MOTIVATION FOR THE MUSLIMS

Rahila Waqar

Any definition of a psychological process or concept is the result of the author‟s perception.
Even when a researcher carefully collects data and analyses it sincerely and objectively that
analysis is based on the researcher‟s paradigm or perception. This is the reason why a definition
given by a Western psychologist cannot be applied to the Muslim population because Western
rationality and perception is based on assumptions that are completely different from the Muslim
belief system. Therefore, it is extremely important to sieve the definitions and theories, coming
from Western sources through the Quran and Sunnah and then accept/apply or reject them.

“In human perception, all experience is subjective and hence coloured by individual
perceptions, as well as by unconscious motives. We can be certain that reports of our senses will
be slightly distorted, viewed through individual prisms that have been shaped by unique genetic
structures and cultural experiences.” [Kottler & Shepard: 2008:129]

MOTIVATION

Western psychologists define the concept of motivation in several different ways. Some of the
definitions are given below for analysis.

“Motivation is something that energizes, directs and sustains behaviour; it gets students
moving, points them in a particular direction and keeps them going.” [Ormrod, Jeanne
Ellis: 1998: 472]

Motivation is… an internal state that arouses, directs and maintains behaviour.”
[Woolfolk, Anita E.: 1998:372]

Motivation is a force that energizes, directs, and maintains behaviour.” [Steers and Porter,
1975]

I on the other hand prefer to define motivation as:

“Motivation is an internal awakening that guides actions over a short or an extended

period of time towards a goal.” [Waqar, Rahila: 2013:19]

TYPES OF MOTIVATION

Traditionally, motivation is divided into two basic types, intrinsic and extrinsic.
 For pleasing others or
Extrinsic
for a reward
Motivation
For the inherent value
Intrinsic
or joy of something

For Muslims, however, both of these types will make all their efforts go awry.

EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION

If a Muslim works solely to please a human being, be it the boss, teacher, parent, elder sibling, a
relative or any other important person, the work will be labeled as ‘Riyaa’ or showing off
because the intention was wrong.

The Prophet Muhammed ‫ﷺ‬said, “The one who prays and wants people to see him
has committed shirk. The one who fasts and wants the people to know about his fasting
has committed shirk. The one who gives sadaqah (charity) and wants people to know
about his charity has committed shirk.”

“O Allah! I seek refuge with you from associating partners with you knowingly and I
seek your forgiveness for what I do unknowingly.” [al-Bukhârî in al-Adab al-Mufrid]

When they get up for the prayer (Salaah), they get up lazily. That is because they only
show off in front of the people, and rarely do they think of Allaah.” (An-Nisaa‟, 4:142)

Ar-riyaa is the minor shirk for which the prophet warned that it is like the black ant on the black
rock in a moonless night. So, extrinsic motivation cannot be a Muslim‟s target. This is why the
companions were very careful about their intentions.

Hazrat Ali (RA) was fighting a kafir in one of the battles. During the battle Hazrat Ali
knocked him down and raised his sword to kill him. As soon as the kafir knew that he
was going to be killed he spat in Hazrat Ali‟s face, so immediately Hazrat Ali left him
and went on his way. He was later asked, “Why did you leave him when Allah clearly
gave you power over him?!” hazrat Ali replied, “I was fighting him for the sake of Allah,
and when he spat in my face I feared that if I killed him, it would have been out of
personal revenge and spite.”

If a Muslim aims for a material gain, the deed or action will still go wasted.

"Actions are (judged) by motives (niyyah), so each man will have what he intended.
Thus, he whose migration (hijrah) was to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to
 Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing that he
might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his migration is to that for which he migrated."
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Say, 'If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kinsmen, the wealth
which you have acquired, the commerce in which you fear a decline, or the houses you
love - if these are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and
fighting in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (Torment). Allah
does not guide those who are AI-Faasiqun. [ AI-Ma'idah: 24.]

Unfortunately, Muslim kids, who are born on the fitrah, are trained to be motivated to please
important others around them or are bribed to do things or perform actions. From the very
beginning they are directed to a skewed course.

INTRINSIC MOTIVATION

For intrinsic motivation let‟s study the following hadith:

"Knowledge from which no benefit is derived is like a treasure out of which nothing is
spent in the cause of God." - Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 108

Acquiring knowledge is an inherently noble pursuit. But the hadith tells us that one should
pursue knowledge only if it is beneficial for the learner and the humanity at large. The
knowledge when spent for the benefit of the Muslim community becomes a source of seeking
Allah‟s pleasure otherwise it is worthless and not worth being pursued.

Allah SWT has taught us supplications for it as well.

ٍ ‫ َون ْف‬،‫س َم ُع‬

ْ َ‫س َال ت‬
‫شبَ ُع‬ َ ‫ب َال يَ ْخ‬
ْ ُ‫ َو ُد َعا ٍء َال ي‬،‫ش ُع‬ ُ ‫اللَّ ُه َّم إِنِّي أَع‬
ٍ ‫ َوقَ ْل‬،‫ُىذ بِك ِمنْ ِع ْل ٍم ال يَ ْنفَ ُع‬

Oh Allah, I seek refuge in you from knowledge that does not benefit and from a heart that does
not fear and from a supplication that is not heard and from a self that is not satisfied.

ُ ‫ َوأَع‬،‫سأَلُ َك ِع ْل ًما نَافِ ًعا‬

‫ُىذ بِ َك ِمنْ ِع ْل ٍم َال يَ ْنفَ ُع‬ ْ َ‫اللَّهُ َّم إِنِّي أ‬
Oh Allah, I ask of You beneficial knowledge and I seek refuge in you from knowledge that does
not benefit.

Thus we will not pursue knowledge just for the sake of it or just because we like acquiring it. We
will do it only for its usefulness. Thus doing anything just because we enjoy doing it is not a way
a Muslim thinks. A Muslim‟s decisions are principle centered and the principles are the
principles laid down by Allah and his messenger Mohammed ‫ﷺ‬. A Muslim does not base his
actions on his personal desires or whims.

THE THIRD TYPE OF MOTIVATION

If intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivations are not suitable for Muslims then what type of
motivation is suitable for them. Muslims are internally awakened to the reality that Allah is the
creator. They believe in Tawheed and are therefore Akhirah Directed.

When Allah created the spirits He said Alastu Bi Rabbi Kum - Am I not your Rabb ?
All answered Balaa Yes. This marks the beginning of „Perpetual’ motivation. This is the
motivation that began with our creation and will exist eternally. It was there when Allah decided
to create us and will continue to exist in the hereafter.

This motivation is awakened consciously in this world if parents do not distort the ‘fitrah’ of a
child. But if they do, it may awaken at a later stage when an individual‟s distorted beliefs are
challenged by some powerful external stimulus. These stimuli can be a person, a written text, a
video, an observation of Allah‟s ‘ayah’ signs etc.

Muslims, thus, are ‘Perpetually’ motivated. Their target is to seek Allah‟s pleasure and so are
always ‘Akhirah’ directed for which they strive to constantly purify their intentions.

Motivation

Extrinsic Intrinsic Perpetual

For pleasing
important others, For the inherent For the pleasure
achieving rewards value and joy of of Allah
or becoming something ‫سبحانہ و تعالی‬
Famous
CHARACTERISTICS OF PERPETUAL MOTIVATION

‘Perpetual‟ motivation is a vector quantity. It has magnitude as well as direction. When it is

directed towards the pleasure of Allah SWT and then the success in the hereafter, it is positive
and when it is derived by any other source like fame, money, pleasure, etc. it is negative.

‘Perpetually‟ motivated individuals are not materialistic. Their target is not money, fame or
praise. If their positive motivation is contaminated with these worldly desires their deeds will not
be accepted and consequently they will fail the real test.

“When the Day of Resurrection comes, Allah, may He be blessed and

exalted, will come down to judge between His slaves, and every nation will
be kneeling. The first ones to be called forth will be a man who learned the
Qur‟an by heart, a man who fought for the sake of Allah, and a man who
had a lot of wealth. Allah will say to the Qur‟an-reader, „Did I not teach
you that which I revealed to My Messenger?‟ He will say, „Yes, O Lord.‟ He
will say, „What did you do with that which I taught you?‟ He will say, „I used
to read it night and day.‟ Allah will say to him, „You have lied,‟ and the
angels will say to him, „You have lied.‟ Allah will say, „Rather you wanted it
to be said that so and so is a reader of Qur‟an, and that is what was said.‟
Then the wealthy man will be brought forth, and Allah will say to him, „Did
I not give you ample provision so that I did not leave you in need of
anybody?‟ He will say, „Yes, O Lord.‟ He will say, „What did you do with that
which I gave you?‟ He will say, „I used to uphold the ties of kinship and give
in charity.‟ Allah will say to him, „You have lied,‟ and the angels will say to
him, „You have lied.‟ Allah will say, „Rather you wanted it to be said that so
and so is generous, and that is what was said.‟ Then the one who was killed
for the sake of Allah will be brought forth and Allah will say to him, „Why
were you killed?‟ He will say, „I was commanded to fight in Jihad for Your
sake, so I fought until I was killed.‟ Allah will say to him, „You have lied,‟
and the angels will say to him, „You have lied.‟ Allah will say, „You wanted it
to be said that so and so was courageous, and that is what was said.‟” Then
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) struck
my knee and said, “O Abu Hurayrah, these three are the first of the creation
of Allah who will be dragged into the Fire on the Day of Resurrection.”
 (Narrated and classed as hasan by al-Tirmidhi, 2382; classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan,
408, and Ibn Khuzaymah, 2482).

The above hadith makes it clear that Muslims need to be perpetually motivated to be in the
positive realm. This becomes possible with a constant effort towards making ones intentions
pure. It is possible that sometimes one digresses or forgets and starts moving towards the
opposite direction in the negative realm but the sum of the motivation should always be positive
to be successful in the hereafter. A good Muslim catches him/herself going astray and returns by
repenting.

THE MOTIVATION OF REPENTANCE

The value of repenting in Islam is in itself a motivator.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Allah, the
Exalted and Glorious, said: I live in the thought of My servant and I am with him as he
remembers Me. (The Holy Prophet) further said: By Allah, Allah is more pleased with
the repentance of His servant than what one of you would be on finding the lost camel in
the waterless desert. When he draws near Me by the span of his hand. I draw near him by
the length of a cubit and when he draws near Me by the length of a cubit. I draw near him
by the length of a fathom and when he draws near Me walking I draw close to him
hurriedly. [Sahih Muslim: 6610]

Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not
despair of the mercy of Allah . Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the
Forgiving, the Merciful." [Surae Zumr: 53]

What else would the ‘Perpetually’ motivated Muslims want?

THE EXPECTANCY THEORY

Expectancy X Value = Motivation

The extent to The value of the

which a learner learning to the
expects success learner
 The expectancy theory states that the intensity of a tendency to perform in a particular
manner is dependent on the intensity of an expectation that the performance will be
followed by a definite outcome and on the appeal of the outcome to the individual.
[Vroom:1964]

For Muslims all those outcomes will and should hold value that lead to Allah‟s pleasure i.e. the
ones that keep them in the positive realm of the ‘Perpetual’ motivation continuum. Muslims will
strive to achieve them because they lead to a positive outcome in the hereafter. But Muslims‟
formula for the pursuit will be different.

Value X Expectancy X Effort X

Dua with hope & trust
in Allah SWT = ‘Perpetual’
Motivation

Muslims do not rely on just their efforts. They work hard to the best of their abilities and then
leave the rest on Allah SWT.

CONCLUSION

Although, the above analysis has addressed only some of the theories of Motivation, but it is
evident that the secular and western rationalities cannot be the same as the rationalities based on
the principles set by the creator. Therefore, it is high time that the Muslims put on the lens of the
creator‟s principles and redefine and reinvent the psychological theories that would be applicable
to the Muslims society.

REFERENCES

The Holy Quran

The Sahih Al-Bukhari translated by M. Muhsin Khan.

The Sahih Muslim translated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui.

The Sunan Abu-Dawud translated by Prof. Ahmad Hasan

The Malik's Muwatta translated by Aisha Abdarahman at-Tarjumana and Yaqub Johnson.

Kottler, J. A., and Shepard, D. S. (2008). Introduction to Counseling: Voices from the field.
USA: Thomson Corporation.

Ormrod, J. E. ((1998). Educational Psychology: Developind Learners. Prentice Hall. USA.

Steers, R. M., and Porter, L. W. (Eds.). (1975). Motivation and work behavior. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Vroom, V. H. (1964). Work and Motivation. Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pitsburgh, PA.

Woolfolk, A. E. (1998). Educational Psychology 7th Efition. Allyn & Bacon. USA.