الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
If we were to look for an Islamic definition of productivity, it can probably be summarized in the word “barakah” or blessing. Yet barakah has somehow become a lost treasure these days; everyone’s looking for it, but hardly anyone seems to find it! You always hear people complaining that there’s no barakah in their time, no barakah in their money and so on. What is barakah? “Barakah is the attachment of divine goodness to a thing. Barakah is not a lost treasure. Rather, it is right in front of our eyes! This treasure is only available and ready to be handed over to the one who works for it. Let me remind myself and you about some of the sources of barakah, which are actually already known to us but have only to be put into practice to reap the benefits of barakah.
1. To have good intentions: If we want something to have barakah attached to it, we must have purity of intention. More specifically, the deed should be intended for the sake of Allah (SWT). If it is not, then what we do will not have that divine goodness attached to it, and therefore, there will be no barakah.
2. To believe in Allah and to have the taqwa of Allah: An ayah in Surat al-A’raf tells us, “Had the people of those towns believed in and feared God, We would have showered upon them blessings from heaven and earth” (al-A’raf, 7:96). And we have in Surat al-Talaq, “Allah will find a way out for those who are mindful of Him, and provides for them from sources they could never imagine” (al-Talaq, 65:2-3).
3. To put our trust in Allah: In Surat al-Talaq, we have, “Allah will be enough for those who put their trust in Him” (al-Talaq, 65:3). There is a hadith which says, “If only you relied on Allah a true reliance, He would provide sustenance for you just as He does the birds: They fly out in the morning empty and return in the afternoon with full stomachs.”
4. To read the Qur’an: This is the fountain of barakah! But Subhan Allah, we rarely drink from it? Allah says in Surat al-An’am, وَهَٰذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَكٌ “This is a Book We have sent down and blessed” (al-An’am, 6:92). So we should read the Quran, and observe the blessings and barakah of Allah enter our lives. The further we are from this Book of Guidance, the less barakah we will have in our lives.
5. To say Bismillah: When we say “Bismillah” before anything we do, we’re invoking the name of Allah on that activity; not only will that activity be blessed but Shaytan cannot take part in it! So we should always say “Bismillah” before anything we do!
6. To wake up early: The Prophet (SAW) said: “Allah made the early hours blessed for my Ummah.” Waking up early is such an important step to being blessed and feeling good throughout the day.
7. To make Dua: Ask Allah for barakah! The Prophet (SAW) always used to make dua for barakah. He also taught us to make the dua for the host: “O Allah, bless for them, that which You have provided them, forgive them and have mercy upon them.”
8. To be honest in trade: We shouldn’t assume that lying and deceiving people will make our trade profitable. On the contrary, it will remove the blessing from our trade. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said:”The buyer and the seller have the option of canceling or confirming the bargain unless they separate, and if they spoke the truth and made clear the defects of the goods, then they would be blessed in their bargain, and if they told lies and hid some facts, their bargain would be deprived of Allah’s blessings.” Yes, it’s difficult to be honest when you’re trying to sell something, but trust me it’s worth it.
9. To make halal income and not to engage in haram: The Prophet (SAW) said: “O people, Allah is good and He therefore, accepts only that which is good. It is said that one who eats Haram, his limbs will disobey Allah whether he likes it or not, and that the one who eats Halal and seeks Halal income, his limbs will do good and will be given the permission to seek goodness.
10. To follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW): The most productive man in the history of mankind is none other than our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Therefore, by following his lifestyle, we obtain a great source of barakah. Imitating the life of the most blessed man on earth is surely a source of blessing!
11. To give thanks to Allah in abundance: Allah says in the Quran: “If you are thankful, I will give you more” (Ibrahim, 14:7). So Allah is promising the person who thanks Him an increase in goodness and blessings, and Allah never breaks His promises.
12. To give in charity: In a Hadith Qudsi, Allah says: “O son of Adam, spend (in charity), and I’ll spend on you!” let’s say barakah is removed from someone’s life due to a sin he or she committed; charity cleanses the sins, adds good deeds and is a source of barakah.
13. To maintain ties of kinship: In a hadith, the Prophet (SAW) said, “Allah created His creation, and when He had finished it, the womb, got up and caught hold of Allah whereupon Allah said, “What is the matter?’ On that, it said, “I seek refuge with you from those who sever the ties of Kith and kin.” On that Allah said, “Will you be satisfied if I bestow My favors on him who keeps your ties, and withhold My favors from him who severs your ties?” On that it said, “Yes, O my Lord!” Then Allah said, “That is for you.
14. To eat with people: No matter how little you think the food you’re presenting to your guest is, it’s always enough! What I’m referring to here is the blessing that occurs when eating together, confirmed in the hadith of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who said: “Eat together, for blessing is in jama’ah, i.e., congregation or being together…”
15. To ask Allah for forgiveness: The Prophet (SAW) said: “If anyone continually asks forgiveness from Allah, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide for him from where he did not reckon.”
These are some of the sources of barakah, although this is not an exhaustive list.
أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
وَصَلَّ اللهُ عَلَى خيرِ خَلقِهِ مُحمَّدٍ وعَلَى آلِه وأصْحَابِه أجْمَعِين- بِرَحْمَتِكَ يا أرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِين
