Bihar Anjuman believes in self-help rather than charity

Voluntary work v/s Paid work, a simplistic comparison

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Following comparison is to help us decide on the path to choose for our remaining life ... Author: Shakeel Ahmad [shakeeluae (AT) gmail (DOT) com]

Category Voluntary Work Paid Work
Entry By volunteer’s choice + Allah’s help By worker’s choice (less value) + Employer’s choice (more dominant) + Allah’s will
Exit By volunteer’s choice + Allah’s will By worker’s choice (less value) + Employer’s choice (more dominant) + Allah’s will + legal (contractual)
Type of work Volunteer's discretion Employer's discretion
Contract Under contract with Allah, through commitment (52:21) Under contract with employer (humans)
Time-frame for completing the work Volunteer’s discretion Employer’s discretion (usually based on time needed to complete work)
Accountable to whom? Accountable to Allah Accountable to a person/ organization
Performance Assessment As committed; Self-assessment, but ultimately judged by Allah, the Most Just Employer’s system of performance appraisals
Penalty for non-fulfillment of commitment (breach of contract) Nothing in this world. But, increases risk of losing a place in jannah, and consequent permanent life in hell.      As per contact, usually loss of reputation, finance, or employment; possibly legal complications also.
Benefits to society Large benefits, free-of-cost Small benefits at a cost
Benefits to nation Large benefits, free-of-cost Large benefits at large cost
Level of difficulty in our times High: due to lack of attention to policies, processes, and procedures. Lack of training and cultural orientation.
No difficulties: If volunteer’s intent is pure, Allah takes care.		 Less: because policies, processes, and procedures are well defined.
High: due to failure of man-made systems, internal and external politics, games people play to satisfy their ego.
Job satisfaction Contented heart (Nafs Al Mutmainnah) Rare. Satisfaction, if any, is temporary and shallow.
Motivation to overcome challenges to execution of work undertaken Depends on urge to please Allah and level of faith (eiman), urge to train the nafs towards top level (mutmainnah). Depends on urge to please oneself, the bosses, and attached incentives or fear of punishments due to consequent failure.
Penalty for failure None, if the intention was right, and sufficient efforts were made. Heavy. Most employers are interested in positive outcomes, except in high-risk work.
Assurance of returns 1. Akhirah: Recognition by Allah, rise in status, eternal stay in Jannah, risk-free unlimited returns.
2. World: cancelling of sin, emotional fulfillment (self-actualization, nafs al-mutmainnah), love of society, recognition, reputation, rise in status. 		Returns are limited to this world:
1. As laid down in the contract, but usually less, due to tax-deductions.
2. Recognition, reputation, rise in status
3. Risky, depends on physical fitness, age
Frequency of returns, rewards, incentives Proportion of akhirah and world as intended by worker:
1. Akhirah: Unlimited, eternal
2. World: 24x7 		Regular, as promised in the contract, usually once a month.
Factors impeding returns on well-intended, well-executed work None. 1. Birth (descent) – returns very high to royals, risk much less
2. Gender – more to men
3. Nationality
4. Market conditions, socio-economic & political conditions
Return on permitted investments of time, money, efforts Infinite gain [1,000% (6:160) to 70,000% (2:261), and even more) profits, ZERO risk of loss. Limited (say, avg 5% to 25%) profit, risk of 100% loss is formidable (usually risk of loss is up to 50%).

"Disappointments are like road humps they slow you down a bit but you enjoy the smooth road afterwards. Don’t stay on the bumps too long. Just move on".
Allah tells us, “I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm’s length, I draw near to him a fathom’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed,” (Hadith Qudsi, Bukhari)
“… Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him – those are the party of Allah. Unquestionably, the party of Allah – they are the successful.” (Qur`an 58:22)


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