What comes to mind when you think about success and productivity? For me, like probably most
people today, the first thing that comes to mind are the billionaires and entrepreneurs that are
household names. I mean, clearly, they must be doing something right with their their time if
they “made it this in far life.” But of course, that’s because our world today defines success
based on fame and wealth. The more money you want, the more productive you must be. I’d like to think
that, as Muslims, we can agree that our lives are not defined by these goals. And before we
talk about tips to implement good habits, we’ve got to reorient the purpose we’re here for.
One of the most powerful sayings of the Prophet (saw) that really captures not simply our purpose
in life, but the direct and immediate role Allah (swt) has in facilitating our affairs
is one in which he states: Man kanat al-akhiratu hammahu, that the person who make the next life
their primary concern--hammahu--their goals, their desires, ja’al Allahu ghinahu fi qalbihi,
Allah (swt) will place wealth or abundance in their hearts, wa-jama’a lahu shamlahu,
and He will organize this person’s affairs, wa-atathu al-dunya wa-hiya
raghima--and this world will come to them whether it-- here meaning the world--wants to or not.
This is incredibly profound because it puts our lives into so much perspective.
When we revolve our decisions and actions around the intention and the constant goal of pursuing
God’s pleasure in the next life, all of the doors of this world will open right before your eyes.
Allah promises us that the world--no matter how corrupt we humans make it--the world will still
come to you, the believer seeking everything but the world. Wa jama’a lahu shamlahu--such
an incredible promise. Translating it as “Allah will organize this person’s affairs” doesn’t do
this statement justice. Imagine an endless list of tasks that you have to get through.
Some are work related, some family, some personal. Some need hours of attention, while others require
running countless errands. When the Prophet (saw) says that Allah will jama’a lahu shamlahu,
it means that all of those endless tasks, that seemed scattered and require so much time,
will effortlessly come together. And you’ll suddenly find yourself accomplishing multiple
tasks quickly and with ease. In other words, the person who keeps their eyes
on the prize and truly defines their life based on the purpose they were created for,
will not only be blessed in their time and work, but most importantly, ja’ala Allahu ghinahu fi
qalbihi--Allah will fill their heart with a sense of abundance, accomplishment, and true fulfillment
that very few people in this world experience. The hadith, however, doesn’t stop there.
On the flip side, we learn of the consequences of those whose sole focus in this world--the
intention behind which they build their goals and habits--is in pursuit of this world alone,
and the fame and riches it offers. Allah says in regard to these people,
they will only ever get exactly what has been decreed for them--no more, no less. Meaning
that they are entirely deprived of any form of barakah--or blessing in one’s time, efforts,
health, family, you name it. And on top of that, farraqa aw shattata alayhi shamlahu, their affairs
will be scattered. Think back again to that endless list of tasks you need to accomplish.
Think of each task as a paper stacked on your desk. You’ve got a pile to get through. When
the Prophet says that Allah will scatter their affairs, imagine that huge pile of papers on your
desk flying in the wind and scattering in every direction. You’re then left running to chase after
each task, making everything that much harder and more time consuming. And at the end of the day,
the one who is looking only to find happiness in this world, ja’ala Allahu faqrahu bayna
aynayhi--that Allah will stamp poverty, a lack of success, that sense of emptiness,
between that person’s eyes. Which is to say that, such a person, no matter how hard they try,
will never gain a true sense of accomplishment in this world.
Real achievement is far from the lives of the multi million and billionaires we are
so familiar with today. Our lives have meaning so much greater than that, and only by living
in hopes of fulfilling our true purpose will we experience our peak productivity and success.