WHICH DEPARTMENT ARE YOU?

If you are a worker, you get reward for the services rendered.

As a motor driver, you get paid for offering your vehicle, leaving your families and using your time and experience to convey strangers to a far destination.

 You do not mind the risk of a long journey to a place where you have no personal business except to bring others to the venue of their own business.

But if you have done this for yourselves or your family members, do you expect reward from any one? To whom have you rendered this sacrifice?

As a teacher, you get paid because you develop human capacity in others for the good of the society. The society pays you. You are a worker serving the society, a civil servant.

But if you are teaching your own children or learning for yourself, who pays you? Hopefully, you expect no salary from anyone.

So, in essence, workers are two type: personal or community (societal). As a personal worker, your effort is self directed. If you expect reward from others, be a community worker. Contribute to the world progress and the human society.

Allah mentioned workers in these verses:

'excellent is the reward of the workers (the working class) (Q3:136)'

Also repeated two more times: Q29:58 and Q39:74

When we say Islamic worker, we do not mean those who concentrate primarily on themselves: say their own prayers, fast their own fasting, recite the Qur'an and go to hajj and then go to relax. To them, every other thing is fine. Every man for himself. Surely, they will surely be rewarded because of their good deeds.

But in terms of going extra to work for the society, which departments are you?

There are teachers teaching Islamic studies.

There are people who found Islamic schools to islamize the christianized educational systems.

There are Muslims who went to study medicine purposely for protecting the abuse of privacy of the Muslim women.

There are imaams and ustadh who have sacrificed everything to giving lectures online and offline. Throughout Ramadhaan and even before and after, we benefit from their true knowledge.

There are NGOs who are devoted to feeding people in Ramadhaan; those in charge of zakaat; those in charge of raising funds for the sick, those giving prizes to essay writing to improve Islamic scholarship etc.

There are Muslim writers who educate and comment on contemporary issues. Many of them publish newspapers, set blogspot while some are familiar on social media to challenge rumours, correct fake news and issue press releases in defence of injustices.

Which Islamic work have you done in the last one month? In which committee have you served?

Educational, economic and empowerment, human rights, skill acquision and training... Which department are you?

Your own fasting and prayers are statutory duties. They are good for your personal spiritual ascention but not much of great impact and benefit to the world around you.

If everyone concentrates on his spiritual self alone and not have done any communal work for months as we have been doing, Islam would not have been a blessing to the Widows, orphans, the abused, the raped, the killed, the oppressed, the displaced, the hungry, the sick, the prisoners, the lost and the depressed.

Let us be Islamic workers and not just being private Muslims. We have got to be on the road not on the chairs. The Islamic work is enormous.

Convey the team. Encourage others to join you. Your reward shall be greater in shaa Allah.

'Struggle in the way of Allah. You are held responsible by your (doings) only. And motivate the believers (to join you)... Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have his share of reward therein and whoever intercedes for an evil cause will have his burden therefrom. Verily, Allah is ever a keeper (of records) over all things(Q4: 84-85)'

May Allah enable us for no good is accomplished except by His permission.