Latest Posts

Living Life (A Reflection of Perfectionism and Productivity based on Islamic Perspective)

By 22.13

Bismillah.


Okay, I’ll start with something that I always think about, peace, happiness, self-well-being and productivity. I’m type of person who overthinks almost everything in my life and really perfectionist. I wanted my life to be meaningful and valuable. So I read many articles, books and watch movies, videos, listen to audios from many experts, psychologists or scholars. I try to find meaning of life. And I satisfy with what my religion, Islam, explains, to pray to God, dedicating my life to please Allah. That’s logic because what does a creator wanted from his creation except for pleasing him?

So time flies, I was really interested at psychology, but now I’m an Islamic Economic Law sophomore, I learn a lot about money, economy and wealth. Finally I found that money isn’t an essential cause of happiness, actually, it is the essential cause of many problems in the world.

I read many motivational, self-help and personal development books, most of them are focused only to one or two theme, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie talk about human social relationship, then I wonder, so if we could be accepted by society we’ll be happy? Unfortunately I’m an introvert, so I don’t really like to be socially open.

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne teaches about the importance of positive mindset, husnudzon, and that was great book I think, but Islam has taught that concept almost 1400 years ago, then the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey and Eat that Frog by Brian Tracy tell about productivity, making life plan and stick to the rules.. I have tried it, but sometimes I get confused about what should be my main purpose, what is the biggest thing I want to achieve, what is the proper target of my activities? I’m thirsty for only one thing to be remembered, simple motto for life, which every positive thing will follow.

When I focused on health for example, I’ll be too prevent, forbid my sweet teeth habit, I can’t enjoy delicious foods, every morning I had to exercise or jogging instead of helping my mother preparing breakfast, there I sacrificed quality time with my family..

When I focused on beauty, I spent my money for cosmetics that often not suitable for my skin type, it seems like I’m too selfish thinking about my appearance, my mother said, “the real beauty appears from inside”, so I try to love myself, and since beautiful is a relative word based on perspective (and also the angle of camera, sometimes), every woman is beautiful just the way she is.

Then productivity, since I’m a perfectionism addict, I try to spend my day beneficially, profitable and of course productive, I made plans, annual, monthly, weekly and even daily, I made time deadline of every task. But when I finished a task and start to arrange another new task, I always think, what do I really want? What is this for? It feels like I need to do this just to be a productive person or seen as one? In fact I have experienced finishing everything completely as same as my plan last year, Alhamdulillah, I achieved all of my checklists.. But when it was done, I don’t really feel satisfied, there’s a feeling that I should do more, it’s not enough, slightly, but inside my deepest heart, I feel empty, all gifts, adore glances, compliments, certificates, those are not what I wanted.

Where is the barakah? I watch Productive Muslim video by Mohammed Faris and it does inspire me, change the way I think, Barakah will be there if we do it sincerely, in Islam it means, Ikhlas, for Allah. I asked myself, who am I struggling for? Who is all my achievements for? Selfishly just for pleasing myself or for pleasing Allah as His servant? Barakah, he explained, do less for more, maximizing the impact of the output. It contains mindset, value and ritual.
Now I get the satisfying answer of ‘why I should be productive?’, so here are the reasons:

1.   It’s the path of the Messengers, all of the prophets are productive person, they do their job responsibly, prophet Idris (Enoch) was a tailor, prophet Zakariya (Zechariah) was a carpenter, prophet Isa (Jesus) and prophet Muhammad were a shepherd, etc. If they as our role model, are work hard and being productive for making money so they don’t burden others for their financial needs, then how about us?

2.   It’s the key to success, success in the world means a lot, it could be have a good health, good family relationship or good at career, whatever it is, it requires productive effort.

3.   It gives meaning to life, life is boring and tasteless if we just sit down and do nothing.

4.   It makes our Prophet proud, we are the representative of the best ummah, Muslim ummah, it’s shameless if we are lazy, consumptive and import more that export. So be productive, make our prophet proud and try the best to thank Rasulullah shallallahu alaihi wasallam for what he has done for us, especially for bringing Islam to us.

The right key to be productive in everything in any area are knowledge, action and consistency. The last is the most important that we always lack of it. Even Rasulullah shallallahu alaihi wasallam said in hadits, “the best of deeds are the ones but are consistent even if they are small”. And the way for consistency is discipline which means do everything needed even if we don’t like, that’s it.

Then, what we should do is managing our life and also spiritual submission, because we as Muslims are belong to Allah Ta’ala, so we can’t do anything without His permission, there we realizes verse 5 of surah Al-Fatiha : {It is You we worship and You we ask for help}, we need His help to worship Him. And most of non-muslims are focused on managing their life but forget the spiritual submission.

Now, how to become discipline? These are the ingredients: higher purpose (and the highest is Allah’s blessing) + constant practice (do the same every single day just like Islam teaches shalat and fasting) + self-accountability (the scroll of good deed and sin). We have this perfect concept to be followed in our religion, Alhamdulillah.

So Productive Muslim is who have spiritual strength (Iman), physical vitality and social responsibility. If you can combine that three, you get productive muslim lifestyle.

Finally I realized, now, that if I really want the best of all (anything in the world), the most beautiful and proper purpose, it is Allah, His blessing, Jannah.. It’s above all the great things I ever knew.

Do everything for Allah, even work, wealth and money, are just a tool for survive in this Adam’s prison (aka Dun-ya), my home and your home is in Jannah, Insya Allah, because there was the first human Allah created, Adam, belong to. Life is just a journey, from Allah, for Allah and to Allah. Mind good, do good and purpose good.. We will be responsible for everything we do in this world, our youth, our health, our wealth, our time, our life.

So, finally, I want to dedicate my life to do something useful, beneficial to me (get good deeds from Allah) and to others. I won’t be too selfish, as long as Allah like it, I’ll do. And the other positive things will follow, health, peace, success and happiness. My purpose is Allah, so all my activities, my tasks, my times must be based on that, insya Allah.
Wallahu A’lam.


Ps. I apologize for my bad English and grammar.
Bogor, September 4, 2018.

You Might Also Like

1 comments

  1. ومن أعرض عن ذكري فإن له معيشة ضنكا ونحشره يوم القيامة أعمى، قال رب لم حشرتني أعمى وقد كنت بصيرا، قال كذلك أتتك أيتنا فنسيتها وكذلك اليوم تنسى

    BalasHapus

Thank you so much if you're going to comment my post, give advice or criticism. I'm so happy ^_^ But please don't advertising and comment with bad words here. Thanks !

♥ Aisyah