Working for a Higher Goal
Man should learn to work in spite of excuses and should continue his activities. Such people achieve higher goals in the present world, and they are destined for success and progress in the next world as well.
The Prophet of Islam once observed: “There are two blessings about which people are deceived: health and free time.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6412)
In leading one’s life in this world, there are two things which are necessary if anything is to be accomplished. These two things are health and time—undoubtedly great blessings of God. It generally happens that a person is so engaged in economic activities that he is not able to devote his time to higher purposes, while living for higher purposes in life is the essence of humanity. Those who live only for making money are leading a life like that of the animals.
When the time comes for working towards a higher goal in life, most people think that only when they have enough time and are in good health, will they involve themselves in such work. But in life it never happens that both health and time exist in their ideal form. In most cases, if one is in good health, there is no time and if one has the time, he is in poor health. Setting the conditions of health and time for achieving a higher goal means that a person will never be able to do anything for a higher purpose in life until, finally, death puts an end to everything.
Life is punctuated by excuses. Sometime a person has the excuse of deteriorating health and sometimes he has the excuse of a lack of time. Now wisdom dictates that one should never use these things as excuses. Such excuses should be considered as being unworthy of consideration.
Shortcomings in life are not meant to weaken a person’s resolve. Shortcomings in life should act rather as a driving force. The feeling of shortcoming or inadequacy should only increase one’s intellectual activity. The feeling of something being lacking should make a common person into an extraordinary person.
A person should learn to work in spite of excuses and should continue his activities. It is such people who achieve higher goals in the present world and are destined for success and progress.
