“Be More & Achieve More!”

Greetings,

We, mankind, are created weak, hasty and ungrateful. We have learnt in the previous postings that when things go dead against us we do one of two things: (i) despair and give-up all hope; (ii) enter into prolonged prayers with the deity that we know to exist - the One who created the heavens and the earth and rests on His Mighty Throne above - but lack the proper knowledge to relate to Him. Why? because our base nature tends to seek Him and want His assistance and yet, attempting to be patient, grateful and resolve to persevere only comes with great character development and spiritual insight.

Then, when we are bestowed favours from above, we forget the Source of Goodness and assign the turn-around to our own abilities, or ‘luck’, or worse some false deity or spiritual force. And as the person continues along the path of good fortune he begins to develop a sense of self-sufficiency that quickly rises into a type of arrogance that we are all too familiar with.

But here I want to help you to link this state of arrogance with one other crucial feature: miserliness. You see, this self-conceited person who believes in his own abilities as being the sole power to shape his destiny becomes hard-hearted and shows the exact opposites characteristics of when he was in despair: “I have such and such, so much, and I managed this myself and hence who are you to ask me for anything? Go do it for yourself!” Might be the silent messages emanating from his conduct.

We have been looking at verses in Chapter 70 (Ma’arij, The Ascent) and I want to share with you a coiuple of other verses to put things into further perspective:

17: Inviting (all) such as turn their backs and turn away their faces (from the Right)

18: And collect (wealth) and hide it (from use)!

And so, as the great commentator A Y Ali say, the analysis of sin is given in four master-strokes, of which the first two refer to the will or psychology of the sinner, and the last two to the use he makes of the good things in life.

1. Sin begins with turning your back to the Right, refusing to face it squarely, running away from it whether from cowardice or indifference.
2. But conscience and the sense of Right will try to prevent the flight; the Grace of God, Allah, will meet the sinner at all corners and try to reclaim him; the hardened sinner will deliberately turn away his face from it, insult it and reject it.
3. The result of this psychology will be that he will abandon himself to greed, to the collection of riches, and the acquisition of material advantages to which he is not entitled; this may involve hypocrisy, fraud, and crime.
4. Having acquired the material advantages , the next step will be to keep others out of them, to prevent hoarded wealth from fructifying by circulation, to conceal it from envy or spite.

And so it is: In adversity man complains and get into despair. In prosperity he becomes arrogant and forgets other people’s rights and his own shortcomings.

So here is the simplest of formula to write but amongst the weightiest to enact:

Faith + Gratefulness = Righteousness + Charity (Benevolence)

As per the prophetic tradition, all children of Adam sin, but the best amongst them are those who repent and return to their Creator.

Most sincere people, the general do-gooders, are those who will have a strong sense of guilt when committing a sin and feel a strong tremble within when approaching that which is not proper. And even if this was recklessly repeated due to the weak nature, then this generally good and sincere person does his best to stay away from falling into the same trap. It is only those who refuse to believe that any wrong is being committed, they have deluded themselves into thinking that what is improper is actually valid and acceptable. They have become hard-hearted, deaf in the ears and blind in their sight, though they have a pumping heart, physical ears and eyes. The gap between the physiological function of these organs and their respective spiritual faculties has widened - this connection is lost.

Their central nervous system (CNS) no longer trembles at the idea of committing a sin - whether it be against their own person or against another - as this CNS does not have the same sensitivity or sensibility towards understanding virtue, morals, thoughts, intentions, deeds or habits.

It’s only with a real big JOLT to the CNS that a chance of self-awareness is created and the possibility of appreciation, gratitude and humility re-enters the emotional pattern. Otherwise, the person is far removed from such sentiments and it is no wonder that righteous conduct does not follow.

So what is righteousness you may ask. Let’s us see what the Divine instruction on this is. As well as 2:177, we have in the same chapter 70 that we been studying so far the following masterful insights and instructions:

Not so those devoted to Prayer;-

Those who remain steadfast to their prayer;

And those in whose wealth is a recognised right.

For the (needy) who asks and him who is prevented (for some reason from asking);

And those who hold to the truth of the Day of Judgement;

And those who fear the displeasure of their Lord,-

For their Lord’s displeasure is the opposite of Peace and Tranquillity;-

And those who guard their chastity,

Except with their wives and the (captives) whom their right hands possess,- for (then) they are not to be blamed,

But those who trespass beyond this are transgressors;-

And those who respect their trusts and covenants;

And those who stand firm in their testimonies;

And those who guard (the sacredness) of their worship;-

Such will be the honoured ones in the Gardens (of Bliss).

Prayer, Selfless-Sacrifice, Generosity, Probity, Chastity, True and Firm Witness, and the real consciousness of Higher Presence are the hallmarks of those who desire Peace & Tranquillity in this life and the Eternal Garden of Bliss in the next.

Does every man of them long to enter the Garden of Bliss?

By no means! For We have created them out of the (base matter) they know!

We are all on a journey and the emptiness, confusion and uncertainty of faith that pervades people’s everyday life comes from a lack of true knowledge. Hence the requirement of Divine Revelation to help put matters into the context of the actual Reality.

The animal part of man is nothing to proud of, and we know it. It is by spiritual effort, and long preparation through a good life that a man can rise above the mere animal part of him to his high dignity as a spiritual being, and his noble destiny in the Hereafter.

We all have our day-day experiences, some good, some exciting, others challenging and yet others still quite mundane and tedious. We have to learn to develop a greater awareness in order to make this journey peaceful and more importantly to ensure we safely arrive at the desired ultimate destination.

For Success and Contentment,

Asad Khan

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Hi,

I thought it would be good for you to know a little bit more about me and the the background to Ark2Ark Training & Coaching. So here’s the summary interview of my bio submitted to a local business magazine:

For over 14 years Asad Khan has been providing strategic leadership to individuals, groups, corporations, organisations and government agencies.

Asad Khan (PhD) has blue-chip corporate experience working alongside some of the world’s top scientist in the Research and Development Headquarters of the Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. He has been a consultant on technology and knowledge commercialisation projects to public institutions both governmental (Dept. of Trade and Industry, Regional Development Agencies, Local Authorities, etc.) and non-governmental (Academia) with Angle Technology Ltd. He has worked with Islamic Relief, an International Relief & Development NGO and through them, was involved in early post-war reconstruction work in Iraq in late 2003, as well as setting-up offices in Johannesburg, South Africa. He also has extensive experience of working with a variety of people and groups in voluntary capacities and has engaged in a number of projects that have impacted local communities.

Asad Khan has learnt powerful strategies, tools and techniques that can help people to evaluate their personal, professional and public pursuits in life. He works in ways which can help identify a person’s real talents, values and ambitions. Further, he can help crystallise these internal drivers and transmute them into solid plans so they create a compelling future in which the true life goals and purpose are being realised. No matter which level of standards one is currently living at, he believes there is every potential for personal growth with maximisation of ones abilities. He has the motivation and ingenuity to dispel fears and limiting belief patterns that hold people back from higher achievement and helps galvanise the forces that thrust their personal energies into desired directions. Commenting on his vision behind creating Ark2Ark Training & Coaching he says:

“I knew my strengths were always in thought-leadership, communication and resource mobilisation. It hit me right in my heart that such people skills were high on my personality listing. My job is to help discern the meaning behind events people face and get them into positive action, a mode of fulfilment and a commitment to higher levels of self-determination and actualisation. It upsets me to know that talented people can stroll through life only to reach a point of understanding where they query ‘Is this all there is?’ I want to shift this point of realisation to an earlier stage so that there is time to turn potential regrets into sources of inspiration and beneficial action.”

He has trained with world-class leaders in the field of personal development who have used their talents in transforming the lives of millions around the globe – both as individuals and corporate/organisation members including Anthony Robins, Paul McKenna and Christopher Howard as well as in-depth study of Stephen Covey’s work. He has, over the years, steadily built his own understandings and added his personal dimensions to the field. When asked about his route into strategic self-leadership coaching, he responded:

“We simply don’t give ourselves the chance to understand how we work; what makes us tick; how to get centred and look on the inside; how to grow to a level which enables us to let go of inconsequential things; how to appreciate the finer aspects of relationships and to expand our minds and hearts to embrace both minor or major matters of importance. Throughout the years I have gone through ‘traditional routes of progression’ in academia and professional endeavours only to realise that something deep was missing: a sense of self-belief and living on my purpose with true passion & contentment.”

His desire to break from monotony and social configuration led him through a period of self-analysis and reflection. Perhaps this is his key distinction – that he has personally walked through this process for himself and now supports other leaders and high achievers to step-up their game:

“I took a break from it all and threw everything I had into working out what the meaning of my life’s work was to be. I have to tell you this because despite being what appeared to be a rising professional, I knew that complacency and self-limiting beliefs would get in the way of my fulfilment and I had to ‘step out of the box’ - my comfort zone - in order to reflect and develop plans. See, initially I climbed the corporate & social ladder as a rising star tends to; then I came down a few rungs. And now I’ve gone back-up with greater perspectives. I can confidently say that I know what it means to be in the dark; be mediocre; settle for the ordinary; get socially, or corporately, scripted and even get pre-occupied with matters of insignificance. Conversely, I now also know what it means to be enlightened; be emboldened; be empowered; be energised to take risk and discover new potential both within and around me.”

His experiences are far-ranging and contain the depth necessary to have insights into the developing strategies that help people shift into more resourceful, enlightened, balanced states of being. He’s often been questioned as to why he’s so passionate about working with people to develop higher standards, regain balance and work their edge, for which he replies:

“I’ve had times when I’ve seen top-ranking professionals just crumble under the enormous pressure they face without knowing what had happened. For instance, a middle-aged professor in a leading university was having an intense period in his work routine with all sorts of deadlines looming concerning proposals, contracts, company listing, patents etc. as well as strife within his team. He was arriving early to his office and leaving late – sometimes very late, in order to meet the deadlines. This continued over a number of months and there seemed to be no end to the amount of things he had to attend to, including more deadlines. Consequently, he faced the unimaginable: his wife wanted to divorce him and take their 3 children with her. He had got to a stage where there was an imbalance in his routine with a lack of priority of things. He had the best of intentions that led him to work flat-out but without recognising the negative consequences on his personal health and relationships. Not only did he lose his family, but some of his senior members of staff also left and the once ‘high priority’ work that he’d spent long hours on had now collapsed. The point of the matter here is that important work will always be around, as I said to him, but that it mustn’t overtake our bearings and sense of balance, principles and time such that our various roles and activities are adversely affected. I know there are people who are silently suffering from lack of clarity and conviction to their innate nature - which is the root-cause of incongruence. But with the right support things can be adjusted so that a person is re-aligned and centred.”

Asad Khan is known for his talents and abilities, and they are apparent for all to see who engage with him and allow an air of honesty and opportunity to exist around them – which he helps create if there is an unconscious resistance to this. He has witnessed radical transformations in individuals who were formally living a filtered, scripted and constrained life. Complete turnarounds in their views, perspectives, directions and course of actions have been achieved with his interventions and assistance. He has also been noted to energise and captivate audiences with his presence, moving presentation and thought-provoking analysis. When asked about publishing his thoughts and experiences, he says:

“I’ve started drafting some pages and intend to publish a book in the next couple of years, but for now I’d like you to understand this: our life is but a summation of our choices and what, and more importantly how, we decide to act now will determine the quality of our lives in the future and ultimately our destiny. I’m currently busy working with people to re-align with their authentic self and a book will happen when the time is right. However, a workbook is available. Ark2Ark Training & Coaching is a continuation of a desire and it won’t stop here; there’s plenty more to come. At this moment, I’m giving my all to this and I’d like to offer you a little food for thought in what I believe form The 7P’s of Incredible Psychology. I’ll be writing about these in more details in the forth-coming book, but readers are requested to sign-up to the regular newsletters for further details and meanings behind the 7P’s as well as other gems.”

PURPOSE - PASSION - PERFORMANCE - PRODUCTIVITY - PROGRESS - POWER - PEACE

“And I’d just like to add that there is already a lot of success, achievement and blessing in one’s life but we need to pay careful attention to understand the thread between them and their possible meaning. When we do have challenges, when we dip, it’s usually for a reason – life wants to help us grow and learn new perspectives. But the tragedy is when we don’t pay heed to these pointers and we continue on regardless of whether we have good fortune or misfortune. Ark2Ark Training & Coaching was set-up to act on the hearts and minds of talented people to guide their inner thoughts and feelings; but not just to inform, rather to transform.”

Go ahead and order your Workbook and view the Training Brochure for all courses and you can book onto the Seminars here.

Why not Asad call for a free half-an hour coaching session and see the what the power of coaching can do for you. Call me on +44 (0)161 860 77 77.

For Success & Contentment,

Asad Khan

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Yesterday I wrote a note on the need to be patient when asking and anticipating anything in one’s life and we looked at how the nature of man’s involves 2 elements as parts of his impatient base character (70:20-21):

1. fretful when evil touches him
2. niggardly when good reaches him

How many times have we seen people call upon ‘God’ for bringing about goodness in their lives, especially when they feel all the usual support structures and creature comforts around them are insufficient in helping them? I say ‘God’ in quotes because it is in these moments of deep despair that ones calls upon the real, All-seeing, All-Hearing God even thought they do not realise this. This is because normally they rely on demi-gods: things manufactured out of one’s fanciful imagination that hold no authority or power to bring good or deliver from harm. And so when the All-Merciful God delivers good to the person and with time fortunes change, the same person becomes stubborn and arrogant, rejecting the favours of his Lord, and selfishly hoards wealth / knowledge / talents / resources / charity for himself.

Now, hear what else we are told about our nature by our Fashioner in the Chapter “Children of Israel”:-

17:11 “The prayer that man should make for good, He makes for evil; for man is given to hasty (deeds).

Man in his ignorance or haste mistakes evil for good, and desires what he should not have. The wise and instructed soul has patience and does not put its own desires above the wisdom of God. He receives with contentment the favours of God and prays to be rightly guided in his desires and petitions.

If any do wish for the transitory things (of this life), We readily grant them - such things as We will, to such person as We will: in the end have We provided Hell for them: they will burn therein, disgraced and rejected.

Those who do wish for the (things of) the Hereafter, and strive therefor with all due striving, and have Faith,- they are the ones whose striving is acceptable (to God)

Of the bounties of thy Lord We bestow freely on all- These as well as those: The bounties of thy Lord are not closed (to anyone).

See how We have bestowed more on some than on others; but verily the Hereafter is more in rank and gradation and more in excellence.

Take not with God another object of worship; or thou (O man!) wilt sit in disgrace and destitution.

Remember how I said in my previous blog post not to be overly concerned with what some people have and what others don’t? Here again we are reminded in the plainest of terms similar wisdoms:

• If any wishes for the material aspects he will be granted them - as determined by his Creator
• Asking, receiving and not thanking (in its fullest meaning) is next to treason: the wicked are warned with the severest of punishments
• The Provider gives and restricts as He pleases, yet His Provision is open to all without prejudice
• Think about The Maker, The Provider, The Sustainer and thank Him- Alone - through devotion, prayer and faith with selfless service and charity
• Bear in mind the Day of Meeting your Lord when all will be laid-out in front: those who are true to Him win his Grace; those who rebel and reject His favours are humiliated
• And each person will then be to their own and there will be sufficient evidence from within (the soul) to account for or against him
• The end-game, the Hereafter, is the real deal and this is what ought to be truly sought after.

Every man’s fate We have fastened on his own neck: On the Day of Judgement We shall bring out for him a scroll, which he will see spread open.

(It will be said to him:) “Read thine (own) record: Sufficient is thy soul this day to make out an account against thee.”

Who receives guidance, receives it for his own benefit: who goes astray doth so to his own loss: No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another: nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent an apostle (to give warning).

So if one is going to ask for such and such, would it not be better not ensure that it is for worthy reasons and moreover, show gratitude for what one has in any case whilst remaining patient and steadfast at all times?

We have now seen how God’s help is widely available as He is the All-loving and The Cherishing. Let’s confirm this love, mercy and care for us with verses from the fourth chapter (The Women):

Allah does wish to make clear to you and to show you the ordinances of those before you; and (He does wish to) turn to you (In Mercy): And Allah is All-knowing, All-wise.

Allah does wish to Turn to you, but the wish of those who follow their lusts is that ye should turn away (from Him),- far, far away.

Allah does wish to lighten your (difficulties): For man was created Weak (in flesh).

Our Creator and Provider knows our inherent strengths and weaknesses and is ever-ready to assist and return an honest call. He wishes to help us, show us the way and strengthen our bond with him. But then the choice is left to us whether or not we like to play-out according to His wisdom and support or our own selfish and limited desires.

4:32 And in no wise covet those things in which God has bestowed His gifts More freely on some of you than on others: To men is allotted what they earn, and to women what they earn: But ask God of His bounty. For God has full knowledge of all things.

This dear reader is the authentic text that is beyond doubt and corruption gifted to mankind for his guidance and welfare. Too many people forge their own understandings and have little knowledge of the Truth. Fanciful conjecture is not the means or style of Ark2Ark Training and Coaching. Rather, we aim to deliver the compelling messages of Truth and Certainty based on proofs and visible, undeniable Signs of God and His Mercy.

For Success & Contentment

Asad Khan

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Usually when we are in anticipation of something it can seem like ages before anything eventful really happens. Why? Because we all want results right now. This minute. It’s got to happen now - “I’m a Professional for God’s Sake! I know how to manage People and Processes, so surely I can manage my own affairs and achieve my goals as and when I please, right!?”

Well no, not exactly. Not as we/I/you please but rather as it has been pre-ordained by the Creator. All too often we are quoted all sorts of examples of illustrious personalities who have achieved mega success at relatively tender ages or otherwise (Trump, Gates, Obama, Brin/Page-Google, et al.) but the reality behind these success is anything but normal. So we get pumped-up into thinking that if they can do it then so can I. Well its great to have such ambitions, nothing wrong with that, and its great to pick-up on points that can be modelled and integrated into your own psyche and characteristics.

But my point here is about timing rather than the nature of ambitions and personal drive. I was reading some verses from the Holy Book and I thought that I’d like to share  some of them with you to expand on this aspect:

70:19-21: “Verily man was created very impatient -fretful when evil touches him; and niggardly when good reaches him.”

You see man, according to plan of God, was created in the best of moulds (95:4). But in order to fulfil his high destiny he was given free will to a limited extent. The wrong use of this free will makes his nature impatient. That becomes his nature by his own act, but he is spoken of as so created because of the capacities given to him in his creation.

So what happens when we don’t get what we want, when we want it or how we want it? Despair, gloom and blame. But our psychology would better serve us if we were to think of higher order, patiently persevere with the times and work diligently towards the achievement of our noble personal goals. And if and when they are fulfilled, then we must not forget the share of the less fortunate ones who need assistance and support, just as we did in times of anguish.

Look at what else your Creator informs you in Chapter 41 (The Expounded):

46. Whoever works righteousness benefits his own soul; whoever works evil, it is against his own soul: nor is thy Lord ever unjust (in the least) to His Servants.

47. To Him is referred the Knowledge of the Hour (of Judgment: He knows all): No date-fruit comes out of its sheath, nor does a female conceive (within her womb) nor bring forth the Day that ((Allah)) will propound to them the (question), “Where are the partners (ye attributed to Me?” They will say, “We do assure thee not one of us can bear witness!”

48. The (deities) they used to invoke aforetime will leave them in the lurch, and they will perceive that they have no way of escape.

49. Man does not weary of asking for good (things), but if ill touches him, he gives up all hope (and) is lost in despair.

50. When we give him a taste of some Mercy from Ourselves, after some adversity has touched him, he is sure to say, “This is due to my (merit): I think not that the Hour (of Judgment) will (ever) be established; but if I am brought back to my Lord, I have (much) good (stored) in His sight!” But We will show the Unbelievers the truth of all that they did, and We shall give them the taste of a severe Penalty.

51. When We bestow favours on man, he turns away, and gets himself remote on his side (instead of coming to Us); and when evil seizes him, (he comes) full of prolonged prayer!

52. Say: “See ye if the (Revelation) is (really) from Allah, and yet do ye reject it? Who is more astray than one who is in a schism far (from any purpose)?”

53. Soon will We show them our Signs in the (furthest) regions (of the earth), and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that thy Lord doth witness all things?

54. Ah indeed! Are they in doubt concerning the Meeting with their Lord? Ah indeed! It is He that doth encompass all things!

These verses are powerful, true and revealing. If properly understood they give immense insights into the nature of our being and help shape our reality for the better.  Weak, hasty and ungrateful is the the base nature of humans, so its only when we recognise the Source of All Goodness and rely on Him utterly to fulfil our needs that we then begin to raise our ranks to fit in with the “Best of Moulds” - as we were intended in our primary purpose. Timing, and Time itself, is in His Hands alone. No need therefore for any to fret over what others have or have not. Stick to your own personal convictions and purify them, strengthen them and work towards the fulfilment of your noble goals with the assistance of Higher Order and Grace.

For Success & Contentment,

Asad Khan

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Dear Reader,

We can all feel tremendous at times - especially when winter begins to fold away and the sun begins to beam through - a special force residing within shapes our thinking and changes the mood that permeates our choices and course of actions. With this, we begin to talk differently, the walking alters, the lighter dress colours are adopted, we hang outside with others more and generally we begin to look forwards towards completing our day.

There are other times however when no matter how light and bright it may be outside, we still feel rotten inside because we cannot let go of the past winter that hemmed us in. Why? Does the weather have complete control on how we think, feel and behave? You will probably agree with me and say “no, of course it doesn’t”.

Then what is the force that gets altered so much so as to make us feel ecstatic in one moment yet miserable another? That force is the spirit that resides within us all - the mighty spirit that is coupled to our indispensable soul. Now its not so much of ‘it’ getting altered itself, but rather how we relate with it from moment-to-moment, task-to-task, goal-to-goal.

So you see, I’m not talking about the condition of the weather outside and how it affects our mood, although this is true. I’m talking about our ability to change the ‘weather’ on the inside at will. This can be done and mastered. Its just a matter of practice. There are certain handles on how it can be managed and related to so that you can optimise your feelings and ability to do things to a greater standard -  as and when you please - regardless of the weather outside!

One such handle is to know what you want.

What is it that you are trying to do or achieve?

What are your short/mid/long-term aims?

Have you broken these down aims into manageable steps?

And most importantly, what do they mean to you?

Soon I’ll share with you some more important aspects on how to work this spiritual force to help get great results in every department of your life.

For Success & Contentment,

Asad Khan

Further Information on this topic is available in the free sample chapter of the MPPPL Personal Development Workbook available at the main Ark2Ark Training & Coaching site under the Free Items tab .

Are you a Champion? Then you have to Work the Edge…

“Champions aren’t made in gyms, champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina; they have to be a little faster; they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.” M Ali, 3 times heavyweight champion of the World.

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It’s the one who make it inch-by-inch, step-by-step, towards their heart’s goals that make life worth living! It’s the people who are ready to sacrifice all to win those inches who stand-out as the remarkable people in our societies and who go on to help build great civilisations.

You don’t have to become famous personality or world leader, but you need to have a deep satisfaction that you have done your best with the opportunities life presents to you. That you don’t settle for anything less than your best. And that you did what you can to help fulfill others needs with your God-given talents and abilities. You helped pull it together, and the journey was made easier because of you.

Check out this Motivational Speech by Al Pacino

“In life, like football, the margin for error is small.”

“We know, when we add up all those inches….that’s gonna make the difference between winning and losing; between living and dying!”

A great coach can help make that difference clear.

In Any Given Sunday, Al-Pacino may not have put together a great philosophical speech full of high morals and virtues. But he did help a fragmented team of demoralised young footballers realise that there must be more to life than just getting old……

For Success & Contentement,

Asad Khan

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