Alhamdulillah. Since year 2007, I have been privileged to advise thousands of Singaporean Muslims on planning their finance in Singapore.
And of course, there were many concepts
that I used to make my financial planning presentation more vibrant, relatable and meaningful. 🙂
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(Alhamdulillah. Blessed to have the opportunity to share my financial planning ideas recently with our Brothers and Sisters in Pasir Ris Punggol.)
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I love to use Malay Idioms (Peribahasa) in my financial planning presentations.
I love Malay Idioms because they are evergreen and full of wisdom that transcends ages.
Peribahasa that were commonly used during the P Ramlee time of our Pakcik Pakcik, Makcik Makcik
Still applicable today in the “Instagram/Tik Tok”year of 2021.
And will be also be applicable in the future years to come!
Insya’Allah! 🙂
Amongst them,
these are the 7 most popular Malay Idioms that I use to help my clients plan their finance better in Singapore.
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1) Sediakan payung sebelum hujan
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Prepare yourself an umbrella before it rains.
In my professional opinion, you must not only prepare yourself an umbrella before it rains.
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You must make sure that your umbrella is BIG ENOUGH so that you and your family don’t get wet when it rains.
In financial planning context,
how do you prepare and ensure that your “umbrella” is BIG ENOUGH to protect you and your family when in need?
Firstly ensure that you have at least 3-6 months of emergency funds in your bank account at all times.
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If you spend $3000/mth.
$3000 X 3 months = $9000
You need to ensure that you always have $9000 in your bank account at all time.
Why?
If you fall sick, you need to see the doctor.
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To see the doctor, you need money. You dont want to susahkan your family members by borrowing their money.
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And tomorrow, nauzubillah if suddenly you got retrenched,
at least you can survive 3-6 months while looking for another job…..
Got some space to breathe. Not kancheong!
This is very important my friends.
Because we don’t know how long this Covid19 pandemic is here to stay! So make sure that you have 3-6 months emergency funds with you at all times! 🙂
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Secondly, you need to make sure that both you and your family are comprehensively covered with a HOSPITAL INSURANCE PLAN.
In my many years experience as an Islamic Financial Consultant in Singapore,
I realize not all people are in debts due to poor financial management.
Some of them are due to victim of circumstances.
Family and loved ones hospitalised and saddled with hefty medical bills.
And they started maxing their credit card debts to pay those bills.
The reason why they did so because they weren’t eligible for any financial assistance based on their income.
They then face difficulties in paying off their credit card bills.
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My friends. A simple hospital insurance plan can help save you from this kind of situation.
A hospital insurance plan can help cover your bills.
(I was hospitalised in year 2019 due to a viral infection.)
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Alhamdulillah my hospital bills of $29,144 were taken care by my hospital insurance plan!
If I did not have a comprehensive hospital insurance plan in place, I can look you in the eye and tell you. Koyak beb my pocket! 🙂
2) Alah bisa, tegal biasa
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Alah bisa, tegal biasa.
Something difficult will become easier if we always do them repeatedly.
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As an Islamic Financial Planner, I always share with my clients that there are 2 types of money habits.
Good Money Habits
Bad Money Habits
Examples of Good Money Habits
Save 1st, then spend.
Have enough emergency funds
Have Hospital insurance plans.
Prudent and responsible financial management
Examples of Bad Money Habits
Boros. Spend more than you earn. Borrow other people $$$ and never pay back.
Pay your bills late
Failing to plan for your future
Sometimes when we have been so used to BAD MONEY HABITS for many years of our lives.
It becomes difficult to CHANGE that bad money habits to good money habits.
I always share with my clients. Alah bisa, tegal biasa.
Something difficult will become easier if we always do them repeatedly.
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Alaaaaaahhhh….. It is like when you first learnt to ride a bicycle.
You lose your balance, you fall.
You rise up back!
You fall again and again…But you never give up!!
Soon riding a bicycle becomes a 2nd nature to you.
Anytime anyone gives you a bicycle, you can ride it easily.
Alah bisa, tegal biasa.
At first difficult…..
You do it repeatedly… After that, it becomes easy and becomes a 2nd nature to you!
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My friends,
From my research, if we do something 21 days repeatedly, a new habit will be formed…
I want to help you install a POSITIVE money habit!
Everyday we go out.
We spend money.
We spend money at the market. We spend money at the coffeeshop.
We spend money at the shopping malls. For the next 21 days, what I want you to do is that I want you to leave the dollar notes in your wallet.
And take out all the coins and put in a tabung…
(If you don’t have a tabung, you can start with biscuit tin first! Most importantly, start doing it today! )
Do it for 21 days consecutively and Insya’Allah you will find yourself installing a new POSITIVE money habit!
Saving money everyday becomes a 2nd nature to you. Alah bisa, tegal biasa! 🙂
3) Sedikit sedikit, lama lama jadi bukit
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Literally, bit by bit, after a while, it becomes a hill!
Do small things. Repeat over and over again until it becomes big.
Some people complained to me.
“Helmi. Difficult lah for me to save money. Kais pagi, makan pagi. Kais petang, makan petang.”
How to save money?
I always share with them. No money today does not mean no money forever! 🙂
So how can you kickstart your journey to save money bit by bit and until you have a substantial amount?
Introducing you the 52 week Money Challenge
For those who do not have emergency funds in your bank account,
you can do this as part of your new year resolution to be self sufficient.
1st week, save $1. 2nd week, increase.You save $2 for that week.
Following week, increase some more $3 for that week. Sedikit sedikit, lama lama jadi bukit.
By end year 2021, you would have saved $1378 Cash!
Add this money to the money you save in the tabung for strategy No 2,
you will start to realise that Alhamdulillah you have finally saved up your 3-6 months emergency funds!
4) Genggam Bara Api Biar Sampai Jadi Arang
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Genggam Bara Api Biar Sampai Jadi Arang.
When you are doing or starting a challenging task, you need to pursue it until you have reached your goal.
My friends, A lot of people can begin something.But not many can finish it.
One of the characteristic of successful people.
They begin something and they make sure they see it through the end. They finish what they started!
My friends, There is no magic pill that you swallow and suddenly you have a lot of money.
Success comes in a package of hard work.
Rejections.
Failures.
Mistakes.
Criticisms. All the sacrifices that these super successful people go through.
And the most important thing is never give up.
Work until you achieve your goals.
You do things nonchalantly, you will get meagre, lacklustre and nonchalant results.
My friends,
Success takes time. No one in this world gets married today and gets a child tomorrow.
It involves process. Be patient.
and trust the process.
People who give excuses. Their lives will be full of excuses.
You give your best, you get the best!
Successful people begin something and they make sure they see it through the end. Genggam Bara Api Biar Sampai Jadi Arang!
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5) Melentur Buluh Biarlah Dari Rebungnya
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Literal translation “To bend a bamboo, start when it’s a shoot.”.
Teach your child good money habits when they are young.
Example…
To me, this is not the right way of educating our children on money.
Stop doing that.
If you have been doing that….
Save first and then spend.
When you inculcate this good money habit of, “Save First, Then Spend” to your children.
When they grow up and start working, that is what they are going to do when they receive their paycheck.
Save first and spend! Alhamdulillah….
We fulfil our obligations as a financially educated parent.
And what is the most beautiful part?
They will then educate their children of the same money principles, “Save Money First and then Spend.”
Masya’Allah…. You are inculcating good money habits not just for yourself or your children. You are inculcating good money habits for your generations to come!
Melentur Buluh Biarlah Dari Rebungnya! 🙂
6) Ukur Baju Di Badan Sendiri
Ukur Baju Di Badan Sendiri.
Spend according to your kemampuan (affordability)
My friends,
we need to differentiate between needs and wants. Needs… Keperluan. Wants… Kemahuan.
Needs is MUST HAVE.
Essential. Something that you must have to survive.
Wants is something good to have.
Not essential for survival.
Example of needs… House, transport, insurance, food
Example of wants…
Staycations, Entertainment, Designer Clothes, Dine at expensive Restaurants
My friends,
In order to be financially stable, we must be prudent with how we spend our money….
Don’t Spend Money that you don’t have to impress people you don’t like.
Ukur Baju Di Badan Sendiri. Spend according to your kemampuan (affordability)
7) Air Dicincang Tidak Akan Putus
Air dicincang tidak akan putus.
‘Blood is thicker than water’.
I am a firm advocate of this peribahasa.
Because why?
Because I always believe that there is rezeki in silaturahim.
We know the financial planning strategies already.
At the same time we know that rezeki is all from the source. Allah S.W.T.
If our parents are still alive, we are very lucky.
Always ask blessings and doa from our parents. They are our keramat hidup. Redha dia, redha Allah.
And maintain good relationship with others.
If sometimes, you quarrel with others, do your very best to forgive and mend that relationship.
I know its difficult, but do your best.
Seek forgivesness and mend ties.
Because why?
Because there is rezeki in silaturahim.
(Me and my family)
This is my family. Alhamdulillah, they are super supportive of what I do. I regard them as my strength.
As my BIG WHY to persevere in what I do! 🙂
Air dicincang tidak akan putus! 🙂
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I would like to wrap my presentation with a serangkap pantun.
Kusangkakan panas sampai ke petang
Rupanya hujan di tengah hari
Berjimat cermat bila ada wang
Supaya tenang di kemudian hari
Thank you my friends! 🙂
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Now… I hope you have benefited from my personal sharing, 7 Malay Idioms To Help You Plan Your Finance Better in Singapore…
If you are seeking a mentor, coach, consultant to share with you practical aspects on how you can plan your finance, the shariah compliant way in Singapore, I am always ready to help you.
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I have to put a clause here.
My intention of sharing my journey is not to riak or to show off. My intention sharing my journey is to encourage and inspire others to be debt free, as much as they can.
Being debt free is possible in Singapore.
I was in a dilemma if I should create this blog post. Share my journey, people say I riak.Dont share takut dosa, ilmu simpan sendiri.
However, after much considerations and requests from many, dengan lafaz Bismillahirahmanirahim (In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful) I decide to document my journey.
I will share with you 2 blog posts…….
This blog post, I will share, Why I aim to be debt free, my challenges and how to be debt free in Singapore.
The 2nd blog post, I will share, How to make it easier for you to be debt free in Singapore.
Keep an open mind. If not, (I am pleading with you) please don’t continue reading this blog post.
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If you are my client, you know that as an Islamic Financial Planner in Singapore, I have come up with a 4-prong approach to my personal finance.
1)Clear my HDB loan + Comprehensive Halal Insurance Coverage 2) Monthly Investment in shariah compliant fund + Top up when there is a market downturn (like the COVID-19 health crisis) 3) Shariah Compliant Stocks
(Act as turbo booster to increase investible assets value in networth statement for the next 5-10 years. Shariah compliant methodology adopted: Dow Jones shariah screening methodology + AAOIFI) 4) Additional Properties
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Alhamdulillah. I have achieved the first 2 stages.
(My final payment to fully clear my HDB loan)
(and finally Debt Free!)
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Alhamdulillah. Yes! I am now officially DEBT FREE! 🙂
It might look like a breeze at the seaside but fact of the matter, it is not.
It requires careful and meticulous planning.
It takes a lot of research.
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When I first got married, I did some personal reflection. (that is when most people start to get serious about life)
I set goals.
Being Debt Free is one of them.
It is ironic because since young, I have been taught about Good Debts.
and Bad Debts.
Good Debts like housing loans are good because interest rate is so cheap in Singapore. Bad Debtslikecredit cards with exorbitant 24% interest are bad. It should be avoided at all cost.
That is what mainstream financial gurus of this century has been advocating over the years.
And I agree with them.
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And in my job as a financial consultant, I preach the idea of being Debt Free.
Most people will look at me in a strange manner.
“Biar betik si dekni.”
I don’t fault them. Because I used to think like them.
I thought it was not possible.
I thought if you want to be debt free in this cosmopolitan sophisticated Singapore,
you have to hold high positions.
Maybe if you are an executive director of an MNC. A vice president of a company. A group division manager at least.
You know, someone with positions. Alaaaah…. Orang berkedudukan with status.
Then only can be Debt Free
If not, not possible.
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Yet, the reasons I still stick to my guns, hold on to my dreams and work myself up to be debt free in Singapore because of a few reasons.
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1) Life is unpredictable.
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Being a financial consultant since year 2007, I have experienced 2 crises. 2008-2009: subprime mortgage crisis. 2020: Health crisis that we are facing now.
The prospect of people losing jobs are real.
The prospect of business closing down are real. The prospect of one depleting their emergency funds in a time of crisis is real.
I see it with my own eyes. People are struggling.
Scared of the future.
Nauzubillah…. I pray it won’t happen to you.
To me.
Or to anyone I love….
Yet, it is comforting and a relief to know that if sh*t happens, at least we still have a roof over our heads.
Better still if the biggest financial obligation of our life has been settled.
In short, from a financial advisor’s perspective, my risk profile for home to stay and risk profile for long term investment is DIFFERENT. As a sole breadwinner in my family, I am very conservative in my approach for house to stay.
Yet, I am aggressive in my approach for long term investments.
2) Job disruption due to rapid development of technology
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Even before the Covid19 pandemic, I have seen major changes in the new economy.
Jobs are replaced by machines.
15 years ago, if I want to do fundamental analysis of companies, I have to download the company’s annual report 1 by 1.
(15 years ago, when I was a student in Ngee Ann Polytechnic)
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I had to create excel spreadsheet to do vertical and horizontal analysis.
Calculated the financial ratios. 1 by 1.
Everything did it by myself. Now, with Artificial Intelligence – with just a few clicks of a button, I can get all the answers I want.
Machines help me out with all that. The role of a financial analyst has being made redundant.
This AI thing is very REAL.
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Let me give you another example in my industry. The insurance industry.
One of the biggest insurance companies in Japan terminated 34 employees in their Actuarial department.
And replaced them with an artificial intelligence (AI) system that can calculate insurance payouts.
The firm believes it will help increase productivity by 30%.
And save $1.2 million a year in salaries.
Now, my point is, If that can happen in Japan, anything can happen in Singapore.
Now, if we are stable with a good job.
If we are stable, with a healthy, profit making business. It is good for us to be conservative on how we spend our money, clear our debts and prepare for rainy days. .
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3) Personal challenge to prove that it is possible to plan our finance the shariah compliant way in Singapore
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In my job as a Islamic Financial Consultant, I always see:
Myths.
Excuses. Justifications.
That in Singapore, it is impossible to plan our finances the shariah compliant way. Too difficult.
Of course, Singapore doesn’t have shariah compliant home financing facilities like, Murabahah, Ijarah Wa Iqtina or Musharakah Mutanaqisah.
For now, we make do with what we have.
Be it HLE loan or bank loan with the lowest interest. Try to clear it ASAP.
It can be done.
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Of course, Singapore doesn’t have the grand infrastructure or enjoy economies of scale to promote Islamic Finance financial instruments
like our counterparts in Malaysia or Indonesia.
Or even gulf countries like Dubai, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman or Saudi.
(Me and my wife at Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Oman)
(Beautiful interior of Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Oman)
(Myself and the friendly Dai’s who promote the beauty of Islam at Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Oman)
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For now, we make do with what we have.
Start growing your money the shariah compliant way in Singapore with as little as $5/day.
And don’t look down on that small $5/day.
That small $5/day can help kickstart your journey to be a Muslim millionaire in Singapore. Insya’Allah.
My goal as an Islamic Financial Consultant in Singapore is to lead by example. Create more success stories.
When people say, its impossible.Change it to “I M Possible”.
When people say, there is no market.Change it to we will CREATE the market. And will EDUCATE and GROW this niche market.
When people play it safe, we charge ahead and go on the offensive.
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It reminds me of the Roger Bannister story.
4 minute mile story.
Long long time ago, humans on this earth were led to believe that running 4 miles (equivalent to 4 rounds in the stadium) in less than 4 minutes is impossible.
Back then, nobody can run that fast.
Everybody believed that it was not possible.
They even had scientists and doctors to come on board and make a detailed scientific report to substantiate with “latest up to date data”.
Substantiate and prove that running 4 rounds in the stadium in less than 4 minutes is impossible.
Impossible because our human body is just not created in a way Impossiblebecause of our bone structure, muscle fiber, tissues, anatomy limited by design Impossible because….. (many more reasons why it wont work)
But you know what? Roger Bannister believes.
For years and years…. No one was able to break that record
Roger Bannister believes he is able to do it.
And he did it!
The amazing thing for me is not Roger Bannister could complete 4 rounds in the stadium in less than 4 minutes.
The amazing thing here is within the 1st week Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile, someone else did it.
And now thousands of people have done it.
Because people have the mindset, “If Roger Bannister can do it, so can I.”
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In my many years journey as an Islamic Financial Consultant, I met quite a number of people already cleared their housing loan in their 30s.
And they look very happy.
And they are just normal people like you and me. Having ordinary jobs.
Working 9-5.
Eat Nasi Padang at coffeeshops for lunch.
And sipping teh tarik gleefully.
The thing here is they look so “normal”. Don’t look like those sophisticated businessmen.
Or the “sovereign” type.
They are normal everyday people like you and me!
That is my aha moment. My “Roger Bannister” moment.
If they can do it, so can I.
(I watch this video every time I feel down and demotivated)
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Thus, I began interacting with people who share the same values as me.
I begin to ask the correct questions.
How can I make this work?
I began documenting things down. Identify the traits of financially successful people.
I develop Your Financial M.A.P. model and trademark it.
It is a simple 3-step model.
(Whatsapp Financial Consultant, Helmi Hakim at 96520134 to get free video, “5 Shariah Compliant Ways To Save More Money in Singapore”)
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Wallah….. These are the exact strategies I used to accumulate a lump sum of money fast.
Be it for my wedding. For my honeymoon.
For my renovation expenses.
For me to buy my car without loan.
And also Alhamdulillah, for me to clear my housing loan.
Again my intention of telling you all this is not to brag.
I just want to give you the assurance that I am genuine. I am real. I am your fellow Singaporean Muslim friend who walks the talk.
I understand your struggle and I want to help. Especially in this challenging times.
No bullsh*t. No textbook stuffs. Simple actionable steps that even a 13 year old can understand.
I am with you.
My advice to you is just listen in to my 7 minutes video.
And just follow step by step.
No need to think too hard.
As long as whatever I share does not transgress shariah, is not haram.
Just do it!
Give your 1oo%! Do your best and leave the rest to Allah S.W.T.
Go key in your details. And start taking action.
I will share in greater detail on how to make it easier for you in my 2nd blog post. Stay tuned. Wait for it. 🙂
5) Financial Independence is my ultimate goal
Many of you know the definition of Financial Independence.
When you are financially independent, it means your monthly passive income > monthly expenses.
When you clear your housing loan, it means you have lesser monthly expenses.
Thus, you need lesser passive income every month to achieve your financial independence.
Another benefit of clearing loan is that you will have lesser stress.
People with lesser money-related stress have a clear mind.
Their brains are not shrouded with how to survive in the vicious, never ending rat race.
Their brains can think creatively.
Innovate.
Create opportunities.
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Now… I hope you have benefited from my personal sharing, Clearing My 5 Room HDB flat loan at age 34….
If you are seeking a mentor, coach, consultant to share with you practical aspects on how you can plan your finance, the shariah compliant way in Singapore, I am always ready to help you.
Some of you know that I recently went on a 23 days juice detox.
It is part of my new year’s resolution to eat healthy.
Stay fit.
Our body is an amanah from Allah S.W.T.
And we have an obligation to take care of our body through proper nutrition and exercise.
Detoxing my body through juice detox was a totally new experience for me.
For the very first time, I cleansed my body. Cleansing is a process to remove toxins from my body.
It looks simple. Yet its challenging.
But Alhamdulillah.
With proper guidance from my nutritionist and mentor, I managed to overcome it….
(Gallstones that came out of my body during my 2nd phase of Detox)
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Having said that, today I want to share more on the similarities of detoxing your body and Islamic Financial Planning in Singapore. 🙂
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1) Detoxing Your Body and Islamic Financial Planning involve processes
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Previously I thought that detoxing my body involves simply drinking fruit juice.
Or perhaps lemon juice.
Or perhaps aloe vera juice.
No.
There are many rules and processes to it.
Example, 80:20 rule.
80% of the juice must come from vegetables and 20% from fruits.
I learnt the proper step by step process of detoxing my body.
First 10 days: colon and kidney detox.
Next 7 days: gallbladder and liver detox.
Last 7 days: juicing.
It is a very elaborated process, yet I enjoyed my journey very much! 🙂
(Video of Financial Consultant, Helmi Hakim juicing his juices.)
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Similarly in Islamic Financial Planning, there are a number of steps and processes that I share with my clients.
Firstly, the FLAIR concept.
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Financial Objectives, Liquidity, Affordability, Investment Time Horizon, Risk Profile.
(F.L.A.I.R. concept used by Islamic Financial Planners in Singapore)
(Financial Consultant, Helmi Hakim sharing more on FLAIR)
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For Muslims, we have to understand the prohibition of Riba, Maysir and Gharar.
Riba, meaning payment or receipt of interests is strictly forbidden.
Allah S.W.T said in the glorious Quran, Surah Al Baqarah, Verse 275:
“Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest”
Maysir, meaning any form of gambling. And Gharar, meaning uncertainty. Both are not allowed.
As stated in Surah Al-Maeda, Verse 90:
“O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination,- of Satan’s handwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper.”
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Understanding the different type of shariah compliant screening methodologies is crucial for
us to build our 100% shariah compliant portfolio.
The entire process is very IMPORTANT!
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Because many have the misconception that as long as the financial instrument has no pork. Has no lard.
Automatically it becomes Halal. .
They call it ‘Muslim friendly’ financial instrument. .
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I have to politely remind them ‘Muslim friendly’ NOW, does not mean ‘Muslim friendly’ FOREVER.
and Halal financial instruments go beyond No Pork, No Lard.
There are other additional requirements to it…………
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That is why I advocate shariah compliant financial instruments.
These group of Islamic Finance scholars will monitor endorse that the underlying assets are 100% HALAL at any given point of time.
Today. Tomorrow. The day after.
Forever.
As long as the shariah compliant fund remains to exist.
This gives us investors the peace of mind that our financial portfolio is 100% Halal all the time.
Peace of mind in this dunya.
Peace of mind in the akhirah.
Alhamdulillah! 🙂
And of course we learnt from an investment perspective how you can make your money,
the shariah compliant way in Singapore.
(Halal Financial Plan Card I get my clients to keep at their home. I target to distribute it to every single Muslim household in Singapore. Insya’Allah)
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2) You need guidance.
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I remember snapping photos of 10 different type of bread and Whatsapp-ing them to my nutritionist seeking for approval.
The types of nut butter I can eat.
Or I cannot eat.
What to look out for when reading the ingredients.
I even went for cooking classes to learn how to cook delicious yet healthy food. Some people told me. “Alahhhh Helmi.
You can learn everything from Google.”
The issue here, there are too many different opinions in Google.
And you don’t know which is right. And which is wrong.
That is why you need professionals to guide you step by step in achieving your goals in a seamless process.
(Pictures of healthy food that I learnt to make myself)
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Similarly in managing your finance the shariah compliant way in Singapore,you need a mentor or a coach.
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Christiano Ronaldo, the world’s famous football player has a coach.
Tiger Woods, the world famous golfer of all times has a coach.
Khabib, the UFC martial artist champion has a coach.
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A mentor and coach can help you with 2 things.
First, show you how to get from Point A to Point B.
Secondly, make you aware on your blindspots and obstacles that you should avoid so that you don’t tumble and fall.
When you have a mentor, you have the “certainty” to know if you are in the right direction or not.
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Have you realise that time flies VERY FAST?
So fast, that is now February 2020!!!
Don’t waste time figuring out on your own.
Having a mentor can fast track your journey towards success.
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Fast Action, Fast Results.
Slow action, little results.
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Speed… Its now or never! Find yourself a mentor!
3) Right circle of friends
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I remember when I first got excited learning all these awesome new health info, I had the inclination to share.
But my idea got immediately shot down by others saying it is a waste of time.
Immediately, I stopped sharing and stayed focus.
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Sometimes, when you start planning your finance the shariah compliant way in Singapore, it is good
to keep things to yourself.
When you are new at something, keep things for yourselves.
After you get some success, then slowly encourage your loved ones.
And also start building your circle of friends who share the same goals as you.
There are many out there who can give you hundreds of reasons on why things won’t work.
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I treat them as excuses.
Justifications on why things wont work is just “NOISE”.
Don’t give power to noise.
Ignore them. Treat it with a pinch of salt.
When people say, “Islamic Finance is impossible in Singapore…”
My head goes “blah blah blah….”
When people say, “Riba is now acceptable…”
My head goes “blah blah blah…”
When people say, “You are never good enough…”
My head goes “blah blah blah….”
The “noises” are like the “blah blah blah….” in this song.
My favourite song currently. Listen to it! 🙂
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4) Your BIG WHY is important
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Part of my detox process involves swallowing the mixture of olive oil and lemon juice.
My gosh! That was the most challenging part of my detox.
I was like “Yucks!!!”
Felt like vomiting.
At that point of time, the question “why am I doing this?” played in my mind.
Felt like giving up. To me, giving up is easy.
So I took a bit of time to remember my BIG WHY.
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Similarly, when you want to plan your finances, theshariah compliant way in Singapore, your WHY is important.
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My friends….
When you know your WHY,
your HOW will suddenly come knocking at your door. 🙂
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Your BIG WHY will give you the energy to follow through the goals that you set in the first place.
Why are you doing what you are doing now?
Are you saving up for your child’s education? Why save up for your child’s education?
(My daughter loves her new school bag)
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You save up because you want to see your child be able to study in a good university in the future.
You want your child to be a doctor. A teacher. A lawyer.
An engineer.
An artist.
You want your child to be a successful individual who can add value to the society.
Or are you doing it for your retirement? Why save up for your retirement?
What type of retirement do you want to lead in the future?
When are you going to retire?
Bottom line, WHY you are doing something comes before HOW to achieve it.
Explore the reasons.
It will bring you far.
5) Successful people begin something and do it till they meet success.
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I like a quote by Profesor Hamka, a renowned Southeast Asian Muslim scholar and cleric.
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Kalau hidup sekedar hidup, babi di hutan pun hidup. jika kerja sekedar kerja, kera juga berkerja.
Which means…
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It only means that whatever you want to achieve in life, work towards it relentlessly.
If we do things for the sake of doing, sambil lewa, how are we different than the animals in the jungle?
When I was doing my 23 days detox, there are a number of times I felt like giving up.
Especially towards the last few days when we were only allowed to drink juices.
No solid food.
When I was fasting during the month of Ramadan, at least I could look forward to iftar.
Last few days of my detox process, I was on a liquid diet.
Not easy.
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Last kopek already. Jangan hangat hangat tahi ayam. Genggam bara api biar sampai jadi arang.
Successful people begin something and do it till they meet success.
How you do anything is how you do everything.
It’s now or never!
You start it. You finish it…. AS A CHAMPION! 🙂
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Now… I hope you have benefited from my sharing on Detox Your Body and Islamic Financial Planning in Singapore For Year 2020.
If you are seeking a mentor, coach, consultant to share with you practical aspects on how you can plan your finance, the shariah compliant way in Singapore, I am always ready to help you.
Alhamdulillah. All praises to Allah S.W.T.
I have completed watching the whole Ertugrul Resurrection series on Netflix. (Yes! I was hooked from the beginning till the end.)
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Ertugrul Resurrection shows the life of the Muslim Oghuz Turks with Ertugrul as their leader.
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(Ertugrul is the father of Osman I, who was the founder of the Ottoman Empire)
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I feel the series is a breath of fresh air.
There are many jewels of wisdom that we can learn and apply in our lives.
Today, I am very excited to share with you 5 Things I Learn From Ertugrul Resurrection Series. 🙂
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1. The Kayi tribe have strong faith in Allah S.W.T.
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As we all know, the Kayi Tribe faced a lot of challenges.
Be it from their enemy.
Or even among their rank.
And the secret to how that managed to overcome all the obstacles, one by one
is by having very strong faith and reliance in Allah S.W.T.
Some of my favourite quotes in the series:
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I always remind myself.
When I feel down, I feel despair.
I feel like everything is not going as planned,
Recite. “Hasbunallah wa ni’mal wakil, ni’man maula wa ni’man nasir”
“Allah is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Guardian; What an excellent Protector and what an excellent Helper.”
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2. Always ask blessings from loved ones and tata tertib when invited to someone’s house
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One thing I noticed about the Kayi tribe is that they have this tradition of asking blessing from their loved ones.
This is good.
I have always emphasized:
One of the most POWERFUL nikmat that you have in this world if your parents is alive is their DOA.
Their prayers for your success. Their blessings.
Restu. Blessings. Prayers from our parents.
From our loved ones are priceless.
Because they are our keramat hidup.
(When we meet our parents or an elderly, we kiss their hands as a way to show respect)
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Another interesting thing I observed is that when tribal chiefs of the Kayi tribe gather together to eat.
Every single one of them brought their own personal spoons along.
Every. Single. One of them.
I was like woah. Why do you bring your own personal spoon? Don’t each household have their own cutlery?
Imagine us going for kenduri or walimah and bringing our own spoons? 🙂
The logical explanation for this is that the spoon actually goes into the mouth of the person. And it gets dirty.
At that time, water was limited. And dish soap has not existed yet.
It makes more senses to bring our own spoon and then clean it ourselves.
Instead of having the host having to clean the number of spoons after we eat.
The takeaway I get from here.
We should observe tata tertib and adab when being invited to one’s house for an occasion.
And make efforts to be a gracious guest to our host.
Make it EASIER for them to host us today and in the time to come.
So they tak serik to jemput us. In that way, we not only preserve silaturahim, at the same time strengthen them.Alhamdulillah! 🙂
3. Build alliance amongst different tribes
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1 particular scene that caught my attention is when Ertugrul requested his companion, Bamsi to bring arrows.
Ertugrul took 1 arrow and broke it easily.
And then he took about 15 arrows, and faced difficulties breaking them.
(Ertugrul tried to break arrows to illustrate the importance of unity)
To my mind, this is synonymous to the Malay proverb. Bersatu teguh, bercerai roboh. United we stand, divided we fall.
A tradition that I realise that is prevalent during Ertugrul’s era is that they build alliance through marriage.
And of course, when alliance were strong, the enemies tried to discow hatred.
Create pandemonium.
Divide and conquer.
Shake away loyalty by offering them gold.
Women. Positions. Power!
Time and time again, we have witnessed how chasing after power or money or anything for any sake other than Allah S.W.T. corrupts the hearts of men and will ultimately lead to their downfall in the end.
In fact, Iblige Hatun put it nicely.
4. Merciful to their enemies who have repented
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1 thing that touched my heart is Ertrugul is merciful to his enemies who have repented.
To me, this is not easy thing to do.
Can you imagine?
His enemy kidnapped his son.
Set up various traps against him.
Tried to kill him.
But when his enemy repents. Ertugrul forgave and freed his enemy.
“How come Ertrugul is so forgiving?”
In his own words, Ertugrul said,
“If it was up to me, I would have torn you to pieces.
However, there is my FAITH that is ABOVE my OWN DESIRE.
This is the order of my religion.
I forgave you by this order, not my own desire.”
He adds on….
5. Ertugul Bey did not like Riba.
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Etrugul Bey did not tolerate riba. Riba is haram.
Etrugul Bey uphold the principles of Islamic Finance.
He publicly denounced the money lenders that loan out money with Riba in his market.
And when he knew his own beloved son, Gunduz who unknowingly partake in Riba, he did not used his power and authority to defend him.
He did not use his position to justify Riba.
Even though Etrugul Bey was a very powerful frontier.
Even though Etrugul Bey has wit, eloquence on choice of words and flair of speech…
Even though Etrugul Bey has the capacity to sweep everything under the carpet, pretending nothing happen,
He did use not his God given capabilities
to justify what is Haram.
He was firm. And he was decisive.
He held on tightly to the Quran and Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
After reprimanding his son, he used his own little resources to clear the debt of his tribe.
Because he didn’t want his tribe to be involved with riba.
Masya’Allah. To my mind, that is the epitome of a great leader.
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Now… I hope you have benefited from my sharing on 5 Things Islamic Financial Consultant, Helmi Hakim Learnt From Ertugul Resurrection Series…
If you are seeking a mentor, coach, consultant to share with you practical aspects on how you can plan your finance, the shariah compliant way in Singapore, I am always ready to help you.
I love my job as an Islamic financial consultant in Singapore.
This job offers me the freedom of time.
Do what I want and when I WANT it.
I can choose to pray my fardhu prayers at the mosque
or at the comfort of my home. (My officeis just 3 buildings away from Masjid Ghufran).
I can choose to spend more time with my loved ones,
travelling all over the world.
(Me and my beautiful family spending quality time together)
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And also, being an Islamic Financial Consultant in Singapore offers me the opportunity to interact with people from all walks of life.
I have the opportunity to observe and identify common traits of Singaporean Muslims who have achieved an admirable level of financial success.
They come from different industries.
Yet, all of them share this pattern.
Very common pattern.
I call this “Patterns of Success Dunia Akhirat”
This pattern sets them apart from others.
And I am going to share with you my findings, “5 Shariah Compliant Tips To Achieve Financial Success in Singapore”.
Bismillah! 🙂
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1. Strengten our relationship with Allah + Blessings From Your Parents
Some of you know that the month of June was a challenging month for me.
I was hospitalised for 8 days due to high fever
(Myself being hospitalised for the first time in my life)
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and my father-in-law passed away in that very month.
Sleepless nights.Emotional roller coaster rides – up and down..
I redha what happened.
I accept that it is Qada and Qadar.
Ketentuan illahi.
The episode taught me 1 thing. Treasure your loved ones.
Especially your parents.
They are our keramat hidup. One of themost POWERFUL nikmat that you have in this world if your parents is alive is their DOA.
Their prayers for your success. Their blessings.
(A picture of my parents, my sister, my brother-in-law and us!)
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Everytime I am confronted with challenges in life.
Or presented with opportunities that send butterflies to my stomach.
The first thing I seek is DOA, prayers from my parents.
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I realised those who are successful, they are very, very close to their parents.
They preserve silaturahim with their loved ones.
In addition to that, they understand 1 thing. Rezeki is from Allah S.W.T.
Financially successful Muslims take every action to strengthen their relationship with Allah S.W.T.
Through Solat Taubat.
Solat Tahajud.
Solat Hajat.
Solat Istikharah.
Solat Duha.
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(Sadaqah (Give to charity) andask help from our creator through prayers)
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Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) said “la tatahrroku zarratun illa biiznillah”
(Not even a particle can move without the permission of Allah)
Do not depend on anyone.
Place your hopes only on Allah S.W.T.
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2. Pay your zakat harta
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Zakat is one of the pillars of Islam.
In my experience as a financial consultant,
when I conduct financial analysis for the public,
I realise many of our fellow Muslim Brothers and Sisters forget to pay zakat harta.
They pay zakat fitrah every Ramadhan.
But they overlook their zakat harta. They totally forgot about it!
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Some even question me the rationale.
The logic of paying Zakat Harta.
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“What Helmi? Because I have $100,000 for the past 1 year and multiply it with 2.5% –
I need to pay zakat of $2500 cash.
If I have $200,000 – I have to pay $200,000 X 2.5%.
I need to pay zakat of $5000! $5000 IS A LOT OF MONEY!!”
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I replied.
Zakat is 1 of the pillars of Islam.
(5 pillars of our Islamic Faith)
It is OBLIGATORY upon every adult Muslim of sound mind and means.
Zakat Harta is OBLIGATORY for Muslims whose wealth/savings that has reached its Haul (more than 1 year) and has reached kadar Nisab value (Refer to MUIS website for the current Nisab value).
The amount of Zakat to be paid is 2.5% of Nisab.
(Niat Zakat)
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Allah S.W.T. told us in the Quran, Surah at-taubah verse 60, on how zakat is disbused to the 8 asnafs.
“The alms are only for the Fuqara’ (the poor),
and Al-Masakin (the needy)
and those employed to collect (the funds);
and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam);
and to free the captives;
and for those in debt;
and for Allah’s Cause, and for the wayfarer (a traveler who is cut off from everything);
a duty imposed by Allah. And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise.” [Al-Quran 9:60]
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If you need to pay zakat, you should shukur. You should be grateful.Because it means you are self sufficient.
You are in the position to give.
And if you are yet to have the opportunity to contribute to zakat harta due to not fulfiling the syurut of zakat/ requirements above, give sadaqah jariah.
Because by giving sadaqah jariah, Insya’Allah you will be blessed with the rezeki to contribute to zakat harta in the near future.
Amin. Allahumma Amin… 🙂
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3. Just Do It
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I like NIKE’s tagline.
Just do it.
That is the tagline of financially successful people.
After they seek ilmu, they don’t ‘terhegeh hegeh’ (procrastinate). They immediately take action! 🙂
I always share with my clients. Knowledge is not power. Knowledge TURNED into action is POWER!!!
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You know the ways to FATTEN your wallet
These are the ways to have more numbers in your Al Wadiah savings account
These are the ways to GROW your money the Halal way
These are the ways to CREATE your streams of shariah compliant passive income
You seek the knowledge. And what should you do? Take action immediately!
The best way for you to learn something and get results is to do it.
DO THE REAL THING….
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(Cone of learning shows that the BEST way to learn and GET RESULTS is by doing the real thing)
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I have never met anyone becoming successful just by reading books, and not taking action. To me knowledge is not power. KNOWLEDGE TURNED INTO ACTION IS POWER!!!
Knowledge without amal (action) is like a tree that does not bear fruits. Wasted right? 🙂
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4. Mentor
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The 4th shariah compliant tips to achieve financial success is to have a mentor.
I have been sharing this many times.
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There is nothing new on this earth created by Allah S.W.T.
Whatever you want to achieve, somebody else has already achieved it. ..
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So what you need to do.
You need to find them.
You need to befriend them.
And you need to model them.
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Financially successful people have mentors and coaches to guide them.
To show them the ropes.
To warn them if there are any obstacles at their blindspot.
Success is by design, not by accident my friends. We have to plan our success.
And having a mentor who has achieved what we want to achieve is a sure fire way to shortcut your route to be a financially successful Muslim in Singapore.
Amin. Insya’Allah. 🙂
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5. Ultimate Vision is Jannah
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Ultimate vision for us on this planet earth is to go to heaven in the hereafter.
This world is temporary.
Before we come to this earth, Allah S.W.T. asked all the creations, if we want to undergo a test.
Life is the test.
Allah S.W.T. told us, that the angels, the animals and the mountains refused, because they knew, they cannot bear that test. But we humans in our ignorance, agree to be tested. All of us.
Indeed, we offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man [undertook to] bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant. (Quran 33.72)
You will say now:
I don’t remember being asked. Me too, I don’t.
We all don’t.
That knowledge was been wiped out for the period of the test.
But on the day of judgement, we will all remember that.
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My friends… We will die.
And we will be resurrected. And we will be held accountable on the day of judgement for our deeds in this dunya.
That is why I always ask myself.
Anything I do.
Every single action I take. Will it bring me closer to Jannah?
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One aspect that I hold on dearly is managing one’s personal finances.
Financially successful Muslims are very concerned with how they earn their money.
How they grow it. And how they spend it.
We ensure that every single step to earn our money.
To grow our money. And to spend our money.
Is shariah compliant. HALAL!🙂
Because why? Because we will be held accountable on the Day of Judgement.
Financially successful Muslims set our targets on Jannatul Firdaus.
Amin. Insya’Allah! 🙂
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Now… I hope you have benefited from my sharing on 5 Shariah Compliant Tips To Achieve Financial Success in Singapore…….
If you are seeking a mentor, coach, consultant to share with you practical aspects on how you can plan your finance, the shariah compliant way in Singapore, I am always ready to help you.|
A certified financial consultant, Helmi Hakim has won praise for his patience, perseverance and practicality when solving his clients’ financial concerns. For more information on how you can manage your finances better, contact Helmi Hakim at 96520134.
(Niat Zakat)
