🤲🏽 Introducing the Shukr Cards: Your Daily Gateway to Gratitude

1st Dhuʻl-Hijjah 1446H

Assalamu'alaikum,

Picture this: It's dinnertime at my house, and the mood around our table is... tense. Maybe I've just told off one of the kids for misbehaving, or we’re just tired and “hangry”.

That's when my wife works her quiet charm.

"Alright," she'll say, with that knowing smile, "each of you tell us one thing you're thankful for today."

I'm always amazed by what happens next. The mood shift is almost instant. Shoulders relax. Eyes brighten. My youngest might say "I'm thankful for carrots!," while my eldest might share something deeper he learned from school.

Within minutes, our dinner table transforms from a space of tension to one of connection and joy.

The Power of Proactive Gratitude

Watching this transformation happen again and again made me realize something: gratitude isn't just something we feel – it's something we need to proactively invite in our lives.

My wife doesn't wait for us until we're in the mood to be grateful. She creates space for it. She makes it intentional. And in doing so, she shifts not just our individual moods, but the entire energy of our family.

This got me thinking about how often we experience gratitude on autopilot in our lives. Sure, I say "Alhamdulillah" throughout the day. I know intellectually that Allah has blessed me immensely. But when was the last time I truly paused to feel that gratitude? When did I last let it move from my tongue to my heart, and from my heart to my actions?

Introducing Shukr Cards

Today, I'm excited to announce the launch of Shukr Cards - a new product we developed in collaboration with Hafsah Adham, a certified coach and founder of Awakened Hearts Academy.

The Shukr cards is a deck of 56 beautifully designed cards that turn gratitude from a fleeting feeling into a daily practice.

These aren't just another mindfulness tool. Each card is designed to deepen your relationship with Allah SWT through four distinct gratitude practices:

• Discuss It: Reflection prompts to recognize Allah's mercy in your journey Example: "The most difficult time in my life taught me..."

• Act It: Gratitude-inspired actions that embody your shukr Example: "Give something you love to someone else, for the sake of Allah"

• Speak It: Prompts to voice appreciation and reconnect with others Example: "Call someone to thank them for how they impacted your life"

• Challenge: Short-term practices that stretch your gratitude muscle Example: "Spend five minutes preparing for each salah with full presence"

Why These Cards Matters More Than Ever

We live with a "negativity bias" – our brains notice what's wrong before what's right. This bias can trap us in cycles of complaint and dissatisfaction.

The Shukr Cards are designed to retrain that default setting. They're gentle nudges back to being grateful servants of Allah.

For example, as I was preparing this newsletter, I pulled a random card from the deck. It read: "One area in my life I surrender fully to Allah is..."

I sat with that question for a bit. And I realized that my journey running the Productive Muslim Company has been about surrendering the results to Allah, which made me immensely grateful.

Ready to Start Your Shukr Journey?

The Shukr Cards are now available in our store, beautifully packaged and ready to become part of your daily life.

Whether you use them for personal reflection, family conversations, or team retreats, I pray they help you notice the Barakah in your life.

As we experience the 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah, there's no better time to cultivate our hearts to be grateful. As Allah SWT reminds us in the Quran:

“If you are grateful, I will surely increase you.” (Qur’an 14:7)

Alhamdulillah, always.

Sincerely,

P.S. With Eid approaching, the Shukr Cards would make a beautiful gift to help gather your family and friends around the practice of gratitude insha’Allah.