Some of my friends keep referring to Work Ethic. And every time they say that, I wish to think of just one name: Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam. 

If ever there was such thing as Work Ethic in this world, it was all him. And it all came from him.

Whether he was dealing with God in Heaven, or with human beings on earth, everything Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam, ever did in this world, he did it to “perfection.”

As a result, in every conceivable sense, he was the best young man, the best husband, the best father, the best friend, the best companion — in fact the best at everything that he ever engaged in.

So much so that even on the battlefield he was the best warrior around. To a point that when the battle really heated up, other mighty warriors, sought his protection and flocked near and around him.

And that same Work Ethic was also something that he taught his followers whom he called his Companions.

And through his blessed and noble Companions he taught the whole world the same Work Ethic. He said, what I paraphrase here broadly as:

“Whenever you do something, do it to perfection.”

He called that level of human “perfection” in all human actions Itqaan.

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There is always a time and a place for everything that happens in this world. And often there is a man — call it an inpidual, for, it could be a man or a woman — to do it. To trigger or spearhead it as it were.

To know this and to believe this is Eemaan!

To wait for it to happen is Sabr!

To accept what happens — after you have done your best to produce the best possible results, and to remedy the worst situation and circumstance, and in every way to minimize and control damage as much as you can — is Ridaa!

And the thing that happens — when and as and how it does — can neither be delayed nor hurried. This is called Qadaa‘ or Qadr: Allah’s decree, writ or mandate.

Here is the Qur’an on the subject:

Inna Ajalallahi Idhaa Jaa-a Laa Yu-Akhkhar!

Wa Laa Yastaqdimoona Saa’atan Wa Laa Yasta’khiroon!

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With regard to anything — anything Halal and, in most cases, lawful that is — when you do a proper professional job with it, you can turn around and call it Islamic.

Because that is what Islam is: Doing things the right way and doing them the proper professional way.

For, what are Muslims if not God Almighty’s Professionals on his earth?

On God Almighty’s direct payroll. And on a direct mandate from God Almighty — to fix everything with God’s earth.

And to respond to every distress call from everyone of God’s creatures on earth.

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Those of us who think we are “Working for Allah” like to feel good. And every once in a while, every human being, rich or poor, good or bad, could do with a little bit of feeling good.

And from time to time we like to congratulate ourselves and say nice things about ourselves and about the work we do. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

We say, look how fast we are writing and producing Islamic Literature and how much of it in a fairly short time.

We even call ourselves “prolific” and would freely start throwing words like “gifted” around if modesty and a sense of shame did not leap to the rescue and stopped our tongue.

And we say look how fast we are printing and publishing and distributing Islamic Literature.

All these are wonderful things. May Allah accept them and grant them success.

Provided of course that what we are writing is first-rate material and not third-rate stuff.

And also hoping our printing, proofreading, editing, production and everything else of that kind is up to the best professional standards that we can manage.

That is because for one thing, writing and producing third-rate material is worse than not writing and printing anything.

But more importantly, Allah does not even look at stuff that is not the best of its kind. The Qur’an makes this perfectly clear.

And so does the Hadith.

And there is one more thing these good people – all those people who write and print and distribute Islamic Literature and undertake other related activities of that kind – may want to keep in mind.

This literature that they are writing and printing and distributing now should have been written and produced and made available to the world at least 50 if not 100 years earlier.

Allah of course does what he does, and he has own perfect timing for doing what he does. There is no denying or disputing that.

But at the same time, what is to tell that Muslims, by and large, by not making first-rate Islamic Literature in the English language available to the world 50 or even 100 years earlier may have lost several generations of potential Muslim converts – from both Muslim and non-Muslim backgrounds.

So, these wonderful folks have at least 50 years of catching up to do – if not a full 100 years worth.

That thought alone should keep them on their toes in case any of them thought of sitting down and taking some rest or lying down and resting their backs.

But still should they all feel good about what they do and about what they accomplish on a daily basis?

Absolutely! Not a doubt about it.

But the best way to feel good in a situation like this is to turn to Almighty Allah constantly; to break down and cry before him frequently; and to beg him to help us, and to bless and guide what we do, and to make it easy and enjoyable and fruitful for us – and for his world.

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Here is a bit of general advice to you all. Not that you have to take it; or read it in the first place; or pay any attention to it once you read it.

Yet, all those caveats notwithstanding, here is the advice:

“Don’t obsess. Don’t let it go to your head. But, with regard to anything, if it is not the best, don’t touch it. Even though there is some merit to saying take whatever is out there and use it as basis to work your way forward.”

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(Dr. Pasha)