Is it Okay to Desire to be Excellent in Everything You Do?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
I love specialties, brilliance, and excellence with intelligence. Whenever I see everyone praise any intellectual/history, I recall those names more and more. I want to be at that level. I feel mesmerized and motivated whether people praise me or not for these special features. I would love to have a tag behind my name for these features.
I don’t want to end my life having a normal life but rather some outstanding activities. Is this desire haram? I want my name to be known after I die until the last day and for people to benefit from my work.
I want my works to be known to people but silently, not as a celebrity whose face is known to everyone. Instead, my name and work are known to everyone. This is why I don’t post my picture. I love to work hiding my face but with the name.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question and intention to excel in everything you do.
The key to success is to focus on your intentions and make them sincere in all that you do. But how do we ensure that our intention is right? It’s crucial to seek guidance from individuals who have excelled in various fields – in their Islamic sciences and secular studies, and then become spiritual mentors for others. I recommend that you connect to one and take advice. See the link below.
Allah is Excellent and Loves Excellence in all Matters
Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “If you make a judgment, be just. If you have to slaughter, slaughter in the best manner. Verily, Allah Almighty is excellent, and He loves excellence.” [Tabarani, Al-Mujam al-Awsat]
I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.
Related
Seeking Sincerity: How Can One Strive To Have One’s Actions Accepted by Allah Most High? – SeekersGuidance
Reflections on Seeking Knowledge: A Student at Seekers – SeekersGuidance
How Do I Find a Mentor to Help Me Understand My Religion? (seekersguidance.org)
Should I Study Medicine or Become a Scholar? – SeekersGuidance
How Is Spiritual Excellence Attained? – SeekersGuidance
The Muslim Standard of Excellence in Work and Life – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani – SeekersGuidance
Purification of the Heart for Youth: Diseases of the Heart and Their Cure – YouTube
Istikhara, The Prayer of Seeking Guidance: The Ultimate Guide – A Reader – SeekersGuidance
How Does One Perform The Prayer Of Need (salat al-haja)? – SeekersGuidance
Prayer of Repentance: Salat al-Tawba – SeekersGuidance
May Allah Most High elevate, enable, and make easy for you to spread the light of the Prophet’s guidance and to be of the inheritors insha’Allah.
Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersAcademy (seekersguidance.org)?
I pray this helps with your question.
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey.
He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled into an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and Alimiyyah sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan.
He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for a number of years. He has taught hifz of the Qur’an, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to both children and adults onsite and online extensively in UK and Ireland. He was teaching at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences.
He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His personal interest is the love of books and gardening.
