Mufti Abu Layth Archive: wellbeing/motivation-and-purpose/goals-and-habitsAnswers on wellbeing/motivation-and-purpose/goals-and-habits, newest recording first.https://muftiabulayth.org/feeds/topics/wellbeing-motivation-and-purpose-goals-and-habits.atom.xml2022-04-16T00:00:00ZMufti Abu Layth Archivepipeline/feeds.pyAm I only praying because I fear God will punish me?https://muftiabulayth.org/r/gzkvxypy-gi/s/1/2022-04-16T00:00:00Z2022-04-16T00:00:00ZAm I only praying because I fear God will punish me?
Mufti Abu Layth says praying only out of fear of punishment is unhealthy: salah is devotion that benefits us, bringing structure and order into our day. Mufti Abu Layth says salah does not benefit God in the slightest and that it is only the worshipper's devotion that reaches God.
Answer from 16 April 2022 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors
Kind: general teaching
Recording: Is there a benefit to Praying Salah? | Mufti Abu Layth (at 0:01)
A more recent answer on fiqh/prayer exists (18 October 2025): https://muftiabulayth.org/r/onzjd7xmdhe/s/30/
Watch on YouTube at 0:38: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzKvxYPY-GI&t=38s<p><b>Am I only praying because I fear God will punish me?</b></p>
<p>Mufti Abu Layth says praying only out of fear of punishment is unhealthy: salah is devotion that benefits us, bringing structure and order into our day. Mufti Abu Layth says salah does not benefit God in the slightest and that it is only the worshipper's devotion that reaches God.</p>
<p>Answer from 16 April 2022 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors</p>
<p>Kind: general teaching</p>
<p>Recording: Is there a benefit to Praying Salah? | Mufti Abu Layth (at 0:01)</p>
<p><b>A more recent answer on fiqh/prayer exists</b> (18 October 2025): <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/onzjd7xmdhe/s/30/">Why are two of the daily prayers recited silently when 17:110 says not to be silent?</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzKvxYPY-GI&t=38s">Watch on YouTube at 0:38</a> · <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/gzkvxypy-gi/s/1/">Open the segment</a></p>Is Lupe Fiasco retiring from music?https://muftiabulayth.org/r/oyiipehuiha/s/24/2021-04-26T00:00:00Z2021-04-26T00:00:00ZIs Lupe Fiasco retiring from music?
The guest says he is not retiring but reorganising his life at forty around the metaphor of a garden, preparing for major technological change.
Answer from 26 April 2021 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors
Kind: quoted view (stated in order to be discussed, not necessarily held)
Recording: Lupe Fiasco | Stardom, Semiotics & Soul-searching | MindTrap#56 | Mufti Abu Layth al-Maliki MALM (at 1:57:50)
A more recent answer on dialogue/guest-conversations exists (18 October 2025): https://muftiabulayth.org/r/onzjd7xmdhe/s/32/
Watch on YouTube at 1:58:29: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYiiPEhuiHA&t=7109s<p><b>Is Lupe Fiasco retiring from music?</b></p>
<p>The guest says he is not retiring but reorganising his life at forty around the metaphor of a garden, preparing for major technological change.</p>
<p>Answer from 26 April 2021 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors</p>
<p>Kind: quoted view (stated in order to be discussed, not necessarily held)</p>
<p>Recording: Lupe Fiasco | Stardom, Semiotics & Soul-searching | MindTrap#56 | Mufti Abu Layth al-Maliki MALM (at 1:57:50)</p>
<p><b>A more recent answer on dialogue/guest-conversations exists</b> (18 October 2025): <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/onzjd7xmdhe/s/32/">How should Muslims engage people with very different views of the religion?</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYiiPEhuiHA&t=7109s">Watch on YouTube at 1:58:29</a> · <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/oyiipehuiha/s/24/">Open the segment</a></p>Staying positive: the 'Super Mario effect' and Pogba's advicehttps://muftiabulayth.org/r/1zghntbmpis/s/22/2021-01-12T00:00:00Z2021-01-12T00:00:00ZStaying positive: the 'Super Mario effect' and Pogba's advice
An interlude on positivity: learning as a game and a footballer's advice on gratitude and goals.
Answer from 12 January 2021 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors
Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #197 | Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (at 1:28:13)
A more recent answer on wellbeing/motivation-and-purpose/goals-and-habits exists (16 April 2022): https://muftiabulayth.org/r/gzkvxypy-gi/s/1/
Watch on YouTube at 1:28:13: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zgHntbMPis&t=5293s<p><b>Staying positive: the 'Super Mario effect' and Pogba's advice</b></p>
<p>An interlude on positivity: learning as a game and a footballer's advice on gratitude and goals.</p>
<p>Answer from 12 January 2021 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors</p>
<p>Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #197 | Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (at 1:28:13)</p>
<p><b>A more recent answer on wellbeing/motivation-and-purpose/goals-and-habits exists</b> (16 April 2022): <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/gzkvxypy-gi/s/1/">Am I only praying because I fear God will punish me?</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zgHntbMPis&t=5293s">Watch on YouTube at 1:28:13</a> · <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/1zghntbmpis/s/22/">Open the segment</a></p>How can I make the new year a more positive one?https://muftiabulayth.org/r/eo90sv4jvho/s/21/2021-01-05T00:00:00Z2021-01-05T00:00:00ZHow can I make the new year a more positive one?
His tips for the year: speak positively, smile, leave toxic circles and start something new, whether a skill or an investment. Mufti Abu Layth advises that people stop responding with negative words such as not bad and respond with positive words instead.
Answer from 5 January 2021 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors
Kind: general teaching
Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #196 | Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (at 1:35:51)
A more recent answer on wellbeing/motivation-and-purpose/goals-and-habits exists (16 April 2022): https://muftiabulayth.org/r/gzkvxypy-gi/s/1/
Watch on YouTube at 1:35:51: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo90sV4JVHo&t=5751s<p><b>How can I make the new year a more positive one?</b></p>
<p>His tips for the year: speak positively, smile, leave toxic circles and start something new, whether a skill or an investment. Mufti Abu Layth advises that people stop responding with negative words such as not bad and respond with positive words instead.</p>
<p>Answer from 5 January 2021 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors</p>
<p>Kind: general teaching</p>
<p>Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #196 | Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (at 1:35:51)</p>
<p><b>A more recent answer on wellbeing/motivation-and-purpose/goals-and-habits exists</b> (16 April 2022): <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/gzkvxypy-gi/s/1/">Am I only praying because I fear God will punish me?</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo90sV4JVHo&t=5751s">Watch on YouTube at 1:35:51</a> · <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/eo90sv4jvho/s/21/">Open the segment</a></p>How do I deal with toxic people and negativity around me?https://muftiabulayth.org/r/eo90sv4jvho/s/9/2021-01-05T00:00:00Z2021-01-05T00:00:00ZHow do I deal with toxic people and negativity around me?
Leave toxic groups and block negativity, since people can never be pleased; he adds that he finds most religious circles toxic. Mufti Abu Layth says that, in his perspective, most religious circles are unfortunately toxic, suffocating and claustrophobic.
Answer from 5 January 2021 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors
Kind: general teaching
Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #196 | Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (at 31:00)
A more recent answer on wellbeing/motivation-and-purpose/goals-and-habits exists (16 April 2022): https://muftiabulayth.org/r/gzkvxypy-gi/s/1/
Watch on YouTube at 31:00: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo90sV4JVHo&t=1860s<p><b>How do I deal with toxic people and negativity around me?</b></p>
<p>Leave toxic groups and block negativity, since people can never be pleased; he adds that he finds most religious circles toxic. Mufti Abu Layth says that, in his perspective, most religious circles are unfortunately toxic, suffocating and claustrophobic.</p>
<p>Answer from 5 January 2021 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors</p>
<p>Kind: general teaching</p>
<p>Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #196 | Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (at 31:00)</p>
<p><b>A more recent answer on wellbeing/motivation-and-purpose/goals-and-habits exists</b> (16 April 2022): <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/gzkvxypy-gi/s/1/">Am I only praying because I fear God will punish me?</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo90sV4JVHo&t=1860s">Watch on YouTube at 31:00</a> · <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/eo90sv4jvho/s/9/">Open the segment</a></p>How do I stop being obsessive and fearful about prayer?https://muftiabulayth.org/r/jtyem-eee78/s/10/2020-09-22T00:00:00Z2020-09-22T00:00:00ZHow do I stop being obsessive and fearful about prayer?
Mufti Abu Layth says pray out of gratitude, not fear: missing salah should feel disappointing, and the answer is to renew your resolve every day. Mufti Abu Layth says prayer is really an expression of gratitude, not something people should be scared or threatened into.
Answer from 22 September 2020 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors
Kind: general teaching
Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #183 | Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (at 52:47)
A more recent answer on fiqh/prayer exists (18 October 2025): https://muftiabulayth.org/r/onzjd7xmdhe/s/30/
Watch on YouTube at 52:47: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTYEM-eEe78&t=3167s<p><b>How do I stop being obsessive and fearful about prayer?</b></p>
<p>Mufti Abu Layth says pray out of gratitude, not fear: missing salah should feel disappointing, and the answer is to renew your resolve every day. Mufti Abu Layth says prayer is really an expression of gratitude, not something people should be scared or threatened into.</p>
<p>Answer from 22 September 2020 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors</p>
<p>Kind: general teaching</p>
<p>Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #183 | Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (at 52:47)</p>
<p><b>A more recent answer on fiqh/prayer exists</b> (18 October 2025): <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/onzjd7xmdhe/s/30/">Why are two of the daily prayers recited silently when 17:110 says not to be silent?</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTYEM-eEe78&t=3167s">Watch on YouTube at 52:47</a> · <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/jtyem-eee78/s/10/">Open the segment</a></p>Does Islam want me to sacrifice sleep?https://muftiabulayth.org/r/a6h5lye4mn8/s/37/2020-07-14T00:00:00Z2020-07-14T00:00:00ZDoes Islam want me to sacrifice sleep?
No: Islam emphasises being effective, not losing sleep, and you can get your full sleep and still be effective. Mufti Abu Layth says he does not think Islam emphasises giving up sleep, but rather being effective.
Answer from 14 July 2020 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors
Kind: general teaching
Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti Abu Layth 173 (at 2:10:28)
A more recent answer on wellbeing/motivation-and-purpose/goals-and-habits exists (16 April 2022): https://muftiabulayth.org/r/gzkvxypy-gi/s/1/
Watch on YouTube at 2:10:55: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6H5lYE4MN8&t=7855s<p><b>Does Islam want me to sacrifice sleep?</b></p>
<p>No: Islam emphasises being effective, not losing sleep, and you can get your full sleep and still be effective. Mufti Abu Layth says he does not think Islam emphasises giving up sleep, but rather being effective.</p>
<p>Answer from 14 July 2020 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors</p>
<p>Kind: general teaching</p>
<p>Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti Abu Layth 173 (at 2:10:28)</p>
<p><b>A more recent answer on wellbeing/motivation-and-purpose/goals-and-habits exists</b> (16 April 2022): <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/gzkvxypy-gi/s/1/">Am I only praying because I fear God will punish me?</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6H5lYE4MN8&t=7855s">Watch on YouTube at 2:10:55</a> · <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/a6h5lye4mn8/s/37/">Open the segment</a></p>What practical techniques help me memorise the Quran?https://muftiabulayth.org/r/-lbz11113su/s/3/2014-01-18T00:00:00Z2014-01-18T00:00:00ZWhat practical techniques help me memorise the Quran?
Understand the words and translation first, keep a fixed place and a time that suits you, familiarise yourself with each verse before a break, then memorise the verses cumulatively, practise them in salah and recall them at night before reading to your teacher. In the hadith, Ali went from struggling with four verses to recalling forty. Mufti Abu Layth recommends understanding the words and translation first, memorising in a fixed place at a time that suits one, familiarising oneself with each verse before a break, then memorising the verses cumulatively, practising them in salah, recalling them at night and reading them to a teacher the next day.
Answer from 18 January 2014 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors
Kind: general teaching
Recording: How to memorise the Quran- Mufti Abu Layth (at 8:00)
A more recent answer on wellbeing/motivation-and-purpose/goals-and-habits exists (16 April 2022): https://muftiabulayth.org/r/gzkvxypy-gi/s/1/
Watch on YouTube at 8:00: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lbZ11113SU&t=480s<p><b>What practical techniques help me memorise the Quran?</b></p>
<p>Understand the words and translation first, keep a fixed place and a time that suits you, familiarise yourself with each verse before a break, then memorise the verses cumulatively, practise them in salah and recall them at night before reading to your teacher. In the hadith, Ali went from struggling with four verses to recalling forty. Mufti Abu Layth recommends understanding the words and translation first, memorising in a fixed place at a time that suits one, familiarising oneself with each verse before a break, then memorising the verses cumulatively, practising them in salah, recalling them at night and reading them to a teacher the next day.</p>
<p>Answer from 18 January 2014 · auto-transcribed, may contain errors</p>
<p>Kind: general teaching</p>
<p>Recording: How to memorise the Quran- Mufti Abu Layth (at 8:00)</p>
<p><b>A more recent answer on wellbeing/motivation-and-purpose/goals-and-habits exists</b> (16 April 2022): <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/gzkvxypy-gi/s/1/">Am I only praying because I fear God will punish me?</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lbZ11113SU&t=480s">Watch on YouTube at 8:00</a> · <a href="https://muftiabulayth.org/r/-lbz11113su/s/3/">Open the segment</a></p>