Living Life (A Reflection of Perfectionism and Productivity based on Islamic Perspective)
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.
About the Author
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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
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