We Need More Muslims of Impact, Not Just Muslims of Intention

Minimum Viable Purpose: The Antidote to Purpose-Paralysis

I had a call not so long ago with a successful-but-empty brother in his early 50’s.

"I've been searching for my purpose for fifteen years," he said, his voice carrying the exhaustion of someone who'd tried everything. "I've researched a lot, done some volunteering and worked with three different coaches. I know I'm meant for something bigger, but I still don't have complete clarity."

Fifteen years.

That's longer than it took to build the Taj Mahal. Longer than the US spent fighting in Vietnam. Longer than Nelson Mandela's first imprisonment.

Here’s the kicker - 15 years is 50% longer than the Prophet (saw) spent in Madinah and achieved everything that was built there!

And this brilliant, talented man, highly educated, with two decades of experience, and a genuine heart to serve Allah - had spent all that time analysing his next step instead of living it.

He's not alone.

I see this so often it breaks my heart. Talented Muslims paralysed by the pursuit of perfect clarity while their potential withers at a time when the Ummah desperately needs their contribution.

The Toxic Mindset Destroying Muslim Impact

Here's the uncomfortable truth.

We've created a generation of purpose-seekers, and not enough purpose-fulfillers.

The self-development industry has convinced us that we need complete clarity before we can take meaningful action. That starting without a comprehensive life plan is irresponsible. That uncertainty equals unreadiness. It’s too risky, why give up safety and security for this pipe dream, the unknown?

This is spiritual and practical poison. And one that Shaytan (who threatens you with poverty) revels in.

Why are we spending decades in preparation while producing zero impact?

We're reading books or watching documentaries about changing the world instead of changing it. Attending conferences about saving the Ummah instead of serving it.

Meanwhile, the world burns. Our communities fragment. Our children lose their way.

And we're still in our rooms, trying to "find ourselves."

Are we doing really justice to ourselves… and more importantly, our Creator?

The Action Gap That's Killing Us

The gap between Muslim potential and Muslim impact isn't a knowledge gap.

It's an action gap.

At this point, I’ve probably spoken to thousands of people over the phone. I always ask a question on those calls: “if money and time were no object, what would you CHOOSE to work on?”

When you dig deep enough, honestly pretty much all of them, at the heart of it say they want to do good work that pleases Allah and invests in their akhirah.

But they all have the same excuse: "I'm still figuring it out brother, insha’allah one day, do dua for me."

But Allah reveals your purpose through your ACTIONS, not just your ANALYSIS.

The Quran said:

"And those who believed and did righteous deeds." (2:62)

Did. Past tense. Completed action.

The Path Appears Beneath Moving Feet

Rumi said:

"As you start to walk on the way, the way appears."

The path appears beneath the feet of those who MOVE, not those who merely MEDITATE on it.

The Qu’ran was revealed over 23 years. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) started his mission after the very first revelation. He didn't wait for the complete revelation before he started calling people to Islam. He began with what he knew and learned as he went.

Malcolm X didn't delay speaking out until he had fully formed his understanding. He began with his conviction and refined his understanding through constant action.

You may not understand what step 8 looks like and what Allah has in store for you, long term. You may need to complete steps 1-5 before you level up to the knowledge needed for the next stage of your development. But getting setting the intention, getting directionally correct, and walking on the path are all vital parts of the journey.

Every transformational movement began with imperfect action, not complete certainty.

Khan Academy: A great modern example

Salman Khan didn't set out to revolutionise global education.

He worked at a hedge fund and just wanted to help his niece and nephew with their maths homework.

Living across the country, he started recording simple explanations and uploading them to YouTube.

There was no grand vision. There was no business plan. There wasn’t even any intention about "changing the world."

Just one guy helping his family with algebra.

Today, Khan Academy serves millions of students worldwide and has fundamentally changed how people learn.

He started with something I call Minimum Viable Purpose.

He took the first step with a $200 drawing tablet and ten minutes of his time. And iterated and progressed from there.

The Minimum Viable Purpose Revolution

The startup world figured this out decades ago with the Lean Startup methodology.

Instead of spending years building the "perfect" product, they launch a Minimum Viable Product - the simplest version that delivers basic value to real customers. Then they iterate based on feedback.

The most revolutionary companies of today all abide by this method - start with incomplete clarity and learn by doing.

Why haven't we applied this to purpose?

Why are we trying to build the perfect purpose in our heads instead of testing imperfect purpose in the real world?

The Five Questions That End the Paralysis

Instead of spending another year "searching for clarity," spend five minutes answering five questions:

1. WHO are you called to serve? Not humanity in general. A specific group facing specific challenges. The narrower your focus, the greater your impact. Grand visions start with serving those right in front of you.

2. WHAT pain or problem are you meant to solve? Focus on what you can address with your current abilities. Not what your perfect future self might solve someday. Start where you are, not where you wish you were.

3. WITH what will you solve the problem? What makes you uniquely positioned to help? Your specific preparation, perspective, and pain. Allah has been preparing you through every experience. Your greatest struggles often become your greatest strengths.

4. WHY does this matter to you personally? This is the emotional fuel that sustains your efforts. Purpose without personal connection lacks staying power. Your "why" carries you through inevitable difficulties.

5. WIN: What's the smallest immediate action you could take? Not "start a business" but "have one conversation." Not "write a book" but "write one page." Victory comes from momentum, not perfection.

The Courage Question

Here's what's really happening: We seek certainty because the path requires courage.

Starting without complete clarity means accepting uncertainty, risking failure, and potentially looking foolish.

So we convince ourselves that more analysis is needed. More books must be read. More YouTube videos must be watched. More coaches must be consulted.

But this is just sophisticated procrastination.

The truth is, you probably already know enough to take your next step.

You're just afraid to take it.

The Ummah That Could Have Been

Imagine if every Muslim who spent the last decade "finding their purpose" had instead spent it serving with imperfect clarity.

Imagine the institutions that would exist. The problems that would be solved. The lives that would be transformed.

Imagine the second Golden Age we could have built while we were busy planning to build it.

We need more Muslims of impact, not just Muslims of intention.

Intentions are beautiful. They're absolutely necessary. But they're not sufficient, on their own.

The Ummah doesn't need more people planning to make a difference.

It needs people with their sleeves rolled up, on the ground, making a difference.

Even if it’s imperfect.

The Choice That Defines Everything

You have two options:

Option 1: Continue the search for perfect clarity. Spend another year reading, analysing, and planning. Tell yourself you're "being responsible" by not starting until you're completely sure.

Option 2: Accept that clarity comes through action, not analysis. Start with Minimum Viable Purpose today. Take the smallest possible step toward serving the people you're called to serve.

The brother I mentioned at the beginning sadly chose Option 1. Fair enough.

But another brother I spoke to was different. Let me tell you his story.

He had been someone who had a drug addiction which left him overdosed and on his deathbed not once, but twice. He had been in and out of rehab centres, lost his job, his friends and very nearly his wife and kids. But I spoke to him when he was 1 year clean and well on the road to recovery.

When I heard his story, I asked him one question:

“What do you think the reason is you have gone through all of these challenges in your life? What you’ve experienced has been intense. What do you think Allah wants from you, for him to have put you through such a huge trial?”

He thought about it and said: “I’ve been thinking these past few months that the rehab centres in this country are not great, especially from a Muslim perspective. This problem is bigger for Muslims than you think - but the mosques often do not deal with these issues well, because of the taboo and stigma associated with them.”

After a bit of discussion, he said: “I’d love to set up a rehab centre for Muslim addicts.”

Great idea, I said! But what does the MVP version look like? How can we make momentum on this immediately?

He thought about it and said, a support circle / gathering at the mosque, similar to ‘Alcoholics anonymous’ where addicts could go and support each other.

He spoke to the Imam within a few days and started the ball rolling…

Now the local mosque has a support system it didn’t previously have. The Imam was happy that someone took initiative, and the Imam himself facilitated the gatherings.

But the idea and momentum is what led to it existing.

This may not be his "ultimate calling," but it was certainly movement. And this movement will eventually reveal the path down the line.

Who knows where it could lead?

What’s clear though, is you don’t find purpose just through more searching. You find it through serving.

Your Next Five Minutes

Here's what I want you to do right now:

Stop reading about purpose and start testing it.

Answer the five MVP questions. Not perfectly. Not with complete confidence. Just honestly.

Then take the smallest possible action today.

Not tomorrow. Not next week. Today.

Because remember, the path appears beneath the feet of those who move, not those who meditate endlessly on movement.

The Ummah needs your contribution more than it needs your perfect clarity.

Allah will guide your steps as you take them, not as you plan them.

And the world will be changed by those who start with imperfect action, not by those who wait for perfect understanding.

Stop searching for your purpose. Start serving with purpose.

The clarity you seek is waiting on the other side of the action you're avoiding.

No, it's not your ultimate purpose. Maybe, it's not even close.

But will it be enough to get moving? Absolutely.

Tiny actions performed consistently eventually compound to lead to impact. Whereas grand plans never actualised stay gathering dust.

So make a start today.

After all, we need more Muslims of impact - not JUST intention.

---

What's the smallest step you could take today toward serving who you think you're called to serve? Share it in the comments - sometimes the commitment to strangers creates the accountability we need to finally begin.

If you’d like some help with putting together your MVP, then apply to book a discovery call with myself or my team here.