Muhsinaire Podcast

What does it really mean to educate our children for the world they’re inheriting, not just the one we grew up in?In this episode, we have an honest and reflective conversation about homeschooling, intentional parenting, and the deeper why behind choosing an unconventional path. This is not a how to guide or a polished success story. It’s a real discussion about doubts, trade offs, growth, and trust in Allah while trying to raise grounded, curious, and confident children.We talk about• Why homeschooling is less about academics and more about values• The pressure of default systems versus intentional choices• Creating a home culture rooted in faith, curiosity, and responsibility• Letting go of fear and comparison when your path looks different• Raising children with identity, purpose, and resilience in mindThis episode is for parents who feel the tension between ambition and presence, structure and freedom, dunya and akhirah. Whether you homeschool, worldschool, or are simply questioning the status quo, this conversation invites you to step back and ask better questions about success, family, and legacy.This is part of the Muhsinaire journey, striving for ihsan in how we live, love, and lead our families.00:00 Introduction to Homeschooling and Patience01:11 Guest Introduction and Podcast Overview02:49 Sajida's Homeschooling Journey06:25 Daily Homeschooling Routine09:49 Community and Social Activities18:52 Doubts and Confidence in Homeschooling29:19 The Compressed Time of School Days29:48 Homeschooling: Finding Your Rhythm30:32 The Importance of Patience32:08 Homeschooling Satisfaction and Challenges32:54 The Role of Personal Growth in Homeschooling35:43 Flexibility in Homeschooling36:17 Curiosity and Teaching Methods42:03 Balancing Homeschooling and Personal Life43:53 Reflecting on the Homeschooling Journey46:26 Quality Time Over Quantity53:14 Final Thoughts and Encouragement This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muhsinaire.substack.com

This episode of the Muhsinaire podcast features Dr. Bilal Bugaje discussing the concept of impact from a Muslim perspective. Linking Islamic teachings, particularly from the Quran, with modern views on capitalism and legacy, Bilal emphasizes the importance of good deeds and the enduring influence they have. He reflects on the co-opting of Islamic principles by capitalism and non-religious agendas, highlighting a need to deconstruct and realign these principles with Islamic values.The discussion also touches on the central importance of personal character development, the ethical framework within Islam of Islah (improvement) and Khilafah (stewardship), and actionable paths to creating lasting, positive legacies. The conversation concludes with practical insights on personal and community projects that can help Muslims maximize their potential for impactful and sincere contributions to society.00:00 Highlights and Introduction01:43 Understanding Impact from an Islamic Perspective04:27 Conventional vs. Quranic Understanding of Impact09:03 The Role of Good Deeds and Legacy in Islam17:13 Islah, Khilafah, and Khidmah: Ethical Frameworks28:53 Maximizing Impact and Legacy36:27 Corporate Skills and Training in Building Legacy37:42 Understanding Hypocrisy and Centering God40:02 Muslims and Their Potential for Legacy and Impact41:31 Challenges and Observations in Muslim Communities45:21 Encouraging Positive Habits and Projects51:52 Practical Steps to Build Good Character59:33 Current Projects and Future Plans This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muhsinaire.substack.com

Ever felt like your days are full, but your life isn’t moving in the direction you want?We have too.And that’s what pushed us to rethink how we plan as a family.In todays episode, we walk you through how starting with a 5-year vision that is helping us bring our deen, family life, homeschooling, work and finances into alignment.We talk about using long-term thinking as your “North Star,” how to turn big hopes into annual goals and daily habits, and how our app, the Ihsan Habits App, helps with consistency even in busy seasons of life.But what happens when goals and plans aren’t achieved?We also talk honestly about the harder moments when plans fall apart, du’a feels unanswered or you start to doubt your own progress. You will hear how to navigate those seasons with du’a, tawakkul and gratitude… because every effort builds skills and isn’t wasted.We share the lessons that changed so much for us, like reviewing regularly, staying flexible, doing less but doing it well, and learning to say no.If you’ve been wanting more direction and more intentionality at home, we think you’ll find this conversation insightful inshaAllah.Timestamps00:00 Introduction & Why We Plan: Living intentionally, not accidentally; backstory of the first planning session03:10 Five‑Year Vision vs. Annual Goals: Long‑term thinking, the “North Star” concept and aligning faith, family and finances13:14 From Vision to Routines: Breaking goals into yearly, quarterly and monthly steps; quarterly check‑ins and the 12‑week du’a challenge15:00 Ihsan Habits App: How the app was born, using it to build consistent habits and involve the kids19:51 Dealing with Setbacks: Upgrading du’a, practicing gratitude and trusting Allah when goals aren’t met25:42 Mistakes & Lessons Learned: Avoiding burnout, staying flexible, regular reviews and the power of risk‑taking29:33 Take Action: Encouragement to start planning, download the template and align your life with IhsanResources mentioned in this episodeOur Planning TemplateEssentialism by Greg McKeownThe Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarcoThe Ihsan Habits AppThe 12-Week Du’a ChallengeThank you for listening!If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please take a moment to subscribe, share, and leave a comment below! Your support helps us reach more muslim families who need these insights. Also, if there’s any one you’d like us to interview on the podcast, please let us know! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muhsinaire.substack.com

Assalamu alaykum and welcome to this special episode of the Muhsinaire Podcast!In this episode, Abdul engages in a profound conversation with our friends; Dr. Bilal Bugaje and his wife, Sajida Mohammed.They discuss the beautiful journey of Bilal and Sajida’s relationship, their courtship, and eventual marriage, emphasizing the principles of sincerity, communication, and mutual self-improvement.As parents and dedicated homeschoolers, they share their parenting philosophies and the benefits (and challenges!) of homeschooling their children.They also talk about the importance of extended family connections and a supportive family unit.This was such an inspiring conversation where they highlight their commitment to living a life of Ihsan and building wealth in faith, family, and impact!Links from the discussion:* Sajida’s personal blog - Puella Ibrahim* She wore red trainers (Book by Na’ima B. Robert)* Magical child by Chilton PearceBooks by Sajida;* Safiyyah’s Jariya Jar* Marshmallow Sabr* Mai Kukan Kitso* Our Great Green Country This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muhsinaire.substack.com

In this episode, Abdul interviews his childhood friend, Dr. Bilal Bugaje. The discussion is centered around the first pillar of Muhsinaire i.e. Faith. The discussion goes deep, touching on theology, Dr. Bilal’s experiences, things he has learned from his daughters and we even talk about anime (Japanese cartoons).We ask Dr Bilal the following questions:* “What’s something your kids taught you recently?”* “How has your faith shaped the way you see the world and make decisions?”* “Is there a Qur’an verse, Hadith, or principle that you keep coming back to in your life?”* What’s the one thing in your faith that has evolved the most over time? * “How do you personally balance being an intellectual and being spiritual* “As Muslims living in today’s world, what do you think we often overlook when it comes to practicing faith with ihsan?”* “If you could give advice to a friend who is 20 years younger than you, what would it be?”References:* Sherman Jackson article - https://lamppostedu.org/liberalism-american-muslims/* Journey to God - https://share.google/KhU2LQGl2y1iq7CZO* KRM Publication - Reason and Rationality_web2016.pdf https://share.google/bhsE3Intr1plqlK1p* Hadith 1, 40 Hadith Qudsi - https://sunnah.com/qudsi40:1* Sound of Seerah podcast: https://pocketcasts.com/podcast/the-sound-of-seerah/3bbbfd10-9bd6-013a-d86e-0acc26574db2 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muhsinaire.substack.com

Life has taken us across four countries we’ve called home at different points, and each one planted a seed in us alhamdulillah.Those seeds keep growing quietly, and they shape how we raise our children, how we define “enough”, and how we imagine the kind of life we want to live (and leave behind).But you don’t need to move across the world for these seeds to be planted. Your current environment is shaping you, too. The people around you and the culture in the air all shape how you think, how you spend your time, attention, money…, and even who you’re becoming.So today, we’re sharing the lessons that have shaped us and impacted the way we live, raise our children, and build with ihsan (excellence).We hope that something we share will get you reflecting on your own journey, too. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muhsinaire.substack.com

The “Muhsinaire Family Rules” is a seed (among many others) we’re planting and hoping will bloom one day, inshaAllahWe’re excited to share them with you!The Muhsinaire Family Rules1- We are Muslims and we behave like Muslims.2- We take care of each other.3- We work hard and play hard.4- We are always grateful for what Allah has given us. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muhsinaire.substack.com

In this episode, we reflect on a lesson from Harvard professor Clayton Christensen, who noticed that many of his most “successful” classmates — the ones with titles, houses, and wealth — were actually unhappy. Some had broken families, some barely knew their kids, and some even fell into disgrace.It raises a timeless question: when the titles fade and the money is gone, what really counts?Our deen answers that clearly: the real scoreboard of life is ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, and righteous children who pray for us after we’re gone. Not the applause, not the promotions, not the followers.That’s why we created the idea of a Muhsinaire — someone who strives for excellence in faith, family, and impact. Money itself isn’t the goal; it’s a tool. A tool that can build masajid, feed families, educate children, and free us to give generously.Legacy begins with seeds: teaching a child, funding a project, mentoring, building businesses that serve. Every choice can either be a hollow win — success that leaves you empty — or a step toward akhirah-anchored impact.So we ask: Fa ayna tadhhabun? Where are you going? Are your efforts feeding only your dunya, or are they building your akhirah too? Because at the end of the day, the question is not whether you were rich or poor, but whether you lived a life that truly mattered.The chart discussed showing income by groups of married vs unmarried men and women: https://www.reddit.com/r/charts/comments/1ngrefr/married_men_dramatically_out_earn_all_other/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muhsinaire.substack.com

We’ve been writing about Muhsinaire for a while, but today we’re finally telling the full story. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muhsinaire.substack.com