By Omar Javaid
When I ask my students about their career objectives and their strategy to accomplish their objectives, I get responses which can only be classified as herd mentality. Many even confuse means as ends, and some even assume ends to conform to the means, “Sir, if I am working in a XYZ industry then what should be my career objectives”? I ask, shouldn't it be the other way around? Is your career for your life, or your life is for your career? If the former is true then your career should be meant to fulfill your life’s goals, isn't it!
The eventual consequences of such confusion could be of staggering proportions! After lots of discussions I have come across that (a) Financial Independence, (b) Respect, (c) Internal Satisfaction, (d) Fulfillment of religious obligations, (e) 360 deg. upbringing of offspring, and (f) Personal Health… are mandatory outcomes of a career and one’s life could get permissible if anyone of these is missing…
One the other hand, I often sees students intends to become filthy wealth, famous & powerful through their careers while completely ignoring the above and assuming as if these can actually somehow bring happiness in their lives, evidence however suggests the contrary...
Let’s shed some light on each of these objectives, how they are fundamentally important to live a fulfilling and meaningful life, and how without anyone of these one’s life might become unlivable.
1. Financial Independence
There is no rocket science here, one must strive to stay away from a situation where he / she has to beg for financial support from anyone, or borrow money even from a financial institution. This is essentially important for one’s self-respect and preservation of belief in Allah s.w.t being the Sole Provider. Prophet s.a.w has also reported to have emphasized each Muslim to do dua or pray to Allah s.w.t to keep him financial independent.
The scope of this independence encompasses the entire family as well. It is also important to understand in this context that if ones rizq is predetermined by Allah s.w.t or is dependent on the wish of Allah s.w.t then this doesn't mean that ones expenditure is also predetermined!
To control your expenses is in your hand, and to limit your standard of living within the available financial resources is fundamentally crucial for financial independence. There is a parable in Urdu language that ‘one must stretch his legs but not beyond the spread of the quilt over him’ (translation). Living within ones means in crucial for one’s financial independence. However to maintain a decent and healthy life one may pray and strive in a legitimate way to earn halal income.
The eventual consequences of such confusion could be of staggering proportions! After lots of discussions I have come across that (a) Financial Independence, (b) Respect, (c) Internal Satisfaction, (d) Fulfillment of religious obligations, (e) 360 deg. upbringing of offspring, and (f) Personal Health… are mandatory outcomes of a career and one’s life could get permissible if anyone of these is missing…
One the other hand, I often sees students intends to become filthy wealth, famous & powerful through their careers while completely ignoring the above and assuming as if these can actually somehow bring happiness in their lives, evidence however suggests the contrary...
Let’s shed some light on each of these objectives, how they are fundamentally important to live a fulfilling and meaningful life, and how without anyone of these one’s life might become unlivable.
1. Financial Independence
There is no rocket science here, one must strive to stay away from a situation where he / she has to beg for financial support from anyone, or borrow money even from a financial institution. This is essentially important for one’s self-respect and preservation of belief in Allah s.w.t being the Sole Provider. Prophet s.a.w has also reported to have emphasized each Muslim to do dua or pray to Allah s.w.t to keep him financial independent.
The scope of this independence encompasses the entire family as well. It is also important to understand in this context that if ones rizq is predetermined by Allah s.w.t or is dependent on the wish of Allah s.w.t then this doesn't mean that ones expenditure is also predetermined!
To control your expenses is in your hand, and to limit your standard of living within the available financial resources is fundamentally crucial for financial independence. There is a parable in Urdu language that ‘one must stretch his legs but not beyond the spread of the quilt over him’ (translation). Living within ones means in crucial for one’s financial independence. However to maintain a decent and healthy life one may pray and strive in a legitimate way to earn halal income.
2. Respect
To feel respected is a fundamental human need. Absence of respect can cause frustration. I can bet that if your financial stability allows, then you would leave your career which doesn't guarantee respect for another one where your respect is preserved, even if it pays half the amount.
This fundamentally depends on how your boss treats you. If he has a habit of insulting his subordinates one every little or big mistake then this gives you enough reasons to switch your job. Furthermore if the nature of career doesn't matches our personality, talents, skills etc. then it is quite likely to negatively affect performance, which eventually would have a damaging influence on our reputation and self-respect as well.
Half of this problem is solved when you become your own boss (self-employment) or you find a boss which knows how to respect his subordinate (if you are lucky). The other half of the problem is fixed when you chose your career according to your skills and talents.
This is easier said than done, but what’s easy in a practical life? Though indispensable as well..
3. Fulfilling Religious Obligations
As a Muslim it is essentially required by our belief that we pay zakat (if we financially qualify), offer salah, observe fasting, and perform hajj (again if we financially qualify). It is also required that we prioritize the tarbiyah of our kids (more will be discussed in the next heading), spend time with parents & relatives, and avoid doing business in ways prohibited by the teachings of Islam. This means (a) we need to be financially capable enough to do all of the above, (b) should have time and energy for prayers & fasting etc., (c) should design our working schedule for the tarbiyah of our kids and spending time with relatives, (d) and must abstain from doing anything prohibited like avoiding interest (riba) in financial transactions; avoiding speculation & gambling (like what happens in stock market, and even transactions in insurance companies fall in this category); avoid deceiving and cheating; keep our commitments; support our Muslims brothers even if they are our competitors or avoid doing anything harmful to anyone; remain kind to our employees etc. If we don't incorporate all this in our professions then seeking salvation in akhirah might become difficult.
Instead of striving for growth in numbers, we need to strive to increase barakah in our income by abstaining from haraam and doing what is allowed or preferred by Islamic teachings. Being a Muslim it is our belief that rizq is predetermined by wish of Allah s.w.t, therefore exclusively striving to grow in financial terms without any need is going against our belief. However we may pray to Allah s.w.t, and strive for financial independence to perform all obligation, stay away from banks (while keeping our desires in control), support our family and relatives to fulfill their basic needs, and give charity to the needy.
4. 360 deg Upbringing of our Children
People often argue that they work so hard and for late hours to earn for their kids, assuming as if its their money only which is required by their children or family. As a matter of fact the contrary is true! your kids and family need you more if all basic needs are taken care of. If God forbids you have to work for 12 hours or more to make the ends meet then its a different story.
According to Holy Quran "O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones..." (Surah Tahreem, verse 6). This means children are our responsibility not just in financial terms, but we are also responsible for their psychological, intellectual and spiritual or moral development, to keep them away from hell fire!
How these three dimensions can be shaped just by spending money on our offspring? The moral pollution in the contemporary world spread mainly by TV, internet, gaming consoles etc. has made it indispensable for parents to spend time with their children to keep them safe.
Dr. Stephan R. Covey argued in his book 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective Parents' that allowing children to spend a few hours front of TV is like allowing them to eat from the garbage bin of the neighborhood. Playing with children after school, helping them in their homework, and doing other constructive activities with them till its time to sleep is the only way perhaps to keep them safe from the moral hazards available in the form of sex and violence on all so called entertaining mediums. If not parent's then who else would do so? This is a task too crucial to be left to babysitters or maids...
Does your career allows this? If your wife stays at home doesn't necessarily means she can do this all on her own, she needs your help! If you are a mom, then its even more crucial form you to design your career in a way that enables you to spend most of the time with kids, otherwise you would be even more internally dissatisfied or would feel regretful as compare to your husband when something goes wrong with the moral and psychological development of your kids, considering the price (in the form of pain) your have paid to bring them in this world. Imagine someone's kid going astray, having drugs and involved in illegitimate sexual conducts, or becoming a psychopath, would financial success be any worth if this happens, God forbids?
This wasn't much of a problem 20 years back, however looking at the level of moral corruption which has spread all over, parents really have to sit back, think and find ways to save their kids and ensure their proper development in all dimensions. Don't imagine outsourcing this responsibility to the school, remember your children are your first and foremost responsibility. If you don't have some now then its just a matter of time.
5. Personal Health
Maintaining health is fundamental to ensure quality and performance is all aspects of life till you die at whatever age (70, 80... 100 or whatever). Its not just possible but very much doable only if one pay attention toward his diet, physical activity, personal hygiene and sleep cycles.
A healthy diet which suits your routine is a must, for example whether your routine require more physical activity or sitting for example. If you don't burn much calories, then you shouldn't be taking much calories, in the form of fats and carbohydrates. Watch this myth busting TED Talk to learn more: http://on.ted.com/smGG
Our bodies are designed to move (check this) but when our work environment make us sit more then obviously its a problem in the long run. Mean you need a schedule for workout at least half an hour a day or you move more to the extent required.
Sleep management is another crucial component for a healthy lifestyle. Sleeping early and waking up early is a hallmark of accomplished people and living a productive life (check this and also this). Now if you plan to wake up at 5am then its a must that you take a power nap after lunch. This power nap is essential to keep you going till 10 or 11 pm as otherwise you might collapse much earlier or won't be able to wake up at 5 in the morning. A saying of Prophet s.a.w also recommends taking a power nap after lunch as well. Check this for benefits of power naps.
Now the question is does your schedule allows you to exercise and manage your sleep in a healthy way? And is your work life anxiety free to an extent to keep you away from eating and sleeping disorders? For a healthy quality of life this is again indispensable. Ignoring this might lead to various medical conditions and hampering of your quality of life when you cross your 50s. Remember spending time and energy in keeping yourself healthy is the best health insurance policy you can ever buy. Otherwise you would be spending your fortune to fight against various cardiovascular diseases, for example.
6. Personal Intellectual & Spiritual Development
You are more then a physical body, your brain and soul also require maintenance and nurturing. Ignoring intellectual development can turn you into a zombie (not in literal sense of course), and ignoring spiritual development might lead to moral corruption in ones character or might turn you into an intellectual prostitute (someone who sells his brain irrespective of moral consideration); maintaining a enlightened conscience and strong strong faith or eman (in Tauheed, Risalat, Akhrat, Malika, Ghaib, Taqdeer, and all Divine Books along with the message they contain) which helps you remain steadfast even in toughest conditions. So does your career choice facilitate your intellectual or spiritual development? For this you also need to spare some time to be spent on reading stuff and with people who stimulates your brain and strengthens or even alleviate eman.
To feel respected is a fundamental human need. Absence of respect can cause frustration. I can bet that if your financial stability allows, then you would leave your career which doesn't guarantee respect for another one where your respect is preserved, even if it pays half the amount.
This fundamentally depends on how your boss treats you. If he has a habit of insulting his subordinates one every little or big mistake then this gives you enough reasons to switch your job. Furthermore if the nature of career doesn't matches our personality, talents, skills etc. then it is quite likely to negatively affect performance, which eventually would have a damaging influence on our reputation and self-respect as well.
Half of this problem is solved when you become your own boss (self-employment) or you find a boss which knows how to respect his subordinate (if you are lucky). The other half of the problem is fixed when you chose your career according to your skills and talents.
This is easier said than done, but what’s easy in a practical life? Though indispensable as well..
3. Fulfilling Religious Obligations
As a Muslim it is essentially required by our belief that we pay zakat (if we financially qualify), offer salah, observe fasting, and perform hajj (again if we financially qualify). It is also required that we prioritize the tarbiyah of our kids (more will be discussed in the next heading), spend time with parents & relatives, and avoid doing business in ways prohibited by the teachings of Islam. This means (a) we need to be financially capable enough to do all of the above, (b) should have time and energy for prayers & fasting etc., (c) should design our working schedule for the tarbiyah of our kids and spending time with relatives, (d) and must abstain from doing anything prohibited like avoiding interest (riba) in financial transactions; avoiding speculation & gambling (like what happens in stock market, and even transactions in insurance companies fall in this category); avoid deceiving and cheating; keep our commitments; support our Muslims brothers even if they are our competitors or avoid doing anything harmful to anyone; remain kind to our employees etc. If we don't incorporate all this in our professions then seeking salvation in akhirah might become difficult.
Instead of striving for growth in numbers, we need to strive to increase barakah in our income by abstaining from haraam and doing what is allowed or preferred by Islamic teachings. Being a Muslim it is our belief that rizq is predetermined by wish of Allah s.w.t, therefore exclusively striving to grow in financial terms without any need is going against our belief. However we may pray to Allah s.w.t, and strive for financial independence to perform all obligation, stay away from banks (while keeping our desires in control), support our family and relatives to fulfill their basic needs, and give charity to the needy.
4. 360 deg Upbringing of our Children
People often argue that they work so hard and for late hours to earn for their kids, assuming as if its their money only which is required by their children or family. As a matter of fact the contrary is true! your kids and family need you more if all basic needs are taken care of. If God forbids you have to work for 12 hours or more to make the ends meet then its a different story.
According to Holy Quran "O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones..." (Surah Tahreem, verse 6). This means children are our responsibility not just in financial terms, but we are also responsible for their psychological, intellectual and spiritual or moral development, to keep them away from hell fire!
How these three dimensions can be shaped just by spending money on our offspring? The moral pollution in the contemporary world spread mainly by TV, internet, gaming consoles etc. has made it indispensable for parents to spend time with their children to keep them safe.
Dr. Stephan R. Covey argued in his book 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective Parents' that allowing children to spend a few hours front of TV is like allowing them to eat from the garbage bin of the neighborhood. Playing with children after school, helping them in their homework, and doing other constructive activities with them till its time to sleep is the only way perhaps to keep them safe from the moral hazards available in the form of sex and violence on all so called entertaining mediums. If not parent's then who else would do so? This is a task too crucial to be left to babysitters or maids...
Does your career allows this? If your wife stays at home doesn't necessarily means she can do this all on her own, she needs your help! If you are a mom, then its even more crucial form you to design your career in a way that enables you to spend most of the time with kids, otherwise you would be even more internally dissatisfied or would feel regretful as compare to your husband when something goes wrong with the moral and psychological development of your kids, considering the price (in the form of pain) your have paid to bring them in this world. Imagine someone's kid going astray, having drugs and involved in illegitimate sexual conducts, or becoming a psychopath, would financial success be any worth if this happens, God forbids?
This wasn't much of a problem 20 years back, however looking at the level of moral corruption which has spread all over, parents really have to sit back, think and find ways to save their kids and ensure their proper development in all dimensions. Don't imagine outsourcing this responsibility to the school, remember your children are your first and foremost responsibility. If you don't have some now then its just a matter of time.
5. Personal Health
Maintaining health is fundamental to ensure quality and performance is all aspects of life till you die at whatever age (70, 80... 100 or whatever). Its not just possible but very much doable only if one pay attention toward his diet, physical activity, personal hygiene and sleep cycles.
A healthy diet which suits your routine is a must, for example whether your routine require more physical activity or sitting for example. If you don't burn much calories, then you shouldn't be taking much calories, in the form of fats and carbohydrates. Watch this myth busting TED Talk to learn more: http://on.ted.com/smGG
Our bodies are designed to move (check this) but when our work environment make us sit more then obviously its a problem in the long run. Mean you need a schedule for workout at least half an hour a day or you move more to the extent required.
Sleep management is another crucial component for a healthy lifestyle. Sleeping early and waking up early is a hallmark of accomplished people and living a productive life (check this and also this). Now if you plan to wake up at 5am then its a must that you take a power nap after lunch. This power nap is essential to keep you going till 10 or 11 pm as otherwise you might collapse much earlier or won't be able to wake up at 5 in the morning. A saying of Prophet s.a.w also recommends taking a power nap after lunch as well. Check this for benefits of power naps.
Now the question is does your schedule allows you to exercise and manage your sleep in a healthy way? And is your work life anxiety free to an extent to keep you away from eating and sleeping disorders? For a healthy quality of life this is again indispensable. Ignoring this might lead to various medical conditions and hampering of your quality of life when you cross your 50s. Remember spending time and energy in keeping yourself healthy is the best health insurance policy you can ever buy. Otherwise you would be spending your fortune to fight against various cardiovascular diseases, for example.
6. Personal Intellectual & Spiritual Development
You are more then a physical body, your brain and soul also require maintenance and nurturing. Ignoring intellectual development can turn you into a zombie (not in literal sense of course), and ignoring spiritual development might lead to moral corruption in ones character or might turn you into an intellectual prostitute (someone who sells his brain irrespective of moral consideration); maintaining a enlightened conscience and strong strong faith or eman (in Tauheed, Risalat, Akhrat, Malika, Ghaib, Taqdeer, and all Divine Books along with the message they contain) which helps you remain steadfast even in toughest conditions. So does your career choice facilitate your intellectual or spiritual development? For this you also need to spare some time to be spent on reading stuff and with people who stimulates your brain and strengthens or even alleviate eman.
7. Internal Satisfaction & Peace of Mind
This is the eventual outcome of a mindful, soulful, purposeful living where one is not just financially satisfied but also he is capable of fulfilling all his responsibilities (highlighted above), while making a social contribution as well. This social contribution need not to be just in the form of a charity, but also should be an integral part of one's professional life. For example an entrepreneur can take pride in creating employment opportunity for jobless people, or by creating an affordable product for some essential need of the masses, or a teacher can inspire his students to become a good person etc. Social contribution shall not be at the cost of ones family and kids, and ones health as well. Absence of internal satisfaction and peace of mind can be frustrating and even traumatizing.
Here they are, now the ultimate question is which career allows you to accomplish all these indispensable things? At present the choices are of course limited! Being an entrepreneur or being an academic or being in armed forces might help, corporate culture however is not conducive to help you achieve any of your family or personal goals except financial independence or respect to some extent. The key is to balance between your career and your personal life + family, in fact prioritize the later. The choice is eventually ours.
Author is an academic researcher and teaches entrepreneurship and social advocacy
This is the eventual outcome of a mindful, soulful, purposeful living where one is not just financially satisfied but also he is capable of fulfilling all his responsibilities (highlighted above), while making a social contribution as well. This social contribution need not to be just in the form of a charity, but also should be an integral part of one's professional life. For example an entrepreneur can take pride in creating employment opportunity for jobless people, or by creating an affordable product for some essential need of the masses, or a teacher can inspire his students to become a good person etc. Social contribution shall not be at the cost of ones family and kids, and ones health as well. Absence of internal satisfaction and peace of mind can be frustrating and even traumatizing.
Here they are, now the ultimate question is which career allows you to accomplish all these indispensable things? At present the choices are of course limited! Being an entrepreneur or being an academic or being in armed forces might help, corporate culture however is not conducive to help you achieve any of your family or personal goals except financial independence or respect to some extent. The key is to balance between your career and your personal life + family, in fact prioritize the later. The choice is eventually ours.
Author is an academic researcher and teaches entrepreneurship and social advocacy
Due to lack of guidance in most of the occasion we have found that students are unable to choose best career goals; therefore they need suitable career growing opportunities with effective tips and path. Choosing an effective career means we need better guidance and better options through which we are able to develop our career goals. I would like to collect some important tips from here in order to choose an effective way to build a suitable career.
ReplyDeleteEach and every point were briefly described, yes this is one of common problem for every student to choose there career or occupation they want to move further in. A debt of gratitude is in order of sharing such a amazing and wonderful suggestions.
ReplyDelete