In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Time, patience, perseverance, faith, love, honor, tenacity, devotion, humility...just a few ingredients that play into the recipe for success and achievement. Do you have what it takes? People talk all the time about what they would like in relationships, careers, travel, spiritual life, in home life and community life. How many actually do what they say and empower the necessary characteristic traits to make those dreams a reality? Are you all talk? Or do you get things done?
Islam is a religion of action, not of idleness or just talk. Allah says,
وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا ۖ فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ ۚ أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا۟ يَأْتِ بِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌۭ ﴿١٤٨[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:148]
For each [religious following] is a direction toward which it faces. So race to [all that is] good. Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you forth [for judgement] all together. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent. (148)
وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ ۖ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۖ فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ ۚ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ ﴿٤٨[Qur'an, Al-Ma'idah 5:48]
And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allah is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ. (48)
In the Qur'an, almost in all places the mention of ‘faith’ is invariably followed by that of ‘good deeds’. We are familiar with the oft-repeated expression in the Qur'an, "aamanu wa 'amilus-salihat" ( ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ ... those who believe and do righteous deeds). No matter how sincerely Muslims may believe, it is pointless for them to live a life without putting their faith into action and practice.
Islam does not stop simply by advising us to do good deeds and race to good deeds. It tells us to excel in good deeds.
Our noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam has guided us to seek perfection in all fields. It is a fundamental principle in Islamic behavior.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wassallam said,
”Verily, Allah loves that when anyone of you does a job to perfect it.”
“Verily, Allah has prescribed excellence (ihsan) in all things. Thus, if you kill, kill in a good manner. If you slaughter, slaughter in a good manner. Each of you should sharpen his blade and spare suffering to the animal he is slaughtering”. [Muslim]
"Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately. . . Always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course, whereby you will reach your target (of paradise)." [Bukhari]
Achieving excellence requires tremendous efforts to make use of our abilities in real life; it is not a mere concept. It’s active participation in making this world a better place through our contributions that will remain as our legacy for generations to come.
Everyone of us can achieve excellence; those highly gifted people who have a number of personal traits that set them apart as well as ordinary people that exert extra efforts and motivation. Indeed, even gifted people achieve excellence through hard work and persistence. It is unfortunate, however, that a lot of gifted people waste their superior abilities due to laziness, while ordinary people achieve perfection and excellence through hard work.
Indeed, excellence entails the best usage of one’s capabilities and abilities. Muslim attains excellence by performing the best deeds in addition to following in the footsteps of those who did perfect deeds.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam instructed us to seek perfection. So that he said: “If you pray, pray well, and if you fast, fast well.”
In other words, excellence is to perform your good actions while striving to achieve the good ethical values of al-muhsineen (those who do good).
People who strive to excel make use of their time wisely. Indeed, advanced nations value and care about every second of their life. We have to take the initiative to do good deeds before any obstacle arises. Highly motivated people who make the best use of their time do not experience boredom or routine for they are always aiming for improvement and reaching the ultimate goal. They set high standards for themselves to be creative and insightful. We must manage our time properly by aspiring to perform highly rewarded good deeds. If we waste our time, if we abuse it, then we will be the losers.
We can say that professionalism is part of our duty as Allah’s vicegerents in this world. As Allah's vicegerents, we are meant to actively participate in all permissible professions in all walks of life and to excel in everything that we do without compromising core Islamic values. The Qur'an teaches us that unless humans can anchor their work in faith, they are the losers.
Allah says,
قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِٱلْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَـٰلًا ﴿١٠٣﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا ﴿١٠٤[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:103-104]
Say, [O Muhammad], "Shall we [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? (103) [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work." (104)
وَٱلْعَصْرِ ﴿١﴾ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ ﴿٢﴾ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ ﴿٣[Qur'an, Al-'Asr 103]
By time, (1) Indeed, mankind is in loss, (2) Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience. (3)
In the conventional sense of the term, in today’s secular world, professionalism sometimes involves telling lies, twisting the truth, or, in some professions, exposing one’s awrah (nakedness) in order to stay fashionable or attract (clients, etc.) In most cases, professionalism is used to serve one’s own selfish interests without any regard for ethical conduct and honesty.
People without regard for Islamic rules and teachings may work hard and try to excel in their professions only for self-glorification or for material aggrandizement in this world. The Qur'an regards such hard work and professionalism as misdirected, short sighted, wrongly motivated and wrongly focused.
We are instructed to promote Islamic causes by rendering services to humanity, by cultivating beneficial knowledge and by nurturing the future leaders of the Muslim Ummah. All our efforts should be aimed at achieving rewards in this world and in the Hereafter. If we can get our intention right and if we can excel in the work that we do for the pleasure of Allah, our professionalism and hard work can be a means for our salvation in the next life.
Indeed, excellence must be a fundamental target in our life, including the workplace where every person of authority must strive to enhance the skills of his people and make the best use of it in their fields of expertise. Positive reinforcement from the bosses to their people will encourage them to constantly improve their performance.
Childhood is a critical period in human life. It is the best period to instill the values of perfection and excellence in our kids. Parents must value their children's opinions and enhance their self confidence. Parents must also give them positive feedback and be good listeners to their ideas and speech. Parents ought to drive their children towards creativity and enhance their talents and abilities.
School plays a pivotal role in instilling the importance of excellence as well. Teachers ought to give students special attention and unveil their talents and creativity. They must be aware of their physical as well as mental capabilities and strive to develop it.
Our level of achievements is strictly related to how much efforts and persistence we put into each task. There are a lot of people that just talk, and well...their life is an abundance of repeated patterns and fillers. Don't sabotage your success because you don’t have the patience and perseverance to do the work. Don't cheat yourself; there are no easy quick remedies to success. Seek the tools that it takes, use them, and see it through. Fill up in all that is yours for the taking because you have earned it through the humble actions you lead when no one is looking.
Things don't just appear and happen for no reason. Seeds must be planted, and the garden must be tended to, in order for it to bloom. The end result is what most actually get to see in life. The effort it takes to see something through is dynamic and what makes us who we are in the end.
BE PATIENT! EXCELLENCE WAS NOT BUILT OVER NIGHT! You have gotten this far...continue to be patient.
Let us multiply our efforts during this sacred month of Rajab and excel in all good deeds. We seek the help of Almighty Allah to perfect our work. We beseech him to guide us to obey Him and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam.
O Allah, make the Qur'an the light of our hearts, the remedy of our illnesses and our savior from the fire. O Allah, instill affection in our hearts for our noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam and help us follow his true path.
May Allah grant us tawfiq. And Allah alone give success.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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