Balancing Career and Deen

azmathmoosa

Junior Member
Salaam.
My problem is very complicated and is constantly keeping me at discomfort. You see, I used to be a die hard fan of computers and video games and every other gadget that came out. In my engineering course's final year, I suddenly gained Hidaya and now pray regularly and listen to Islamic lectures and Qirats ALL the time. (No more vid games and any other hobby).

Now, doing anything that has to do with dunya makes me feel that i'm wasting my time. For example, while reading the newspaper a thought comes to me, "What difference does reading it gonna make? Its just full of wordly news and most of it is a lie...", then i lose all motivation for reading it. Then when i sit down to study, another thought comes to me "What difference does it make? You don't have to become an above average student, just pass the exams and get some job to feed yourself, you don't have to get a shining career as it is of no use to you (at eternal level). Besides, irrespective of your actions, sustenance is provided only by Allah. Just keep asking Dua' and dont stress yourself (In other words DON'T WORK HARD!).".
I lose all motivation to study hard and score well.

While I pray peacefully and all, i feel really bad. As if i'm deteriorating myself. I listen to my Brains not my heart. Which is why i'm not able to do anything about it. (I can't tell myself to work hard just to make my self feel better. My Brain tells me that the temporary feeling of accomplishment is only a belief and has no real value. If working hard hard for worldly things is a waste of time and life, then irrespective of how inconvenient the Truth is, it is THE Truth and one way or the other it has to be digested.) I'm emotionally feeling bad and incomplete.

My brain will only listen if you can prove to me that Islam requires in one way or the other to work hard even for things of the dunya!
 

al-fajr

...ism..schism
Staff member
Wa-alaykum assalam,

Welcome to the forum.

Islam is about maintaining a balance in everything we do, if we go to extremes either good or evil we damage ourselves in ways we cannot even begin to measure.

There is nothing admirable about isolating yourself from people and mainstream life and 'maintaining piety' to a level that you are comfortable with, this isn't the way human beings are created and is against our natural fitrah. The Sahaabah were the greatest generation that every lived and they changed the world, not by isolating themselves, they were people who interacted with society, they were business men, traders, farmers, scholars of another level entirely and they were successful in both deen and dunya.

There is no reason to abandon the things you are passionate about in life, as long as these things are not haraam. You should do well in your studies because Islam demands nothing but the best from us, not just in our ibaadah but in worldy affairs too.

If all Muslims stopped reading the newspaper and informing themselves about the world, how ever will we be informed enough to be successful? We would be blindfolding ourselves to our own detriment.

I have plenty more to say but this is enough for now.

You need to learn about Zuhd and understand it to a deeper level.
 

Hassan

Laa ilaha ilaa Allah
Staff member
... get a shining career as it is of no use to you

... but it may be of use to Allah swt

wa Alaikum Asalaam

As an engineer, or many other professions, there is much you can do to please Allah and for the good of the Ummah. May Allah swt guide you
 

al-fajr

...ism..schism
Staff member
... but it may be of use to Allah swt

wa Alaikum Asalaam

As an engineer, or many other professions, there is much you can do to please Allah and for the good of the Ummah. May Allah swt guide you

I think I understand what you mean, that Allaah may 'use' you as an opportunity to spread goodness through the skills you develop, that is very true and to serve Islam and Muslims should be our intentions.
My brain will only listen if you can prove to me that Islam requires in one way or the other to work hard even for things of the dunya!
Al-Hasan Al-Basri also said,

"Az-Zuhd in this Dunya is not achieved by prohibiting the Halal, nor by wasting money. Rather, it entails your being more certain in what Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has in His Hands, than your are about what you have in your hand. It also entails being eager for the reward of (practicing patience during) the calamity, if a calamity touches you, more than if the calamity did not touch you (as in this case, one will not gain the reward for observing patience during hard times. However, one should not wish for disasters to hit)." All these sayings given to us by the Muslim ancestors who set good examples in the application of Islam, are among the best definitions for the meaning of Az-Zuhd.

Az-Zuhd resides in the heart, and it can be achieved by ridding the heart of the slave from the love and the eagerness for this life. This way, the Dunya will be in one's hand, not in his heart, where the love for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and the Hereafter will and should reside. Az-Zuhd does not entail abandoning the Dunya altogether. The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was the leader of all those who practiced Az-Zuhd. Yet, he married nine times. Also, Prophet Dawood (AS) and Sulayman (AS) were kings as Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has described them. Yet, they were also among the Zuhhad (those who observe Zuhd). The companions of the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam were also among the Zuhhad. Yet, they all had wives, children and material possessions.

Az-Zuhd is, "The opposite of being eager and concerned about the Dunya (the life of this world)." Further, ibn Al-Qayyim said,

"Az-Zuhd, in the Arabic language, the language of Islam, entails abandoning a matter while despising it and while belittling its significance, so that one will exchange it for what is more significant." The Muslim ancestors who set good examples in the application of Islam have various opinions with regards to the meaning of Az-Zuhd. Ibn Al-Qayyim for example said,

"I heard Shaikh Al-Islam ibn Taymiyyah say, 'Az-Zuhd entails abandoning what does not bring about benefit in the Hereafter. Al-Wara' (abandoning a part of the permissible for fear of falling into the impermissible) entails abandoning what you fear its consequences in the Hereafter.'" Then, ibn Al-Qayyim commented,

"This statement is one of the best and most comprehensive definitions of Az-Zuhd and Al-Wara'." In addition, Sufyan Ath-Thawry said,

"Az-Zuhd in this Dunya entails having a short hope (or avoiding having hopes that one will live long), not by wearing the thick clothes or wearing the garment (as some people who observe fake Zuhd think is a part of Az-Zuhd)."

I recommend this book http://www.kalamullah.com/Books/The Journey To Allah.pdf
 

elqouds2020

Junior Member
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
الدنيا ساعة فأجعلها طاعة و النفس طماعة فعودها القناعة
 

azmathmoosa

Junior Member
Jazakallah Guys. I'm beginning to get a hang of Az-Zuhd. Meanwhile, I also think my problem is related to lack of loving Allah. I'm just scared of Hell...

I got this from Britanicca: "Later Sufis, however, dismiss the zāhids as men who worship God not out of love but for fear of hell or expectation of paradise."
 

SonOfAdam

Well-Known Member
Staff member
It is nice to have this feeling, you should use it to your advantage and gain as much Islamic knowledge at this time as you can. However, you should not lose site on your career and continue to work in that just as hard! After a while you will find a nice balance insallah between a professional career and Islam and feel less of this heavy burden to increase your Islamic knowledge and iman so much. It is a duty upon all Muslims to learn their deen, but you should not give up everything for this as you will benefit yourself and the ummah most as an engineer (this pays good, give more sadaqa and to raise a nice family with many kids insallah). Try to go to the mesjid as much as you can and attend Islamic lectures and events, over the years you will pick up a lot and in your free time you can read and read and read all you want. No need to feel guilty about either... but you must find a nice balance insallah.
 
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