🎤 Exposed: My Experience Working with Amin Idris

Alhamdulillah, Perlis International Sunnah Convention 2024 (PISC2024) last weekend opened up an opportunity to be working and collaborating with brother Amin Idris for the first time, sharing the stage as co-MC’s. 

I've always wondered: how is it like to be co-Emceeing with an actual professional?

So, in this post, I am going to expose: How it's really like to work with the one and only Amin Idris.

In short: He’s a consummate professional, both on and off-stage, and an absolute joy to work with. 

Masha Allah, Allahumma barik.

Here is what I’ve learnt:

1. Dedication - the day before the event, he was shooting for a program in KL that ended 11pm before driving from KL to Perlis, spending the whole night road tripping (by himself!) arriving at 7am on the day of the event, and immediately started. 

But you can't tell. He shows up hitting the ground running, giving 100% like any other day.

Throughout the event, he's always alert, keen to receive instructions, being flexible for changes, and unlike some MC's I've worked with in the past, he doesn't abandon his post; always there, even during my slots.

Every time I express my amazement at his work ethic, he'll brush it off with some phrase like "kerja bro" or some dismissive excuse like "takut dengan Mufti” 🤣 .

In other words: That's the job.

2. Collaboration as MC. 

This event is the first time I've had a partnering Co-Emcee for an Islamic convention - let alone with a well-known public figure and professional speaker - and being the underdog volunteer, admittedly I was very nervous going in. Am I going to look foolish up there against this certified pro?

Should I just render myself irrelevant, take a step back and just let Amin dominate the stage?

Surprisingly, it wasn't like that at all. Working with him has been a very pleasant collaborative experience. I immediately felt we clicked with chemistry on the get go: We would exchange ideas & suggestions, seek and fully support each other's ideas. Onstage, he would always encourage me & open up space to speak, keep the momentum going, and help trigger my talking points when it appears I might have forgotten or shut down 😅

3. Handle Criticism like a Champ - 

As he just learned for the first time (and I've personally experienced), having Sheikh Assim as a panelist is very scary, if you're the Moderator. Be prepared to take a jab or two at your questions! But Amin handled it well, laughing it off with constructive remarks, even inviting Sheikh to "tease him some more" (by which Sheikh Assim happily responded, "no problem").

Amin shared that in the past, when he gave one of the speakers the indication of Times Up, the speaker called him a "dajjal" for "stopping the da'wah". Ouch!

But just as he does with the netizens commenting on his pages, he takes it like a champ and moves on. And this is something we should all learn from. 

Being able to stay cool while handling criticisms requires professionalism, humility and self-confidence. 

4. Akhlaq - I think this is my favorite aspect working with him. He's always got this aura of likeability: very welcoming, friendly, humble, accommodating and inclusive. Having conversations with him can make you feel like old buddies even though we just knew each other. The more I hang out with him, the more I’m inspired - from his origins of writing books at a young age, to his journey achieving 100k subscribers on YouTube, to him never missing his daughter’s sports events until this event (”sebab takut Mufti”)

Beyond that, he doesn’t discriminate his akhlaq, where it's a shaykh, or some random strangers requesting a selfie. 

I honestly feel that this is his underlying drivers of success: his offline akhlaq, coupled with his professional ethic and commitment, that always leaves people with a good impression. Because they enjoy working with him, people call him back to collaborate, therefore continuously creating opportunities and allowing him to always push his limits towards improving.

This reminds me of one of the previous PETRONAS Cultural Beliefs: Nurture Trust. 

Come for the professional services & work ethic, stay because of the akhlaq.

Sorry Amin, terlebih puji sikit. Best kerja ngan hang. It's been an honor & pleasure, my bro.

Semoga dpt peluang bekerjasama lagi (PISC2025 let's GO?)

PISC2024 Forum, Day 2: “Islam & Iconoclasm” with Sheikh Wasim Kempson + Dr. Muhammad Salah (full video on PROmediaTAJDID)

 

Definition of Iconoclasm: A belief that people should reject religious images (like icons or monuments) by destroying or avoiding them.

QUESTIONS FOR THE FORUM:

1. Historically, iconoclasm - destroying idols - is often spoken about in derogatory terms - as a heretical or deviant movement. Why is this the case? Isn’t this something to uphold tauhid?

2. What is the significance of imagery in religion - what is the connection between images and ibadah?

3. Common practice among Muslims: hanging pictures of righteous people such as “wali” on the wall. They don’t really have any intention of worshipping this righteous people, and they say it is to remind us to come closer to Allah. What’s the problem?

4. Seems there is a repeated tendency of human beings to return to shirik (idolatry, associating partners with Allah). We learnt from the history of shirik - in the case of the people of Nuh, in Amr bin Luhay. Even Prophet Musa, when he left, they immediately set up idol to worship. Is this totally the role of shaitan, or our human tendency to be inclined to imagery, drawn to idol worship?

5. A common symbol we have here is the “capal” - a drawing that allegedly represents the sandals/slippers of the Prophet ﷺ. They put this symbol as the brands, they wear this on their headgear, their clothing. What is the ruling of this? 

6. Some Muslim businesses have these symbols they hang up with the intention of attracting “better business” - from numbers such as 786, to putting up little mini-Qurans up the ceiling - what’s the ruling here? Is this a form of shirik?

7. In Malaysia, we live in a multicutural society - Malay, Chinese, Indians, and ethnic groups with diverse cultural practices. Some of these cultural symbols look relatively harmless, they have an exotic value, but when you dive deep into the origins, turns out that much of it is actually grounded in shirk. How do we navigate these problems while trying to integrate with other cultures?

8. Youth today are very much exposed to items like Oulja boards, divination, fortune telling, amulets as jewellery, and many similar things that deal with black magic and sorcery are becoming mainstream in modern day media, something that is seen as "fun & games". How do we protect our youth from such issues?

9. Islam seems to place strict restrictions on hanging pictures, for reasons that this can lead to eventually being led to idol worship. But what about family photos - we hang them up, without any intention of spirituality, worship or ibadah. A person just wants to hang up pictures of his daughter, his wife, on the wall, because he loves to be reminded of them. Is this still an issue?

Office politics: A Refreshing View

 

"You have to learn how to play the game."

When it comes to office politics, this is the common "advice" people give. But I found it very vague, impractical, and always made me feel uncomfortable. What does that even mean to "play the game"?

In the book “Be the Boss Everyone Wants to Work For - A Guide for New Leaders”, author William Gentry offers a refreshing and enlightening perspective, some of the best guidelines and advice to approaching office politics in a mature, professional way: Being political savvy. 

Thankfully, it’s not a game of thrones matter of either-you-win-or-you-die. 

Quite the contrary. In a nutshell, political savvy is about being sincere and authentic in all that you say and do, and leave people with a good impression.

This, I like. 

Quoting from the book:

“For many, politics is a necessary evil or a game to play. Favoritism, bullying, power struggles, and self-interest abound. These individuals see people making others feel small, stealing credit, or passing off the work of others as their own to get attention, glory, power, or resources. And bending or blatantly breaking rules and manipulating the system or people to get what they personally want.

Those who flip their perspective see politics differently.  They understand that politics aren't negative or positive. It's simply their air we breathe in organizations. This is not to say that they are naïve. They understand there are competing interests, scarce resources, ambiguity, unclear rules and regulations, and a lack of information.

The difference? They don’t let those perceptions get in the way of their goal to bring transparency and clarity to their teams, their coworkers, or stakeholders they work with. 

Goals of being Political Savvy: remove uncertainty and bring transparency, clarity, and a shared meaning to those you work with, so everyone knows what to expect, through the following:

1. Understand yourself and the environment around you - Having social astuteness: to objectively scan, observe, and gather information about yourself and the people and environment around you, so you thoroughly understand the thoughts, behaviors, and needs of coworkers and stakeholders you interact with. It’s also about impulse control (managing your temper) and remaining calm in the storm that is around you. It’s thinking before you speak and act.

2. Use that knowledge to be flexible and versatile enough to obtain goals that benefit you and others - Find common ground and do what needs to be done, so everyone wins something and feels good about the final result. 

3. Act in a sincere and authentic way - Leave people with a good impression: as a relationship builder who is seen as “flexible” and “adaptable”. If you do it in an inauthentic way, you’ll probably be labelled as “cunning”, “sly” or “obsessed with power”. 

If you have political savvy, you appear not to have it. Everything you do—your behaviors, your actions, the words you say—are all genuine, transparent, and authentic

That doesn’t sound bad, does it? Being politically savvy does not mean someone else must lose for you to win. It’s not about selfishness, having a façade, being a chameleon, or inauthenticity. Instead, it involves the sincere use of your skills, behaviors, and qualities to remove uncertainty and obtain goals that benefit you and others at the same time.

Over the years, we continuously find that managers with political savvy are seen as better leaders, more promotable, and less likely to derail in their careers according to their boss, peers, and direct reports. So don’t think of political savvy as being a brownnoser, a backstabber, a backroom dealer, a schmoozer, a shark, or a snake. It’s not embarrassing, patronizing, or inauthentic." (End Quote)

I like this point of view - it's straightforward, practical, and most importantly: Sincere. What do you think?

🏙️ Dunya is a Prison for the Believer

 

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said,

الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَجَنَّةُ الْكَافِرِ
“This worldly life is a prison for the believer and Paradise for a disbeliever.”
(Muslim #2956)

When I first heard of this hadith, it kind of confused me. Why is this world a prison? As Muslims, are we expected to live a life of suffering?

It turns out the meaning is much deeper, and in fact, a lot more inspiring and motivating than that when we see it from the right perspective.

Once, the scholar al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani was walking through a market. At the time, as the Qadi, he was with his entourage riding a great, beautiful and magnificent animal mount. Suddenly a Jewish man, who is a flaxseed oil seller (i.e. one who lived in very poor and harsh conditions) came running towards him. The Jew was wearing an old worn out and dirty shirt.

He grabbed and stops the mule Ibn Hajar was riding and said: “Oh Shaykh al-Islam! You claimed that your prophet said: “The world is prison for a believer and paradise for a disbeliever,”

Then, in what way are you imprisoned and how am I in paradise right now?”

Ibn Hajar responded:

“If I was to compare the blessings Allah has promised for me in paradise in hereafter, then it is as if I am in prison right now!

While for you, if you want to compare your situation right now with what has been promised for you in hereafter, it is as if you are in paradise right now.”

Then, the Jewish man embraced Islam.

(Narrated in Faid al-Qadir (3/546))

What an amazing, honorable response. When we understand this hadith through the lens of iman - especially belief in the Last Day - it becomes a powerful motivational reminder of the nature of life in this world.

Here are six major life lessons we can learn from the Hadith, of the perspective on the life of this world:

1. Delayed gratification - be patient. The BEST is yet to come, in the Hereafter.

Imam al-Nawawi said the hadith means that by virtue of following the shari'ah, every believer is imprisoned and prevented in this world from prohibited and makruh (undesirable) desires. Every mukallaf Muslim (i.e. those who have reached maturity and therefore is accountable for his deeds) is commanded to be in complete obedience. However, when he dies - once he is released from this prison - he will no longer have to bear this responsibility. This will entirely change, where Allah SWT promised eternal and true blessings, leisure and comfort where it will forever increase without decreasing even a little. As for disbelievers, they are able to attain some sort of worldly comfort in this life. However, when he dies, he will be forever punished and be in eternal suffering. (Al-Minhaj, 93/18).

Yes, in this life as Muslims, Allah has placed on us restrictions, limitations and must practice restraint to obey His Commandments. And in that sense, it is as if we are in a prison. But the hadith reminds us that the true reward - Paradise - awaits after we depart from this world. Death is actually a form of release, a freedom from these restrictions.
   
The Prophet ﷺ described that a brief moment in paradise is  enough for us to forget ALL the suffering we faced in this worldly existence.
   
Rejoice and be optimistic for what's waiting for you on the other side, in the Hereafter, after you break free from this prison!
   
2. Lowering expectations - It's not supposed to be comfortable!

Prison, like the life of this world, is only a temporary transit phase, so expect it to be uncomfortable and difficult.

Allah also says   
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ
”Verily, We have created man in difficulty and hardship”.(Surah Al-Balad, 4)
  
   
3. Don't get attached - The Prophet ﷺ said, “be in this world like a traveler, or a wayfarer” (Al-Bukhari).
Just like the guarantee of death, you (and everyone else) will definitely get out of this prison of dunya! The allure of this world, with its riches and its enjoyment, is indeed very tempting, and it’s easy for us to get lost in the pursuit of attaining these, at the expense of the big picture of our success Hereafter. Whatever limited resources you have in this prison, practice generosity and share those limited blessings to others (i.e. your fellow inmates!), because you will leave your possessions behind anyway. It’s just a matter of time.

4. Defects of worldly pleasures - To a disbeliever, this entire worldly life IS the life. YOLO. Because they don't believe in the concept of accountability of the Last Day, the idea is to enjoy this life to the fullest: hence why the Prophet ﷺ describes it as a "Paradise for the disbeliever".

The believer, on the other hand, recognizes that the life of this world is only a testing ground, the pleasures of this world are designed to be fundamentally defective. No matter how beautiful or enjoyable the pleasures may be, they will always be imperfect. Food, wealth, possessions, fame, entertainment - there’s always a “catch”. Either it’s flawed, gives some unwanted side effects, or will simply deteriorate over time. But the reward in the Hereafter is perfect and everlasting - so keep your eyes on the Prize!

5. A place of reform - As we’ve witnessed in real-life scenarios, many people change for the better, when they are in prison. Thousands of prisoners have reformed themselves, turned to Allah and reverted to Islam while they are incarcerated. Why? Prison allows a unique opportunity: isolation and quiet, which can be difficult amidst the hustle-and-bustle and rat race of society. When we have more time in isolation by ourselves, it gives us moments of opportunity to reflect. To reconnect with our purpose, prioritize our lives.

What can we learn from this?
Firstly, make time for quiet reflection in your own life: whether it is for self-accounting (muhasabah) and repentance, opening up your hearts to Allah in du’aa, or contemplation (tadabbur) of the ayaat (verses) of the Qur’an. Don’t wait until you get to prison to change! Secondly, it’s not prison itself that changes them, because the reality is, there are also many other prisoners who become worse in prison. We need to make the conscious CHOICE and take action to change!

6. Gratitude - If this “prison” of yours is comfortable, then be grateful and content! We should realize that for many of us, QaddarAllah, out of Allah’s Mercy and Kindness, He has granted us very comfortable lives above millions of others across the world. The Prophet ﷺ reminded us that “Whoever among you wakes up secure in his property, healthy in his body, and he has his food for the day, it is as if he were given the entire world!” (at-Tirmidhī #2346), Just watch the news and the state of the world that we are in today in the 21st century: Even basic pleasures is a privilege that many other fellow human beings weren’t granted. Even though prison is supposed to be difficult and uncomfortable, we get it much easier than so many others. Don’t waste this beautiful privilege!

Finally, one might ask - does this mean that when you embrace Islam, you are choosing to be imprisoned?

Here's the perspective we should see it: Having belief & embracing Islam isn't a matter of "choosing" to be be imprisoned; rather, it's to realize that we already ARE living in one.

Our Mamacat Simba gave birth to three beautiful kittens, masha Allah.. Ahlan Wa sahlan 😽😸😻

 

Such a heartwarming sight to see animals caring for their little ones. Especially when we put into perspective, that this is only a little fraction of ONE part of God’s mercy, love and kindness upon His Creation. 

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, 

“There are one hundred (parts of) mercy for Allah, and out of these, He has sent down one part of mercy upon the jinn, human beings, animals and insects. 

And it is because of this (one part) that they love one another, show kindness to one another and even the beast treats its young one with affection, and Allah has reserved ninety nine parts of mercy with which He would treat His servants on the Day of Resurrection. (Muslim)

Even more profound when we ponder upon how, as the Prophet ﷺ describes, Allah is even more merciful to His slaves than a mother will ever be to her child.

'Umar ibn Al-Khattab reported that after the end of a war, some prisoners were brought to the Prophet (ﷺ). Among them was a woman who was seen desperately searching (for someone) - until she found an infant amongst the prisoners. She took hold of the little baby, pressed it against her chest and suckled her infant. Upon the sight of this touching scene, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked his companions:

“Do you think this woman would ever want to throw her child in the Fire?”

We said: “By Allah, as long as it is within her ability, she would never throw the child in Fire!”

Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:

الَلَّهُ أَرْحَمُ بِعِبَادِهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ بِوَلَدِهَا ‏

“Allah is more merciful and compassionate to His slaves than this woman is to her infant child” (Al-Bukhari, Muslim)

Presentations: Are they important, or just a nuisance?

 

Back when we first started working as fresh graduate engineers, we tend to disregard the importance of presentations, and kind of considered them a nuisance or an unnecessary inconvenience. It’s just a presentation, right? It’s the technical content that counts - Not all those aesthetic bells & whistles!

Some of us would meet immense frustrations, purely because of a 20-minute presentation that was rejected by a tough chairman, committee or leadership team - and just like that, all of those months - even years - of hard work, all in vain.

Sometimes, it would baffle us how people used to take long distance flights just to make a 20 minute presentation. We used to think “What a waste of money!”

Over the years, however, I’ve learnt to see things differently & appreciate the importance of Effective presentations. 

If you think about it, it’s these 20 minutes - that limited window which you have an audience with the key decision makers - that can make or break your hard work. All those months of effort culminates in that single, defining, moment. 

These precious few minutes aren’t a nuisance - they are the tip of your spear! These moments may be the single most important portion of the project / assignment: and that's why, it demands your full dedication & effort for you to stick the landing!

I’ve learnt to see the importance of presentations like that of being a 100m sprinter an the Olympics. Athletes train for years - decades - of their lives to make this event. And once they ACTUALLY make it to the grand event of the Olympics, they’ve only got a couple of rounds (i.e. “heat” rounds) to reach the quarter final.

How long does each heat last? An olympic level sprinter would take around 10-15 seconds. 2 heats to determine if they make it to the finals. 

All that training, all condensed into those precious 20-30 seconds. Years of hard work, and less than half a minute of actual performance to prove themselves. 

And if they lose? 

Bye bye Olympics. 

To me, that’s how important presentations are to our projects or proposals. 

So, make it count!

That’s why I’m personally very passionate about improving the quality of our presentations, and conducted a knowledge sharing on “Bulletproof Presentations: Tips How to Effectively Deliver Technical & Management Proposals”. I’ll always put in extra effort and go the extra mile to polish and even rehearse my content. 

How effectively we condense, re-frame, and concisely convey to our leaders, our mannerisms and etiquettes in communication, the way we answer questions - all of those MATTER. 

Rather than blame the bosses for understanding, we should take up the onus to focus on what’s in our control: How can I make the content more digestible to position our chairman, the leaders and the committee to make a clearer, more informed decision? How can I improve and incorporate that extra dash of excellence / ihsan to my presentation?

😒 “Dah Ramai orang buat..” - inspirasi Imam Malik & Imam An-Nawawi: مَا كَانَ لِلّٰهِ بَقِي

Bila kita ada hasrat atau cita2 untuk melakukan kebaikan, kadangkala terlintas dalam fikiran kita - atau ada orang lain memberi komen - “dah ramai orang buat la wei”.

Ungkapan ni selalunya buat kita rasa down & patah semangat. Macam2 bermain di fikiran kita.. Dah ramai dah buat. Tak payah la.. Buang masa je. Orang lain buat sebelum ni, ramai je yang fail. Nanti susah2, akan hanyut jugak.. dilupakan. Baik tak payah menyusahkan hidup kau.

Kadang2, saya sendiri terkesan juga dengan fikiran ni. 

Alhamdulillah saya dah jumpa penawar untuk mengatasinya: Setiap kali terlintas fikiran negatif sebegini, ingatlah Imam Malik dan Imam An-Nawawi.

Pertama, Imam Malik. Sebagai ulama besar di Madinah ketika beliau hidup pada abad ke-3 tahun hijrah, antara guru kesayangan Imam Ash-Shafi’ee, beliau sendiri juga pernah terima komen sebegini. Ketika beliau berkongsi hasratnya untuk menulis kitab Al-Muwatta, yang menghimpunkan hadith2 Nabi ﷺ, ada yang memberi komen: 

“Dah ramai la tulis Al-Muwatta ni.” 

Jawapan Imam Malik? 

مَا كَانَ لِلّٰهِ بَقِي

“Apa sahaja yang dilakukan semata-mata demi Allah, akan kekal”

Tak kisah lah berapa juta orang dah buat apa yang kita buat. Kalaulah usaha kita tu benar2 ikhlas, Allah yang akan bagi keberkatan. Allah yang akan bagi, kekal. Setel. Nuff said. 

Lihatlah sekarang - lebih daripada seribu tahun semenjak pemergian beliau. Bila kita sebut je “Al-Muwatta”, hanya Imam Malik sahaja yang akan terlintas di fikiran kita. Majoriti umat Islam tidak tahu pun tentang kitab Muwatta yang lain!

SubhanAllah. 

Demikian juga dengan Kitab Hadith 40 Imam An-Nawawi الأربعون النووية

Dalam mukaddimah kitab beliau, Imam An-Nawawi sendiri mengakui ramai lagi penulis lain yang menulis kitab lain seperti kitabnya, yakni dalam menghimpunkan 40 hadith: masing2 dengan tema2 tertentu seperti 40 Hadith dalam Akhlaq, 40 Hadith dalam Aqidah, dan sebagainya. Seterusnya beliau memuji semua kitab2 tersebut.. semuanya ada kebaikan. Akan tetapi, niat beliau adalah menghimpunkan hadith2 berkenaan prinsip asas agama. 

Namun kini, pada abad ke-21, apabila disebut “kitab Hadith 40” di kalangan umat Islam, kitab mana yang akan terlintas di fikiran?

Tidak lain, tidak bukan, confirm kitab الأربعون النووية - Hadith 40 Imam An-Nawawi. The OG. 🐐

Ya, memang dah ramai dah orang buat.. tapi Imam An-Nawawi punya yang paling legend. Dalam merenungkan kisah Imam An-Nawawi, ulamak berkomentar bahawasanya inilah tanda Qabool: usaha ikhlas yang diterima oleh Allah.

Apa yang dapat kita pelajari dan ambil inspirasi daripada Imam Malik dan Imam An-Nawawi? 

Jangan mudah putus asa, patah semangat atau rasa down bila terlintas kritikan “dah ramai orang buat”. Bila kita tengok sahabat atau ahli keluarga kita ada cita2 nak buat sesuatu demi Allah, jangan kita lemahkan semangat mereka dengan komen “dah ramai” ni.

Dalam dunia teknologi pun, tak semestinya yang “early adopters” yang akan berjaya selama-lamanya. Lihatlah Nokia dan Blackberry. 

Kita tak tahu apa faktor2 yang menyebabkan sesuatu lekat dan kekal, atau dilupakan dalam sejarah. 

Yang pasti, bila kita ikhlas Allah, pasti akan KEKAL. 

مَا كَانَ لِلّٰهِ بَقِي

Semoga Allah kurniakan semangat untuk tetap terus beribadah mencari keredhaannya, dan menyucikan niat kita untuk ikhlas semata-mata untuk mencari keredhaan-Nya.

“What Makes a Great Leader?” - Do we instil leadership characteristics merely because it’s KPI, or because of our aspirations, values & principles?

 

Recently I conducted an anonymous survey within our process engineering team: List down 3 leadership qualities which you feel are most important

From EQ, listening, approachability, empathy, transparency, giving guidance - these were the results of the survey.

I engaged the team to share my thoughts of these survey results. Three observations:

1. First thing’s first: I agree with these leadership qualities. These are what I hope my leaders would have, too. And as your leader, this is what I try to consciously try to develop in myself.

 

2. Great Leadership is basically about being a great human being. 

You don’t need the title of a “manager” or “boss” to develop these qualities in yourself. 

    

You need to cultivate these leadership characters right here, right now. 

    

It’s not like when you get the promotion letter to manager, you suddenly flip a switch and magically develop these characteristics overnight. When you’re formally appointed as a leader, that’s when it’s even more difficult and overwhelming to start! 

    

We need to ask ourselves: if this is what I expect in my leaders, do I myself develop them? Isn’t it hypocritical and entitled to expect others to have it, yet at the same time I fail to uphold my own expectations? 

Practice being decisive. Learn to coach and mentor others - be a positive role model to your family, your younger siblings & cousins. Practice having tough-but-necessary conversations with your family & friends. Practice exchanging feedback. Establish a long term vision and aspirations for yourself. 

Later on down the road, if you’re appointed with higher responsibilities of leadership, then you’re more prepared & ready to leave behind a positive impact to your team. 

3. Integrity: Beyond KPI. I asked the team: Now - let’s be honest, here. You guys all see my KPI as the manager. You know my business targets. 

How many of those leadership qualities do you see in my KPI? Do you see “empathy” or “approachable” in my KPI? If I fail to uphold psychological safety in our conversations, will my higher bosses be breathing down my neck and telling me I failed?

The point is, we don’t inculcate these characteristics because it’s our KPI, or what the “company” asks us to do. We don’t become a “good listener” because we expect our bosses to take note and give us credit. We don’t inspire our team because we expect our leadership team to acknowledge us as “great motivators”. We don’t teach and guide others just because we want to be credited for growing talent. 

We do this for a higher purpose. It’s for what we believe in: Fulfilling a higher calling, our vision of a better future, our principles and values. 

At the end of the day, it all boils down to the same, tried and true definition of integrity: what you do when no one is watching.

CSR: Perkongsian bersama Abang Faisal - “Behind the Scenes” thoughts

Here’s something that many people don’t realize: I’m not an impromptu guy. 

During our recent CSR activity at Kompleks Kebajikan Anak-Anak Yatim Kampung Jepak @ Bintulu, at the venue itself, without any prior information, one of the team members requested me to do a motivational pep talk to the 70+ orphans present. 

I hesitated. Any talk I give, I will come prepared. I can’t just say something on the spot. What should I say? What if I mess up? What if I give a bad image for the company?

At least if they told me the day before, I can prepare something. 

I told the team: Sorry. I can’t do impromptu speeches. 

I rejected. I chickened out. 

But then, I gave it some thought. This is our chance to reach out to orphans. Inspire them with something. I kept overthinking about “what could go wrong?”, without really rationalizing “what could go right?” What if we can leave a positive impact behind? We don’t have to give a long lecture - just something to boost their spirits. This is the chance to practice our cultural belief: Courage to Act.

I told the committee - I take it back. I’ll try. Give me some time to think about what to say.

Okay, step 1 done. Now, step 2: What do I actually SAY to them?

I reached out to the caretaker of the orphanage: Ustaz Muhammad. I’m about to give a talk with the kids. Tell me more about them. What do you think I should say?

Ustaz told me, “keep it simple: just encourage them to do excel in their studies. Give them hope that they can elevate their lives. You see, these kids, many of them come from broken or poor families. Many of them are in this vicious cycle of poverty and hopelessness. What we want to do is to motivate them - have a vision and ambition for their lives, and work hard to get there. 

Previously, we had a professional come here - a PhD holder - and he gave a talk that was very complicated. The kids couldn’t appreciate it, they were sleeping. So, just keep it light and simple. Encourage them to study, to pray consistently”

That was exactly the information I needed. This is what customer focused is about: understanding their pain points, knowing how to specifically address them, and providing your customized solutions. 

After some time of internal preparation, talking to myself - I started the session. 

Make it two way. Always ask them questions. Relate with them as much as possible. Get them to give the answers. 

First, we begin by thanking God who gave us all these blessings. Are you grateful for your body? Your health? We see our fellow brothers and sisters in Gaza, many of them have lost some parts of their bodies - some lost their hand. Their feet. Even their eyesight. Are you grateful for your eyes? How do you show you are grateful?

Exactly - Use it in a way that Allah is Pleased with.

Are you grateful for your intelligence? How do you show you are grateful?

Use your brains in a way that Allah loves. STUDY. 

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Dentist. Chef. Police. Mechanic. Doctor. Airforce. 

Yes, beautiful ambitions. I love all of that. So: How do we get there? 

We study.

Is studying difficult? 

Yes, Sometimes it is. Sometimes it’s painful. But that’s what we need to do, to reach our ambitions. We need to push. Allah gave us the brains to succeed.

My father came from a very poor family in Perak. HIS father passed away when he was seven years old. But he kept studying, and now alhamdulillah we live very comfortable lives in Kuala Lumpur.

Some of those bosses you see outside (pointing to my colleagues and senior managers) - they too were from poor families. But they studied. And look where they are now. They are PETRONAS leaders. 

You can do this too. You can be successful too. 

“How can we do that?”

That day, I made 70 new friends. Alhamdulillah

Feedback from Participants: What did you think of Coach Faisal's AKYC23 Modules

Bismillah 

Two Most important Lessons I Learnt from AKYC23 - feedback from participants

 

🤲🏼 Tribute to the Dream Team Volunteers of #AKYC23: Investment, not sacrifice

In my final post about Alkhaadem Youth Camp 2023, I’d like to give recognition and du’aa for the heroes: the awesome volunteers that made AKYC23 a success.

Volunteering for AKYC is a huge commitment. One whole week, they fully immerse in the camp… Away from their family, taking leave off their work, on an intensive, physically demanding activity that would deprive us from our sleep and time from our families. Without being paid. When they could have gone for a well-earned year end vacation and just chill out. 

Yet somehow - SOMEHOW - more than 50 volunteers stepped up for it: From the speakers, coaches, Game Masters, Media, to the important-though-unseen FLOW team (Food, logistics and welfare), the organizing miraculously managed to muster up this sizable team towards this cause. And a good chunk of them - at least ten - flew in all the way from overseas (Maldives, Australia, Fiji, India, Papa New Guinea) just to volunteer. 

Let that number sink in - fifty people. That’s bigger than an entire bus load; the entirety of a medium-sized private company and an entire department in a Fortune 500 corporation. 

One would think that if they don’t get paid, they’ll probably give it minimal effort. But you’d be wrong. I’m constantly amazed - and inspired by - these amazing team, and how everyone shows up and gives it 110% as team players & displaying amazing ownership (sometimes, even more than paid employees at work 🥲). 

How on Earth is this possible? WHY are they doing this? 

This is - insha Allah - the power of Barakah (blessings from Allah):

1. Sincerity & High Aspirations - Ask anyone and they will tell you, they do it “for the sake of Allah”. For their investment hereafter. To be part of an event that can potentially make a difference in the lives of our youth & inspiring our future leaders among them: to inspire them, instill self-confidence in them as they grow outside of their comfort zones, and hone their leadership abilities, and motivate them to achieve their full potential. 

2. The Barakah of Collaborating as a jamaah - Each of us are created different: we all have our own set of unique skills, talents, and abilities that we can contribute for each other. And the beauty of it is, in Islam, everyone who collaborates and plays their respective roles towards the same greater goal, is entitled to the SAME rewards as the guys at the front lines. 

The Prophet ﷺ said, 

    

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيُدْخِلُ بِالسَّهْمِ الْوَاحِدِ الثَّلاَثَةَ الْجَنَّةَ صَانِعَهُ يَحْتَسِبُ فِي صَنْعَتِهِ الْخَيْرَ وَالرَّامِيَ بِهِ وَالْمُمِدَّ بِهِ

    

“Allah will cause three people to enter Paradise, by virtue of one arrow: The one who makes the arrow, seeking reward by making it well; the one who shoots it; and the one who hands it to him.” (An-Nasa’ee)

Our human tendency is to only give credit to the guys at the front (i.e. the shooter of the arrow) - the guys who scored the goals, CEO of the company, speakers at a conference, etc.

    

But in this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ describes that when we all collaborate for the same cause for the sake of Allah, the guys behind the scenes deserve the SAME reward as those at the front lines. 

    

To put things into perspective: the drivers receive virtually the same rewards as the speakers and the shaykh onstage, without overlapping or undermining either. 

    

And it doesn’t stop there. This also includes our families who supported us, behind the scenes. The Prophet ﷺ said, 

    

    مَنْ جَهَّزَ غَازِيًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ غَزَا، وَمَنْ خَلَفَ غَازِيًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِخَيْرٍ فَقَدْ غَزَا ‏

    

“He who prepares a fighter for struggle/war in the Path of Allah (on the battlefield), has also fought (i.e. receives that same reward).

And whomsoever takes care of a fighter’s family when he fights for the cause of Allah, then in fact has fought” (Al-Bukhari)

    

To all the supportive wifeys, husbands and parents who took care of the household, and covered our responsibilities while we were away: Yes, with the right intention, Allah rewards you, too.

    

Whatever positive impact that comes from these efforts, we get this together!

    

3. Strengthening one another as a jamaah - When we see others stepping up, we too, feel inspired to step up. When we see others who are more sleep deprived than us, more tired than us, yet are still able to keep going, we kinda feel embarrassed to slack off. We feel a sense of belonging as a team. 

4. Leadership that inspires Loyalty - It’s a testament to the AKYC leadership, to successfully inspire the team by instilling trust, facilitating teamwork and camaraderie, consistently the talk by they themselves getting their hands dirty to help the team (yet skilfully, without micromanaging and undermining their team leaders) - and at the end of the day, volunteers WILLINGLY want to come back for more.  

    

The Prophet ﷺ said, “The best of your rulers are those whom you love and who love you, who pray for Allah’s blessings upon you and you pray for His blessings for them.” (Muslim) 

During the camp Postmortem, the Camp Commander remarked, than in all his years participating in AKYC since 2009, this team was - by far - the best team ever. Alhamdulillah, I am honoured to have the chance to collaborate with this Dream Team - and enriching my 2023 experience to end on a high. JazakumUllahu khayran!

To the team: Keep up the great work. Remember, if Allah rewards you, this one week was NOT a “sacrifice”. It’s an INVESTMENT - for your akhirah.

May Allah reward you and grant barakah to all your efforts, and inspiring others to also play their part to volunteer and contribute to the ummah.