1. How to ease the struggle

2. Promise of Allah forGood and Pure Life "Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily, to them will We give a new Life, a life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions. Nahal,16:97 3. Way to reach Jannah "Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately. . . Always adopt a middle, moderate,regular course, whereby you will reach your target (ofparadise)"- Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Hadith 470 4. What is balance between Islamicwork and family?It means to create harmony- a state in which nothing is out of proportion or unduly emphasized at the expense of the other. 5. Its advantages? Enhanced productivity and commitment to Islam,family and society. Less conflict between various roles within life- i.e.being a parent or a spouse. Better relationships with, colleagues, friends & family. Ability to feel more confident about life and behappier 6. Life is a juggling act.Bryan Dyson, a former CEO of Coca Cola Health Friends FamilyICNAwork Spirit Personal Excellence 7. Challenge of Balancing Life ISLAMICFAMILY WORK 8. Islam is balanced way of life Islam is a system of life (Deen) that is optimallybalanced in its design by Allah SWT based on Hisultimate knowledge and absolute wisdom.1And the Firmament has He raised high andHe has set up the balance (of Justice) .Inorder that ye may not transgress (due)balance. So establish weight with justice andfall not short in the balance. Rahman,55:7-9 9. Balance is shining feature ofMuslim Ummah Allah (SWT) has mentioned balance, moderation and equilibrium as the distinguishing feature of the Muslim UmmahThus have We made of you an Ummahjustly balanced that ye might be witnessesover the nations and the Apostle a witnessover yourselves Baqarah,2:143 10. Individual Muslims must bebalanced Islam expects its followers at a minimum, to bebalanced, moderate and fair in everything they do; andto strive towards excellence in goodness, as theirtarget. Always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course,whereby you will reach your target (of paradise)" (Bukhari) 11. Maintain balance as a Muslim Can be viewed from two perspectives:1. Balance in views, attitudes and focus2. Balance in assigning time and resources 12. 1- Balance in views Many Muslims regard Islam as a religion (a set ofreligious rituals They think balance is to be struck between Dunya(worldly matters) and Deen(misunderstood asmerely religion) To give enough time to religious rituals in a way thattheir worldly pursuits are not negatively affected. This leads to a lifestyle where they worship theirDunya (worldly matters and expediencies) and only alittle time here and/or a little money there are given tothe acts of worship. 13. 2-Balance in assigning time andresources Deen encompasses every part and aspect of Dunya It is a matter of assigning appropriate time andresources to all components of Deen according to theimportance and priorities that Allah (SWT) hasassigned to them Prophet (SAW) demonstrated this balance through hispractice, and the Sahabah observed them in their lives 14. Factors determining allocation oftime and resourcesIs this an ideal Islamic society?Are Muslims living as minority?What stage is the Islamic Movement at ?Is the person a leader or a worker?Is it normal situation or emergency? 15. 5 Areas of Islamic ObligationFamily IslamicHealthworkRelation Finances with Allah 16. Time and resources to be given to5 obligations: 1-Islamic work responsibilities are met on a timelybasis in such a way that the Islamic movement is ableto progress towards its goals according to its strategyand plan. 2-A strong personal relationship with Allah ismaintained and efforts to attain personal excellence inIslamic knowledge and Ibadah are consistentlypursued; 17. 5 Areas of Islamic Obligations 3- Familys basic physical and psychological needs,according to the Ma roof of the society, are adequatelymet and childrens training and coaching needs are notneglected 4- The persons own physical health (throughadequate food, rest and exercise) is maintained. 5- Reasonable, lawful money/resources are earnedto finance all of the above. 18. Exceptions to this model This model is ordinarily applicable to Muslims innormal circumstances. It is neither applicable to all Muslims nor to allsituations. A leader will need to spend much more time on thefirst two items on a consistent basis Depending on the stage of Islamic work, everyone mayhave to suffer and endure extra hardships and sacrificeof personal well-being and physical health 19. Where do we find a model ofbalance? This balancing is not an easy task. 1- Seerah: We find ideal level of moderation andbalance in the life of the Prophet (SAW). 2-Lifestyle of the Sahabah is another model.Prophet said: The best society is my society; then thegeneration succeeding them and then the generationsucceeding them. 20. Example of person withimbalanced life Such type of father/spouse habitually gulps down hisdinner and is out the door for the rest of the night. He spends long hours away from his family serving onmasjid committees, counseling strangers with theirproblems, organizing fund-raising events, andattending endless meetings. When he is home, he talks on the phone for hours, sitsin front of the email, and then collapses, exhaustedinto bed. 21. Stranger to ones spouse andchildren His wife may feel that it is her duty to willingly dowithout marital companionship in order to free herhusband to do the "more important" work of Allah. But if the woman cares at all abouther husband, she will eventually feel betrayed andrejected. If years go by and she becomes used to living withouthim, such that she no longer needs or wants him, thenhe has lost her, and probably his children also. 22. Children need their father It is not enough for the father to bring home themoney and then feel he has done his job. Sons and daughters need their fathers to spend timewith them. Sons who are deprived of their fathers companionshipand affection are more likely to become delinquent ordeviant in their teens. 23. Children need their father Daughters who fail to receive their fathers attentionand praise are more vulnerable to sexual predators asthey unconsciously search for a loving fatherreplacement. A desperate need for love and validation has led manyteens to forbidden and self-destructive behaviors, Kids who do sports and have fun with their dads tendto have fewer social problems such as smoking ordrinking, and they are more likely to have a stable andfulfilling marriage relationship in later years 24. Wives need loving husbands Wives who fail to receive regular doses of lovingattention from their husbands will lack the self-esteemto effectively train an Islamic family. The wifes depression and nervous anxiety from herhusbands prolonged absences can affect her unbornfetus. If she is struggling with her own feelings ofabandonment and rejection, how can she beeverything for her children? 25. Strong family is vital for joyousexistence But when a woman feels cherished by her husband andrespected, she receives a tremendous boost of energyand there is nothing she would not do for him. A strong marriage is essential to good health, longevityand a joyous and meaningful existence. It is not appropriate to view our Muslim families asimpediments to our lofty spiritual ambitions, butrather, they are a trial of our actual, personalapplication of Islam. 26. No competition between Islamicwork and family. Raising a family is Islamic work. Maintaining the spirit of love and peace at home is veryrigorous, nafs-reducing, intensive Islamic training.Wives and children need to be included in Islamic work athome or in the local community. Children learn by imitation, so they need to see theirfathers in action. When men use the Islamic work to try to avoid maritalconflicts and the strains of child discipline, they avoidhaving to develop the patience, compassion and selflessattitude that children and wives demand. This is a grievous setback to their spiritual maturity. 27. Family First Policy All Islamic organizations should adopt a "Family First"policy if they are serious about being vehicles of Islam. Lectures and conferences can only give people theoreticalknowledge. You may fully understand the status of women in Islam, orthe duties of wives, for example. Your trial is to see if you can behave in this manner athome. Each trial that your family presents to you is a means forinner purification, and serves as the practical training andtest of your faith 28. Example of Ibrahim (AS) At no time did Ibrahim give up or sacrifice his relationship withhis sons or his wives in order to follow Allah. Nor did he leave his sons religious education and moralupbringing to their mothers while he went off to make dawah. His sons were a priority in their fathers life, and they had a closerelationship. When Ibrahim was ready and willing to sacrifice his first-bornson to Allah, it was not because Ismail was a victim of parentalcoldness or neglect. Rather, he was the recipient of prophetic understanding. It was as a result of the strength of this family bond, that fatherand son were united in full submission to the command of Allah. 29. Tips on achieving this balance:1- . If you can break down your day and plan youractivities, you will find time that you didnt knowexisted. Effective time management will give you the feelingthat you have more hours in your day. 30. 2-Multitasking Spend time driving to and from work or school,listening to your Islamic CDs Memorizing Quran? Take pocket Quran with youwherever you go, be it a doctors appointment, yourchilds skating practice, or even while you are cookingdinner Do reading or writing while waiting for your childrenat a scout meeting or some other activity. 31. 3-Delegate Delegate! Delegate! Delegate Have a talk with the spouse and children. If they arewilling to help in Islamic work, the whole family willbenefit in the long run. It may take some persistenceand a little tenacity, but family can get involved. The kids can get a reward at the end of the week forhelping. One can take them out for dinner for helpingout. 32. 4-Hired Help If you can afford it, hire a secretarial help orsomeone to help with house chores. One could hire a high-school or college-aged person tocome in and help. 33. 5-Re-evaluate Your Standards. One must re evaluate the standards of living one hasadopted and decide if one really needs to put lot oftime in maintaining it. Is it possible to live with less and hence spend moretime with the family rather than long hours at work ordoing multiple jobs. Look at the lifestyle of those who have less than you. Do not envy the lifestyle of those who have more thanyou. 34. 6- Plan Quality Time It is best to schedule family time and time with spouseand kids on daily basis. Its important for marriage and childrens wellbeingthat time is spent together in unhurried, leisureactivities. They dont have to be all-day events. 35. 7- DuaAnd those who pray "Our Lord! grant unto uswives and offspring who will be the comfort of oureyes and give us (the grace) to lead the righteousFurqan,25:74 36. To Download this and otherslides, please visit:WWW.Slideshare.Net/DrYunus