Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As salaam alaikum

I have asked this question before but not received any answer yet. Please reply as it has now become a problem of many young muslims.

I’m in confusion since many days. It is said in Quran that Allah has created Man and Angels only to worship Him. That was the main objective of Allah’s creation But, now-a-days, modern man has begun to spend most of his time doing jobs which would benefit Him in this world only. If I were to take up a career which would take away half of my daily time, though I manage to perform. Salah, take care of my family and discharge all my important duties. But this way, May be I’ll be successful in world but far lesser in sight of Allah, than a person who spends most of the time in a homely way, worshipping Allah and being within boundaries of home. If man can earn as much as to satisfy his needs, then why do we advocate the progress in technology to improve our lives. If muslim ummah were to progress economically, then we will have to allocate a lot time for developing research and technology. Which way of life is better, keeping in mind that we fulfill our major responsibilities as muslims, in both the cases?

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Answer:

Allah created only for worship

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 51 Surah Dhariyat verse 56:

I have not created the jinn and men except for this that they should worship Me alone.

Respected Sister in Islam, without an iota of a doubt, the Declared and Decreed mission of the creation of men and Jinn is indeed the worship of the Lord Creator, Most Majestic, Most Supreme.

But if one assumes that worship is only prayers, and fasts, and Hajj, etc….then one would surely be in a confusion for one would have taken a very narrow comprehension of the term ‘ibaadah’ or worship….prayers, fasts, Hajj, etc. are merely ‘rites’ of worship ordained by the Lord, but these rites alone and by themselves do not fulfill the conditions of worship!

To obey Allah Subhanah in all matters is worship; to fear Allah at all times in all places is worship; to remember Allah Subhanah at every junction of one’s life is worship; to submit to each and every Guidance and Command of Allah and His Messenger (saws) regardless of what one’s heart desires is worship; to abstain from everything which Allah and Messenger (saws) have prohibited is worship; to fulfill all the rights of one’s family, friends, loved ones, neighbors, and the society at large is worship; to earn one’s livelihood in a lawful manner so that one may support one’s family is worship; to spend of one’s means in the Cause of Allah is worship; to do anything to further the Cause and Spread of Islam is worship; to promote and enjoin the good is worship; to abstain from and stop evil is worship; etc…..the rites of worship like prayers, and fasts, and pilgrimage, and ‘zakah’, etc. are no more than obligatory ‘training courses’ ordained by the Lord All-Knowing, All-Wise so that man may truly fulfill the mission which he was created for….ie. the worship of one’s Lord Creator, Most Majestic, Most Supreme.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzab verse 21:

There is indeed the best example for you to follow in the Messenger of Allah, for every such person looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.

If one studies the life of the Messenger of Allah (saws) one would truly understand the concept of his ‘worship’…..As much as he (saws) was the appointed Prophet of Allah, he (saws) was an obedient son, a caring and loving husband, a father, a grand-father, a neighbor, a friend, a businessman, a soldier in the Cause of Allah, a Commander of the Army of Allah, a leader, a master politician, a judge, etc. all rolled into one! If one were to search the annals of creation, one would not find a better example of one who loved, remembered, feared, obeyed, and worshipped one’s Lord Creator better than the Last and Final Messenger of Allah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah (saws).

Your Question: But, now-a-days, modern man has begun to spend most of his time doing jobs which would benefit Him in this world only. If I were to take up a career which would take away half of my daily time, though I manage to perform. Salah, take care of my family and discharge all my important duties. But this way, May be I’ll be successful in world but far lesser in sight of Allah, than a person who spends most of the time in a homely way, worshipping Allah and being within boundaries of home.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.1 Narrated by Umar bin Al Khattab

I heard Allah's Messenger (saws) saying, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.”

If the intention of the ‘modern-man’ is spend most of his time, and pursue a career or a job only so that he may accumulate as much wealth or position as he can in his world, regardless of whether or not his job or career is lawful or unlawful, regardless of whether or not the Guidance and Commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws) are obeyed or disobeyed, etc….then indeed the works of such a person would have no weight or rank in the Sight of Allah Subhanah in the Hereafter. Such a person may or not be successful in this world, but he will, without an iota of a doubt, be a loser in the Hereafter.

But if the same ‘modern-man’ spends a portion of his time pursuing a career or a job with the intention to fulfill the duties which the Lord has ordained on him, knows and remembers with absolute conviction that the life of this world is only a trial and is transitory, believes with absolute conviction that all will be gathered One Inevitable Day in the Tribunal of their Lord Creator to give a full account of their lives, makes sure that every thing he does and says in the pursuit of his career or job is within the prescribed Boundaries of Shariah, strives his absolute utmost to fulfill all the obligatory duties laid upon him by his Lord Creator, bears every good fortune with gratitude unto his Lord, bears every misfortune with patience and keeps his trust and belief steadfast on his Lord….every living moment of such a ‘modern-man’ will be deemed to be in the constant ‘worship’ of his Lord Creator.

Suhaib ibn Sinan narrated that the Prophet (saws) said: "How remarkable is the case of the believer! There is good for him in everything, but this is not the case for anyone except for the believer. When the believer receives any good, he is thankful to Allah, and gets a reward. And when some misfortune befalls him, he endures it patiently, for which he is (also) rewarded."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1911 Narrated by Abu Dharr

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "When you smile in your brother's face, or enjoin what is good, or forbid what is evil, or direct someone who has lost his way, or help a man who has bad eyesight, or remove stones, thorns and bones from the road, or pour water from your bucket into your brother's, it counts to you as "sadaqah" in the Cause of Allah.”

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.53 Narrated by Sad bin Abi Waqqas

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "You will be rewarded for whatever you spend for Allah's Sake, even if it were a morsel which you put in your wife's (or your family’s) mouth!"

Abu Dhar al-Ghafari reported: ‘The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “there is a reward for you [even] in sex with your wife."’ The companions asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah (saws) is there a reward if one satisfies his passion?" He (saws) said: "Do you know that if he satisfies it unlawfully he has taken a sin upon himself? Likewise, if he satisfies it lawfully, he is rewarded."

Related by Ahmad and Muslim.

……If man can earn as much as to satisfy his needs, then why do we advocate the progress in technology to improve our lives. If muslim ummah were to progress economically, then we will have to allocate a lot time for developing research and technology.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 8 Surah Anfaal verses 59-60:

59 Let not the disbelievers think that they can get the better (of Allah): they will never (be able to) frustrate (Allah).

60 (O believers) Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies of Allah and your enemies, and others besides whom ye may not know, but whom Allah doth know. Whatever ye shall spend in the Cause of Allah shall be repaid unto you and ye shall not be treated unjustly.

Allah Subhanah has Commanded the collective Muslim Ummah to strive one’s absolute utmost and be at the forefront of technology in preparation of the display of their strength for the Sake and Cause of Allah and His Deen.

It is the obligatory duty of the believing leadership and the believers at large to make sure that the Muslim Ummah is at the forefront of research and technology, especially in elements of war, so that the Cause of Allah Subhanah and His Deen can be defended against the disbelievers……and how miserably have the believing Ummah at large failed in this obligatory duty of theirs!

Which way of life is better, keeping in mind that we fulfill our major responsibilities as muslims, in both the cases?

A person who fears Allah, strives his absolute utmost to fulfill not only his obligations of worship, but also to fulfill the obligations laid upon him by his Lord unto the society at large, and his life in engrossed in making the Word of Allah Subhanah Supreme on this earth is far far superior in the Sight of Allah than one who leaves the tangles of society and is engaged in the fulfillment of the ‘rites’ of worship alone!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan