This blog was originally uploaded on the previous version of the www.sajidumar.com website on October 28, 2017.

Assalāmu ʿalaykum everyone,

An American humourist once wrote:

“A pinch of probability is worth a pound of perhaps.”

It is a profound statement, and one worthy of deep contemplation.

Through reflecting upon these words, I have come to realise that we do not live in a world governed by endless “perhapses”, but rather in a world of probabilities. We live in a reality shaped by calculated risk, not complete uncertainty.

Risk is an inseparable part of every sphere of life. In the words of Winston Churchill, without risk, the drama of life itself would cease to exist.

If this is true about risk, then risk management can never be separated from success.

My dear brothers and sisters,
we are, and always will be, a product of our decisions. Every decision we make will either produce positive outcomes or negative consequences.

The gravity of this reality becomes even clearer when we reflect upon our existence as a community. The progress of one of us, in one way or another, contributes to the progress of all of us. Likewise, the failure of one of us affects the collective well-being of the Ummah.

If Allah has tested you with a sphere of influence, then think deeply, consult through shūrā, and pray Ṣalāt al-Istikhārah before making decisions.

Indeed, Allah blessed us with the Qurʾān, sent to us the Final Messenger ﷺ, and honoured us with the faculty of understanding. As the Ummah entrusted with guidance and propagation, we have room only for calculated decisions, and absolutely no room for recklessness.

If the weight of responsibility feels heavy from what has been shared thus far, then reflect upon an even greater reality: a Day when each of us will stand before Allah for a period spanning fifty thousand years, answering for the decisions we made upon this earth.

Allāhu al-Mustaʿān.

May Allah forgive our pasts, inspire our futures, guide our decisions, and ease our standing before Him on the Day of Qiyāmah. Āmīn.

P.S. For those eager to travel further along this path, I invite you to read my book, The Journey to Success: The Roadmap of Ikhlās, Iḥsān, and Istiqāmah. In it, I share a framework for nurturing sincerity, striving for excellence, and holding firm with consistency; qualities that define true success in this world and the next.

Your brother

Sajid Umar

Location: 'somewhere en route to the hereafter'

09/03/1439 (AH) - 28/10/2017