Thoughts at a productive Muslim workshop
While prayer is certainly important, it’s not a replacement for hard work
PHOTO: AFP
“There are five misconceptions that are destroying productivity in the Muslim world,” shares Mohammed Faris, a motivational speaker, also known as Abu productive. I attended one of his workshops recently, which aim to inspire Muslims to be more productive in everything they do. There were some genuinely provocative insights in his thinking which I’ll share with you today. “The first reason why Muslims are unproductive is that we’re taught to actively neglect the dunya,” he shares. “But actually, God wants us to avoid the comforts of the dunya, not dunya itself. We must strive to be productive and successful so we can be leaders in this world. We can’t use neglect of dunya as an excuse to justify the fact that most Muslim countries rank at the bottom of the list of educated and productive countries in the world.
“Make duaa and all will be well! How often do we abuse this message as an excuse to be lazy?” asks Faris. “If you can’t find a job, just make duaa. If you can’t get married, just make duaa. While prayer is certainly an important part of achieving whatever you need, it’s not a replacement for hard work. Look at Prophet Noah, he took years to build Noah’s ark to save his people from a mighty flood, instead of only praying and taking no action. Similarly, Muslims need to stop using prayers as a crutch or excuse for not working. If you need a job, update your CV, go meet people, give interviews and then make duaa. Don’t make duaa and spend the rest of your day watching TV.
“The third concept which hurts Muslims is the maxim that when the going gets tough, have sabr,” shares Faris. “Again, we abuse the concept of sabr. Sabr is a sign of persistence and resilience in the face of hard work. The root word of sabr can be traced to the same root as the word for a cactus tree, which survives in the harshest of landscapes by trying to suck water and life from whatever it touches and then produces sweet water as an outcome. That is the essence of real sabr: working hard in extremely difficult circumstances to squeeze as much as you can from life — producing sweet water as an outcome.
“The fourth concept is that righteousness equals to and is limited to acts of worship,” shares Faris. “And the fifth concept is that everything is already written. How often do we abuse these concepts as Muslims? The reality is that life outcomes are a function of our free will plus God’s laws plus God’s permission. Free will is our own thinking and action. Usually, Muslims emphasise God’s permission and laws but forget that their free will is also an important part of the outcomes we see in our lives.”
Abu Productive defined productivity as being a function of energy multiplied by focus multiplied by time. “Productivity is a lifestyle,” shared Faris. “Not an event. Smart choices about how we spend our energy and time as well as what we choose to focus on is the essence of productivity.” He explained that good intentions and hard work are the roots of all success. There are three types of productivity according to Faris — physical, social and spiritual. “Do you ever wonder why people living in a big house have no happiness, while a family living in a small house is content?” asks Faris. “It’s because of their level of spiritual productivity or barakah. There are many ways to increase your spiritual productivity but it starts with having good intentions and respecting God’s laws.”
There are a couple of key points from his workshop that stand out. First, there’s no conflict between religion and productivity. In fact, now more than ever, the Muslim world needs individuals and leaders who can serve the community with their best efforts. Second, nothing good will ever happen without hard work. But hard work without pure intentions can frustrate one’s journey towards happiness and success. Finally, improving one’s life isn’t an event but a journey. The length and difficulty of this journey shouldn’t stop us from taking the first step.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 3rd, 2015.
“Make duaa and all will be well! How often do we abuse this message as an excuse to be lazy?” asks Faris. “If you can’t find a job, just make duaa. If you can’t get married, just make duaa. While prayer is certainly an important part of achieving whatever you need, it’s not a replacement for hard work. Look at Prophet Noah, he took years to build Noah’s ark to save his people from a mighty flood, instead of only praying and taking no action. Similarly, Muslims need to stop using prayers as a crutch or excuse for not working. If you need a job, update your CV, go meet people, give interviews and then make duaa. Don’t make duaa and spend the rest of your day watching TV.
“The third concept which hurts Muslims is the maxim that when the going gets tough, have sabr,” shares Faris. “Again, we abuse the concept of sabr. Sabr is a sign of persistence and resilience in the face of hard work. The root word of sabr can be traced to the same root as the word for a cactus tree, which survives in the harshest of landscapes by trying to suck water and life from whatever it touches and then produces sweet water as an outcome. That is the essence of real sabr: working hard in extremely difficult circumstances to squeeze as much as you can from life — producing sweet water as an outcome.
“The fourth concept is that righteousness equals to and is limited to acts of worship,” shares Faris. “And the fifth concept is that everything is already written. How often do we abuse these concepts as Muslims? The reality is that life outcomes are a function of our free will plus God’s laws plus God’s permission. Free will is our own thinking and action. Usually, Muslims emphasise God’s permission and laws but forget that their free will is also an important part of the outcomes we see in our lives.”
Abu Productive defined productivity as being a function of energy multiplied by focus multiplied by time. “Productivity is a lifestyle,” shared Faris. “Not an event. Smart choices about how we spend our energy and time as well as what we choose to focus on is the essence of productivity.” He explained that good intentions and hard work are the roots of all success. There are three types of productivity according to Faris — physical, social and spiritual. “Do you ever wonder why people living in a big house have no happiness, while a family living in a small house is content?” asks Faris. “It’s because of their level of spiritual productivity or barakah. There are many ways to increase your spiritual productivity but it starts with having good intentions and respecting God’s laws.”
There are a couple of key points from his workshop that stand out. First, there’s no conflict between religion and productivity. In fact, now more than ever, the Muslim world needs individuals and leaders who can serve the community with their best efforts. Second, nothing good will ever happen without hard work. But hard work without pure intentions can frustrate one’s journey towards happiness and success. Finally, improving one’s life isn’t an event but a journey. The length and difficulty of this journey shouldn’t stop us from taking the first step.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 3rd, 2015.