📜 Question: My parents are financially struggling, so much so that they can't afford to send me to any university or let me major in Islamic education at a toril (Islamic institute with boarding house for students). I've only completed high school and I'm already in my 20s. Whenever we're in a gathering, many of the guests would discuss about their degrees or talk about how so and so successfully pursued Islamic Shari'ah course, while I haven't completed college. I'm worried the only job I can have in my adult life is running a small store to support my family. Sometimes I feel so depressed when I remember how I'm not as educated as many of my relatives and friends who have MA, BA and doctorate degrees. What tips can you give so I can succeed and make my parents proud?
📝 Answer: First of all, your main goal in life is to prioritize pleasing Only Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala. One of the good deeds that Allah the Almighty loves is respecting your parents. The best way to prove you love your parents, besides treating them with kindness and respect, is to become a pious Muslim for Allah's sake, so you include your parents in your Du'as regularly. Another thing you can do, if you have the capability, is to memorize the whole of the Noble Qur'an, so your parents attain a special crown of light on the Day of Judgment, as a way of honoring them. Allahu A'lam. Mu’adh Al-Juhani RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: The Messenger of Allah SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Whoever recites the Qur'an and acts according to what is in it, his parents will be crowned on the Day of Resurrection with a light brighter than the light of the sun in your worldly houses, were it among you. What do you think of one who acts upon this?"
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1453 Grade: Hasan (Fair) according to Ibn Hajar.
Next, always accept the Qadr/Destiny of Allah which He chose for you. Some people are tested by being very wealthy, while others have their examinations in the form of poverty or financial struggle. If Allah the Most Wise didn't make you as rich as your other relatives, be content with rewarding Sabr/patience. A benefit of having a simple lifestyle is you get to be among the first ones from the believers to enter Jannah Paradise, if Allah Wills, since it is promised that the poor Muslims are granted entry to Jannah long before the wealthy Muslims are allowed to go inside. A probable reason why the richer Muslims will be delayed is their lengthy accounting or judgment. They may be questioned about where they got their wealth from, how they spent their money, and if they carried out their duties responsibly in doing charity whenever they were given the opportunity to do Sadaqah and provide assistance to the needy.
Continue learning more about Islam from other reliable sources based on the Noble Qur'an and Sunnah of the beloved Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam. Also acquire authentic knowledge of how the salaf/pious predecessors implemented Islam and put the Sunnah into practice. Since you have access to the internet, try to make use of your free time researching more about your Deen so your faith/Imaan is strengthened. It's not a must to enroll at an Islamic school to be able to do Da'wah. As long as you have sufficient knowledge of Islam through beneficial Islamic books and useful online materials, and you keep studying about the Deen with steadfastness, you can enjoin right, forbid wrong, and invite others to Islam whenever you can, without forgetting proper etiquette and good character in inviting others to Allah's Message.
Remind yourself of the Sahabas/companions of the Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam, especially the ten who were given the promise of entering Paradise, along with the four rightly guided caliphs who were loved by Allah and His noble Prophet Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam. None of them Sahabas RadhiAllahu 'anhum carried fancy titles like "Doctor of philosophy", "attorney" or "engineer" etc. yet Allah the Almighty and His Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam loved them so much.
Having a degree, being an expert at a certain field or having tons of income do not measure a person's worth and value. How many atheists with PhD degrees passed away long ago and their ultimate destination is Hell/Jahannam, if Allah the Almighty doesn't forgive them? How many billionaires and popular celebrities, who owned massive mansions and lived luxurious lifestyles, ended up committing suicide because they didn't have Allah, as well as Islam as their way of life? How many college graduates and educated people actually became prison inmates, sentenced to several years in jail for being guilty of a number of crimes?
Don't make it a big deal to be desperate about achieving a college degree, if trying to obtain it is beyond your current means and sustenance. If you're willing to see a rise in your income, you need to work really hard with much enthusiasm, ambition and sincere intention. Accompany your action and good niyyah with lots of Du'as, praying that Allah the Provider grants you what is best for you in both worlds. Start from small, even if it means running a family store or selling halal snacks on a regular basis. It is better to have a simple job than to be roaming around begging people for money.
When serving Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala becomes your top priority, any temporary trial or difficulty you go through in this fleeting dunya becomes worthwhile and managable eventually. When you train yourself to accept Allah's Decree/Qadr patiently, as you courageously free your heart from negative traits like envy, you won't find the need to constantly compare your life story to other people's tests and unique journeys.
A person's high reputation and social status will be completely useless in the Aakhirah or next life. What will accompany you in your grave after you die are not your college degrees, collection of award certificates and expensive worldly items you bought, but rather what will benefit your soul are your good deeds, righteous Muslim children you left behind who continue mentioning you in their Du'as, and religious Islamic knowledge you taught for Allah's sake when you were alive.
📖 Abdullah Ibn Amr RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Worship (Allah) the Most Merciful, feed the poor, and spread the greetings of peace. You will enter Jannah Paradise in peace."
Source: Sunan Al-Tirmidhi 1855
Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Al-Tirmidhi
📖 Abu Huraira RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "The poor Muslims will enter Paradise before the rich by half of a day, the length of which is five hundred years."
Source: Sunan Al-Tirmidhi 2354
Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Al-Albani
📖 Abu Huraira RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "When the human being dies, all his deeds end except for three: Ongoing charity (Sadaqah jaariyah), beneficial knowledge which he taught, or a righteous child who prays for him."
Source: Sahih Muslim 1631 Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Muslim