward for harshness or for anything else.”
In a hectic work environment full of conflicting egos, opinions and beliefs, we so often forget the impact that kindness has on those around us. Mike Tyson famously said that he realised later in life that anytime someone is able to make you angry, they’re your master. Resist the urge to be driven by anger even when the other party is doing everything they can to elicit a harsh reaction from you. Show kindness over harshness even in conflict.
(5) On presenting solutions > problems:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Make things easy and do not make them difficult, cheer the people up by conveying glad tidings to them and do not repulse them”
Subhanallah.. wow. I’ve learned there are three types of people we work with. The first present you with problems. The second present you a problem and solution. The last present you with a problem, present a solution and solve it. In this gorgeous hadith, we are advised to make things easy for people and always seek to cheer them up by presenting good news to them. No one wants to hear your problems. Everyone is fighting their own battles you will never see. Always seek to be the person who has solved the problem not the one complaining. This single piece of advice will level up your work life in ways you cannot imagine.
May we all continue to seek divine wisdom, learn from our failings and continue to recognise how little we truly know. May Ramadan shower light into all of your lives.