Three misconceptions about faith that are ruining your career (part 1)

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Faith and spirituality form a powerful force in human nature. They offer meaning and purpose to life, give a sense of community, and instill values and ideals to live up to that help people become better versions of themselves.

However, sometimes certain concepts in faith can be misunderstood, leading to a detrimental effect on one’s outlook on their life and career. In this article series, I will explore three misconceptions that affect your career as a Muslim working professional:

MISCONCEPTION 1: NEGLECT THE DUNYA

Many Muslims will have heard people say things like “the dunya [this world] is bad, and one should focus on their hereafter instead of this world."

Before I challenge this statement, I want us to think about the impact this statement has on the mindset of a Muslim working professional. Unfortunately, this concept creates apathy and loss of drive and motivation to pursue one’s career goals. I've coached many professionals who have wanted to quit their jobs, and when I ask them why, their primary reason is this idea that the dunya is bad.

But is this statement true? Does Islam support such an idea? A cursory look at Quranic verses and Prophetic sayings might suggest that it does, but a closer look shows that this is a misconstrued interpretation.

The Quran is an exact book. When you read verses that are speaking about this world in a negative sense, you’ll notice that the Quran uses the term ‘hayatul dunya’, or ‘worldly life’. Note this verse:

“Allah extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. And they rejoice in the worldly life, while the worldly life is not, compared to the Hereafter, except [brief] enjoyment.” (The Quran, 13:26)

In another verse, the Quran reminds believers what their relationship with this world should be:

“But seek, through that which Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and [yet] do not forget your share of the world. And do good as Allah has done good to you. And desire not corruption in the land. Indeed, Allah does not like corrupters.” (The Quran 28:77)

So what does this mean? It means that one should not see this world and its comforts as ends in themselves. Instead, one should seek to benefit from this world as a place to cultivate success in the hereafter.

It’s a matter of perspective and purpose. If I’m pursuing my career solely to get a bigger house, car, and a significant bank balance, with no regard to my purpose in life, my value system or the rights of those around me, then yes, my faith should give me pause and remind me that this world is bad and that I should be careful not to ruin myself and my hereafter as a result of indulging in it. However, if I pursue my career with the intention of fulfilling my role in this world, being impactful, fulfilling my responsibilities, being charitable, and contributing to my community, then this worldly pursuit becomes a spiritual quest in itself.

It was this relationship with the dunya that thinkers, innovators, scientists and artists during the Golden Age of the Islam understood. They pursued their vocations to produce meaningful work that would make a difference in people’s lives and contribute to the civilization they were building, hence the incredible scientific discoveries and beautiful pieces of art from that age.

The next time you hear your Muslim colleague moan and groan about how the dunya is terrible and that one should forget this world to focus purely on the hereafter, remind them that the dunya is like farmland for what is to come; what you sow and plow here will harvested there. So sow the seeds of good intentions and good deeds, work hard to cultivate this world with meaning and purpose, and you'll reap the rewards in the hereafter.

Mohammed Faris is an international coach, author, and speaker who helps professionals and entrepreneurs achieve peak performance through productivity training and coaching. He’s the founder of ProductiveMuslim.com and author of “The Productive Muslim: Where Faith Meets Productivity”.

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