Issue #008 — The Tempting Shortcut
If you’ve built something impressive, but it cost you your clarity, you haven’t built success. You’ve just changed the packaging of failure.
6 MIN READ
Every entrepreneur has a field they nurture.
A space shaped by long hours, tough decisions, hopes, and setbacks.
It begins with a spark—a small idea planted with sincerity.
Then comes the watering: the strategy, the discipline, the late nights no one sees.
You wait, you refine, and you pray that something meaningful grows.
But in every field, there’s always one tempting corner.
A path that looks shiny, promising, yet something about it feels off.
That’s the path you were never meant to walk.
What I call: the tempting shortcut.
It rarely appears labeled as “wrong.”
In fact, it’s often dressed up as smart, fast, or necessary.
But deep down, you know—it’s the one place you need to tread carefully.
Now, I know you’re not living in Paradise.
You’re running a business.
You’ve got invoices, employees, emails, and meetings.
But the metaphor still holds.
There’s always something in business that looks desirable—but isn’t for you.
It’s not haram in appearance.
In fact, it often looks like a great opportunity.
A viral growth tactic.
An “industry standard.”
A “shortcut” to results.
But deep inside, something feels off.
The Whisper Is Never Obvious
When I reflect on the story of Adam and Hawwa’ (peace be upon them both), I’m reminded of how subtle the wrong path can be.
Satan didn’t say, “Disobey Allah.”
He said:
“Shall I show you the tree of eternity and a kingdom that never decays?”
(Qur’an 20:120)
He dressed it up in beautiful language.
Legacy. Eternity. Influence. Security.
That’s how temptation works.
It never looks like destruction.
It looks like growth.
Today’s Whisper Sounds Like This…
“This funnel converts 50% better.”
“Use a countdown timer, even if it’s not real.”
“Everyone else does it.”
“There’s no harm in saying this… they don’t know this!”
And that’s the danger.
We start defending what feels wrong because it works.
We start chasing results at the cost of our roots.
We stop asking “Is this right?” and start asking “Will this scale?”
That’s when your ethical compass starts to fade.
It doesn’t break all at once.
It just weakens.
Slowly. Quietly.
Until one day you’re building something that looks successful…
But deep down, something inside you is uncomfortable—and you don’t know why.
Who You Spend Time With Shapes Your Standards
There’s a hadith of the Prophet ﷺ that always humbles me:
"A person is upon the Deen (way of life) of their close friend. So let one of you look at whom he befriends." (Abu Dawud-4833)
It’s profound.
Because the people you spend the most time with?
They don’t just influence your decisions.
They become your decision-making framework.
And in today’s world, your “friends” include who you follow online, what you watch, who you listen to, and what you consume daily.
If all you’re hearing is “scale fast,” “don’t be soft,” “close the deal at any cost,” then don’t be surprised if your moral clarity fades over time.
This is not just about the company.
It’s about conditioning.
The Real Test Isn’t Failure. It’s Success.
Most people think the big test in business is when things don’t work.
But I’ve seen something different.
The real test often comes when things go well.
When your strategy clicks.
When your numbers grow.
When you have options.
That’s when the whispers start.
Maybe you can push the boundary here.
Maybe you don’t need to be so strict anymore.
Maybe it’s okay—just this once.
And this is where self-awareness becomes your best friend.
Just like Adam and Hawwa (AS), the moment they slipped, they became aware.
“And they began to stitch together leaves of Paradise to cover themselves…”
(Qur’an 7:22)
They recognized their mistake.
They felt exposed.
And that vulnerability led to tawbah (repentance)—turning back to Allah, the Almighty.
Business will reveal you.
That’s part of its design.
You’ll make mistakes.
Maybe you’ll overpromise.
Maybe you’ll underpay.
Maybe you’ll follow a trend that didn’t sit well with your soul.
That’s okay—if you use it to return.
Because the moment you become aware of the moral cost of your success?
That’s the moment your tazkiyah (purification) begins.
That’s the moment business becomes spiritual, the source of goodness.
Business Is Not About Perfection. It’s About Purification.
The word Ibtilā’ in the Qur’an means test.
But more deeply, it means to reveal the truth of something.
In business, every choice you make shows you something about who you are.
And that’s where your real opportunity lies.
Not in the next viral launch.
Not in the next sales target.
But in who you’re becoming while trying to reach it.
This is why I keep repeating:
Business is not separate from your way of life.
It’s part of your journey.
And every moment, every email, every offer, every decision is either taking you closer to Allah (swt) or further away.
So, What Should You Do?
Anchor your business in principles, not just performance.
Don’t fall into “if it works, it’s right.” Fall into “if it pleases Allah, it’s right.”Choose your company wisely.
Online and offline. Follow people who keep your ethics alive.Be brutally honest with yourself.
When something feels off, pause. Don’t silence the voice inside.Repent quickly.
You’ll make mistakes. That’s not the problem. The problem is staying there. Come back fast. Make things right.Believe in the real Sustainer.
Allah (swt) is Ar-Razzāq. Your job is to strive for excellence and honesty. The results? They’re never in your hands anyway.
Final Words
We don’t need more rich entrepreneurs.
We need more clean-hearted, principle-rooted, vision-aligned builders who want their business to become sadaqah-e-jariyah—a legacy that lives on, long after they’re gone.
So, if you're still reading, ask yourself today:
What’s the “forbidden tree (tempting shortcut)” in your business?
Is there a temptation you’ve justified?
A tactic you’ve used that doesn’t align with ethical principles?
A silence you’ve maintained when you should’ve spoken?
Now is the time to return.
Not out of guilt, but out of growth.
Because the most potent moment in business is not when you hit your first million…
But when you become aware of the cost, and choose to build with purity again.
That’s the purpose-driven business.
That’s the Quiet Builder’s way.
If this issue touched something inside you, I’d love to hear from you.
What’s a principle you’re holding onto, no matter what the world is doing?
Reply, comment, or share this with a fellow builder who needs to be reminded that barakah always beats buzz.
May Allah protect everything you build—with His help, with your effort, and with barakah. Aameen.
Warmly,
Yameenuddin Ahmed
Founder, Quiet Builders
Thank you so much
Each word gives me meaning to life stay blessed
It sounds like building a business is a journey to hone one's character traits. It tests a person from the very beginning (during lonely struggles) to the time it starts to generate revenue. And there's traction.
However, one key 'document' that can help anchor the business owner would be 'Why did I start this business?'. If these answers are clear from the get go, then it would be easy to manage the temptations that you've mentioned. Otherwise, its easy to get derailed and get caught up with the latest trends. From time to time, I have experienced people trying all sorts of 'creative' ways ONLY to get attention. That has no basis (and looks silly). I see that a lot, specially, when businesses run their ads online.
A part of decision making process could be to do Istikhara before applying any new tactics or strategies. That would keep the business owner anchored to their real purpose. And keep themselves in check.
One last thought.
What's the point of even building an empire that fires back at them and destroy their aakhirah? May Allah SWT protect us all!