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Udai Pareek, my mentor and friend
Udai Pareek – the most powerful thing I learnt from him was to give without asking for a return. And I have followed that principle all my life. Who else in this world writes a book full of tried and tested psychometric tests and gives it away? I first met Udai in 1983 when I…
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Boycott or no boycott
We the people find ourselves today in a bind. On the one hand the media delivers to the doorstep of our conscience, images and news, all highly disturbing, heart wrenching and begging for us to do something, anything to make a difference. On the other hand the ordinary person is the last link in the…
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Checklist for Spiritual Development
I wrote in my book -Islam for Beginners – It has been said that true bankruptcy is a full belly and an empty soul. Religion must be a matter of conscious choice.So here’s a checklist to show us the state of our soul. 1. How much time do you spend in personal Ibaadah, by yourself alone, daily? 2. How…
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The Birth of a Narrative
Mirza Yawar Baig Imam & Khateeb Mahmood Habib Masjid & Islamic Center, Hyderabad Looking at the headlines it appears that a story is being built – gradually one article at a time; linking one incident to another, using conjecture in the place of hard evidence – to create the new bogeyman – the Indian Muslim…
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Quranic formula for success
We are all witness to what is happening in Palestine – deplorable, despicable and completely avoidable if only some good sense could prevail on all sides. Naturally we, the common people, Muslim or not, are anguished, perplexed and confused about why there is so much apathy and even active complicity with the aggressors and such…
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What is your legacy?
A leader is remembered not by what he or she possessed or consumed, not by how much power they had or whether they were charming or beautiful, but by the legacy they leave behind. This is what I want to talk to you about; leaving a legacy. I want to start by saying two things…
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If tomorrow starts without me…
If tomorrow starts without me, then remember that great goals need great commitment. The SBA is a great goal. Ask yourself, ‘Do I have the commitment to make it happen?’ I know this sounds unkind but I ask you to bear with me and think dispassionately. The question in my mind with respect to the…
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Success is to please Allah
Ramadan comes to teach us one big lesson and to give us the opportunity to focus on the biggest priority – to please AllahY. The winner is decided only at the end of the race – not during it. So let’s make sure we win. AllahYsaid about the winner: كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ…
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Difference of Opinion
A difference of opinion indicates interest and commitment. Not stupidity and ignorance. Only the interested and committed, disagree. _______________________________________________________________________________ We Muslims are perhaps a people who have the highest number of differences of opinion in the world, when it comes to understanding our religion. I am sure someone will disagree with this statement as well.…
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Parenting – The Unexpected Task
Parenting for most couples is something that they are ill prepared for. Everyone acknowledges that to bring up children to be responsible citizens is a primary task but there is no formal instruction about how to do it. Parents are given the rare privilege of scripting whether their children will be winners or losers, but…