Work, the system and a frustrated writer.

[new2010]

Assalamualaikum wa rahmetullahi barakatuhu,

I am wondering what you guys work as? No matter how I look at it, I always find points in jobs that will contradict with Islamic principles or that fit not into my thinking of ethics.

If you study something in humanities you probably end as a taxi driver, in a worse case jobless or as a slave for the industry. If you study something in the economics, you will get a job but probably for a company that oppresses his employees, not to forget that you will have great likelihood to deal with ribaa - in any way. If you work as a Manager, you have to add those evil things into your calculations; work with them indirectly.

Even if you go to economics, you will be in the midst capitalism and try to maximize the profit of the company. No compromises - human rights? Who cares! Environment? Boring: coal is suddenly good again! Even tough you can work as Project Manager, of course you will be within the system, but I think there no way out. If you want to have a roof over your head, you need to do something. I personally only see two options:

1. Get oppressed.
2. Be the oppressor.

That's pretty rough view. However, it's like the survival of the fittest. The oppressed wants to be judged rightfully or wants to escape from his work situation and increase in his position to become a oppressor; just to not be anymore the oppressed. Of course there might be niches and it always depends on what you individually do in a situation. E.g your chef wants to oppress? Don't oppress! Fight against it. Create something at your own. But this is time consuming and personally I think it's not worth. You can spend your time with useful stuff instead of just trying to maximize your profit or to fulfil the critics of this system. Life is all about compromises, but it shouldn't be at the expense of the Deen and your ethical convictions.

We live in societies - especially in the west - where greed has became something good. In a system that is based on greed. That's all well and good, but do we need to participate? How can we find a way of having a job that fulfils oneself and not go against values that actually should consensus of all people.

Long story short: Are there any other ways to spend your life time at work without doing something useless? No matter how I look at it, if you want to do something useful you need to go into the social branch. Or can someone here convince me that you can change the world to a better place when you study a field of economics? One good point as a Project Manager is, you're most likely learning to manage time. And Allah swears by time in Surat Asr. So that actually is the most valuable we have. btw; Can you imagine, we've the 28th of January? The month is almost over, haven't the people celebrated the new year just some days ago?

...gruesome.

[aadil77]

Walaykum asalam

Those are some good points you've picked up on. There are many fields that you can go into that can give you skills to help others. Some examples: Medical, Law, Islamic finance, Renewable energy engineering, media.

Essentially muslims are needed in all fields but some fields are more beneficial than others. Try to choose a field that will give you the ability to setup your own business later on, with the business you will have more flexibility and more income which you can use for charitable means.

[Zeal]

Assalamualaikum wa rahmetullahi barakatuhu,

I am wondering what you guys work as? No matter how I look at it, I always find points in jobs that will contradict with Islamic principles or that fit not into my thinking of ethics.

If you study something in humanities you probably end as a taxi driver, in a worse case jobless or as a slave for the industry. If you study something in the economics, you will get a job but probably for a company that oppresses his employees, not to forget that you will have great likelihood to deal with ribaa - in any way. If you work as a Manager, you have to add those evil things into your calculations; work with them indirectly.

Even if you go to economics, you will be in the midst capitalism and try to maximize the profit of the company. No compromises - human rights? Who cares! Environment? Boring: coal is suddenly good again! Even tough you can work as Project Manager, of course you will be within the system, but I think there no way out. If you want to have a roof over your head, you need to do something. I personally only see two options:

1. Get oppressed.
2. Be the oppressor.

That's pretty rough view. However, it's like the survival of the fittest. The oppressed wants to be judged rightfully or wants to escape from his work situation and increase in his position to become a oppressor; just to not be anymore the oppressed. Of course there might be niches and it always depends on what you individually do in a situation. E.g your chef wants to oppress? Don't oppress! Fight against it. Create something at your own. But this is time consuming and personally I think it's not worth. You can spend your time with useful stuff instead of just trying to maximize your profit or to fulfil the critics of this system. Life is all about compromises, but it shouldn't be at the expense of the Deen and your ethical convictions.

We live in societies - especially in the west - where greed has became something good. In a system that is based on greed. That's all well and good, but do we need to participate? How can we find a way of having a job that fulfils oneself and not go against values that actually should consensus of all people.

Long story short: Are there any other ways to spend your life time at work without doing something useless? No matter how I look at it, if you want to do something useful you need to go into the social branch. Or can someone here convince me that you can change the world to a better place when you study a field of economics? One good point as a Project Manager is, you're most likely learning to manage time. And Allah swears by time in Surat Asr. So that actually is the most valuable we have. btw; Can you imagine, we've the 28th of January? The month is almost over, haven't the people celebrated the new year just some days ago?

...gruesome.

Moving to a muslim country would open up better options I'm sure.

[M.I.A.]

the world..its like learning how to box.

you quickly gain confidence.

and just as easily lose confidence.

you quickly learn to recognise those that have potential. those that have recognition and those that have talent.

but nine times out of ten, you will just pick on the smaller guy.

if you have the potenial or develop a talent.. its less about confidence and more about what you really are.

you cant ever pretend to be a boxer.

either you answer or the system does..

but mark my words.. there is no beating allah swt..

there is no betting on rigged games.

if you had a man to your left, right, front and back.. at the very least they would know.

who wins? riba?

learn to work the system. no point looking through the window from the outside.

and its a hell of a struggle when everybody wants to be the champion of the world.

may allah swt make it easy for you..

dont spend your time hitting yourself in the face.

things happen just as they are suppose god willing.

for the patient, the persevering, those that are truly humble and not cought up..

in what the world wants them to be.

i should pray more often.

as mlk said..

If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well.

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[ardianto]

Wa'alaikumsalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

I studied in faculty of economics, majoring in business management. Now I manage my own business.

I never oppress my employees because it would disturb their work performance. I work under system, but I always find a space for my own creativity. I must serve my customers, and I able to make a balance between what customers want and what I can do.

Bro, reality of life is not as bad as your negative assumption. Try to change your negative mindset into positive mindset. Start from see yourself in positive view, then you will be able to see the world in positive view which you see hopes and you know what you can do.

I never think to change the world to be better because I know I am too small for the world. But I always think about something small, how to change myself to be better and can give benefit for the others.

When you wrote this thread, yes, January is almost over. Okay, my question, how many percent of your plans for January that have been accomplished?.

:)

[new2010]

Walaykum asalam

Those are some good points you've picked up on. There are many fields that you can go into that can give you skills to help others. Some examples: Medical, Law, Islamic finance, Renewable energy engineering, media.

Essentially muslims are needed in all fields but some fields are more beneficial than others. Try to choose a field that will give you the ability to setup your own business later on, with the business you will have more flexibility and more income which you can use for charitable means.

What do you mean by media? Journalism, Web designer? Renewable energy engineering would be great, but it's hard to study.

Moving to a muslim country would open up better options I'm sure.

Yeah, that the long term aim. But are Muslim countries really free of that evil?

as mlk said..

If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well.

Yes, your're right with that, I do agree! There are no small jobs or things you do as long as your intention is clean.

Wa'alaikumsalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

I studied in faculty of economics, majoring in business management. Now I manage my own business.

I never oppress my employees because it would disturb their work performance. I work under system, but I always find a space for my own creativity. I must serve my customers, and I able to make a balance between what customers want and what I can do.

Bro, reality of life is not as bad as your negative assumption. Try to change your negative mindset into positive mindset. Start from see yourself in positive view, then you will be able to see the world in positive view which you see hopes and you know what you can do.

I never think to change the world to be better because I know I am too small for the world. But I always think about something small, how to change myself to be better and can give benefit for the others.

When you wrote this thread, yes, January is almost over. Okay, my question, how many percent of your plans for January that have been accomplished?.

:)

I do agree with you, too. I mean of course you can build a business, have huge turnover and help other people. Not just by giving them a job, but also in investing in infrastructure of developing countries or build up a system that catches up people in need. But that's it? This idea of being a business man is so unromantic. Just business, business, business, money, money, money.

I get a couple of things done of my to do list. But it could be better, I do work on my discipline and time management skills. Actually I know how it works and I am good at planning it, but for some a reason it's not easy to set into practice.

[azc]

Assalamualaikum wa rahmetullahi barakatuhu, I am wondering what you guys work as? No matter how I look at it, I always find points in jobs that will contradict with Islamic principles or that fit not into my thinking of ethics. If you study something in humanities you probably end as a taxi driver, in a worse case jobless or as a slave for the industry. If you study something in the economics, you will get a job but probably for a company that oppresses his employees, not to forget that you will have great likelihood to deal with ribaa - in any way. If you work as a Manager, you have to add those evil things into your calculations; work with them indirectly. Even if you go to economics, you will be in the midst capitalism and try to maximize the profit of the company. No compromises - human rights? Who cares! Environment? Boring: coal is suddenly good again! Even tough you can work as Project Manager, of course you will be within the system, but I think there no way out. If you want to have a roof over your head, you need to do something. I personally only see two options: 1. Get oppressed. 2. Be the oppressor. That's pretty rough view. However, it's like the survival of the fittest. The oppressed wants to be judged rightfully or wants to escape from his work situation and increase in his position to become a oppressor; just to not be anymore the oppressed. Of course there might be niches and it always depends on what you individually do in a situation. E.g your chef wants to oppress? Don't oppress! Fight against it. Create something at your own. But this is time consuming and personally I think it's not worth. You can spend your time with useful stuff instead of just trying to maximize your profit or to fulfil the critics of this system. Life is all about compromises, but it shouldn't be at the expense of the Deen and your ethical convictions. We live in societies - especially in the west - where greed has became something good. In a system that is based on greed. That's all well and good, but do we need to participate? How can we find a way of having a job that fulfils oneself and not go against values that actually should consensus of all people. Long story short: Are there any other ways to spend your life time at work without doing something useless? No matter how I look at it, if you want to do something useful you need to go into the social branch. Or can someone here convince me that you can change the world to a better place when you study a field of economics? One good point as a Project Manager is, you're most likely learning to manage time. And Allah swears by time in Surat Asr. So that actually is the most valuable we have. btw; Can you imagine, we've the 28th of January? The month is almost over, haven't the people celebrated the new year just some days ago? ...gruesome.

:wa: Are you on the mission to make Muslims jobless.?

[new2010]

:wa: Are you on the mission to make Muslims jobless.?

assalam alaikum,

I cannot see any part in my text that would contain such a message! So please stop claiming such things.