Islamic principles & career choices?

March 29, 2009 by Muslimah Source  
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How can we balance our Islamic principles with our career choices?

To answer this question, I would like to go to the basis of our imaan. Indeed, all acts are according to intention. For the true believer, deeds must be geared towards Allah. If careers are geared towards this dunya, they are either for a status in life or for accumulating money and wealth, or for both. If they are for Allah, they can be for the service of Islam and also will be a source of living. Most careers that are directed to serve the deen do not pay that much, unless one chooses med school for example and becomes a doctor, dealing with the human body as a miracle from Allah and teaching people the faith by explaining it. Not to say that serving humanity by curing diseases is not within the service of Islam. But some careers serve it directly and others indirectly. Journalists, graphic designers, teachers, psychiatrists, lawyers and others can all direct their attention to serve Islam and Muslims in different ways. Since our image as Muslims needs constant work and explanation, Muslim media specialists will be the busiest showing the true nature and beliefs of Islam. I am certain that all other specialists will find avenues to express their Islamic personality and serve the Ummah in the most brilliant way.

Answered by Dr. Rasha al-Disuqi

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3 Responses to “Islamic principles & career choices?”
  1. Holly says:

    Asalaamu alaikum good article and so true. Right now SubhanaAllah it is getting easier and easier for me as I work in a College and there is an MSA the staff has some exposure to Islam. Once I became Muslim I just started dropping little hints about Islam or me and Islam. Little by little they are watching me evolve, and soon InshaAllah; they will see me in hijab when I start covering even more.

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  2. Nabil Azmie says:

    I want to know if I could be a hotel manager? Because it is my dream and ambition.. Does Islam forbid this profession?

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  1. [...] May 23, 2009 by Asma Salamualaykum, So I’ve been thinking about some dream jobs I’d want to have iA…sometime down the road…should I be here for that long…and this is what I came up with (not in order of preference, random): 1. Admissions Officer 2. Social Worker 3. Sociologist 4. Researcher 5. Islamic School Teacher 6. High School Counselor 7. Housewife 8. Islamic Relief aid worker 9. Boss/CEO/Manager of something 10. Humanitarian Rights Activist  11. Child psychologist for children affected by war, famine, trafficking, drugs, etc.  12. Marriage counselor 13. Muslim Women support group worker or creator (like for women convert to Islam or women affected by domestic violence, homelessness, etc.) 14. Alima! As we move into a very different world…one in which there are polar opposites in terms of religion, ideologies, philosophies, etc. I find that my entire outlook on being a working individual is drastically changing from what I had in mind a while ago. Essentially, my dream job would be to work in an Islamic environment and get paid just as much as I would get paid if I were to work in an average non-Muslim environment. All rizq comes from Allah (swa) and what is apportioned for me has been recorded so I have no attachment or concern as to how much or how little I want to make. However, that does not mean Muslim orgs. can offer work to Muslims willing to work, but pay them less than they would be making elsewhere. That’s actually the crux of the problem. If Muslim orgs. started building bottom-up and pooling together all the talent and resources Muslims have to establish strong, organized Muslim orgs., tell me…would the Ummah be in the position it is today? Not only do we have to worry about deviancy outside our religion, but unfortunately we have deviant Muslims who attack us as well. (however, I personally believe that our humiliated state is the cause of our unwillingness to fight for Allah’s cause…our “absent obligation” of Jihad)…getting back to the topic. During the Khalifah of Abu Bakr as-sadeeq (RA), two women were sitting outside waiting for his arrival. Umar (RA) was walking by and asked them why they were out and who they were waiting for. When they responded by saying that they were waiting for the Khalifah to ask him how to resolve an issue, Umar (RA) went looking for Abu-Bakr as-saddeeq (RA) and found him buying and selling in the marketplace. At the site of this, Umar (RA), took the Khalifah by the hand and asked him what he was doing. Abu Bakr (RA) responded by saying that the his calculated salary (for being the Khalifah) was not enough for his family and therefore, he was using his business skills to make a living. Immediately, Umar (RA) consulted Uthman (RA) and they decided to raise the Khalifah’s salary from 200 dirhams a year to 300 dirhams a year and from half a goat a day to one goat a day. SubhanAllah, the Khalifah’s salary is being determined by his companions! Secondly, we see that Abu Bakr (RA) had business skills and this was his area of expertise. Since he was not being paid enough for the job he was appointed for, he decided to use his skills to make a living and support himself.  We see the same thing happening in our Muslim communities and societies. Why is it that someone with an MBA may or may not be paid according to what they deserve for their skills..in comparison to how much they would get paid in a non-Muslim firm. I for one would take a job in a Muslim environment over a job in a non-Muslim environment in heartbeat if I knew I would be paid according to what I would need and what I deserve. Alhumdulillah..for all the rizq Allah gives each and every one of us.  See, my philosophy is that one of the ways we can begin rebuilding (or building) our Muslim communities from the bottom-up is to pay people according to their credentials and hire them for their expertise. We need Muslim administrators, teachers, counselors, technicians, etc. etc. (i would say doctors but we have enough of those Alh.) If they sign up for work Fisabilillah, then they will explicitly state that, but exploiting people and not giving them what they should be getting is doing a disservice to the individual and the communtiy at large.  -Fi Amanillah- To back up my opinion: http://www.muslimahsource.org/new-from-our-experts/islamic-principles-career-choices/ [...]

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