Belief & Worship Community Islamic Character

Remembering the Seemingly Average Joes

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Originally posted May 30, 2013

Umar. Abu Hurayrah. A’isha. Abu Bakr. These are among the giants of our Ummah (community). We’ve been hearing their names and stories since we were children and they still continue to inspire us.

But there are others – the seemingly “average Joes” so-to-speak. Some whose names only Allah (swt) knows, whose legacy remains unappreciated. Quantity-wise, they may not have contributed to the level of the well-known companions. Yet the fact that Allah (swt) has preserved their stories for us show the quality of their work. The common attribute of the three examples in this article is that of relevancy. They each saw a need in the community and did what was within their capacity to help, sometimes without even being asked.

In today’s culture, we are often pushed into what is known as the “founder mentality”. The idea that you have to be the first, the CEO of an empire, invent the latest technology, write a bestselling book. Society expects a tangible legacy from us. Yet in rushing to be the first, we often compromise on quality. Programs, websites, and institutes are started with enthusiasm and soon they are no longer doing any work. The emphasis on simply building does not give equal importance to sustaining yourself and your work. The focus becomes success, as defined by society, and not on doing significant, relevant, and quality work.

Instead of focusing on becoming a “founder”, look to the example of these seemingly “average Joes”. They had something to offer and Allah rewarded them for their sincerity and for their quality. Oftentimes we hear a story of an unknown Muslim who did something extraordinary that we now remember them for – perhaps it was the man who secretly cleaned the masjid at night which was only realized after he passed away. Or perhaps a brother or sister provided a safe space when the community really needed it. We know these stories and they make us feel good, but do they inspire us to produce quality work?

An important concept here is Tawfiq. Tawfiq is oftentimes translated as “success” but it means much more. One of the Prophets, Shuaib `alayhi salaam (peace be upon him), says:

 ۚ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ

“And my success is not but through Allah . Upon him I have relied, and to Him I return.” (Qur’an 11:88)

Tawfiq is the coming together of all means that enable a person to achieve some good. Sometimes we have the opportunity to do good, but we do not have the ability. Other times we have the ability to perform good, but don’t have the opportunity. Tawfiq is the ability AND the opportunity to do something, and that is when all the means come together so one can do good, and this is only from Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He).

Tawfiq teaches us that we should not seek validation for our deeds through people. Not only is this insincerity, but we may end up being gravely disappointed. Perhaps a person does a great deed for the sake of praise, but what happens when that sought-out praise does not come? Do they discontinue the good work? Do they become despondent? Or bitter? Does it mean you are unsuccessful if no one praises you or recognizes your actions? These are important questions we should ask ourselves when we make our intentions.

A Safe Space

Al-Arqam ibn Abi al-Arqam radi allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him) was a young man who accepted Islam early on in Makkah. He was not one of the wealthiest or most popular of his tribe but he provided a seemingly simple service during a time of great need. The early Muslims needed a safe place to pray, meet, and hear the revelation. They faced widespread persecution and mockery, so they could not meet in a public area. Al-Arqam (ra) had something to offer: his home. His home had a discreet entrance which allowed Muslims to come and go without looking suspicious or giving away their new meeting spot. His home became known as the first university in Islam because it became the center of knowledge. Al-Arqam, who most likely is not the first sahaba we think of when we think of legacy, taught us to work within our means. He (ra) may not have had money or prestige, but he used what he had available to him to spread the message and help those around him.

What do you have at your disposal which you can use to be like Al-Arqam?

Cleaning

The custodian of the masjid of the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) was an elderly woman. She was not assigned this position by anyone, rather she assumed it on her own. The narrations which share her story sometimes mention that they did not know who she was. One narration tells us that her name may have been Umm Muhjan. The main thing they knew about her was that she ensured that the masjid of Rasul Allah ﷺ was clean and tidy.

She was so diligent in her cleanliness that none other than the Prophet ﷺ noticed her absence after a week or so. When the Prophet ﷺ asked those around him what had happened to her, they informed him that she passed away a few days prior and she was already buried. The Prophet ﷺ became visibly upset – an important detail in the story because the Companions rarely saw him upset. He ﷺ asked why no one had called him so that he could visit her and pray the funeral prayer for her. They informed him that he was sleeping and they did not want to wake him. He asked those who knew to take him to her grave where he then prayed for her.

This woman did what she could do and she did it well. She was not asked to clean the masjid, but she took it up as a small, consistent job she could do for the community. Only Allah knows, but perhaps at the time she did not think much of her actions. Now we have narrations upon narrations which highlight her story as a time when the Prophet ﷺ exclusively prayed at someone’s grave after they had passed.

A greater lesson is that being a custodian is underappreciated. Cleaning up after others is not only tiring but it is downright messy. We know that Islam teaches us to be clean – physically, spiritually, and in our surroundings. Therefore those who engage in this act of ensuring and maintaining cleanliness should be respected. We should not think of this job as menial or turn up our noses at it. It is because we view custodial services as lowly that we do not respect the servicemen and women who maintain a high standard of cleanliness at nearly every public building we enter. But if a building was not clean, we would notice that immediately and maybe even file a complaint. Even the Companion (ra) did not think much of her job at the time. The Prophet ﷺ taught us a valuable lesson in not only noticing her absence but praying for her because of her quality and standard of working. He ﷺ taught the Companions, and us as a result, to appreciate people for whatever they do, even if it seems small or meaningless to us. We do not know how great it is in the eyes of God.

What small action can you do that is often overlooked as a good deed?

Social Support

Even in the Qur’an, Allah (swt) has preserved the stories of these seemingly “average Joes”. One man’s story in particular is highlighted in Surah Yasin.

Allah (swt) tells us of a nameless man who hears and responds to the call of three Prophets. These people, who are also nameless, were so staunchly against the message that Allah (swt) sent them two more Prophets as support for the first Prophet. Not only were these Prophets `alayhim sallatu wa sallam (may Allah send his peace and blessings on them) threatened, their people thought of them as a bad omen and curse. Then the story of our seemingly average Joe begins:

“And there came from the farthest end of the city a man, running. He said, ‘O my people, follow the messengers. Follow those who do not ask of you [any] payment, and they are [rightly] guided. And why should I not worship He who created me and to whom you will be returned? Should I take other than Him [false] deities [while], if the Most Merciful intends for me some adversity, their intercession will not avail me at all, nor can they save me? Indeed, I would then be in manifest error. Indeed, I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me.'” (Qur’an 36:20-27)

Why does Allah (swt) tell us this man came from the farthest end of the city but does not tell us his name? He was not from the city, and this is one of the reasons why his work is significant. It means that he was pretty much what we would call today a “country bumpkin”. If someone from the countryside came to a metropolitan city, calling people to worship God, what would the response be? This man probably had a country accent, wore simple clothing, and was considered lower class. The fact that he put himself out there for the sake of Allah (swt) even though he was a social outcast shows how amazing his story and dedication is. He defies the social norm of class, talking directly to the city folks who most likely looked down upon him. He had the guts to breakdown their arguments in a respectful way and tell them: listen to what I’m saying! For his sincerity and work: “It was said, “Enter Paradise.”’ (36:28) This simple, determined man intended to do one small action—to help the Prophets by calling the community to God—and Allah (swt) immortalized his story so generation after generation can benefit from his strength and courage.

Is there someone in your community who is in need of support that you can help in some capacity?

Perhaps it is natural that we are attracted to the larger, more tangible legacies. We may feel that these grand gestures mean that they are worth more or mean more. However, we find grand acts are not that emphasized in the Qur’an and Prophetic tradition. The Prophet ﷺ tells us, “The best of deeds are the ones done with consistency, even if they are small.” (Bukhari) The emphasis is on producing work that is consistent, significant and of quality. This teaches us that Islam calls for productivity in a way that promotes and cultivates personal and spiritual growth. Does this mean that Islam is against large, tangible legacies? Not at all. Islam says that you make a sincere intention towards a goal, you put in the necessary work, and Allah (swt) will take care of the rest.

About the author

Amatullah

Amatullah

Amatullah is a student of the Qur’an and its language. She completed the 2007 Ta’leem program at Al-Huda Institute in Canada and studied Qur’an, Tajweed (science of recitation) and Arabic in Cairo. Through her writings, she hopes to share the practical guidance taught to us by Allah and His Messenger and how to make spirituality an active part of our lives. She has completed her undergraduate degree in Social Work and will be completing a Masters program in 2014. Her experiences include working with immigrant seniors, refugee settlement, and accessibility for people with disabilities.

18 Comments

  • Beautiful masha Allah! Jazakillahu khairan! May Allah strengthen the power of your pen and help you use it for His sake even more. aameen.

  • I forgot to add that the story of the man in surah Yasin is from Shaykh AbdulNasir Jangda’s lecture 🙂

    • I heard that lecture a long time ago, and waned to listen to it again. I just couldn’t find it, but i stumbled upon your article. JazakAllahu khairun.

      Would it be possible to link the video too?

  • Assalaamu ‘alaykum,
    inspiring lessons maasha’Allah

    this topic also reminds me of the following beautiful incident when a Sahabi came to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and complained of hunger and the Prophet (Peace be upon him) didn’t have any food and asked the Sahaba who will take this Sahabi as their guest on behalf of him. Then one Ansari volunteered and took him home and told his wife that he is a guest of the Prophet (Peace be upon him).

    The wife said that they only have enough food for the children and so the Ansari said, “Put the children to sleep and when we start eating, turn the lamp off so the guest may not be aware of my not sharing with him.”

    This was a secret act of self-sacrifice, generosity, and sincerity …and Allah was so pleased by their action and He Ta’ala revealed ayah 9 in Surah Hashr (#59) praising such noble character traits

    Jazaakillahu khairan

    • wa alaykum salam wa rahmatullah Amal,

      MashaAllah, a great incident of a not-so-average-joe. Jazakillahu khayran for sharing!

  • Sister Yusra, what a beautiful and touching article! You have understood what it means to be a true believer of Allah! My Allah reward and sustain your wonderful work for his Sake! Ameen!

  • As Salamu Alaikum,

    Jazaki Allahu Khayran for this awesome article, Sister Yusra!

    I was so happy to read about the story in Sura Yasin! The ‘Country Bumpkin’ in Sura Yasin has for a while now been one of my great heroes. And we can be sure that when he entered Jannah, he was no Country Bumpkin :D!

    It would be fabulous if this article could be turned into a series of articles, with every article focusing on one or a few ‘seemingly average Joes.’ Anyone else second the motion :D?

    • Wa alaykum as salaam. I agree with sithara; if possible, please do a series on the other small acts done by the sahaba. I, for one, do suffer from this illusion of big or bust.

      jazaak Allah bail khair for your articles N comments.

    • wa alaykum salam wa rahmatullah Sithara,

      wa iyyakum! I think this is a great idea, I had to cut out a few not-so-average-joes so the article would not be too long. Jazakum Allahu khayran for the idea!

  • A drop in the bucket is nothing.
    Many drops give us an average.
    Is ” average “, one of rainfall
    or is class average an indication
    of achievement.
    “Joe” being short for Joseph
    certainly gives us a beautiful
    picture of the Surah Yusuf.
    I remember attending a seminar
    called Beautiful Patience giving
    the Abrahamic account of Jacob.
    The brothers of Joseph valued a
    drop in a bucket more than their brother.
    Do we value our brothers and sisters of
    creation and the attributes of achievement
    when little drops can achieve such mercy!

  • Alhamdulillah…this article had motivated me to continue to do good deed…even if it only a small deed…thank you sister Yusra for posting this article….

  • Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

    JazzakAllahu khair

    Mashaa Allah on your insight. May Allah accept it from you.

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