Millions of books are available in the market dealing with this subject, most of which are sold out on a commercial basis. Furthermore, the authors who write such money-making books have no real knowledge and no prior experience concerning the subject. They lack the acute observational skills that are necessary before opting for this serious job. In other words, they don’t do justice to the subject. But, in علم، عمل، زندگی (ilm, amal, zindagi) you will find a hundred percent authentic knowledge, depth of experience, and implication of inclusiveness that prevail along with brevity.

Prof Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad Shaheed, who is the author of this book, needs no introduction. He was a pioneering intellectual, a scholar of philosophy, strategic management, teacher, entrepreneur, author, writer, researcher, influencer, policymaker, and social reformer who inspired people and communities around the world. As an erudite teacher, his scholarship and affection have left an indelible mark on thousands of his students globally.

Having spent his whole life reading, writing, teaching, and doing research, Prof Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad Shaheed founded one of the best universities in Pakistan i.e., University of Management and Technology, Lahore. This book is a distillation of Dr Hasan’s life experiences and observations. While you’ll read it, you would feel that he had his hand on the pulse of human psychology. God had gifted Dr. Sahib with a pure heart, a contemplative mind, and eloquence in both speech and writing. His family, pupils, co-workers, colleagues, and acquaintances would witness that he was a practising man and that his words and actions never contradicted each other.

“Ilm, Amal, Zindagi” has been written from the heart of a man who believed in the dissemination of knowledge whose reference can be corrborated and perhaps it is the reason why each word of this book appeals aesthetically, emotionally, logical and critically sense of humankind. For heartfelt ideas such as those presented in this book, Allama Iqbal said:

دل سے جو بات نکلتی ہے اثر رکھتی ہے
پر نہیں، طاقت پرواز مگر رکھتی ہے

The book will touch your heart and soul.

As of content of the book, they deal with a variety of topics and themes such as leadership, mental health, education, time management, role modelling, human relations, quality of life, reformation system, personality development, global citizenship in the twenty-first century, change management, personality development, organization, accountability, effective communication, spirituality, networking, team building, work management and time management, etc. To cut the long story short, many novel concepts and unique things have been expressed in the book that is linked to the rising concerns of the 21st century.

Though this isn’t a psychology book, it throws light on many ideas related to human psychology.

As we know imbalances in our minds can give rise to such conditions as depression, anxiety, addiction and other mental health issues, all of these things can stand in the way of our success and performance and cause unhappiness in our lives. Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad Shaheed writes that when our heart is troubled, we start making wrong decisions. Obviously, wrong decisions infuriate the entire circle of our lives. What is the diet of the heart and how can you revive it and protect it from falling prey to stress and anxiety so that it works with positive energy? How to stay away from other mental health problems?

While stress is an inevitable part of life, it has been especially more intense these days. Hasan Murad Shaheed too is of the view that work pressure can affect our personalities. He writes when our mind is muddled, the ability to hear and see does not work properly. He says excessive or persistent stress can be detrimental to our health, relationships, self-esteem, and quality of life. Talking about how to deal with stress, he hints at several ways, some of which are:

Do not forget to smile every day.

Light leisure should be used to refresh the mind.

Eat a nutritious diet and avoid filling your life with excessive luxury.

Make a new beginning each morning.

Take a look at tomorrow instead of yesterday.

Make plans so that you can enjoy nature’s spectacular sights.

Do not pollute your home life with outside problems.

You should go to bed early and get up early.

Make morning walks a routine.

Think about reading good novels.

Make prayer a habit because it soothes the soul, cools the eyes, and is the believer’s weapon.

In the book, you will learn how you can thrive as a leader, what is your fundamental job, why it’s sometimes necessary to be calm and composed, why wisdom is a must-have attribute in a leader, how a leader acts in crisis, what is the role of advisors in the success of a leader, what is the legacy of true leadership, what is Islamic model of leadership, how noble human values such as humility and gratitude are must-found attributes in a leader, so forth and so on. Here are a few lines of what the book says about a leader:

A leader brings the distant future closer to the present.

Great people are characterized by more work, harder work, better work and continuous work.

A leader brings the distant future closer to the present.

A leader listens and acts from the heart.

A leader both hears and sees with their heart.

A leader inquires from the heart and responds from the heart.

A leader gives and receives from the heart.

A leader rules the heart.

The book breaks down all the fundamentals of creating outstanding teams. Forming a group and giving them a task is not enough to establish a team. Valuable characteristics, preparation, and careful analysis are part and parcel of effective team management.

The author offers thoughts such as “No single person can do great work”, “goal is more essential than the job” and ” even a collection of scattered individuals are not able to do constructive work” as he explains why teamwork and team management are vital and what managers can do to get the most out of teams. The best way to get people to do good according to the author is to set a personal example.

The book tells us that time management is critically important for today’s leaders. “Your time is only for you”, but often we don’t feel so. The writer advises not to leave any task unfinished otherwise to avoid more use of time and resources.

Do you enjoy your career? According to the writer of this book, people who like their jobs are often more cheerful, driven, focused, inspired, and ambitious.

“Make your job your hobby and your hobby as your job”, recommends the writer.

The writer of “Ilm, Amal, Zindagi” says that our quality of life may be improved by having the ability to communicate our ideas well.

If you’re looking for guidance on how to improve relations between you and you, between you and your family, between you and your office colleagues, between you and your community, between you and your team, etc, then this is a must-read book for you.

The book also deals with the subject of globalization. According to the author, the world is getting smaller and a global citizen is emerging as the man of the twenty-first century. Put aside their differences, the nations of the world are developing positive relationships with one another.

You’ll find inspirational quotes scattered throughout the book. One cannot help but applaud the author of these insightful and precise statements since they are so strong, effective, and poignant. These quotations are all so potent that they have the capacity to change your life.

While educators may use this book in their Life and Learning course, trainers could include it in their training module. Whether you are a psychologist in practice or a university professor, this book will enhance your understanding from many perspectives. This book is a must-read for you even if you are a management genius because it contains many original concepts. If you have a leadership position in any industry, you should read this book since it deals with the topic of leadership most frequently.

Until now, you’ve read “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”, which is a simple set of rules for a more successful life. But, “Ilm, Amal, Zindagi” is a more fascinating read and more engrossing book that would change your perspective on life.

If you’re a leader, manager, teacher, trainer, mentor, and psychologist, you must have this book in your personal library.

To sum up, the ideas expressed in the book will help you take control of your life, be happy, be healthy, be positive, be punctual, be a role model, make better choices, manage personal contacts, avoid stress, combat negative habits, enhance efficiency, and much more. The underlying message of the book is that without seeking guidance from God, you cannot feel the difference whether the path you’ve taken in your personal, as well as professional life, is right or wrong and how you see the world and how the world sees you.

So, what are you waiting for? Stop whatever you’re doing right now and go buy a copy of this book if you haven’t already. Your life will be transformed by it. “Ilm, Amal, Zindagi”, is a book for all those who are in search of true wisdom, inspiration and want to heal themselves.

—Shabeer Ahmed is a Protege of Prof Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad Shaheed and currently serving as Manager Hasan Murad Memorial (HSMM) at UMT.

Related: A Tribute to Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad: My Mentor And Guide