Inspirations From Other Founders & Big Breakthroughs
Stories, trackers, and dashboards on the people and ideas building the future.
Explore ›Qawi: Daily Practice for High Performing Strong Believers
Personal development and growth system. Build strength across five dimensions: soul (Ruh), body (Jasad), mind ('aqal), character (Khuluq), and wealth (Maal).
Open Qawi ›Architects of Impact
A map of the people who change the shape of the world. The archetypes, the patterns, what each looks like in practice.
Explore ›- Keep your deen first. Then pick one area below and go deep, don't try to do everything at once.
- Watch How to Start a Startup for the big picture.
- Read Build and Atomic Habits.
- Run the RPM growth plan and download a worksheet to act on it.
- When you have something to show, find a contract or apply to an accelerator.
EntrepreneurshipY Combinator, How to Start a Startup, accelerators+
Learn from the people who have helped start thousands of companies. Y Combinator's material is the best free startup education there is.
- CourseHow to Start a Startup — the classic Stanford lecture series (Sam Altman & YC partners)
- YC Startup School — free, self-paced course and founder community
- YC Startup Library — curated essays, talks, and videos for every stage
- Y Combinator on YouTube — talks, founder stories, and how-to playlists
- Paul Graham essays — foundational writing on startups and building
- Apply to Y Combinator · Techstars — accelerators, when you have something to show
- Muslim foundersalif.build · Friday — communities, grants, and stories
University / College ProgramsOwn your journey, build projects, founder stories+
University is usually a baseline. Own your journey: make dua, build demonstrable projects, pick up practical skills, join startups, and chase the many bootcamps and grants. Read job descriptions in your field and make sure you are building toward them.
- smartarm.ca — a founder story worth studying
- Founder story playlist
- alif.build — cofounders, grants, stories · YouTube
- fridayhq.co — cofounders, grants, networking
PodcastsKey episodes + 18 series worth subscribing to+
A great way to find your next mission, learn from others' journeys, and stay inspired.
Specific episodes
- Highly recCareer, collaboration, mentorship & business tips
- Steps to financial freedom
- Understand money
- Moonshot Journeys (playlist)
Series worth subscribing to
Books / AudiobooksBuild, Atomic Habits, Deep Work, and more+
Great books save years by handing you others' systems and experience. Your local or university library may give free ebooks and audiobooks through apps like Libby.
- Highly recBuild — Tony Fadell — career and business advice across every stage
- Highly recAtomic Habits — James Clear — build good habits, break bad ones
- Highly recUnleash the Power Within — Tony Robbins
- Deep Work — Cal Newport
- Traction — a framework to execute ideas and get results
- Creative Selection — inside Apple's design process
- Relationship Mastery — decisions and your relationship with your spouse matter early
Develop Strong HabitsBuild strong daily habits+
Personal Development & GrowthRPM, growth plan, life of excellence, relationships+
- RPM condensed course (Focus Kit) — if the video doesn't load, use the backup playlist
- RPM accompanying PDFs
- Growth plan (Google Doc)
- PlaylistLife of Excellence & Personal Development
- Step Up & Be a Leader — slides & worksheet on the Life of Excellence framework
- Relationship coaching — self-help and contacts
- Mental & emotional coaching — self-help and contacts
Worksheets & Summary CardsVisionare, Tony Robbins, GrowthDay+
Download and work through these. They open in Google Drive.
Finding ContractsWhere to find freelance & contract work+
Halal InvestmentsIslamic finance, halal investing & signals+
QuranReflections, vocab + grammar, mailing list+
Living the Quran daily. Short reflections by aayah, vocab + grammar to read directly, and a mailing list for live circles.
- PlaylistQuranic Transformations — 10 to 15 min conversations on aayats with various speakers
- PlaylistQuranic Empowerment: AlFaatiha — 2 to 3 min reflections
- PlaylistQuranic Empowerment: AlBaqarah — 2 to 3 min reflections
- Quran reflections + Quranic Arabic — vocab + grammar playlists shelf
- Living Quran: notes, tools, playlists
- Quran Circles mailing list — registration for updates and announcements
Dawah & New MuslimsSharing Islam, shahadahs, starter guides+
Helping people find Islam, and helping new Muslims get rooted.
- PlaylistDawah trainings, shahadahs, sharing Islam
- New Muslim Getting Started Guide
- Presenting & Sharing Islam — Islam Uncovered slides
- PlaylistNew Muslim success coaches training
TalksLectures, khutbas, podcast interviews+
Long-form talks and conversations.
- PlaylistLectures & khutbas
- PlaylistGuest appearances on podcasts
Smart GivingPhilanthropy, where and how to give+
Give with structure, not impulse.
CybersecurityGetting started, career path+
If a cybersecurity career is on the table.
- Getting Started in Cybersecurity — curated path: home lab, free training, careers, red/blue team, AppSec, crypto, communities.