Dear Muslim Spiritual Seeker,

Are you entering this Ramadan in the same spiritual state as last Ramadan?

Would you like to make this Ramadan last forever with a change that doesn't disappear as soon as Ramadan does?

If so, I want to invite you to our newest and just-released course.

(This course would normally cost $397 but we are giving it away FREE.)

It’s called:  Sacred Steps: A Path to the Purification of the Soul

Have you ever felt like something was missing in your spiritual journey? 

Do you long for a deeper, more meaningful connection with Allah—but feel lost, distracted, or unsure of how to get there?

It has been related in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad and elsewhere that a man came to the Prophet ﷺ and complained about someone that, "So-and-so prays at night but when he wakes up in the morning, then he steals." 

… to which the Prophet ﷺ replied, "What he says [i.e., his ṣalāt] will prevent him from stealing [soon]." 

And that’s what happened.

Have you found that your ṣalāt, your dhikr, your duʿā, your Qurān-recital, or your fasting is not having the lasting impact and change on your heart and limbs that you were hoping for?

Allah says:

"Had we sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have surely seen it humble and break into pieces with the fear of Allah." (Qurān 59:21)

Does that make you think …

.. why are our hearts not humbled and changed? 

Have our hearts become harder than the stones of mountains?

If your spiritual growth feels stuck, then know this:

You are not alone, and it’s not your fault.

Many sincere Muslims in the West strive for spiritual growth and to become close to Allah, but find themselves struggling, unable to make real progress.

The problem isn’t a lack of effort or sincerity—the problem is a missing foundation.

Many sincere Muslims in the West are trying to build spirituality on a foundation that simply doesn’t exist.

They are planting the seeds of faith in barren soil, expecting them to flourish.

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Islamic spirituality was never meant to exist in a vacuum. 

Islamic spirituality isn’t just about personal devotion; it’s deeply rooted in a community of faith. The Prophet ﷺ built a society where believers were connected—to their families, to their neighbors, and to their fellow Muslims. 

This creates a nafs which responds to spiritual practices and ʿibādāt.

Without that foundation, true spiritual progress remains out of reach.

Spiritual progress flourishes within a strong, interconnected society—where family, neighbors, and community provide the support needed for faith to grow. 

But today’s world is built on the “atomized family”, isolation, distraction, and virtual connections. 

Instead of real brotherhood, we have social media. 

Instead of meaningful gatherings, we have entertainment.

Instead of communal worship, we have solitude.

Instead of weekly or daily visits from family and relatives, we have WhatsApp and Skype video calls at best.

This creates a gaping hole in the foundation that is necessary for true spiritual progress.  And as a result our nafs and soul becomes distorted.

Without this spiritual foundation, you will keep spinning your wheels, feeling stuck, no matter how much you strive.

These characteristics of modern Western society create a distortion in our nafs and soul. And most people don’t even know that distortion is there. And even when this distortion manifests itself, most of the time it goes unrecognized. 

It’s like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

But it hinders the spiritual path and purification of the soul. And it will keep on doing that until this distortion is addressed. 

This is why our classical Islamic spiritual traditions are not affecting our hearts and limbs.

But that’s not all.

The problem gets even worse.

This distortion in our nafs (soul) that has been caused by the conditions of Western society has given rise to an industry of self-help and mental-health that exploits this weakness. Under the guise of helping the people who are the most vulnerable, this industry makes the problem even worse.

And the self-help and mental-health industry affects us all.

Whether directly—when we seek help through self-help books or mental-health institutions—or indirectly—by altering the way we perceive the world and even the language we use and hear to describe it—the impact is profound.

These institutions do not understand the nafs or human soul as Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have taught us.

And wherever they contain elements of truth, they are buried beneath layers of falsehood—making the falsehood appear attractive.

The reality is that these institutions and industries are hindering our spiritual growth.

They feed us what we want while neglecting to give us what we need.

As a result, our nafs not only remains stunted but, in many cases, gets even worse.

Until this distortion in our nafs is addressed, our prayers, our dhikr, our duʿā, our fasting, and the traditional Islamic tazkiyah (purification of the soul) will not have the transformative impact on our hearts and limbs that we long for.

We are taking a step forward, and at the same time, the conditions in our society are pushing us two steps backward.

In short, today's world is the opposite of the prophetic model of a world that nourishes spiritual growth. 

Today’s society is hyper-individualistic, and it’s driven by entertainment, social media, and superficial connections. 

People are more isolated than ever, and yet they wonder why their hearts feel empty, why their spiritual practices don’t bring lasting change. 

They are planting the seeds of faith in barren soil, expecting them to flourish.

To address this issue I have created what I call Sacred Steps: 

Sacred Steps: Rebuilding Your Spiritual Foundation in a Modern World – A Step-by-Step Journey to Transform Your Heart and Soul

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Sacred Steps is a structured, step-by-step spiritual developmental program that first restores the nafs and solid foundation that is needed for true spiritual growth, and then continues that path to purify the soul.  

• Even if you are disconnected from strong Muslim community
• Even if you're overwhelmed by the distractions of modern life
• Even if you're living in an isolated Western environment with few Muslim peers or family around you

The Sacred Steps method has been inspired by the ḥadīth qudsī where Allah says:

“When My slave draws close to Me by a hand-span, I shall draw close to him by a cubit, and when he draws close to Me by a cubit, I shall draw close to him by an outstretched arm span, and when he comes to me walking, I will come to him running." (Bukhārī)

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You just need to take that first step, and Allah will come to you running.

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Real Change Requires Real Effort

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We’re not promising that all your problems will disappear just by enrolling and listening to a few classes. If you don’t take action, nothing will change. But if you’re ready to put in the effort, you will see real transformation—guaranteed, not by us, but by Allah.

This course will clearly outline the steps you need to take, based on our prophetic tradition. It will show you why the path isn’t difficult and if you follow it, the results are certain—not because we say so, but because Allah has promised it.

Although this program is built upon our classical Islamic tradition of spirituality, it first applies that tradition to address the gaping void created by modern society—a void that has left our nafs distorted and, as a result, unable to experience meaningful transformation through the traditional Islamic methods used to purify the soul.

Only after addressing this distortion does the program utilize classical Islamic practices to guide us on the path of spiritual transformation. (tazkiyatul nafs)

The goal of the Sacred Steps program is to achieve the spiritual state of the person whom Allah loves, as described in the following ḥadīth qudsī, in which the Prophet ﷺ said that Allah says,

“I declare war against anyone who is an enemy of someone I love (Arabic: walī). 

My slave doesn’t draw close to me with anything more beloved to me than the good deeds that I have made obligatory for him, and he then continues to draw closer to me with voluntary good deeds until I love him. 

Then when I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he grasps, and his foot with which he walks. 

I swear that if he were then to ask me anything, I would surely grant it to him, and I swear that if he were then to seek my refuge, I would surely protect him. 

And I don’t hesitate to do anything like I hesitate to take the soul of a believer who dislikes death because I dislike making him sad.” (Bukhārī and Muslim)

This program restores that essential foundation first so that true spiritual progress can take root and flourish, as it was always meant to.

What You’ll Learn in Sacred Steps:

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• The Truth About Spiritual Growth – Why it’s not about feelings, but about actions
• The Unfathomable Reality of the Human Soul – How your soul can grow, shrink, and be purified 
• Seven Levels of Worship & Dhikr – A structured way to deepen your devotion
• The Joy of Slavehood to Allah – How surrendering to Him is the key to true peace
• Loving Allah & His Messenger – Developing a deep, personal relationship with your Creator
• Diseases of the Heart – How to recognize, avoid and remove them
• The hidden harms of both self-help and modern mental-health approaches and how they impact your spiritual growth
• How to transform our relationships with others into a means of drawing closer to God
• How to keep the company of righteous friends (ṣuḥbat al-ṣāliḥīn) while being discerning to avoid spiritual abuse from those who appear religious but may exploit others
• How to reclaim prophetic spirituality by understanding the Sunna as the true path to inner transformation

Who Is This Course For?

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• If you feel disconnected from Allah and want to rebuild your faith, this course is for you
• If you struggle with emotional and mental obstacles in your spiritual journey, this course will guide you through them
• If you are tired of superficial self-help solutions and want real spiritual growth, this course contains your answer
• If you have tried and tried again to grow spiritually but always end up in the same place you started from, never seeing that significant progress you dreamed of, then this course can get you there

This program will position you to:

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• Break free from the negative effects of isolation and distraction that are keeping you from true spiritual progress
• Develop habits that nourish your heart and create an environment where real spiritual growth can take place
• Experience a transformation that is lasting, not just temporary bursts of imān that fade away
• Reclaim prophetic spirituality by understanding the Sunna as the true path to inner transformation
• Uncover the hidden harms of modern mental-health approaches
• Gain deep self-awareness and strengthen your relationship with Allah

We’re not guaranteeing results by virtue of attending the classes—you have to put in the work. But if you take the simple steps in this course, you will see transformation—because this is the path of the Prophet ﷺ, and it works.

It will take you step-by-step through the process of repairing the broken foundation that modern life has created, allowing you to truly embark on your journey to Allah.

Are You Ready to Take the First Step?

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You don’t need to be perfect. 

You don’t need to have all the answers. 

You just need to take that first step, and Allah will come running to you.

Click the Button Below to Take that First Step to Join Us For Your Sacred Steps Spiritual Transformation.

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• Bonus Module for Parents and Children (see below)
• Classes will be Live and Recorded for those who missed the live session
• Live Q&A with Shaykh Hamza will be available 
• Application Activities, Action Plans and Personal Success Tracker Sheets will be made available
• Daily Classes During Ramadan
• Continues with Monthly Classes After Ramadan

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Bonus Module for Parents: Raising Strong, Imān-Filled Children in a Challenging World

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Parenting is one of the most rewarding yet challenging roles in life, especially when it comes to nurturing your children’s Iman in a world full of distractions, peer pressure, and secular influences. 

Many parents struggle to strike the right balance between guiding their children spiritually and maintaining a loving, supportive relationship.

This exclusive bonus module is designed to help you navigate these challenges with sincerity, empathy, and understanding. 

It’s not about strict discipline or imposing spirituality—it’s about becoming a spiritual role model and gently inspiring your children on their own spiritual path to love Allah and their Deen.

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What You’ll Learn:

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✅ Building Strong Relationships:

Children are deeply dependent on their parents and crave their approval. This module will teach you how to develop a loving, trusting relationship with your children, so they feel supported and understood, not pressured or judged.

✅ Gentle Spiritual Guidance:

Strict spiritual discipline often drives children away from religion. Instead, this course will show you how to tactfully inspire your children to grow spiritually, step by step, without overwhelming them.

✅ Avoiding Common Mistakes:

Many well-meaning parents unintentionally push their children away by imposing spirituality too harshly. This module will help you avoid these pitfalls and create an environment where Iman can flourish naturally.

✅ Diagnosing Spiritual Conditions:

Learn how to assess your child’s spiritual state and determine the best way to help them take one step forward in their journey. Whether your child is young and receptive or a rebellious teen, this module will give you the tools to guide them with patience and wisdom.

✅ Parenting with Empathy and Understanding:

Discover how to parent with sincerity, giving your children the time and space they need to grow. You’ll learn how to stay calm and avoid frustration, even when faced with challenges.

✅ Strategies for Teachers and Counsellors:

This module isn’t just for parents—it’s also for religious teachers, counsellors, and community leaders. Learn how to give meaningful, gentle advice to the Muslims you serve, just as you would with your own children.

Who Is This Module For?

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• Parents of Young Children: If your children are still young and you want to avoid common mistakes, this module will teach you how to nurture their Iman without driving them away.
• Parents of Teens: If you’re dealing with a rebellious teen or a strained relationship, this module will help you improve your connection and help guide them back to Allah with love and patience.
• Teachers and Counsellors: If you work with Muslims of any age, this module will equip you with strategies to offer gentle, effective spiritual guidance.

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Who This Module Is NOT For:

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This module is not a magic solution for every parenting challenge, and it’s important to set the right expectations. Here’s who this module may not be for:

• Parents Looking for Quick Fixes: If you’re expecting instant results or a one-size-fits-all solution to all your parenting struggles, this module may not meet those expectations. Spiritual growth—for both you and your children—is a gradual process that requires patience, consistency, and effort.
• Parents Unwilling to Work on Themselves: This module focuses on your spiritual development as a parent. If you’re not ready to reflect on your own relationship with Allah, improve your own habits, and lead by example, this course is not for you. Remember, your children’s spiritual growth starts with your own growth.
• Parents Seeking Strict Discipline Strategies: This is not a course about enforcing rules or strict discipline. If you’re looking for ways to control or impose spirituality on your children, this module will challenge that approach. Instead, it focuses on gentle guidance, empathy, and building a loving relationship.
• Parents Who Want to Outsource Spiritual Guidance: If you’re hoping to find the “perfect teacher” or institution to inspire your children while you remain disconnected, this module will encourage you to rethink that approach. You are your child’s first and most important spiritual guide.
• Parents Dealing with Severe Behavioral Issues: While this module will help improve your relationship with your children and guide them spiritually, it is not a quick-fix to a parent-child relationship that has severely deteriorated because of past mistakes. The good news is that we all make mistakes, and there is always a way to move forward in a positive direction, and this course will help you do that, but it will be the beginning of a steady journey of small improvements over a long period of time that will require you to commit to your own spiritual progress

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Why This Module Matters:

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In today’s world, children are bombarded with distractions and influences that can pull them away from their faith. 

As parents, you have the power to guide them back—but only if you approach parenting with patience, love, and wisdom.

This module will help you become the spiritual role model your children need, while also giving you the tools to gently inspire them to grow closer to Allah.

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Enroll Today and Transform Both You and Your Children’s Deen.

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This Course is FREE – But You Can Support If You’re Able

This course is part of our mission to protect the Iman of Muslims all over the world. Spiritual growth and strong family foundations are essential for the Ummah, and we want to make this knowledge accessible to everyone.

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If You’d Like to Support the Cause

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While this course is free, it’s part of a larger effort to empower Muslims spiritually and educationally. Normally, a course like this would sell for $397, but we’re offering it for free to ensure everyone can benefit.

If you’re able and would like to support this mission of protecting and growing the Iman of Muslims while helping bring Non-Muslims into Islam,, you can contribute any amount you’re comfortable with. Here’s how your donation can make a difference:

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• $10 Donation: Support our Mission of Training Teachers, Protecting Converts and Helping Muslims on University Campuses
• $25 Donation:  Support our Mission of Training Teachers, Protecting Converts and Helping Muslims on University Campuses
• $50 Donation: Educational Pack for 1 teacher  (includes teacher course book and other learning resources)
• $75 Donation: Funds Half a Teacher ( full teacher training includes a 8-hour in person training with educational course book and materials as well as online support before and after training)
• $150 Donation: Fund 1 Full Teacher Training  (includes a 8-hour in person training with educational course book and materials as well as online support before and after training)
• $397 Donation: Covers the full cost of what this course would normally sell for, allowing us to continue offering free resources to those in need.

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Your support, no matter the amount, helps us continue this important work.

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No Pressure, No Guilt

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If you’re unable to donate, that’s 100% okay. Simply enter 0 in the donation box when you sign up. Your participation and commitment to growing spiritually are what matter most.

Thank you for being part of this mission to strengthen the Iman of Muslims everywhere.

You are under no obligation to pay anything. Simply click below to enroll and get the course for FREE.

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The Sacred Steps Roadmap

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Stage 1: Reclaiming True Spiritual Growth—Beyond Feelings and Illusions

Modern society and the mental-health industry have led us to believe that spiritual growth is about feelings. But true spiritual progress isn’t about feeling good. Many people remain trapped in the illusion that temporary emotional highs equal progress. 

In this stage we reclaim our inheritance from Allah and His Messenger by gaining the sacred knowledge and truth about how to have spiritual growth and what that is. This frees us from the misconceptions that the modern mental-health industry has popularized.

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Stage 2: Breaking Free from Emotional Traps to Embrace True Slavehood to God

Building on the previous stage—where we reclaimed the true knowledge of spiritual growth from Allah and His Messenger and freed ourselves from the misconception that spirituality is about feeling good—we now take the next step: moving beyond feelings into true submission.

We’ve been conditioned to equate spirituality with emotions. This leads to automatic emotional trigger-responses to aspects of our faith and life. This mindset keeps us stuck, unable to fully embrace our role as slaves of God.

To break free, we must gradually detach from these emotional trigger-traps through structured steps and application activities, reorienting ourselves toward true submission—even when it doesn’t feel comfortable.

Many people living in Western societies, especially converts, returning Muslims, and victims of spiritual abuse, struggle to follow a spiritual path because they seek emotional validation over submission to God. But true growth comes from realizing that our feelings are a test from God—not a measure of our spiritual progress.

In this stage we will go through a 7-step process including application activities that will pull you out of this emotional quicksand that is holding your spiritual progress down. At this point, you will be able to reorient yourself to being a slave of God.  

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Stage 3: Rising Beyond Victimhood to Empowerment

Building on the previous stage—where we broke free from emotional traps and reoriented ourselves toward true submission—we now turn to an even deeper transformation: overcoming low self-esteem and fragile self-perception.

Many people remain stuck in a victim-mindset, seeing themselves as powerless in the face of life’s challenges. This mindset not only fuels depression, but it also stunts spiritual growth. In this stage, we uncover the secret key to breaking free from victimhood—shifting from seeking help to becoming a source of strength and guidance for others.

True self-confidence is not about ego or arrogance; it is about embracing your God-given potential and stepping into the role of a proactive, resilient believer. By applying the structured steps in this stage, you will cultivate the inner strength needed to rise above past struggles, free yourself from the weight of self-doubt, and channel your energy into making a meaningful difference in the lives of others and your own.

This is the turning point—where you stop feeling stuck and start moving forward, no longer waiting for change but becoming the change. 

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Stage 4: The Mirror of Truth—Taking Responsibility for Your Spiritual Growth

Stage 3 equipped us with the confidence and strength to break free from victimhood, overcome low self-esteem, and become proactive in our spiritual journey. Now, in Stage 4, we take the next crucial step—turning that confidence inward to face ourselves honestly.

True growth begins when we have the courage to look in the mirror and admit, “Something is wrong with me, and I need to change.” Without this self-awareness, improvement is impossible. But this process requires balance—we must take responsibility for our spiritual progress without falling into despair or losing hope in Allah’s mercy.

In this stage, we will go through a structured 7-step process to critically examine ourselves, identify our weaknesses, and develop a plan for meaningful self-improvement. Through this, we move beyond external struggles and focus on the inner transformation necessary to become better servants of God.

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Stage 5: Breaking Free from Destructive Sins—Overcoming the Major Outward Struggles of Our Time

Stage 4 gave us the confidence to take an honest look at ourselves, identify our flaws, and take responsibility for our spiritual growth. Now, in Stage 5, we take decisive action—removing some major outward sins that are deeply ingrained and difficult to let go of.

Many people today struggle with compulsive sins, such as addiction to pornography, disrespecting parents (which shouldn't happen, even if we are wronged by them), gossiping, causing division, exposing others’ faults, and failing to lower the gaze. These sins are especially relevant in our modern world, where social media fuels argumentation, division, and the breakdown of relationships. Unlike classical texts, which addressed the challenges of their time, this stage directly tackles the sins most destructive in our time.

Through a structured process, we will confront and eliminate five key outward sins that hold us back from true spiritual progress. By overcoming these struggles, we open the door to a deeper connection with God.

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Stage 6: The Lifelong Journey—Committing to Continuous Spiritual Growth

Stage 5 helped us break free from the major outward sins that held us back, allowing us to experience real transformation. But true spiritual progress doesn’t have an endpoint—the moment you think you’re done, you risk losing everything you’ve gained.

In Stage 6, we come to a critical realization: spiritual growth is a lifelong process. Improvement never stops, and complacency is one of the greatest spiritual traps. The more we progress, the more subtle and dangerous the challenges become. This stage equips us with the mindset and tools to stay committed to continual self-improvement, ensuring that we never stagnate or fall into self-satisfaction.

This stage also lays the foundation for ongoing spiritual development, which will continue through monthly live lessons with Shaykh Hamza, guiding you to maintain and build upon everything you’ve learned.

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Curriculum Outline  

(Subject to Slight Modifications)

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Stage 1: Understanding the Nafs (Soul) and How it Works

Self-help and mental-health approaches focus on feelings, and about how to feel good again. But spiritual growth comes from focussing on doing the right thing despite how we feel. 

This is called mukhālafat al-nafs or mujāhada. When we do this repeatedly, our soul grows, and we are no longer worried or anxious about the same things, and we feel better, too, but then unless we do more mukhālafat al-nafs or mujāhada, we will fall back into depression or into pride, and we will fall back into focussing on our feelings.

Step 1: Truth-First 

Video Lesson:  Begin with a review of Why Islam is True so that you can disconnect truth from feelings and get out of the identity-problem that prevents us from spiritual growth by turning our feelings into truth.  

 Application: How to Turn Your Feelings into Slavehood

 Application: Children-Extension (for those who have kids)

Step 2: What is the Nafs (soul) and How it Grows 

Video Lesson:  The soul is the reality of who we are. When we grow our soul through worship and dhikr, we don’t feel miserable and stuck in our feelings, and we don’t get triggered to do things that are wrong (but when we neglect our soul, then we do get miserable and stuck in our feelings, and we do get triggered to do things that are wrong).

Step 3: Seven Levels of Regular Worship and Dhikr

Video Lesson:   Spiritual growth requires regular acts of devotion, which need to be done regardless of how we feel through a process of gradual growth in which you don’t take on more than you can handle.

 Application: Identify the level that you’re at and do the worship and dhikr of that level until you feel ready to move on to then next level

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Stage 2: Seven Steps To Becoming a Slave of Allah

We need to come out of our “identity” to be God’s slaves. But people are repelled from that idea because they think that God is out to get them. They feel defensive against Him just as they do against other people that they are constantly threatened by. The goal of this stage is to help someone like this make the love of God the goal of their spiritual change, and to then go down a step-by-step path to slavehood and contentment with His decree.

Step 1: Loving God

Video Lesson:  Love isn’t a mere feeling; it’s a feeling that leads us to prefer the beloved over everything, even ourselves. If that doesn’t happen, it’s self-centered.

• Application: How to Fill Your Prayer With Love (Three Steps)
• Application: Children-Extension (for those who have kids)

Step 2: Loving the Prophet ﷺ

Video Lesson: If we really love God, we will naturally love the Prophet ﷺ. The only reason we don’t is because we think following the sunna is about rules. But it’s not; it’s about love.

• Application: How to Fill Your Blessings on the Prophet ﷺ With Love (Three Steps)
• Application: Children-Extension (for those who have kids) 

Step 3: Gratitude to God 

Video Lesson: If we love God and the the Prophet ﷺ, we won’t be critical, e.g., when we just say, “Things aren’t bad, but they could be better.” Gratitude isn’t a mere feeling; it grows until everything that we do is out of gratitude to God.

• Application: How to See the Blessing in Something That is Irritating (Three Steps)
• Application: Children-Extension (for those who have kids) 

Step 4: How to Make Duʿā

Video Lesson: In good times, we’re grateful; in difficult times, we make duʿā. When we realize that experiencing our slavehood in duʿā is greater and more joyful even than getting what we want, then our duʿā transforms our difficulties into doors that lead to God.  

• Application: How to Make Duʿā as a Joyful Slave (Three Steps)
• Application: Children-Extension (for those who have kids) 

Step 5: How to Repent 

Video Lesson: Learn how to confess your faults to God without falling into depression, feeling unworthy, or losing hope. This is the secret of repentance, and the secret of every sacred step towards God.

• Application: How to Repent Without Falling into Depression (Three Steps)
• Application: Children-Extension (for those who have kids)

Step 6: The Joy of Being God’s Slave 

Video Lesson: God isn’t a slave-driver. He is generous and loves His slaves. So nothing relieves your stress, and nothing is more precious than giving up on yourself and accepting His generosity.

• Application: How to Experience Joyful Slavehood (Three Steps)
• Application: Children-Extension (for those who have kids)

Step 7: Patience and Contentment With the Decree of God 

Video Lesson: You now understand how to come out of your identity and feelings, and how to be patient and content with the decree of God despite how you feel. This is the first foundation that we need in the West in order to plant the seeds of spiritual progress on fertile soil.

• Application: How to Change Frustration Into Contentment (Three Steps)
• Application: Children-Extension (for those who have kids)

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Stage 3: Five Steps to Real Friendships and Genuine Relationships

The goal of spirituality isn’t to sit in a cave and frown at people for disturbing you, but it’s to have good character with other people. This used to come naturally to Muslims when they were good to their parents and neighbors, and when they kept relations with their families. But now we are alone and isolated, our insecurities lead us to become manipulative, and we often don’t even realize it. We want relationships where other people make us happy, and then we get upset or mad if they don’t. The goal of this stage is to learn how to turn our relationships with other people into a means to come closer to God rather than for our own personal benefit.

Step 1: Genuine Well-Wishing (naṣīḥa) For Everyone Else 

Video Lesson: We want to be with other people so that we can be happy. But unless we learn how to genuinely wish the best for them, our happiness will be temporary, our relationships will sour, and our souls will become distorted. Learn the step-by-step path to gradually becoming like the Prophet ﷺ, whose relationships with people were always for their sake, never for his own self. 

• Application: How Turn Greetings and Small-Talk into Naṣīḥa (Three Steps)
• Application: Children-Extension (for those who have kids)

Step 2: Selfless Service to Other People

Video Lesson: We all need to have time that we set out for other people without expecting anything in return from them, neither any money, nor any gratitude. This is what makes our souls grow, and it is what brings us out of sadness and depression.

• Application: How To an Act of Kindness, and With Sincerity (Three Steps)
• Application: Children-Extension (for those who have kids)

Step 3: Being Merciful and Keeping the Company of the Weak

Video Lesson: We want to spend time with people who are successful and well-connected. That’s why our relationships are superficial. We shouldn’t just be with people in order to get something out of them. That’s why the Prophet ﷺ used pray that God makes him love those who are not successful or well-connected (ḥubb al-masākīn). 

• Application: How To Find a Weak Person and Be Merciful to Them (Three Steps)
• Application: Children-Extension (for those who have kids)

Step 4: Keeping the Company of Friends Who Uplift You (Without Getting Spiritually Abused)

Video Lesson: Spiritual growth requires keeping the company of good friends (ṣuḥbat al-ṣāliḥīn). But too many of us aren’t discerning in choosing good friends. As a result, Muslims are often taken for a ride by someone who appears to be religious or even has a lot of religious knowledge or even has ijazas, but is really just engaged in spiritual abuse.

• Application: How to Spiritually Benefit From Anyone (Three Steps)
• Application: Children-Extension (for those who have kids)

Step 5: How to Be a True Friend and Brother (or Sister)

Video Lesson: We are a single umma, and we’re supposed to love every Muslim like we love our own blood-brothers or blood-sisters. But it’s also important to have a small number of close friends with whom you have a close relationship of brotherhood and sisterhood. 

• Application: How to Be a Brother (or Sister) (Three Steps)
• Application: Children-Extension (for those who have kids)

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Stage 4: Seven Steps to Purifying the Heart

Now that we’ve understood the nafs (Stage 1), moved from our feelings and identities to slavehood (Stage 2), and from our insecurities and trigger-responses to other people to brotherhood (Stage 3), we’re ready to purify our hearts, beginning with a healthy fear of God and the Hellfire (this has been completely lost in self-help and mental-health approaches), moderating it with expecting our trust in His kindness and love and mercy, and then learning how to identify and cure the most common spiritual diseases in modern societies, i.e., arrogance, hypocrisy, desire, arguing, and distraction.

Step 1: Fearing God’s Punishment (Taqwa)

Step 2: From Despair to Expecting the Best

Step 3: From Arrogance to Humility

Step 4: From Hypocrisy to Sincerity

Step 5: From Desire to Moderation

Step 6: From Arguing to Gentleness

Step 7: From Distraction to Seriousness

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Stage 5: Purifying the Limbs

Step 1: Rudeness and Unkindness to Parents

Step 2: Spoiling Relations and Creating Division

Step 3: Lying, Deceit, and Treachery

Step 4: Ruining People’s Reputations

Step 5: Pornography and Lowering One’s Gaze

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Stage 6: Treading the Spiritual Path Until You Die 

Step 1: Presence of Heart in Prayer

Step 2: Remembering Death and the Afterlife

Step 3: Sending Blessings on the Prophet ﷺ

Step 4: Never Being Satisfied With Oneself

Step 3: Sending Blessings on the Prophet ﷺ

Step 4: Never Being Satisfied With Oneself