working in the corporate word

[lilibolt]

Salam,

I hope everyone is well!

I am a female and currently pursuing  my career as an auditor in the Netherlands (for those of you who are familiar, I work in one of the big 4s). I am required by the company to continue my studies and get my registered accountant title and the company pays for my studies.

I am struggling very much mentally to work hard and give it my best, as it is requiring me to give up a lot of my personal time (full time work plus full time studies). Although if I push I can do it, I do not feel motivated anymore. I feel like I am wasting my life on worldly achievements which have absolutely no use in the afterlife.

I do not know how to change my perspective on it and feel like I am doing something for the religion…

My brother went to Qom to pursue religious studies and when I have a conversation with him, I really am impressed with his knowledge and his way of thinking…and it further demotivates me to work hard in a company that is so material.

For those who work in the corporate world, how do you keep yourself motivated? Do you feel like you are serving the religion while working?

What is your mind set on this.

Thank you in advance for your reply!

Best Regards,

Zehra

Edited October 11, 2019 by lilibolt

[AStruggler]

Interesting post, I hope someone answers to this.

[Ibn Al-Shahid]

Don’t be direct in the way you serve your religion, it weakens the community as a whole. When Imam Al-Mahdi عجل الله فرجه الشريف returns, he requires more than just scholars. He requires people from all walks of life. So continue your education and let your intention be to serve the Imam by being the best at what you do when he returns. Imagine if everyone quits what they’re doing to become scholars. Bad idea. We need a variety of people in our religion.

[Ashvazdanghe]

21 hours ago, lilibolt said:

For those who work in the corporate world, how do you keep yourself motivated? Do you feel like you are serving the religion while working?

Salam make motivate yourself with intention that your work & Study is helping hastening reappearance of Imam Mahdi (aj) also try to make it real through your current job & study.

[Be1a1]

w.salam,

I always have the same question in mind! also studying for CPA and working at the same time is very difficult and you have to give up so much time makes one question is it really worth it?

Now I am not sure how you can work in the corporate world with the intention of being a helper of our Imam Mahdi (AJ) as almost all of these companies are responsible for corruption in society you work for the big 4 and their job is to help big corporations avoid paying taxes and many of these financial institutions are surrounded with scandals and I can go on and on and on......

 

[lilibolt]

2 minutes ago, Be1a1 said:

w.salam,

I always have the same question in mind! also studying for CPA and working at the same time is very difficult and you have to give up so much time makes one question is it really worth it?

Now I am not sure how you can work in the corporate world with the intention of being a helper of our Imam Mahdi (AJ) as almost all of these companies are responsible for corruption in society you work for the big 4 and their job is to help big corporations avoid paying taxes and many of these financial institutions are surrounded with scandals and I can go on and on and on......

 

I agree. its very difficult to work in these kind of companies with the intention of being a helper to the Imam (AJ)...I don’t see how me studying all these is any help for the Muslim community or society as a whole..

[starlight]

Motivation comes easy when one makes an intention of 'Qurba tan illalah' for doing something. Not only it provides motivation everything also turns into ibadaat (provided it's an inherently halal act).

Study and work so you can earn money for the propagation of the religion of Ahlul Bayt(عليه السلام). You will have money to spend on holding majalis, donate towards organisations who are helping the orphans and widows in Iraq and Syria, contribute towards publishing and donating books on Islam, spreading the message of Hussain (عليه السلام) in the non Muslim society and last but not the least you will be earning income to raise a family of followers of Ahlul Bayt(عليه السلام) and serving and helping your parents in their twilight years. 

Just think of all the sawab!!!

Stick to this and see how blessed your life becomes.

[Sailor Man]

1 hour ago, lilibolt said:

I agree. its very difficult to work in these kind of companies with the intention of being a helper to the Imam (AJ)...I don’t see how me studying all these is any help for the Muslim community or society as a whole..

Then instead of striving to have a better position within your domain and possibly be a greater financial contributor to society, mainly to people in true need, do you feel it would be better to be a stay at home mom raising a good Muslim family or to be a female scholar who propagates the deen while begging for donations to charities? 

[eThErEaL]

On 10/11/2019 at 8:41 AM, lilibolt said:

Salam,

I hope everyone is well!

I am a female and currently pursuing  my career as an auditor in the Netherlands (for those of you who are familiar, I work in one of the big 4s). I am required by the company to continue my studies and get my registered accountant title and the company pays for my studies.

I am struggling very much mentally to work hard and give it my best, as it is requiring me to give up a lot of my personal time (full time work plus full time studies). Although if I push I can do it, I do not feel motivated anymore. I feel like I am wasting my life on worldly achievements which have absolutely no use in the afterlife.

I do not know how to change my perspective on it and feel like I am doing something for the religion…

My brother went to Qom to pursue religious studies and when I have a conversation with him, I really am impressed with his knowledge and his way of thinking…and it further demotivates me to work hard in a company that is so material.

For those who work in the corporate world, how do you keep yourself motivated? Do you feel like you are serving the religion while working?

What is your mind set on this.

Thank you in advance for your reply!

Best Regards,

Zehra

You are serving humanity my friend.  That should be the mindset.  No one should care about a religious identity.  
 

When you work in the corporate world you are providing a service are you not?  And that would be of benefit to someone is it not?  So there you go.  You are helping creatures of God.  From the way you dress, your organizational skills, your demeanor at work (the way you talk to others), all of this is a spiritual activity if it is done with beauty,  grace and love (all of this can be done with Ihsan).  You have a good opportunity, don’t look down upon it or take it likely (embrace every moment of it and make the best of it). And get rid of your “Shia Muslim identity” or the “belonging to a Shia community” (you belong to God just as everyone does, not a Shia Community), all this seems to be letting you down.  Just be free of all that religious nonsense (be like Imam Hussein (عليه السلام)) and then you will truly be one who submits to God.
 

Isn’t life wonderful and a joy? Alhamdulillah!

 

Did Imam Hussein (عليه السلام) sacrifice and fight for his “religious community” or the “Shia” community that would come after him?  No way!  He did it for God and for the sake of humanity!  He was totally free of all that religious nonsense most of us here are tied to.  Those guys at the other side were doing it for religious reasons but not Imam Hussein (عليه السلام).

Think about it.  Imam Hussein (عليه السلام) gave water to Hurr even though Hurr could have crushed them all.  Did Imam Hussein (عليه السلام) have a party he belonged to and a party he was opposed to?  No, He was free of all that partisan nonesense.  
 

So even you gotta be free as well and start living your life and helping humanity, helping creatures of God who all around you, at work, at home, on the street, on the train, in the bus wherever!  Because that is what you were created for.

 

Edited October 12, 2019 by eThErEaL

[Ibn Al-Shahid]

5 hours ago, lilibolt said:

I agree. its very difficult to work in these kind of companies with the intention of being a helper to the Imam (AJ)...I don’t see how me studying all these is any help for the Muslim community or society as a whole..

Not really. What you should be doing is gaining as much knowledge as possible from those who you work with. You should think about being the best in the business, and once you are, you’ll be able to have the upper hand in many situations. The problem here is that you’re viewing your career as a base level, it’s as if you have no goals to be the best in what you do or have a huge auditing firm yourself. Focus on reaching the top and then leading the position in an Islamic way.

[eThErEaL]

@starlight

What exactly is there to disagree with?

Oh, "the Shia Muslim Identity",  it is very precious isn't it?

Then that is an idol my dear. 

Edited October 12, 2019 by eThErEaL

[Be1a1]

 

18 hours ago, Ibn Al-Shahid said:

Not really. What you should be doing is gaining as much knowledge as possible from those who you work with. You should think about being the best in the business, and once you are, you’ll be able to have the upper hand in many situations. The problem here is that you’re viewing your career as a base level, it’s as if you have no goals to be the best in what you do or have a huge auditing firm yourself. Focus on reaching the top and then leading the position in an Islamic way.

The sister works as an auditor and questions have been raised at least here in Australia about the auditors in big 4 due to fear of losing their clients they do not scrutinize accounts properly so even an audit role in the big 4 is unethical so the sister will only learn unethical practices which will affect shareholders of the company and she will be held liable in the next world. 

The sister can only make it to the top by not questioning her seniors and carrying out unethical practices and once she makes it to the top now she wants to lead in an Islamic way and as soon as the clients find out they will run away and the sister will lose her job.

I highly recommend the people who are asking the sister to pursue her career in big 4 to do some research about these corporations.

 

 

[lilibolt]

On ‎10‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 3:40 PM, Be1a1 said:

 

The sister works as an auditor and questions have been raised at least here in Australia about the auditors in big 4 due to fear of losing their clients they do not scrutinize accounts properly so even an audit role in the big 4 is unethical so the sister will only learn unethical practices which will affect shareholders of the company and she will be held liable in the next world. 

The sister can only make it to the top by not questioning her seniors and carrying out unethical practices and once she makes it to the top now she wants to lead in an Islamic way and as soon as the clients find out they will run away and the sister will lose her job.

I highly recommend the people who are asking the sister to pursue her career in big 4 to do some research about these corporations.

 

I actually do not think that the company compromises on accounting practices just to keep the client. Netherland is known for its good accounting and auditing practice and I do think the company upholds the standards quite well..But the firm I work for also has clients that are not so ethical in their other practices, like some sports brands (their financial reporting might be "ethical" but we all know how inhumane their labour condition is in the developing countries)  or some large banks or other big companies that have huge environmental impact... as an auditor we do not audit these kinds of practices and only focus on their financial reporting.

On ‎10‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 4:02 PM, Ibn Al-Shahid said:

Don’t be direct in the way you serve your religion, it weakens the community as a whole. When Imam Al-Mahdi عجل الله فرجه الشريف returns, he requires more than just scholars. He requires people from all walks of life. So continue your education and let your intention be to serve the Imam by being the best at what you do when he returns. Imagine if everyone quits what they’re doing to become scholars. Bad idea. We need a variety of people in our religion.

 

On ‎10‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 5:33 PM, eThErEaL said:

You are serving humanity my friend.  That should be the mindset.  No one should care about a religious identity.  
 

When you work in the corporate world you are providing a service are you not?  And that would be of benefit to someone is it not?  So there you go.  You are helping creatures of God.  From the way you dress, your organizational skills, your demeanor at work (the way you talk to others), all of this is a spiritual activity if it is done with beauty,  grace and love (all of this can be done with Ihsan).  You have a good opportunity, don’t look down upon it or take it likely (embrace every moment of it and make the best of it). And get rid of your “Shia Muslim identity” or the “belonging to a Shia community” (you belong to God just as everyone does, not a Shia Community), all this seems to be letting you down.  Just be free of all that religious nonsense (be like Imam Hussein (عليه السلام)) and then you will truly be one who submits to God.
 

I do like these way of thinking..I am grateful to everyone who has replied, it did give me a different perspective on the job and all the effort I am putting into my studies...

but given the discussion in the thread, I am still not sure if we as Muslims or as good humans should be part of this bigger cycle that is actually taking advantage of people in the developing countries and/or contributing to the destruction of the planet and completing ignoring their impact, or should be oppose and work for companies that have a more meaningful mission.?

..maybe that is a whole other thread in iteslef  

 

Edited October 14, 2019 by lilibolt