Assalamualaikum my dear,

How have you been?

I was musing over what to share with you today when I came across something I’d began to write nearly 6 months ago. It’s a reflection that brought shivers down my spine and one that has impacted the way I view certain parts of my life, mainly my day job and the finances related to it, till today, 6 months on.

It was a profound reflection, but I remember as I started writing it up so excitedly to share it with you all, I stopped halfway because a part of me was worried about sending it out.

Because it was unlike the reflections I normally share here that are full of warmth and love and…

Hope.

But recently, while writing up a reflection on my Threads, I was reminded of the beautiful saying by Ibn Al Qayyim of how our journey to Allah should be like the bird. Let me share it with you -

And in that moment I decided - I wanted this reflection corner to be the corner that helped myself (and hopefully you) be that bird with strong wings on either side, soaring across the sky, in its journey to Allah.

So, bismillah.

The verse from last Ramadan

It’s a Ramadan afternoon. I’m tapping away at the keyboard, working my way through a chunky spreadsheet. I glance at the time in the corner of my laptop. It feels like the clock has barely moved. There’s hours still till the end of the work day. And even more hours till iftar. I mentally groan and try bring my focus back.

The day drags by and it’s a welcome relief to hear the lock of the front door turn open. It means it’s the end of the work day! And just a few hours till iftar too.

My husband walks in the room, coming home from work, eager to tell me what he heard in a podcast on his commute.

It’s Ramadan day 5 and so he was listening to the tafsir overview of Juz 5, in preparation for Taraweeh that night.

He asks me if I have ever heard of this verse before, and tells me the meaning.

I knew the exact verse he was referring to, as Juz 5 was one of my favourite ajza to review. It was also one of those verses whose meaning I found interesting but never really delved into.

Let me share the verse with you -

It was a verse telling businessman to not eat the wealth of others, meaning - to not cheat the people they’re trading with.

It didn’t seem to relate to my life much.

And so my thoughts wandered off to my normal reflections on that verse. Mainly to the lack of ethics within Muslim trade - from the suk (market) sellers of places abroad sniffing for a tourist to prey on to the Ebay sellers called ‘Muhammad’ selling fakes as though they were the originals. And being a victim firsthand or secondhand to this, I can’t help a (unwise, incorrect) thought cross my mind - no wonder Allah speaks so much about trade in the Quran, why is it so hard to trust a businessman?

These are all the thoughts running through my mind in this moment.

Them, them, them.

But Allah, the Most Wise, the Most Loving, brings me back to reality right in that moment.

My husband carries on -

Do you know that relates to us too?
It relates to our contracts that we have with our employers.

I’m back in my office chair, my laptop with the thousand spreadsheet tabs sits in front of me.

I sit there a bit dumbfounded for a few seconds because how stupid am I not to have seen that before?

I am also in a trade - a trade for my services in return for a paycheck.

And now my mind races to all the other verse of trade that I can think of on the top of my mind, because suddenly it’s no longer about them.

It’s about me.

The cursed group of people

Fast forward to the last day of Ramadan, the 30th fast. I am reading the final Juz of the Quran and I reach Surah Mutafifeen.

It’s a Surah that’s always been a bit tough to memorise but also a little bit scary because of its powerful start.

وَيْلٌۭ - ‘Woe to those…’ - A surah starting with Allah cursing a group of people.

But that day, it scared me a little more.

Because I knew this surah referred to the people of Shoayb (as)- a people who used to cheat in their trade.

And although verses of trade didn’t mean much to me a few days before, suddenly they were the verses that stuck out the most.

I had to delve deeper into this surah because I needed to know where I stood.

These are the first 6 verses:

Am I in this category of people?

Subhanallah, when I read these verses, a specific incident came to mind. I remember receiving a pay check a month or so back and receiving less than I was meant to. The second I noticed the discrepancy, I immediately sent an email to my payroll team asking for an explanation. They told me it was a tax code issue and to contact HMRC. Calling HMRC is always such an effort, but I called them anyway, chasing up my ‘full measure’.

I wanted every penny that was contracted to me from my employer, because errrm…excuse me, that’s what I was promised by you!

But when we flip the scenario, what is the situation?

What was I like in that trade of services for money? How was I with the services I gave them? Do I give them all the time I promised in my contract?

Or do I give less from my side but expect full measure from their side?

The longer lunch breaks, the multiple tea breaks with colleagues, the multi-tasking between house chores and work flash before my eyes.

Does that then make me like ‘Those who take full measure from people but give less when they measure…’

Does that then make me like the people of Madyan?

You could say that I’m ‘deeping’ it a bit much. But when it comes to Allahs curse, I dont mind ‘deeping’ it.

It’s a scary thought to even be anywhere near a bracket of people that Allah has cursed.

And more scarier with the way Allah ends this section of the Surah - Do such people not think that they will be resurrected for a tremendous Day— the Day ˹all˺ people will stand before the Lord of all worlds?

Working with my Lord in mind

I’m sharing this reflection not to provide a fiqhi opinion about how going for a longer lunch break is haraam or multi-tasking is voiding the contract, or anything like that. I’m not a scholar and so I have no idea and that isn’t the purpose of the reflection.

I wanted to share this reflection because I think it is very common in muslim circles to see their job as a chore, as a thing to do as quickly and minimally as possible to do the things that are more fulfilling to them - their family, their community work , their Islamic studies.

And that is beautiful, because yes, your job should not be the only thing you focus on. Yes, our careers are not our purpose on this earth.

But these verses are a reminder to not let our other obligations and passions outside of work impact the way we fulfil our contract with our employer.

Our employer may not mind, may not care, may not even be fulfilling their part of the contract. But remember, it is not our employers we are accountable to.

It is to Allah, our Lord.

It is He who will question us about how we fulfilled our contracts to them.

A few disclaimers

I know every job and its work patterns can be completely different to others, so please do take my whole reflection with a pinch of salt. This might not be relevant to you at all, and that’s ok!

But for myself, I knew I needed this wake up call. I knew that although I never outright cheated my employers, and I was doing my bit at work, I also knew deep down that I could do a lot more in those contracted hours if I wanted to.

If I kept in mind who I was really accountable to.

I also want to clarify (like I mentioned above) that this is not a reflection about the outright cheating that can be done as an employee - things like lying for sick leave to get an extra holiday or charging overtime when you haven’t worked overtime.

These are forms of outright lying and cheating. Both major sins that you will feel the affects of in this life (in the form of the lack of barakah in your money) and that will weigh heavily in your scale of sins in the Next. May Allah protect us from even being tempted to do these acts.

So sis,

If you are someone who is currently working - whether in their own business or under someone else - remember that the contracts you make are not just between you and other people. They are witnessed by your Lord too. Fulfil your contracts, your hours at work with ihsan and be fearful of being even near the people Allah cursed.

And trust me, you will see the affects of that in your life here - you will see a barakah in your money, in your relationships, in even your health. Because the money you earn, that you feed yourself with, that you feed your loved ones with will be purer than ever before.

And for my dear sister who is entering into the world of university degrees and career choices, keep in mind to choose a career you are ok to work hard in. To be able to really fulfil your contract. Don’t choose something that will give you money but will cause you to skirt your contract. That’s some heartfelt advice from your online big sis!

Until next time, salamun alaykum my dear 🤍

From your sis,
Thasneema 🌻

PS. If you know a sis who’d benefit from this letter, do share it forward. Or pass on this link so they can join our community too 🤍