Let’s think about the goals we all strive for throughout life — our lifetime goals. Each one of us is likely to have some burning ambition, some clear objective or ideal that drives us forward each day. It may be a deadline for our homework or coursework, it may be a forthcoming exam or a karate or tae kwon do grading session, or we may be working towards a particular career that we want to pursue after leaving school.

Consciously or subconsciously, we all have short-, medium-, and long-term goals that we hope to achieve before our life is over. The difference from soccer is that in real life no one knows when the final whistle will blow. No one knows just how, when, and where the life will end. We Muslims are reminded to live each day as if it is our last day and to offer every prayer as if it is our last prayer. We must therefore be totally focused and sincere in what we do.

In order to achieve any goal, there is nearly always an economic dimension. We need money to get things done. No matter how noble or generous we want to be, we still need some degree of financial independence for ourselves in order to get what we want. This is simply in the nature of things. We may not want to be wealthy just for own sake, to show off and live a flashy lifestyle; rather, in order to be more effective in society, we must be able to stand on our own feet financially.

Therefore, we need to work to earn money to do what we would like to do. The danger is that the means can sometimes become the end in themselves. How many young people have not set out in life with high ideals of making the world a better place for all, only to be distracted along the way? How many young men have not become mere consumers, buying all the latest gadgets and fashionable clothes, enjoying all the material pleasures of life and forgetting that their life should really have a higher and nobler purpose?

Many people work hard, get rich, and look back with a sense of pride in what they have achieved. It’s only human nature. That pride then drives them to more effort that brings more wealth that brings more pride, and so on. But worldly success is meaningless if one does not aspire to a higher and nobler objective. Thus, Allah reminds us:

“Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, much of gold and silver (wealth), branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. This is the pleasure of the present world’s life; but Allah has the excellent return ( Paradise with flowing rivers) with Him.” (Qur’an 3:14)

Allah wants us to enjoy the fruits of our hard work. He wants us to work hard to enjoy a nice car and a nice home in a nice neighborhood, but not so much as to distract us from worshiping Him.

Some religions teach that in order to grow spiritually, you must deny yourself the pleasures of this world. You may have to spend time in a monastery or become an ascetic. Islam is unique among all religions in that it teaches life fulfillment, not life denial. Islam teaches that the worlds of the body and the spirit should live in harmony, not in conflict. In our daily prayers, we supplicate Allah saying ,

“Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the torment of the Fire.”

We have to get the balance between our work, family, home, community, and leisure right.

Most of the countries has problems of delinquency, failed marriages, and drug and alcohol abuse. We can and we should be working to put things right One Hadith, narrated by Umar Bin Al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him), says : “Actions are judged by their intention and everyone shall have only what he intended. Therefore, those who migrate for Allah and His Messenger, their migration was for Allah and His Messenger; and those whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in marriage, their migration will be judged for their intentions.”

Let us dedicate ourselves to the service of Allah. Let us make sure that our daily concerns always focus on improving ourselves, our neighborhood, and our environment. This will bring us nearer to Allah. Let us, in our spiritual life, make the Hijra, the migration, from what pleases us to what pleases Allah. It means, in essence, that we must aim to rise above our selfishness, our vanity, and self-indulgence. We must try to fulfill the purpose that Allah decreed for us, which is to be His ambassadors on earth.

Let us all try to make our goals in life well-balanced and pleasing to Allah. Allah told His angels that He created us so that we can be His ambassadors on earth. Remember, you are all ambassadors of Islam.

All the time, you are being observed by others, and your behavior is how people will judge all Muslims and their religion. It’s a big responsibility, but it’s also an opportunity to show how beautiful Islam is.