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[...] 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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