Annisa Essack | kzn@radioislam.org.za
4 September 2023 | 11:15 CAT
1 min read

Photo Credit: Top Islamic Network

Our careers, jobs, and pay cheques are blessings from Allah. To cultivate excellence in our work, we must strive for perfection and stay on the right track, even when things get tough.

Ask Allah for guidance
We can lose interest in our jobs due to various factors. Seeking guidance from Allah is crucial to bring positive changes to our lives. Asking for ihsan or excellence at work can be achieved by taking the first step ourselves. Allah promises to help those who help themselves.

Seek out your passion
Passion drives us, builds on our interests, motivates us to work harder, focuses us in the right direction with enthusiasm and makes us happy. To ensure you have ihsan for work, remember that you have to follow your passion. Most people who feel disgruntled about their jobs feel like they’re trawling through the months without progress or achievements and waiting for the pay cheque at the end of the month. This can slowly translate into demotivation, sluggishness, and boredom. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) advised us to do what we were interested in as long as it did not cause embarrassment. (Al-Bukhari) This reminds Muslims of the wide range of disciplines we can venture into as long as we abide by what God has prescribed as lawful.

Be courteous and friendly
To cultivate ihsan at work maintain good relationships with everyone. Be humble and respectful, and wish the best for others. The Qur’an reminds us to keep good relations with non-Muslims. Respond with kindness even in adversity. Building healthy, diverse relationships is crucial for a thriving society.

Be grateful for the good and bad days
To nurture ihsan in our work, we need to maintain an attitude of gratitude. Feeling grateful for everything reminds us of how small we are and that Allah gifts us daily blessings. The Qur’an teaches us that Allah rewards us with even more blessings when we express gratitude. But if we are ungrateful, God can take away what we have. Let’s remain grateful for all things, big and small.

Give in charity to please Allah
To cultivate the quality of ihsan in our work, it is crucial to donate to charity consistently. Generous givers usually have more blessings in their lives. Contributing to charity fosters gratitude purifies our financial resources, and helps us overcome any disappointments we may face in our personal and professional lives. It also serves as a reminder that many less fortunate people than us need our assistance. It is an honour that Allah has chosen us to be among those who help them.

Consider change positively
If you’re missing something in your work life, decide to change after asking for God’s guidance. Worship God through your work and strive to bring out the best in yourself. It’s not healthy to only work for worldly gains and remain unsatisfied. If we intend to please God, we will never go wrong.