Death, Afterlife and Entrepreneurship

We all know entrepreneurship can get really difficult at times: the stress of sticking to schedules, the regret of losing money due to a poor decision and dealing with the painful stings after someone cheats on you.

Islam teaches us beautiful solutions on how to deal with our negative emotions and how to emerge as stronger and better entrepreneurs. From these beliefs are:

>>> Give without expecting anything back in return.

>>> Be motivated about helping people and relieving them of hardship.

>>> Remember Allah with words such as alhamdulillah (all praise and thanks to Allah) 
and qaddaraAllah (whatever happens is by the will of Allah)

>>> Begin with the end in mind: YOUR AFTERLIFE.

This last point is often neglected in the entrepreneurial space so today, I hope to share a few reminders to help you prepare for your death and afterlife.

1) You Will Die.

“Every soul will taste death” [al-Qur’an 3:185]

One thing is certain, we will all die. All the day-to-day hustling, the struggles, the stress and low times of this world will come to an end. All the success, the money, the joys of this life simply won’t last long. The only thing that will last will be your intentions and your deeds.

>>> Purify your intentions by always seeking the pleasure of Allah.

>>> Spend your time wisely. Life is short.

>>> Focus on completing the actions which bring about the most fruitful results.

2) You Will Be Held Accountable.

“...and you will only be given your compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained (his desire). And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion!” [al-Qur’an 3:185]

Remember that everything that you’re doing is being written down. There will come a time when you will be questioned and held accountable for these actions; rewarded or punished accordingly.

>>> Check your intentions before every action.

>>> Spend your time doing good deeds that will reap many rewards, like serving others.

>>> Stay away from sinning and the actions which lead to the displeasure of Allah.

If you’re ever in a situation where you feel the urge to lie or cheat, remember that Allah is watching you and that He has the ability to deprive you of His blessings.

3) The Hellfire is Real.

"O you who believe, save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is men and stones over which are angels, stern and severe, who flinch not the commands they receive from God, but do what they are commanded. O you who have disbelieved, make no excuses that Day. You will only be recompensed for what you used to do." [al-Quran 66:6-7]

The punishment is real. Take a moment to internalise the emotions of the hellfire and emerge as a better person because of your fear of it.

>>> Don’t lie, cheat, deceive or do any other action of disobedience to Allah.

>>> Seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of the hellfire.

>>> Ask Allah to forgive your sins.

>>> Purify your wealth by giving in charity.

4) Paradise is Our Goal.

“O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remove from you your misdeeds and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow on the Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will proceed before them and on their right; they will say, ‘Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are over all things competent.’” [al-Qur’an 66:8]

>>> Know that you will be rewarded for every good deed, no matter how big or small it is.

>>> Help people for the sake of Allah, seeking His pleasure and doing the actions that He loves.

>>> Don’t expect anything back in return.

By reflecting upon these reminders and verses of the Qur’an, aim to adopt a positive mindset and promise yourself to work harder to prepare for your meeting with Allah, subhaanahu wa ta’aala.

May Allah give you success in this life and the next.

Nabila S Ahmed
#entrepreneurialmuslim