3 Himmah (Ambition) Killers

And what to do about them

Author

Mohammed Faris
March 28th, 2024

Assalamu’alaikum,

Do you know what are the three himmah killers (ambition) in our Ummah?

1. Triviality 

2. Mediocrity

3. Comfort-seeking

Triviality: Reflect on 80% of your conversation with family and friends. Are they on matters of importance (spirituality, health, the state of the Ummah) or trivial matters that will neither benefit nor harm you?  

If your "himmah" (aspiration) is simply on trivial matters (who wore X and what happened to Y, etc.) - it can genuinely kill your ambition since you won't see the potential of a high himmah in your life.

Mediocrity: Do you have a personal or professional outlet that allows you to practice Ihsan? Or are you constantly doing things to pass the "done" test without developing the deep knowledge, patience, and skill that can turn anything from a frivolous activity into an art form?

Humans have an uncanny ability to turn any activity into a craft, from tea and coffee making to art, music, and sports. 

What's your outlet for Ihsaan? And does it fulfill your high ambitions?

Finally, comfort-seeking and the need to fulfill all our desires most comfortably. Modern society has made it very easy for us to get anything we want, anytime we want, at the touch of a button. Although this is a blessing from Allah SWT, constantly seeking comfort can be an antithesis to developing strength and resilience. After all, some ambition requires discomfort and hard work. 

If you reflect on the above three himmah killers - they are not "bad" per se. Nothing wrong with them in the grand scheme of things. But as a society - if each of us becomes frivolous, mediocre, and comfort seekers- how can we ever hope for our Ummah to rise?

If you want to tackle these Himmah killers - join me this Saturday, 20th Ramadan 1445H (30th March 2024) at 12 pm Central Time for a 90-mins webinar where I'll go over:

  • Why the Ummah needs YOUR high himmah

  • 3 x Himmah Killers and what to do about them

  • The story of the donkey driver who became a Khalifah with ONE High Himmah Intention

  • How to choose/prioritize between different high himmah intentions

  • The 5 Qualities of a High Himmah Intention

  • Practical exercise to set your high himmah intention this Ramadan

  • Two Powerful Ideas to help you persist on your High Himmah Intentions

See you on Saturday insha’Allah.

Sincerely,