All professional services cost money, as they require time and investment of the service providers. I worked 65 hrs last week, including assignments with in-home, community housing, and long-term residential clients. It cost me time, energy, money, and wear and tear on my vehicle. Many of the comments posted here are very unfair and uninformed. Perhaps, it was a mistake to compare life coaching to Tariqah. I have found that most Imams and Shaykh offer counseling to believers when they experience crisis. Life Coaching is not counseling, per se. Rarely do the Imams and Shaykhs do the kind of systematic work that a trained Life-Coach does; I do not believe that most know how. Life-coaching is not quoting books and telling a person what they should or must do; it is objective and non-judgmental; sometimes I have to make non-Muslims feel comfortable with working with me, by alleviating their fears about Muslims in general and that I will not really help them because of their religion. For my In-Home clients, I am given access into the most private part of their homes and their lives.

Life Coaching is work – professional work! I do not know of any profession where one is expected to work full-time without compensation. Many Muslim organizations even charge for dawah pamphlets and classes. I know Arabic teachers who charge for their services; should they teach free. There is a difference in the quality of services or instructions offered at no cost and those that require investment by the recipient. Of course, some services have to be free because there are those who cannot afford them. I often pick up free food boxes for some of my clients; there is noticeable difference in the quality of that food and that of the food offered in grocery stores at regular prices.

In my conclusion, I say, if a person simply needs dawah, give it to him or her for no charge or refer them to someone who will. Stop comparing professions to Islam. I am cognizant, as I am sure that you are, of the reality that true spirituality is holistic and an approach cannot be called holistic if it divorces itself from spirituality. True spirituality is, in fact, Islam. Please, brother and sister coaches, do not take advantage of believers for the sake of dunya -tokens. To all: do not make things haram that Allah has not forbidden, including foods, clothing, past-times, and professions…. Do not try to make yourself an authority in a field in which you do not have adequate knowledge.

Allah Hafiz!

If you’ve actually took the time to read any of my previous comments then you wouldn’t be so quick to comment.

No.

@Nihal Khan

No.

I hope you don’t think that means that if the Prophet (SAW) could drive he would have been charging money for advice.

It was an interesting article, i “get” the analogy.
However, some of the comments about coaching are baseless.

don’t get offended by it because nobody wants to offend you, and make dua that those who like it benefit from it.

interesting discussion nonetheless,
Nahyan

ps. I am a DiscoveU LifeCoach so that makes me a bit biased i guess

Did the Prophet (SAW)’s drive cars?

Did the Prophet (peace be upon him) charge money for his advice?