I was recently talking to a friend who just got his PMP certification. He said, its a credential that big companies want you to have when working in the field, but the knowledge itself is more of logical sense than anything else. There was one tool that I was accustomed to using since the highschool; it was used before and after all important projects of Young Muslims in Houston. Recently while listening to Dr. Bashar Shala’s topic on “Reflection on the Stories of the Quran”, I was reminded of it (may Allah reward Dr. Bashar for all of his hard work, concern and the benefit his lectures has brought).

“[Moses] said, ‘My Lord, expand for me my breast [with assurance] and ease for me my task and untie the knot from my tongue that they may understand my speech. And appoint for me a minister from my family - Harun, my brother. Increase through him my strength and let him share my task that we may exalt You much and remember You much. Indeed, You are of us ever Seeing.’” [Surah Taha (20): 25-35]

“He said, ‘My Lord, indeed, I killed from among them someone, and I fear they will kill me. And my brother Aaron is more fluent than me in tongue, so send him with me as support, verifying me. Indeed, I fear that they will deny me.’ [ Allah ] said, ‘We will strengthen your arm through your brother and grant you both supremacy so they will not reach you. [It will be] through Our signs; you and those who follow you will be the predominant.’” [Surah Qasas (28): 33-35]

Questions, lessons and actions:

1. How did Musa (alayhisalaam) conducted the SWOT analysis in his dua?

• Strengths: Allah’s support and faith in Allah
• Weakness: Speech impediment and being single in taking on a system tyranny.
• Opportunity:  Harun, his brother; and remembering & exalting Allah.
• Threat: Firown and his tyranny; fear that they may kill him (Musa) in retaliation of Musa killing someone from them.

2. What lessons can we learn from this? You don’t need a PMP certification to take on a challenging task; but you do need two other things: (1) help of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and (2) yourself - your drive and your intelligence.

3.  What actions should you take immediately?  Evaluate yourself and your projects.  What are your strengths that you should establish your self upon, and what opportunities do you have to add more strengths to your arsenal?  What are your weaknesses that you need to minimize, and what opportunities do you have to eliminate them? What are the threats that you need to be aware of, and how will you tackle them - with your strength or weakness?