Can World Activities Become Worship? Sincere or Mod?

We all know that there are two types of worship. There is worship mahdhah, namely pure worship such as prayer, fasting, or performing the Hajj. There is also worship mahdhah spirit, namely worldly activities that can bear rewards when we intend them as a form of worship to Allah Tax. For example, employees who intend their work activities to support their families, or exercise as a healthy effort to support other religious activities.

Once again, worldly activities can be a form of worship to Allah. However, we need to pay attention to the following two notes before we feel, let alone claim, that our worldly activities are a form of worship to Allah Tax.

Monitor your liver as often as possible

It could be that when we go to the office in the morning, our intention is still sincere to support our family as a form of worship to Allah. Tax. Unfortunately, as we enter the afternoon, our intentions have subconsciously changed: we want to allocate this month’s salary solely for consumption and purchasing costs flagship gadget latest release. The Prophet ﷺ said,

Actions are based on intentions, and everyone will get what he intended. So whoever emigrated to Allah and His Messenger, his emigration was to Allah and His Messenger. And whoever emigrates for the sake of the world, or to marry a woman, then his emigration is for the purpose of his emigration.

“Indeed, every deed depends on his intention. And indeed, each person will only get what he intended. Whoever emigrates for the sake of Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration is (judged) because of Allah and His Apostle. And whoever emigrates to obtain the world or a woman he wants to marry, then his emigration is for what he intended.” [1]

Charity depends on the intention, and the intention is located in the heart. When our intentions have shifted to simply enjoying the world, then our deeds are no longer valuable as worship. Continue to monitor our hearts as often as possible, both before, during and after doing good deeds, because the heart is prone to turning upside down. Therefore, even the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who is the best human being, always prayed,

O changer of hearts, make my heart firm in your religion

“O One who turns hearts upside down, strengthen my heart in Your religion.” [2]

Also read: Knowing the Function of Intention

Be honest with yourself

We may claim that our worldly activities are a form of worship to Allah Knocking, but that’s not actually the case. Actually, we are just crazy about the world, but we don’t feel comfortable with that reality. We deny that reality, because we only want to hear things we like. We just want to do what we want, but are reluctant to accept the consequences of the path we have chosen.

As a result, In order to be comfortable with ourselves, we choose to lie to our conscience by seeking justification, by saying that our worldly activities are a form of worship to Allah. Tax. In fact, we are fully aware that these claims are just mere justifications.

Especially if the person who makes us aware of our addiction to the world is another person. When we are engrossed in the world, someone else comes and says to us, “I see you have been busy working, resting, playing. I have never seen you praying, praying, or reading the Koran.”

Hearing that, our little hearts were actually touched and wanted to say, “You are right, thank you for the advice. May God guide me.” However, because we prefer to deceive ourselves, we instead adopt a defensive attitude by attacking repeatedly as the best form of defense. If there is an error in the delivery of the advice, we immediately focus on attacking the error, instead of focusing on contemplating the contents of the advice and giving thanks for the good intentions. In fact, sometimes we are willing to set aside time to remember shortcomings that are completely unrelated to the message being conveyed, simply to refute the advice.

We say, “What do you know about me, do you really watch over me 24 hours every day? Besides, can’t worldly activities also be worship? Isn’t it true that apart from having hablum minallah, there is also hablum minannas? Doesn’t this body also have rights that must be fulfilled by resting and resting for a while?” However, once again, our condition is not that good. We are just being deceived by the glitter of the world, nothing else.

That is our condition which is exactly as God says Knocking,

Humans are the most argumentative.

“After all, humans are the (creatures) who protest the most.” (QS. Al-Kahf: 54)

Then, let’s break it down. If someone who fulfills all religious obligations may still shift his intentions when he wants to turn his worldly activities into worship, then what about people who are not committed to fulfilling sharia obligations? We often come across people who go back and forth saying that worldly activities can be worship, but they don’t offer prayers, are reluctant to give alms and pay zakat, don’t want to cover their private parts, never recite the Koran, and many more.

If what is clearly pure worship is reluctant to be carried out, how else can we make worldly activities as worship? It is true that this could still happen. It’s just that, so as not to appear to be convicting, please all readers ask yourself objectively: how likely is it?

Maybe we need to be alone for a moment, to reflect on ourselves who love the world so much that it touches our hearts to use religious teachings as a hidden justification for world addiction. Happy reflection, may God guide us all in honesty.

Also read: Fiqh Rule: Everything Depends on the Purpose (Part 1)

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Writer: Reza Mahendra

Article Muslim.or.id

Footnote:

[1] HR. Bukhari no. 1 and Muslim no. 1907.

[2] HR. Tirmidhi no. 2140.