STUDY SKILLS IN ISLAM

1. Intention

Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, deeds depend upon intentions. Indeed, every person will be rewarded based on their intentions…” (Bukhari and Muslim).

On the surface, studying for exams may seem like a necessary chore, its purpose murky and meant only to move on to the next level of education. It’s easy to fall into auto-pilot and not really think about why we’re doing it.

In reality, seeking knowledge can be a way for us to grow in closeness to God by better understanding the world He has created. Making this intention will give us the motivation we need at difficult times when we want to put off studying. It will also help when we become discouraged trying to understand a difficult topic.

With good intentions, routine things which may not look religious otherwise become sources of reward in the eyes of God, the Merciful.


Since time immemorial we’ve learned that the purpose of life is to worship:

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. (51:56)

Surprise of the century: This relates to everything in student life too. Every boring assignment, every 8:30 AM class with a less-than-articulate professor, every sleepless night—there’s a reason for the madness. As students, our habits define our experiences. Take a moment to step back and dream big. Why are you here? This is one question that won’t be asked in any multiple choice exam, but one that you should ask yourself often.
Islam encourages you to dream big. School tells you what the world can give you, Islam asks you what you can give to the world. Dream big and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, as your rewards are based on the audacity, ambition and depth of your dreams.


2. seek knowledge






Allah tells us in the Qur’an to get extra help from our teachers, TAs, RAs, or anyone else:

And ask the people who remember, if you do not know yourself (16:43)

Pro Tip: To really test the depth of your knowledge, ask deeper questions. ‘Rattle the cages’ of assumptions, test the limits of theories and contemplate on alternative approaches.

Now if you don’t need to ask others for help, know that you should help out others. A fundamental goal of Islam and Muslims is service. Help others and make the world a better place.

And Allah will help those who help Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might. (22:40)

Pro Tip: If you’re intention is to help others for the sake of Allah, as part of being a good Muslim and for the sake of Islam—then Allah will help you out. (Now don’t be helping a sister at 10pm alone on campus, just to show how righteous Muslims really are!)


 3. Hard Work, Dedication, and Patience

We learn from Muhammad what it means to struggle and persevere for a mission. When you’re on a mission you hustle, you exert yourself, you put all that you have into reaching the finish line.

One of the earliest revelations:

Spend the night awake in prayer, except for a little bit of sleep. (73:2)

Allah is teaching the Prophet that when you have a purpose, you must be dedicated, sleeplessly striving for your vision. When you’re driven with intention, Allah tells us we don’t have time to sleep. You’re living to make your dreams a reality, while others are sleeping to glimpse at dreams during the night.

We also learn dedication from the story of Nuh :

He said, “My Lord, indeed I invited my people [to truth] night and day.” (71:5)

When studying is worship, when you have a goal, when you have a mission—Islam teaches us through the stories of the Prophets that we must persevere and sleeplessly struggle for our dreams.
Pro Tip: Whatever your level of dedication, hustle to commitment: raise your bar higher. Ask, what can you do (or not do) to make yourself more successful? Maybe taking 45 minute showers isn’t that productive? Or maybe you can survive on 5-6 hours of sleep?



 4. Silence

 

Sometimes when you learn and have studied you are tempted to make your tongue loose, and you sometimes like to talk more than you like to listen.
“Whoever believes in the last day let him say what is good or remain silent” [Bukhari]
Imam Shafi’ee said if you wish to say something, let him think, if you conclude that there is no harm, speak. If you conclude that your words will bring about harm, do not speak.
Luqman (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked “How did you become so wise? He replied: I do not ask for what I don’t need, and I don’t speak about what does not concern me.” [Excerpts taken from book ‘The Manners of the Knowledge Seeker’]





5.  Eliminate Your Ego and Arrogance

 

Allah teaches us intellectual humility:
 

Above every knowledgeable person, is someone with more knowledge. (12:76)

Your mind, your memory, your marks, your GPA, your whatever—it’s all from Allah. Just as you didn’t choose to be born with a nose on your face and not on your toes, you didn’t select your inborn talents.

Is not hell the [proper] abode for all who [thus] deny the truth (29:68)

Pro Tip: Know your place and don’t get arrogant with what you know.

EAT HEALTHY

Eating healthy isn’t always easy, but committing to a healthy diet can be one of the smartest decisions you ever make. Why? Not only can eating well make you look and feel better, it can also save you money on future health costs.

Overeating and not exercising can lead to unhealthy weight and body conditions . Obesity is defined as having 20% more than the "ideal" body weight for someone your age and height. If you think that you may be overweight or obese, talk to your parents or doctor about ways to become healthier.


Breakfast idea

CHANGE YOUR EATING, CHANGE YOUR LIFE

DON'T GIVE ANYTHING UP

Eat all the foods you enjoy—but the key is to do it in smaller quantities, says Elisa Zied, RDN, who has lost and kept off more than 30 pounds since her highest weight in high school. In fact, she says it's the number one change she made that's helped her maintain her smaller frame. "I didn't want to feel deprived as I had in previous attempts to lose weight," she says. The worst thing you can do is be too strict, then rebound by overeating because you're not satisfied.

ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN

It's easy to get sucked into the lure of the restaurant menu when you're hungry and everything looks good. You don't have to order the plain grilled chicken breast with steamed veggies—that would be boring. Order what you'd like, but balance the meal out with the rest of the day, says Zied. If you know you're going out for a steak and potatoes dinner, go easy on the meat and starch at lunch. Make sure you're also fitting in healthy fare like whole grains, fruit, veggies, and nuts and seeds in the other meals and snacks that day. That way a hunk of steak won't derail your diet and you'll leave happy.

FORGET CALORIE COUNTING

Ditching the habit and instead focus on good-for-you foods, says Frank Lipman, MD, integrative and functional medicine physician, founder of Eleven Eleven Wellness Center and author of The New Health Rules. Instead of how many calories, ask yourself where the food came from and if it's nutritious. "Healthy, nutrient-rich foods will keep hunger at bay, help maintain stable blood sugar levels, minimize cravings, and help your brain signal your belly when you're full," he says. In other words, you don't have to go through all the trouble of counting.

DON'T EAT BORING FOOD

Nutritionists are always saying to eat more vegetables, so cook them in a way that takes them from ho-hum to yum. "I even think that steamed veggies can be very boring!" says Ilyse Schapiro, a greater New York City-area registered dietitian. Always incorporate high-flavor add-ons to jazz up veggies, like sautéing with olive oil and garlic, or spraying them with olive oil before throwing them in an oven with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. That way, you don't equate "healthy" with "tasteless," a mindset that will knock you off the veggie bandwagon fast. Another tip: buy a spiralizer and make zucchini noodles. Topped off with a rich tomato sauce, you'll feel like you're eating pasta.

PREP AND STORE

Even more important than shopping for healthy foods: actually eating them. When you get home from the store or farmer's market, bounty of fruits and veggies in tow, wash and chop them right away and store in a pretty glass container in your fridge. "Studies show that spending more time on food prep is linked to better eating habits," says Dr. Lipman. It's all about convenience—if they're ready for you, you'll grab them in a pinch. If not? It's chips and dip time. You can also do this with other foods, like making a batch of quinoa for the week or roasting a bunch of veggies to throw together for quick lunches.

EAT LUNCH LIKE A KING

You've heard to make breakfast the biggest meal of your day, but you may not be thathungry when you wake up. In fact, "your biggest meal should be around noon when your digestion is at its peak and you can feed your body when it actually needs fuel," says Dr. Lipman. That means you don't need a huge meal at dinner only to sit and catch up on True Detective and then go to bed. But "big" doesn't mean burger and fry big. At lunch, emphasize protein and greens, like a hearty bowl of lentil soup and kale salad. Another bonus: after dinner you won't have the feeling you need to unbutton your pants.

DROP THE FOOD GUILT

It's trendy to think "food should be fuel" or that food is something that helps you lose (or, ahem, gain) weight. But thinking only in terms of number on the scale takes away a huge part of what eating is about: pleasure. "If you think of eating as something enjoyable and something you do without guilt or without judging yourself, and you stay active, you're less likely to overeat, have a better diet, and maintain any weight loss for the long haul," says Zied. It's true: feeling guilty about your food choices can undermine weight loss—and even pack on the pounds—while a celebratory mindset gives you more control over your diet and can thwart weight gain, found a 2014 study in the journal Appetite.

EAT THE RAINBOW

Greens, oranges, reds, purples, yellows...you get the picture. Eating the rainbow will supply your body with a range of disease-fighting phytonutrients, and will naturally fill you up to help you cut back on unhealthy foods, says Dr. Lipman. Plus, most adults struggle with getting the recommended five servings a day (though some say seven servings). A worldwide study in 2014 found 58 to 88% of adults don't hit that mark. Aiming for a diverse intake of produce from all colors of the rainbow will help you boost your intake. In another study, adults who were offered a variety of vegetables ate more of them without increasing the calories at the meal, found a 2012 study.

Another spin on the 80/20 rule, says Dr. Lipman: stopping eating when you're 80% full. That means slowing down and checking in periodically throughout the meal about what your body is saying. Does the food no longer taste great? Are you getting that "I don't really need any more feeling"? Thinking 80/20 as you eat can help slow you down and be more mindful. Being in tune with your body prevents overeating, he says.

My food-licious list

ACER SWIFT 3 (RM 2899)

What is the Acer Swift 3?

The Acer Swift 3 2017 is the latest revision of Acer’s budget 14-inch ultraportable laptop. It offers a potentially perfect balance between the sleek, slimness of premium Ultrabooks such as the Dell XPS 13 and chunkier, cheaper 15-inch laptops.

With its all-metal body, Intel Core i5-7200U processor, Full HD screen and a claimed 10 hours of battery life, this 2017 version of the Acer Swift 3 has plenty going for it. I was impressed by the previous version of the Acer Swift 3, but can this new model deliver? Not quite, as it turns out.

Acer Swift 3 2017 – Design and Build

Like its predecessor, the new Swift 3’s biggest asset is its all-aluminium body. The screen lid, keyboard surround and base are all made of the metal and it looks great for it. Internally, it’s built around a plastic frame, so you don’t get the solid feel of a MacBook, but the effect is largely the same.

Less welcome, though, is the introduction of chamfered edges to the keyboard surround and touchpad. They look nice enough but are a little sharp to the touch.

Another plastic of the previous version, the glossy finish isn’t as welcome when it comes to reflection.

A nice touch is the single, unbroken strip of rubber that runs around the screen to protect it when closed. This looks much better than when you have individual blobs of rubber in each corner.

The bezel around the screen isn’t what I’d call narrow. Couple this with the fact that the display is 14 inches diagonally, rather than the 13.3-inch of smaller Ultrabooks, and you have a laptop whose footprint isn’t particularly small – it’s smaller than 15-inch machines, but its 338 x 234mm dimensions are a far cry from rival Ultrabooks. It’s impressively slim, though, at just 18mm thick.

As for connectivity, you get an ample selection. A full-size HDMI, USB Type-C, two USB 3.0 ports and headphone jack run down the left edge of the device, while the right is home to an SD card reader and a USB 2.0 port. You’ll also find a couple of indicator lights here to show whether the laptop is on, off, or in standby, and if the battery is charging.

Built-in AC Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are included too, plus there’s a webcam in the usual spot.

Acer Swift 3  2017 – Keyboard and Trackpad

One of the big advantages of having a slightly larger laptop is that there’s ample space for a good-sized keyboard – and sure enough, this is the case here. Of course, you don’t get a number pad – but, otherwise, the keyboard benefits from a spacious layout and full-sized keys.

The key arrangement is also largely very good. Here in the UK, you get a proper Enter key and pound symbol – which isn’t always a given. Meanwhile, along the top is a row of smaller function keys and the power button

The cursor keys on the bottom right is the only area with which I take issue: the keys are too crammed in, plus I prefer these keys have secondary functions of Home/End/PgUp/PgDn – but it’s a minor point.

Rather more irritating is the feel of the keys themselves. The action is defined – there’s a noticeable step as the key is pressed – but it’s a little too soft and a touch inconsistent. As such, you don’t get quite the level of feedback of better keyboards. Of course, how important this is will depend on how competent a touch-typer you are, but I found it a little off-putting.

The trackpad, on the other hand, is much more of an all-round success. It’s large, offers a smooth gliding surface, has a light but defined click action, and works flawlessly with multi-touch gestures. There’s also an extremely handy fingerprint reader that makes logging into Windows 10 an absolute breeze: no more fumbling with passwords.


Acer Swift 3 – Screen

The screen on last year’s Swift 3 was something of a highlight. While it couldn’t offer the fine colour accuracy of top-end panels, and its maximum brightness was a bit low, it managed to get everything else right – making for an enjoyable display to use for most everyday purposes.

Sadly, that isn’t the case this time round. For a start, there’s the already-mentioned shiny surface. The glass front may look good – and a shiny surface tends to make dark colours appear a little deeper – but there’s no getting round the fact that reflections are annoying.

To an extent, the debate still rages over which is best: Apple clearly prefers the shiny screen route – but there’s a good reason that the majority of desktop PC monitors use matte finishes.

Perhaps more importantly, the actual quality of the display isn’t anything to write home about. Its 1080p resolution is fine, and it uses viewing angle-friendly IPS LCD technology, but otherwise its performance is lacklustre.

Maximum brightness is low at just 249 nits, while contrast is just 735:1. This isn’t the lowest we’ve seen on cheaper laptops, but it’s a far cry from the 1000:1 of better displays, and that of the previous version of this laptop.

These issues aside, colour temperature is reasonably accurate, ensuring there isn’t an annoying colour cast over the whole image. The 61.4% sRGB colour space coverage shows this display can’t quite deliver the finest differences in colour. All in all, the display is fine and will suffice for all but professional content creators, but it’s far from the best in its class – and it’s just a shame it isn’t as good as before.

Acer Swift 3 – Webcam and Audio

Above its screen, the Swift 3 2017 has a 720p resolution webcam that can shoot at up to 30fps. It’s your typical affair that’s fine for video chat but nothing more. It’s a little grainy and choppy, but the automatic exposure and facial recognition in Windows Camera works – which is about all you can ask for.

Audio is handled by a pair of down-firing speakers on the underside of the laptop. They do a good job, providing plenty of volume without distortion. There’s none of the tinny quality of particularly poor speakers, although there’s little in the way of proper bass. Fine for shorter listening sessions, then, but you’ll want headphones for longer use.

Acer Swift 3 2017 – Performance

The Swift 3 is available in a couple of different configurations. The cheaper option includes the Intel Core i3-7100U processor, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, while the £100 more expensive version bumps up to an Intel Core i5-7200U, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD – this is the version reviewed.

Many users should be happy with the 7100U version, but the extra processor speed, RAM and storage certainly makes the £100 upgrade worthwhile. Notably, the previous version offered the latter configuration for £100 less.

To test the performance of this model we fired up our usual raft of benchmarks, starting with PCMark 8. This simulates a variety of day-to-day tasks such as web browsing, casual gaming, photo editing, video editing and the like, then comes up with an overall score.

The Swift 3 earned 2709 points, which puts it somewhere between more powerful larger laptops and cheaper, less powerful ones. This score is also a couple of hundred points ahead of last year’s Swift 3, so there has been some progress here.

In the similar Geekbenck 4 benchmark the Acer Swift 3 2017 scored 6266 points, which again suggests a machine that offers more than adequate performance to tackle the basics.

Meanwhile, in the 3D gaming benchmark – 3DMark Ice Storm – it scored 49,636 points. While this is unlikely to be a strong gaming machine, technically, it would be just about possible to play older titles on it, at very low resolution.

Crucially, unlike even cheaper laptops, the level of performance here is fine for multi-tasking. The likes of the Acer Spin 1 are so slow that they almost have to be used like tablets – one task at a time.

Acer Swift 3 – Battery Life

Acer claims ten hours of battery life for the Swift 3 2017, but in our standardised test it didn’t achieve this. Setting the screen to a brightness of 150 nits (70% on the laptops brightness scale), it lasted 7h 36m.

This is about the same as the previous version of this laptop, so at least there’s some consistency there, but it’s still a touch disappointing considering the ten-hour claim. Clearly, Acer is testing the laptop at minimum brightness, which is totally impractical in normal use.

Watching an hour of Netflix saw the battery drain by 11%, suggesting the laptop can push a little closer to ten hours when only watching video. Spending a little more on premium 13-inch Ultrabooks such as the Dell XPS 13 will tend to get you slightly longer battery life.

Operating System
Operating System	Windows 10 Home
Operating System Architecture	64-bit
Processor & Chipset
Processor Type	Core i5
Processor Model	Intel® Core i5-8250U
Processor Speed	1.6 GHz
Processor Speed (turbo)	3.4 GHz
Memory
Standard Memory	4 GB
Memory Technology	DDR4 SDRAM
Storage
Total Solid State Drive Capacity	256 GB
Display & Graphics
Screen Size	35.6 cm (14")
Display Screen Technology	IPS Full HD
Screen Resolution	1920 x 1080
Graphics Controller Manufacturer	Intel
Graphics Controller Model	HD Graphics 620
Network & Communication
Wireless LAN	Yes
Wireless LAN Standard	IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth	Yes
Bluetooth Standard	Bluetooth® 4.0
Built-in Devices
Webcam	Yes
Fingerprint Reader	Yes
Interfaces/Ports
HDMI	Yes
USB	Yes
Number of USB 2.0 Ports	1
Number of USB 3.0 Ports	2
Total Number of USB Ports	3
Number of USB 3.1(Type-C) Ports	1
Input Devices
Keyboard Backlight	Yes
Battery Information
Number of Cells	4-cell
Battery Chemistry	Lithium Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity	3220 mAh
Maximum Battery Run Time	10 Hour
Physical Characteristics
Color	Sparkly Silver
Height	17.95 mm
Width	339 mm
Depth	234 mm
Weight (Approximate)	1.6 kg