I Am Asif

We all love saying "success comes through failure." It's practically a motivational poster at this point. But scroll through LinkedIn, and you'd think everyone's life is just one smooth upward trajectory—achievement after achievement, no stumbles, no restarts. So let me share what mine actually looks like.... 2015. I finished my Master's at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). Both my supervisor and the external examiner wanted to take me on for a PhD. It felt like everything was lining up perfectly. But I came home instead. To be with my family. That mattered more. 2018. I tried again. Enrolled in a PhD program at RUET, thinking I could balance it with my job. I really believed I could make it work. Life had other plans. Job demands piled up. Family responsibilities grew. The hours I needed simply didn't exist. Last year, after a lot of hard thinking, I made the call: I quit. Late 2025. An opportunity appeared out of nowhere. I had a conversation with a p...

Social media, news feeds, 24/7 news channels, gossip—our attention is being pulled in every direction, every second. It's easy to feel like we need to keep up with everything, to know every headline, to weigh in on every issue. But the truth is, not everything deserves our focus. And not everything is ours to carry. These platforms are filled with stories from every corner of the globe—politics, economics, crime, sports, and more. But just because something is trending, and just because everyone seems to be talking about it, doesn’t mean we are required to engage with it or feel deeply affected. Imagine two circles. The inner circle includes the things we can directly influence: our family, our neighborhood, our social and professional circles, and the specific areas where our expertise or actions carry weight. Beyond that is a much larger outer circle—things that may impact us indirectly, but where our own influence is minimal or non-existent. For instance, global politics or fa...

In life and in our careers, there's always a next move, a next goal, a next milestone. We’re almost always chasing something just ahead—an elusive promotion, a better opportunity, some distant version of “success” that keeps moving the moment we get close. But in all that chasing, we often forget where we’re standing. And sometimes, where we’re standing right now is exactly where we once dreamed of being. Take a moment to reflect: a year ago—or five, maybe even ten—didn’t you picture yourself hoping to arrive exactly where you are now? The role you’re in now might have once felt out of reach, not all that long ago. The responsibilities you're tired of might have once seemed exciting. And the stability you’ve started to take for granted? That might have been all you were asking for at some point.\ The problem is, we get used to the situations we once prayed for. We settle in, we normalize them, and we start to feel stuck. That feeling of being stuck can quickly turn into ...

There will always be annoying people around us. That’s just how life works. There will always be jerks. We often go through life with this quiet hope—or maybe expectation—that the people we deal with daily, especially our family or colleagues, will be thoughtful, cooperative, and on the same wavelength as us. But that’s rarely the case. The reality is: not everyone is going to be kind, understanding, or even reasonable. Some people will just rub you the wrong way. Some people will test your patience without even trying. And some—let’s be honest—will be jerks. But here’s the thing: we shouldn’t be surprised when that happens. It’s actually more realistic to expect that not everyone around us will align with us. Not everyone will see the world the way we do. And some people will have traits that conflict with ours, sometimes in uncomfortable ways. It’s like living anywhere on earth and expecting there won’t be flies or mosquitoes. That’s not how the world works. We don’t stop going outsi...

Previously, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala clarified what is halal and haram, emphasizing that we must not declare something lawful or unlawful based on personal opinion. Only Allah has the authority to decide what is permissible. Some things may have been halal in a previous prophet’s shari’ah but are haram in ours, and vice versa. These rulings are entirely under Allah’s will, and He may change them as He sees fit. In verse 93, when intoxicants were made haram, some companions became worried about their past actions. Allah reassured them that what was done before the prohibition would be forgiven, as long as they now abstain, maintain taqwa, do good deeds, and remain mindful of Him—He loves such people. Verses 94 and 95 introduce the rule that hunting land animals is prohibited during the state of ihram, even though it is normally allowed. Allah says He will test believers by placing game within reach to see if they obey. If someone breaks this rule, a specific kafarah (expiation) must...

We don’t always realize how much rushing costs us. A decision made in a hurry, a reaction without a pause—it might feel right in the moment, but later? We often wish we had just slowed down. Taking a step back doesn’t mean you’re weak or indecisive. It means you care enough to get it right. Calmness gives you space to see clearly, to think beyond the surface, to understand what really matters. Rushing narrows your vision. Calmness opens it up. And here’s the thing: both are contagious. Ever noticed how one person’s panic can set off everyone around them? The same is true for calm. When you stay grounded, it affects the people around you too. That kind of energy spreads—and it makes a difference. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught this in the most beautiful way. He said: “Patient deliberation is from Allah, and haste is from the devil.” It’s a reminder that stillness and reflection are divine qualities. So next time you feel the pressure to act fast—pause. Take a bre...

In verse 87 and 88, Allah SWT talks about what is halal and haram in the provision He has given. It is mentioned that we should not make permissible what Allah SWT has made impermissible, and vice versa—we should not make impermissible what Allah has made permissible. He also encourages us to eat from the halal and good food—that is, halalan tayyiban —which means beneficial, wholesome food.   We are also reminded to be fearful of Allah when consuming provisions.     Then, in verse 89, oaths are discussed. Sometimes we take oaths casually, and other times they are serious and concrete. Three types of oaths are indicated here, and it is also mentioned what the kafarah (expiation) would be for breaking such oaths. The tafsir provides further detail about which types are serious, which are not, and what should be done in each case if an oath is broken—for example, when kafarah must be given.     In verse 90, Allah gives a very clear command regarding intoxicants, g...

In verses 82 to 86 of Surah Al-Ma’idah, Allah SWT specifically mentions the Christians. This is essentially a continuation from the previous verses, where Allah discusses the beliefs of the Christians and addresses the Ahl al-Kitab (People of the Book).  In these verses, Allah SWT states that, in terms of enmity towards Muslims, the Jews and the polytheists are more severe, whereas the Christians tend to be more friendly and non-violent toward Muslims. Many of them have been helpful to Muslims, particularly because they were open to seeking knowledge and discovering the truth. Among them are hermits who renounce worldly pleasures in pursuit of God’s pleasure.  These verses specifically refer to the Abyssinian ruler Najashi. We know the famous story of this ruler—when the words of the Qur’an were recited to him and his people, they recognized them as the word of God. They were moved to tears, acknowledged the truth, and accepted Islam. As a result, Allah promises them Paradise,...

We're bombarded with info every day from all over—Facebook, Twitter, Insta, WhatsApp—you name it. Politics, celebs, sports, religion... it's all there. And when we see something 'cool', we share it like wildfire. Reposting on our feeds or firing it off to everyone we know. But hold up—how often do we hit pause and think, "Is this actually true?" Not too often, right? And that's why there's so much fake stuff floating around. It's a big problem, as we all know. Those sneaky algorithms just want our eyeballs, so they'll push anything juicy, even if it's total nonsense. But here's the thing: we gotta be smarter. More mature. In this age of fake news, it's up to us to stop the spread.  One golden rule? Don't share stuff unless you're sure it's legit. Prophet Muhammad (S) stressed how serious it is to spread unverified info. He even called someone who does that a plain old liar! He said, “It is enough for a man to prove hims...

We face decisions all the time. Maybe it's a sudden opportunity knocking, or a new business idea that needs action pronto. Sometimes it's as simple as a friend suggesting we ditch work for a spontaneous day trip. But here's the thing: should we always just go with our gut? Probably not. Being grown-up means thinking things through before jumping in. Whether it's a big decision or a small one, taking a minute to really think about it is key. And the bigger the deal, the more we should take our time. So, before deciding, stop and think. Consider the good and bad.  Who else might be affected by what you decide?  What am I saying ‘no’ to by saying ‘yes’.  This is something I’ve always found in my dad. He would never rush to decisions. He would take his time, and tell others to ‘sleep on it’.  That's the way to make choices—thoughtfully. Considering the impact of the decision. On yourself. On your family. On your work. And on everything else that’s important to you. ...

So, when I kicked off my master's journey in Malaysia, there was this big push to churn out papers. Everyone, from research students to supervisors, was all about getting as many papers published in top journals and conferences. It got me thinking: is research just about paper counts now? Are we only doing it to snag a degree or a promotion? I always figured research should be the other way around. It's about tackling real-life problems, making lives better, easing suffering. Once we focus on that, the papers will naturally flow. But the problem starts early on, when we're picking research topics. As supervisors, we're telling our students to hop on the trend train. Look for what's hot, what's getting published a lot. But are we telling them to think about how their research can actually help the world? Nope, not really. We need to flip the script on how we approach research. It should start right from the get-go, when we're brainstorming ideas. Instead of a...

Behavioral psychology তে একটা কনসেপ্ট আছে যে, আমাদের শারীরিক আর মানসিক অবস্থা খুব strongly connected. একটা আরেকটা কে affect করে। এটার একটা সাইড খুব সহজেই বোঝা যায়। যেমন কেউ যদি খুশি হয়, তার চেহারায় সেটার প্রতিফলন ঘটে. মুখ হাসি হাসি হয়ে যায়। গলার স্বরেও পরিবর্তন আসে। শরীরে এনার্জি ফীল  করা যায়। আবার মন খারাপ থাকলে, মুখটা গোমড়া থাকে, শরীর দুর্বল লাগে। মেজাজ গরম হলেও তার প্রভাব শরীরে পড়ে। এটা আমরা খুব সহজেই বুঝি।  কিন্তু মজার ব্যাপার হলো, উল্টো দিক থেকেও ব্যাপারটা ঘটে। Body language পরিবর্তন করলে সেটা মনের উপর প্রভাব ফেলে। খুব ইন্টারেষ্টিং কিছু এক্সপেরিমেন্ট এর মাধ্যমে দেখা গেছে এই effect . বিখ্যাত behavioral psychologist Amy Cuddy তার গবেষণায় এরকম কিছু এক্সপেরিমেন্ট করেছেন। তিনি দেখিয়েছেন, একজন মানুষ যদি মাত্র ২ মিনিট কোনো না কোনো 'Power Pose' অর্থাৎ খুব পাওয়ারফুল বা আত্মবিশ্বাসী মানুষের মতো body language নিজের মধ্যে নিয়ে আসে, তাহলে সে আসলেই আত্মবিশ্বাসী হয়ে ওঠে , এবং অন্যরাও তাকে সেরকমই মনে করে!  একইভাবে আরেক পরীক্ষায় দেখা গেছে, খুব নোংরা কোনো কাজ যখন একদল লোককে করতে দেয়া...

We're always careful about where we spend our money, time, and effort. It's natural to look for good opportunities to invest our money so it can grow over time. We also worry about whether we're wasting time or not. But if we look back, we often see that we're spending our resources on things that only benefit ourselves or our close family. It's important to look for opportunities to put our efforts into things that are bigger than just our own group. We should spend time, money, and energy on things that go beyond personal pleasure or fulfilling our own needs and our family's needs. Let's try to include people from our neighborhood or community in our circle so that our time, effort, or money can benefit others who are not directly related to us. Maybe you're helping just one person from the neighborhood or one family from the community, or supporting a cause that benefits your society or the Muslim Ummah. This way, some of the effort you're putting...

এনার্জি কনভার্শন কোর্সের প্রথম ক্লাস আজ। থার্ড সেমিস্টারের ছাত্ররা ক্লাস শুরুর আগে বসে আড্ডা দিচ্ছে। সময়মতোই ক্লাসে ঢুকলেন ড. হাসিব হায়দার স্যার। এই স্যারের ক্লাস আগে করেনি ওরা, তবে নাম শুনেছে বড় ভাইদের কাছে। হাসিব স্যারের ক্লাস নাকি ভার্সিটি লাইফে সবচেয়ে মজার। সেই সাথে স্যার নাকে খুব ফ্রেন্ডলি আর মোটিভেশনাল। স্যারের এই কোর্সের ব্যাপারে সবারই তাই বেশ উৎসাহ।  স্যার রুমে ঢুকেই উজ্জ্বল একটা হাসি দিয়ে বললেন,  ‘কি অবস্থা সবার??’ ‘ভালো স্যার’  ‘অল্প ভালো নাকি বেশি ভালো?’ ‘বেশি ভালো স্যার’  সব ক্লাসেই টিপিকাল একটা ফাজিল থাকে, সেরকমই একটা পেছন থেকে বলে উঠলো  ‘বেশি ভালো নাই স্যার’  ‘কেন?’ ‘সেমিস্টারের প্রথম দিন, আর আপনারা ক্লাস নিতে এসে পড়লেন। একদিন না পড়াইলে কি হইতো?’ হাসির রোল উঠলো ক্লাসে। হাসিব স্যারও হেসে দিলেন তার বিশাল হাসি,  ‘আরে আজকে পড়াবো কেন, পাগল নাকি?’ ‘তাহলে আজকে কি হবে স্যার?’  মনে হয় অনেকটা মন খারাপ করেই জিজ্ঞেস করলো ফার্স্ট বেঞ্চের ভারী ফ্রেমের চশমা পড়া আঁতেল।  ‘তোমাদের সাথে প্রথম ক্লাস। তোমাদের সাথে গল্প করবো। তোমাদের পরিচয় জানবো।’...

As a part the  2023 5th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES FOR INDUSTRY 5.0 (STI 2023)  conference at  Green University of Bangladesh , we recently had an engaging dialogue between some brilliant minds from the fields of technology, industry and academia. Together we explored the realms of technology advancement, local expertise growth, collaboration strategies, sustainability practices, and Bangladesh's trajectory for the next decade. We had the privilege of having with us Prof. Dr.  Khondaker A. Mamun, PhD , a veteran in the fields of technology development, entrepreneurship and academic research; one of the leading AI experts from our own country and founder of  Intelligent Machines ,  Mohammad Oli Ahad ; visionary young industrialist  Golam Murshed ; and industry expert with a vast experience Engr. Md. Selim Reza. The session was chaired by none other than  Prof. Md.G. Samdani Fakir , our former vice chancellor and a legendar...