“The meaning of life is to find your gift.

The purpose of life is to give it away.”

—Zig Ziglar

My teacher asked us to reflect on the above quote. It reminded me of this quote by Rumi that I have on my study wall:

“Everyone has been made for some particular work

And the desire for that work has been put into every heart.”

There is so much profundity in this notion. If each person pursued the concept with honesty and determination and found his or her own answer to it, each life could become a joyous outpouring of gratitude to the Divine!

Imagine finding the time and the ‘silence of mind’ to sit and ponder on what this means for oneself. Imagine then having the courage to make space in one’s life to nurture the talent that is your own special gift of Divine favour. Imagine how generous God is, that He gave everyone a special gift that only they are aware of inside themselves, and then on top of that He gave them the love for its development!

Most of us hide this inner knowledge from ourselves and others. It is a kind of kufr (denial). Just as we are prone to deny God, so we are prone to shy away from acknowledging His gifts to us. Those who are more creative by temperament sometimes cannot hide them (it would drive them crazy to do so!), but even so, they often do not develop them to the point of their being useful to the soul and beneficial to others.

Sometimes other people, or life itself, metaphorically beat the love of our gift out of us. We end up so spiritually downtrodden that we forget what used to make our hearts come alive. (The Qur’anic phrase ‘wronging themselves’ comes to mind.)

Did you love to draw/paint/dance/ride/build/explore when young? Are you a people/animal/nature lover? Did you always know that you were good at making others feel at ease or feel good about themselves? Do you love to ferret away at finding interesting facts, or meticulously manufacture things of beauty? All these things are gifts and all these things can be used for benefit of the self and others.

Whether your God-given talent becomes a career or remains a hobby, it is your intent and joy in it that matter. How can you use your talent to better the world? How can this talent that is from the Divine be utilised to make you grow closer to its Giver? The first answer leads to the second. If you can spend some time pondering and then implementing a way to do good with your special gift, and if you carry this out with sincere intent for God and concern for the world – and if you do it all with joy and gratitude – then the result will be His drawing you closer to Him.

It is really a win-win situation. Do what you love to do, with a focused and joyful intent, and travel up through the spiritual ranks to reach God. How can we even resist such a bargain when He only asks us to do what He has instilled in us to love to do anyway? Could He have been any kinder in His Benevolence?

There are too many people around these days who seem to take delight in telling us that what we love to do is haram (forbidden). They seem to draw pleasure from frowning and killing the joy. This is because their own joy has been stifled for so long that they cannot let others have some of it.

The voice of my teacher comes to mind. There are very few things that are haram, he says; a few foods and drinks, gambling, riba (usury), and anything in the arena of illicit sexual encounters. These are all things that people whose hearts are joyful would not find pleasure in engaging with anyway. Perhaps it is because the haram are so few that some people seem to delight in hunting around for more things to add to the list!

What if the frowning and finger-wagging people turned into smiling people (it is sunnah – tradition of the Prophet ﷺ – after all!) and said to you, “Follow your heart and worship your Lord through the gifts and talents that He gave you.” Imagine how empowered that could make you feel. There is no ‘one size fits all’ to the extramural parts of religious life. When we look at the lives of successful worshippers of the past that is what we see.

In days gone by, pious Muslims would acquire some knowledge or a skill and then travel and ‘seek their fortune’ just as people of all faiths did. They would set off without fear, completely relying on God. They would do some work or trade along the way, and have great adventures—all the while learning about life, purifying their characters and making the internal journey to travel closer to their Lord.

Or, they might stay put and become craftsmen and artisans, making their daily toils an expression of love for the Divine. They would have the mindset of gratitude for the skills they had learned and would offer up their effort of beauty to God, knowing that when people benefitted from them, they would have fulfilled their own divine purpose.

People have moved a long way away from such lofty mindsets. Work, careers, craftsmanship, artistry; they have all become a means to material gain or to building egos. They have lost the soul that was originally imbibed within them.

Yet it is possible to return to and revive the soul of our endeavours, with a fairly simple tweak of orientation. Turn your face towards God and realise that He gave you talents. Take some quiet time to sit and think deeply about what you love to do and what you are good at. And then take it a step further and think how you can better the world with it. Find your place with your Lord, and see what He has given you to do. Put a Rumi quote up on your wall, and begin. The journey is guaranteed to be joyful!

Becoming the Servants of the Most Merciful Series

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV

Any mature and intellectually-conscious person seeks purpose and meaning out of life. Thanks to the evolvement of our world in the last couple of centuries, we have embraced the concept of general education as the pillar in life; many people think that achieving the best education possible and earning a respectable status fulfills one’s purpose. Undoubtedly, education is extremely important for human progress, and Islam highly encourages it. The problem is we often see education as an end in itself. Our ultimate goal in life becomes obtaining a degree and then working toward a reputable career – Islam is a distant third. As Muslims, we should not see our lives in this way. Seeking knowledge, just like anything else we do in this life, is a means to an end: worshipping our Creator and making our way back to Him.

Our Prophet ﷺ has taught us that we should live as travelers. He ﷺ taught us that this life is not our permanent residence. Indeed, we are passing through this life in transit to eternity; the purpose of this transit lies with the test of the great trust (al-amanat al-kubra). This test is about having full authority and responsibility over our choices. It is a matter of how we spend our limited time with our intelligence and creative abilities. Will we, who are innately aware of our Creator, use our time and abilities to make choices that obey Him? Or will we use that potential to serve our own desires?

This last article of the “Becoming Servants of the Most Merciful” series is about those obedient souls who truly know their Lord and His message and thus fulfill a life of servitude to Him. All the previous articles combined provide a detailed description of the last verse of Surat al-Dhariyat,

“I have merely created Jinn and Man to worship Me.” (Qur’an, 51:56)

This brings us to the final verse of the series.

“Say, ‘What would my Lord do with you if it wasn’t for your worship and obedience?’ Yet you disbelievers denied and your punishment is inevitable!” (Qur’an, 25:77)

The scholars of Qur’anic exegesis have explained the meaning of the phrase “Qul ma yaa’abao bikum rabbee low laa du`aaokum.” The translation warns us of what might happen to us if we do not lead a life of obedience and servitude to God. We depend on God’s Mercy, which is increased when we pray to Him alone. If we abandon our worship, God will abandon loving us. Another translation is, “Say: my Lord is not concerned with you unless you live a life of servitude.” Here, God is clearly confirming the purpose of life as only being to serve Him. Those who do sincerely worship Him will receive His mercy, forgiveness, blessings and ultimate companionship. That is why they are called ibad ar-Rahman, the Servants of the Merciful. On the other hand, we should beware of a life which is lived according to our own priorities, and in servitude of ourselves, and thus falling under the category of those who are not under the care and protection of the Merciful One.

We pray the Merciful, Forgiving, Loving, Kind, Gentle, Gracious and Beneficent One guides us to a life of eternal bliss. We pray we fulfill the purpose of life and earn His contentment and companionship. We ask Him to protect those who take this path from the plot of Satan. Ameen.

Abdullah bin Umar radi Allahu `anhu (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ (peace be upon him) said, “There is a tree amongst trees, the leaves of which do not wither and that is like a Muslim; tell me what that (tree) can be?” The people began to think of the trees of the forest. Abdullah said, “I thought it could be the date palm tree, but I feel hesitant (to say it).” They (the companions) then asked, “Allah’s Messenger, (kindly) tell us which it can be?” Thereupon he ﷺ replied, “It is the date palm tree.” Abdullah made a mention of that to his father, Umar ibn Al Khattab (ra), whereupon he said to Abdullah: “Had you said that it meant the date palm tree, this statement of yours (would have been dearer to me) than such and such things.” Hadith no.133 (Bukhari and Muslim)

This hadith (narration) contains a parable allowing us to investigate the characters and attributes of a date-palm tree so that we can apply these qualities in our own lives. Islam encourages us to seek knowledge and this hadith motivates us to understand knowledge, no matter how old or young a person is. Knowledge is a gift from Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) and only Allah gives it to whomever He wills. Haya’ (modesty) is recommended in Islam as long as it does not prevent one from attaining benefit, which is why Umar (ra) wished Abdullah had spoken up at the time.

The hadith also teaches us to think and pay attention; our deen (religion) encourages us to seek knowledge and if a question is asked we should respond accordingly if we know the answer.

I never really thought about the magnificence of the date palm until this hadith was explained to me. This hadith resonates with me as a Muslim living in the West, where my actions and speech are looked at by society through a magnified lens. I am constantly aware of how important my actions are in the public sphere. With the growing isolation of Muslim communities, this hadith contains valuable lessons that we can all implement in our lives.

So, what are the parallels between the date palm and the Muslim?

Firstly, the date palm is one of the slowest growing trees. It can take up to 4-8 years before it begins to bear fruit. The roots of the date palm are nurtured for several years before it becomes strong and firm. When it begins to grow dates, it continues to benefit its environment for generations into the future. As Muslims, we can use this process to understand how we ought to nurture our spiritual selves. We all have to go through a period of absence before we can grow and develop. It takes time and steadfastness to study and learn before we can turn knowledge into meaningful action. How much we have benefitted from our knowledge is externalized by our conduct with others and with our surroundings. Internally, however, Imam Malik ibn Anas (ra) explains, “Knowledge does not consist in narrating much. Knowledge is but a light which Allah places in the heart.”

Secondly, date palm trees do not need a forest in which to grow. They are resourceful in and of themselves. Allah (swt) has given each and every one of us limitless potential, and we should never underestimate what we can achieve with this. Whether we are at the local mosque, school, or work, or with our neighbors, friends or family, there is always an opportunity to help support those around us.

Thirdly, we do not grow when things are easy; we grow when we face challenges. The date palm tree grows in hot climates with harsh conditions. Nevertheless, it is still able to bring benefit to everything around it, from its nutritious fruits to its comforting shade. The believer embodies this idea of benefit. The believer is versatile, and (s)he will keep giving no matter what environment (s)he is in. Therefore, like a date palm, a Muslim should thrive and be a fountain of benefit to society, even in the most difficult of environments and conditions.

Lastly, the date palm has a purpose, just like the Muslim. We should take this prophetic guidance to help motivate us to achieve excellence in our daily affairs in our communities. By volunteering, giving charity, serving others, and upholding good ties with everyone we meet, we will eventually bring nourishment and fulfillment to our own lives and to society. Just like dates, we are society’s super food.

Insha’ Allah (God-willing), this article will help us reflect upon this hadith and be of benefit to all those around us—in mind, body and spirit.

We have arrived at our 45th article on the Names of Allah, and our 58th Name. Do you feel closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He)? Do you feel more able to turn to Him? Do you feel like you can see the manifestations of Allah’s attributes in your day-to-day? This series is not meant merely as an academic study on the Names of Allah; its aim is to know enough about each Name to be able to connect to Him, to be able to effect change; and to understand the purpose behind certain things.

I hope that we can all return to those Names again and reflect on them. And please, feel free to share how you feel you connected.

Previously, we talked about Allah (swt) being the Giver of Life and the Life-Taker, how these Names are manifested, and what we can learn from them. Absolute certainty in those Names brings us to this Name of Allah: Al-Bā`ith: the Resurrector, the Raiser of the Dead.

Resurrection and Accountability

Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:

“And [that they may know] that the Hour is coming – no doubt about it – and that Allah will resurrect [yab`ath] those in the graves.” (Qur’an, 22:7)

Ba`th (from the root ب-ع-ث) literally means to awaken, to raise up or to send. So it would be said:

بعث الناقة أثارها، بعث فلاناً من نومه أيقظه، البعث بعث الجنود إلى الغزو

“Ba`th of a camel means to excite it/wake it, Ba`th of someone from his sleep means to wake him up, and ba`th of the armies means to send them forward to battle.”

For people who question whether we can really be raised up again, Allah (swt) asks in the Qur’an:

“Do they not see that Allah, who created the heavens and earth and did not fail in their creation, is able to give life to the dead? Yes. Indeed, He is over all things competent.” (Qur’an, 46:33)

Is it more difficult to create something from nothing, or to bring something already in existence back to life?

So what does this mean for us?

Two things: purpose and accountability.

It is easy to forget that we will be raised again, and we may wander aimlessly not knowing what to do with our lives. But knowing that we will be raised up should infuse new meaning into the things that we do. Allah (swt) tells us in the Qur’an:

“Then did you think that We created you uselessly and that to Us you would not be returned?” (Qur’an, 23:115)

So we can ask ourselves, what am I going to present to Allah (swt)? What is the thing—or things—that we will say to Allah (swt), “My Lord, I tried to do good, I did this, for you”? Let us take a lesson from the mother of Maryam `alayha as-salaam (peace be upon her) when she said to Allah (swt):

“My Lord, indeed I have pledged to You what is in my womb, consecrated [for Your service], so accept this from me. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing.” (Qur’an, 3:35)

But what if we do not know what to give for Allah?

Sheikh Ratib an-Nabulsi says that another meaning of ba`th is that Allah sends to or inspires His servants to do good. So when you are feeling the urge to do something good, act upon it; do not delay it. In our short series on “Seeing the World in a Different Way”, we gave tips on how to attach a sincere intention and meaning into the things that we do.

The second related point of feeling the effect of Allah (swt) being al-Bā`ith is that of accountability. There is a certain mantra going around of “this is who I am, accept it”. This might be a good attitude sometimes, for example, if you want people to accept your interests or certain qualities that you have. This shouldn’t be the attitude that we have with regards to blameworthy qualities, such as a bad temper. As Muslims, we must constantly be evolving for the better. This is what our beloved Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) taught his Companions. When they made a mistake, he taught them, and they pledged to change.

In the story in Surat al-Qalam, Allah (swt) tells us about the people of the garden who wanted to take all of the harvest for themselves and left nothing for the poor. So Allah (swt) caused the garden to burn down. The amazing thing is that they realized their mistake. They said:

‘They said, “Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers.”
Then they approached one another, blaming each other.
They said, “O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors. Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous.”‘ (Qur’an, 68:28-32)

They realized their mistake, took responsibility and moved towards their Lord. They did not try to justify what they did; rather, they became better because they learned from their mistake, and never lost hope in Allah (swt).

Sending of a Messenger

Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:

“And We certainly sent [ba`athnā] into every nation a messenger […]” (Qur’an, 16:36)

The beloved Prophet ﷺ was sent to us as a mercy and a teacher. And he was sent to all of us as the best example. Most importantly, he was sent from Allah (swt), the One who cares about us the most.

So when we speak of purpose, we need to look at the things that the Prophet ﷺ encouraged. He taught us that the seemingly small things matter, and the thing that matters most is your intention. He told us of the lofty station of the woman who used to clean the mosque, the high status of those who spent from their wealth in charity, the closeness to him of the person who supports an orphan, and the greatness of the deed of removing harmful things from people’s path. Being connected to the Prophet ﷺ and following his way no doubt connects us to al-Bā`ith.

How to Come to Life with this Name

1. Have purpose: Remember where you are going, and that indeed you are going somewhere. Make every moment count. Allah (swt) tells us in the Qur’an: “O you who have believed, fear Allah. And let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow – and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.” (Qur’an, 59:18)
2. Hold yourself to account: It is reported that Omar bin al-Khattab, the companion of the Prophet ﷺ, said: “Hold yourself to account before you are held to account, for that is better for your accounts. And weigh yourselves before you are weighed, and prepare yourselves for a day when ‘you will be exhibited [for judgement]; not hidden among you is anything concealed.'”
3. Study the life of the Prophet ﷺ: If you find that you are running low on inspiration, study the life of the Prophet ﷺ. His life and character provide the blueprint for our own lives.
4. Lift people up with knowledge: Al-Ghazāli counsels: “The truth of the resurrection refers to bringing the dead to life by creating them once more. Ignorance is the greatest death and knowledge the noblest life. God—may He be praised and exalted—mentioned knowledge and ignorance in His holy book, and called them life and death. Whoever lifts another out of ignorance to knowledge has already created him anew and revived him to a blessed life. And should a man have a way of conveying knowledge to people and calling them to the Most High that would be a kind of revivification, and such would be the level of prophets and the scholars who are their heirs.” (Al-Ghazāli, The Ninety-Nine Beautiful Names of God)

On a greater scale, it’s a question that has been asked throughout time. And for many people, the answer to that question has determined their path to—or away from—faith.  Faith in God, faith in life’s purpose, faith in a higher order or a final destination has often all rested upon how this singular question has been answered. And so, to ask this question is to ask about life, in the most ultimate  way.

Why do we suffer? Why do ‘bad’ things happen to ‘good’ people? How could there be a God if innocent children starve and criminals run free? How can there be an all-loving, all-powerful deity who would allow such misfortunes to happen?

And if God is indeed Just and Good, shouldn’t only good things happen to good people and only bad things happen to bad people?

Well, the answer is: yes. Absolutely. Only good things do happen to good people. And only bad things happen to bad people. Why? Because God IS the Most Just and the Most Loving. And He has no deficiency in His knowledge or understanding.

The problem is that we do have deficiencies in knowledge and understanding.

See, to understand the statement “only good things happen to good people and only bad things happen to bad people”, we must first define ‘good’ and ‘bad’.  And although there are as many definitions of good and bad as there are people, a comprehensive understanding exists. For example, most people would agree that to succeed in achieving my desired purpose or goal in a particular matter would be ‘good’. While on the other hand, failing to achieve my intended purpose or aim would be bad. If my aim is to gain weight because I am dangerously underweight, becoming heavier would be good. If, on the other hand, my aim is to lose weight because I am harmfully overweight, becoming heavier would be bad. The same event could be good or bad, depending on my intended purpose. So ‘good’ in my eyes rests on the achievement of my personal aim. And ultimate ‘Good’ rests on the achievement of my ultimate aim.

But what is my aim?

That brings us to the fundamental question of purpose as it relates to the greater Reality of existence. There are essentially two distinct worldviews when it comes to purpose in life. The first worldview holds that this life is the Reality, the final destination and ultimate goal of our endeavors. The second worldview holds that this life is only a bridge, a means that stands as nothing more than a glimpse in the context of God’s infinite Reality.

For those in the first group, this life is everything. It is the End to which all actions strive. For those in the second group, this life tends towards zero. Why? Because, in comparison to infinity, even the largest number becomes zero. Nothing.  Like a fleeting dream.

These distinct worldviews directly affect the question of purpose. See, if one believes that this life is the Reality, the final destination, the goal of all endeavors, the purpose of life would be to maximize pleasure and gain in this life.  In that paradigm, ‘bad’ things ARE in fact happening to ‘good’ people every single second. Within that paradigm, people reach the conclusion that there is no justice and therefore either there is no God or God is not Just (wa athu billah, I seek refuge in God). It’s like a person who concludes that there must be no God because they had a bad dream. But why don’t we give the experiences of our dreams much weight? After all, some dreams are horrifying to live through—and very often do happen to ‘good’ people.  In our dreams, do we not experience extreme terror or bliss? Yes. But why doesn’t it matter?

Because put in context of our real life, it is nothing.

In the second world view (the Islamic paradigm) the purpose of creation is *not* maximizing pleasure and gain in a life that is nothing more than a dream. In that world view, life’s purpose is defined by God who tells us: “I have not created jinn and humans (for any purpose) except to worship me,” (Qur’an, 51:56).

It is important to note the special construction of this statement. It begins with a negation: ‘I have not created jinn and humans (for any purpose) […]’.  First Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala (exalted is He) negates ALL other purposes before He states the one and only, singular purpose:  ‘except to worship Me.’ This means that as a believer I know that there is no other purpose of my existence except to know, love and get closer to God. This is the one and only reason why I was created. And this is the most essential realization, as it defines everything else I do or believe. It defines all things around me, and everything I experience in life.

So returning to the meaning of ‘good’ and ‘bad’, we find that anything that brings us closer to our ultimate purpose is Good and anything that takes us away from our ultimate purpose is Bad, in an ultimate sense. In a relative sense, for those whose goal is this material world, worldly things define their ‘good’ and ‘bad’. For them, things like gaining wealth, status, fame, or property is necessarily ‘good’.  Losing wealth, status, fame, or property is necessarily ‘bad’. So in that paradigm, when an innocent person loses every material possession they own, this is a ‘bad’ thing happening to a ‘good’ person. But that is the illusion that comes as a result of a flawed worldview. When the lens itself is distorted, so too is the image seen through it.

For those of the second worldview, anything that brings us closer to our purpose of nearness to God’s love is good; and anything that takes us away from that purpose is bad. Therefore, winning a billion dollars may be the greatest calamity ever to happen to me if it takes me away from God—my ultimate purpose. On the other hand, losing my job, all my wealth, and even falling ill, may in fact be the greatest blessing ever given to me if it brings me closer to God—my ultimate purpose.  This is the Reality that is spoken about in the Qur’an when Allah (swt) says:

“It may happen that you hate a thing which is good for you, and it may happen that you love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows, you know not,” (2:216).

As a believer, my criterion is no longer gain or loss in a material sense. My criterion is something higher. What I have or do not have in a worldly sense is only relevant in as much as it brings me closer or farther from my Aim: God. This dunya (life) becomes nothing more than that dream that I experience for a moment and then awaken from. Whether that dream was good or bad for me, depends only on my state once I awaken.

And so on the ultimate scale there is perfect justice. God only gives good (nearness to Him) to good people, and bad (distance from Him) to bad people. The greatest good is nearness to God, in this life and the next. And it is only ‘good’ people who are blessed with this. That is why the Prophet ﷺ has said: “Strange is the case of a believer, there is good for him in everything—and this is only for the believer. If a blessing reaches him, he is grateful to God, which is good for him, and if an adversity reaches him, he is patient which is good for him,” (Muslim).

As this hadith (record of the sayings or actions of the Prophet ﷺ) explains, whether something is good or bad is not defined by how it appears externally. “Goodness”, as explained by this hadith, is defined by the good internal state that it produces: patience and gratitude—both manifestations of peace with and nearness to God.

On the other hand, the greatest calamity is distance from God—in this life and the next. And it is only ‘bad’ people who are punished with this. What such ‘distanced’ people have, or do not have of wealth or status or property or fame is only an illusion—no more real or important than having, or not having, these things in the greatest dream, or the worst nightmare.

Of these illusions Allah (swt) says: “Nor strain your eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to parties of them, the splendor of the life of this world, through which We test them: but the provision of thy Lord is better and more enduring,” (Qur’an, 20:131).

The enduring life is the one that begins once we awaken from this world. And it is in that awakening that we realize…

It was only a dream.

PURPOSE

For believers, the notion of purpose in our lives is integral. The Qur’an tells us why Allah has created us:

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (51:56)

People may take this as being solely the devotional acts of worship such as prayer, fasting, reading Qur’an and so on. But if this were really the case, Allah could have commanded us to hide away and perform the specific acts of worship all day and night, and sent us a prophet who did just that. However Allah did not do this; and worship encompasses every aspect of our lives: how we work, what we work in, our intentions, our treatment of others, the benefit we give mankind and so on. Our Prophet (peace be upon him exemplified this.

Thus we must ask – how can we truly live this life with meaning? The word ya’budoon (worship) in this ayah (verse) denotes the overarching reason for why Allah has created us. What we must think about is why Allah created you and me specifically.

“Then did you think that We created you uselessly and that to Us you would not be returned?” (23:115)

Allah did not create us as a game for play. In each and every one of us there is an intrinsic purpose and role that we have to fulfill. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“God loves, if when you do something, you perfect it.” (Tabarani)

Why would there be this expectation of us – this encouragement – to do things with excellence if we did not have the capacity for it? Allah never places a burden on us greater than we can bear. Therefore, we all have the ability to excel insha’Allah (God willing). The next question to ask is, excel at what?

Allah created us all differently for a reason – we have to question why we have a passion for something, and why we are good at certain things. Perhaps we are good at writing, and we have a passion for a certain subject. Maybe we are good with children and are quite family orientated. Perhaps we have a passion for politics. Whatever it is, it is there for a reason and it is up to us to pursue it.

The ultimate aim of everything is, of course, to earn Allah’s pleasure, to be able to see Him in Paradise, and to be of the neighbors of the Prophet (peace be upon him) insha’Allah. We should strive to make this our very essence. The Prophet (pbuh) was asked whether he preferred to be immortal, or whether he preferred to accept death and return to Allah. He chose the latter; he chose Allah and his entire journey was only to that destination.

So we too should have specific objectives in order to achieve our overall goal. Perhaps we want to gain Allah’s pleasure by having a successful business, employing people and upholding ethics in the workplace. It could be through raising a family. Remember Mariam’s mother told Allah “My Lord, indeed I have pledged to You what is in my womb, consecrated [for Your service], so accept this from me. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing.” (3:35)

We should use our passion to develop our skills and talents, and aim for our specific goal. Even if it seems difficult – or even impossible – if we have the sincere intention to do something for the sake of Allah, He aids us. At the end, it is the journey that matters. We should aim to be of the people on the Day of Judgment who have something to present sincerely, and at least be able to say “O Allah, I wanted to do this for Your sake.”

When your goal is nearness to Allah it also ensures that you are doing things in the right way and according to His rules. An example of this is constantly seeking advice like the companions (may Allah pleased with them) did – how else can you earn His pleasure?

The fact that a human being can be higher than the Angels is significant – it shows that we have this potential to grow. In the Qur’an Allah says:

“We have certainly honored the children of Adam.” (17:70)

A very striking example of someone using their talent and excelling for the sake of Allah is one of the most prominent figures of Islamic history – Khalid bin Al Walid. Even before he became Muslim, he was known to be an intelligent military strategist and warrior. He led the army against the Muslims at the battle of Uhud, which resulted in heavy casualties for the Muslims. When he converted to Islam, the Prophet (pbuh) gave him a position that suited his talents and he went on to be one of the greatest military leaders of Islam. The Prophet (pbuh) did not say, “Let him memorize the entire Qur’an first” because that was not where his skills lay. It was reported that Khalid bin Al Walid would make mistakes when reciting even the smallest of surahs (chapters). Of course he sought to improve himself and it was a struggle, but his ultimate aim was using what he was good at for the sake of Allah.

I’ll give a more contemporary example. Kernel Sanders opened his fast food chain when he was 60 years old, and now Kentucky Fried Chicken is one of the most successful fast food restaurants in the world. No matter what age you are and what path you’ve taken, it is never too late to make the intention to excel.

TAWAKUL

The above could be seen as daunting. Maybe we do have talent, and an interest in a particular field – but the road is difficult. How do we go about it? Our family, friends, society may be against it. Is it worth the trouble?

This is where tawakul – trust in Allah – comes in. Of course, trust in Allah does not mean that we sit back and expect things to come to us. Rather, it is using our skills to achieve our objectives and then leaving the result to Allah. When the Prophet (pbuh) was asked by a man whether he should tie his camel or leave it untied and put his trust in Allah, the Prophet (pbuh) responded, “Tie your camel, then put your trust in Allah” (Tirmidhi).

The overall goal is one of the highest things one can aim to achieve, and we can anticipate that it will not be easy. Allah tests those whom He loves. It follows that the highest point of tawakul is trusting in Allah even when it seems that all the doors are shut. As the abovementioned ayah says, “God will be enough for those who put their trust in Him. God achieves His purpose; God has set a due measure for everything.” This includes trusting in Allah enough to know that even if it doesn’t turn out the way we had wanted, Allah has given us what is best, even if it is a test.

It is also important to remember that Allah has named Himself al-Wakeel (The Trustee). This means that if you rely on Him and put your trust in Him, He will take care of your affairs. He has named Himself this and made that known to us so that we know that we can and should rely on Him. Moreover, if it is something that we really do want, and we have the sincere intention that it is for the sake of Allah, He will aid us in ways that we cannot imagine.

We should think of the prophets Yusuf and Yacub (may Allah be pleased with them both). Yusuf was thrown into a well by his brothers, sold to a wealthy minister, invited to sin by the wife of the minister and then thrown in jail unjustly. What would we have been thinking? Would we have given up? Yusuf did not – and Allah honored him and returned him to his father. Yacub had lost his favorite son. Years later, he loses his other son – but what did he say?

“Perhaps Allah will bring them to me all together. Indeed it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise.” (12:83)

He increased his faith in Allah – that perhaps He would return both of them to him. And that is true faith in Allah.

Remember:

Passion + talent & skills + diligence = excellence.

Excellence + sincere intentions = pleasure of Allah insha’Allah.

May Allah allow us to recognize our purpose, and give us the passion and drive to fulfill our role for the sole purpose of gaining His pleasure. Ameen.