Sheikh Dr. Bilal speaks about Striving For Success And Seeking Allahâs Pleasure at the 42nd Annual ISNA Canada Convention which was held on the May 20-22, 2016.
Bilal Philips – Renewing Our Intentions
AI: Summary ©
The speakers emphasize the importance of finding a pleasing field of study and finding the most beneficial job for one to achieve success. They stress the need for a culture of fear and a firm mindset to ensure success in learning to be a Muslim. Learning to achieve success in learning to be a Muslim is linked to being a trustworthy person and removing evil characteristics from work and personal life.
AI: Transcript ©
Alhamdulillah alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah Karim? Allah Allah was Hobie woman is standing episode Nettie he Naomi Deen all praises to to align realize Peace and blessings beyond the last prophet Mohammed
and and all those who follow the path of righteousness until the last day.
The topic that we've been asked to address
is that of
success, achieving success
in the fullest sense,
particularly from an Islamic perspective.
And if
I were to divide
the audience into two main groups, those who are students
and those who are professionals, who are working,
I would say that
success
for both of you or both groups, lies ultimately
in doing what is pleasing to Allah.
That success for a Muslim
is success ultimately, in the hereafter.
Success in this life,
if followed by failure in the Hereafter,
is not true success.
It is better to have failed in this life
from the perspective of the world,
and to have succeeded in the next life
then the opposite to have failed in the next life and succeeded in this
and this is not something
that we would debate about. This is something which is very obvious
if we believe in a law and the last day
so the challenge is to
establish success in the next life. And in this life,
we strive to do so
if we are successful in this life Alhamdulillah
if we're not Masha Allah,
but success in the life to come, that is of most importance.
We are taught to pray in the Quran robina Tina for dunya Hasina of karate hacer una una de la la la give us the best of this life and the life to come and prevent and protect us from the hellfire. So, we should strive
for success in this life also,
we should seek a law's bounty, His mercy, his blessings
while at the same time keeping in mind
that it is success in the next life
which is of the greatest importance.
Now, as students
or
professionals, there are two basic principles which can ensure for us success in this life as well as the next
inshallah.
The first is choosing a field of study
which is beneficent
to the community as a whole.
As a student.
When we choose the area we're going to study in
we should not choose it simply because people who
specialize in this area
get the most money.
It should be because this is the field in which we are able to benefit people the most. This is the criterion that we have to use
when we're choosing our fields of study,
because the prophets are seldom had said hieronymous and fow homeliness, the best of people, are those most beneficial to people, to the masses of the people.
So, it is about the benefit which comes from that area,
benefit to the community as a whole, and not merely about our personal material success.
So when we choose that field, on this basis,
that choice that we make, that field now that we study in,
is one which is pleasing to Allah.
If it's pleasing to Allah,
then it means that we are engaged in a bada
we strive to turn the process of study into worship, a bada being worship of God, we worship God through our studies.
With that intention,
our field of study becomes
a means by which
we please Allah.
And of course, we know in general, that seeking knowledge is something
particularly pleasing to Allah.
Because Prophet Mohammed wa salam did tell us tolerable enemy for either Allah, Allah Muslim seeking knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim.
And the prophet SAW Selim or also said
mansilla, Qatari en el tema Sufi elmen, Sahel, Allahu Allahu taala, a con in agenda, whoever takes a path in which he or she seeks knowledge, a law makes the path to paradise, easy for them.
A path to paradise,
of necessity
has to be
a path of worship.
It is a path which is pleasing to Allah
serata Lydian and
that is the path that we want to be on. We strive to be on in our study.
Likewise, for those in the field of work, professionals,
as graduates from our
universities or colleges etc.
We should be choosing work,
which is most beneficial to people. Same principle applies here.
We don't take that job simply because it gives us the most money. If we know that job is somehow hurting people, it's harmful to people.
It exploits people,
it debases people,
then we have to leave that job. We don't take that job.
So we try to take a field of work which is pleasing to God.
So we are careful in what we choose.
We might take the job of being a taxi driver.
But
as a taxi driver,
one might say well, how do you please God
as a taxi driver? Well, there are so many things that you can do
with your taxi, how you deal with the customers. What you have available inside of your taxi. Your taxi can become a dour mobiel
So you're giving Dawa without even saying anything,
what you play when you turn on the radio
or a recording
will be something that is islamically beneficial to the people who ride in your taxi messages are being given. I mean, you don't have to make it overtly Islamic meaning you're trying to people feel you're trying to convert them, but food for thought,
good food for thought.
If you do that, this is your attention then of course,
your job as a taxi driver is pleasing to Allah.
So, you are getting engaged in a bada.
So, the field you choose to study the field you choose to work in, you try to do so in a way which is pleasing to Allah.
The other principle, as I mentioned, there are two principles, basic principles and study and work
which ultimately will give us success.
The other principle
is that of it.
As the prophet SAW, Selim had said it can meaning doing things to the best of your ability. In the law, hey, boom in the comb, either Amina Hamelin, and your scanner, Allah loves from each and every one of you.
Whenever you do anything, you do it to the best of your ability.
So we strive for the best.
As a student, the best means that you study,
sincerely.
Do your best.
work as hard as you can
to try to achieve the best marks that you can
to be the top of your class.
But doing so,
in a legitimate way.
Very important.
Students globally are known for one evil characteristic. And that is cheating.
cheating?
How many of you here are cheaters are students? Let me ask? How many just put your hands up? How many of you are students here?
Oh, you're not that many. I thought it was probably more than that.
I've been all over the Muslim world, visiting Muslim schools, universities.
And invariably, when I ask the students
who among you can raise his or her hand and say, well, ah, he, I have never cheated on any test or examination.
And invariably, the hands are maybe one or two hands go up.
I don't want to ask you here now and embarrass you.
But this is a reality that we're living.
If you are to be a student,
and to
please a law,
through your study, worship or law through your study, then you cannot cheat.
If you're for those of you who are still students,
you do not have to stop now.
You need to give it up.
Honesty
is the requirement is connected to faith. Which is why the prophet SAW Solomon said man Hashanah, felice, Amina, whoever cheats us is not of us.
So in order to ensure that your study is pleasing to Allah, you have to remove
this evil characteristic found in most students around the world you have to give it up.
Become a true Muslim Student.
One who study is pleased
To Allah.
That's your challenge.
For the person who is in the work field, majority of you are
professionals in the work field. Your challenge
is to be an honest worker.
What happens in the workplace
is that another evil characteristic common
people
usually work
to the least of their ability.
When you're working in a company,
you don't work hard, doing your best maximum. That's not how people work in companies.
What they usually do is the minimum necessary to keep your job.
If the boss, the supervisor shows up, of course, then you start working really, really hard. Everybody works hard then
soon as the boss leaves,
we get back to normal.
That's the norm. Find it all over.
But for a Muslim employee,
that is haram, because you're cheating.
Why? Because when you are hired, were you hired to do the least you could
know,
when you were hired, you're hired to do the best you can.
So when you take that job, you do the least.
And you're taking money, which was supposed to be for the best. What are you doing? That is deception. You're cheating.
Now, if you as a worker,
accept this premise, which I'm presenting to you,
you realize that this is I saw it
started later on. So
a few more points. This one last point, actually, you decide that
you are going to do your best you're gonna work hard.
The rest of your workmates, what are they gonna say to you?
Go for it. No, they're gonna say why are you working so hard?
You know, slow down, take it easy. The boss isn't here.
If you insist that
this person is probably trying to take our jobs.
They're trying to show themselves to be better so they can get raises and they get all these other kinds of things. Then your own workmates will look at you as the enemy.
So it's a challenge for you to be able to do it. But if you are to be successful in your work,
to do what is pleasing to a law, then you have to be the best. You do the best you can regardless.
Don't allow the peer pressure, the pressure of your workmates to hold you down.
You do the best.
Ignore the rest.
Allies pleased with you. And if everybody is not pleased with you, it doesn't matter.
Because as long as the law is pleased with you, that's what's important. And there in lies success.
So
that's the point that I'd like to make
with regards to
professionals, employees and students.
success
lies in
choosing
in accordance with what is pleasing to Allah, choosing our profession
or choosing our area of specialization
and in implementing
it lies in being honest as a student carrying that characteristic which Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam was noted for.
He was known as El amin the honest the trustworthy
living that characteristic and as a professional, working in your field.
It is the same you do your best
even if everybody around you
is opposed, is upset.
Do your best to please Allah