قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ “ مَنْ أَصْبَحَ مِنْكُمْ مُعَافًى فِي جَسَدِهِ آمِنًا فِي سِرْبِهِ عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا حِيزَتْ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا
It was narrated from Salamah bin ‘Ubaidullah bin Mihsan Al-Ansari, RadhiAllahu Anhu that his father said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Whoever among you wakes up physically healthy, feeling safe and secure within himself, with food for the day, it is as if he acquired the whole world.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]
Barakah culture is about having ridaa, or contentment with where you are and what you have.
Hustle culture is about never being satisfied, never settling, and never accepting your current reality.
If you’re wondering whether this means that one should never be ambitious, the answer is: it depends:
If your ambition is God-centered, Hereafter-focused, purpose and impact driven, then you should seek that ambition while being content with where you are and what you have.
If, however, your ambition is ego-centred, worldly-focused and solely linked to personal success, whatever the cost, then you’re falling for the mirage success perpetrated by Hustle culture.
‘Barakah culture is about having ridaa, or contentment with where you are and what you have. Hustle culture is about never being satisfied, never settling, and never accepting your current reality.’
The power of contentment is that it makes you enjoy the blessings of life with all its trials and tribulations. Lack of contentment makes life hard to tolerate, especially when a calamity hits you and throws you off-guard.
Thought Experiments for Individuals:
The next time you feel discontent with your life, annoyed at the smallest things, pause and ask yourself: how can I be more content?
What are your ambitions in life? How many of them are God-centered, Hereafter-focused, and purpose- and impact-driven?
How would your life be if you were more content and stopped being stressed with “what if” and “if only” and “I wish I had…”?.
Thought Experiments for Teams:
What do you appreciate about your team and the work you do? What makes you content?
How can you manage your team/company’s ambitions while being content with the journey you have taken together so far?