Navigating the Turbulent Waters of Online Publishing as a Classroom Teacher

After 30 years in education, I launched an online platform for Islamic resources. Here is how I’m sorting out my intentions, algorithms, and rizq.

Photo by Ainur Iman on Unsplash

My online journey began with a simple goal: sharing my Islamic workbooks for free on a basic Blogger site. Seeing them reach a global audience was thrilling, and I pray they bring benefit to every home they enter.

I also made these workbooks available on Amazon for a minimal price. This isn’t because I doubt their value, but because I believe foundational Islamic resources should be within everyone’s reach. In fact, here in Canada, a professionally bound workbook is often cheaper than the ink and paper required to print colored pages at home, with the added ease of a book format.

Because my intention is to share for the sake of Allah, a free option will always be a permanent fixture of my work.

Yet, growth brings its own challenges. I recently launched a professional site with my own domain: Learningkeel.com. The educational space is highly competitive, and finding an available domain took serious brainstorming. I chose this name partly due to a family connection to nautical history, but largely because of my experience as a recreational kayaker. I know firsthand how vital a keel is for stability and balance when navigating choppy waters, strong currents, and unexpected wakes.

As a teacher with over three decades of classroom experience but zero experience online, the learning curve has felt like navigating turbulent waters. I am constantly balancing the desire to give freely with the practical need to value my time. Facebook has been a steady anchor for my traffic, and while many recommend Pinterest for long-term growth, I often wonder if I should simply trust the algorithms to connect me with seekers. I even tried newsletters after reading advice on Medium about the importance of owning your audience. But truth be told, I’ve always disliked the pattern of trading a freebie for an email, only to flood an inbox with sales pitches. That specific detour deserves its own article.

Ultimately, this post is about realigning my intentions. Creating these resources is rooted entirely in my love for the Deen. Allah is the sole Provider. True provision (rizq) doesn’t come from Amazon, payhip or affiliates it comes from Allah and it’s not only money. Sometimes it’s love, food, gifts, free time, education but also the ability to worship Allah. All the money can never compensate for the ability to worship Allah in the way that He wants.

With that renewed clarity, I invite you to join me on this journey at Learningkeel.com. This website is my digital anchor,a space built out of a lifelong passion for teaching and the Deen, dedicated to providing accessible, structured Islamic workbooks and educational resources. Whether you are looking for free digital downloads to use at home or well-crafted physical books, my goal is to provide your learners with the steady foundation they need to thrive. I hope you will visit, explore the resources, and navigate these learning waters right alongside me.

[embed]LearningKeel Explore authentic Islamic curriculum design and storybooks by Um Yuunus. Specializing in the Names of Allah series and…www.learningkeel.com

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