Path

“Guide us to the Srtaight Path.”
— (Quran 1:6)
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Introducing the Path: Deen

So, going back to our analogy, we’ve defined who we are through the body, mind, heart, and soul. We’ve also set our destination in the Purpose chapter, and in the Passion chapter, we got to know ourselves better—our strengths, talents, and unique gifts. Now comes the next step: the Path. This is where we connect it all. We can also call this chapter Deen.

But what is Deen, and how should we approach it? Before diving deeper, I want to start by acknowledging the limited understanding many Muslims have of Deen. It is often seen as just the rituals—praying, fasting, giving zakah. While these are fundamental pillars, Deen is much broader than this.

In this chapter, I’d like to offer an expanded meaning of Deen that goes beyond rituals and includes a holistic way of living. I hope this perspective will bring value to your journey, helping you understand Deen not as a set of isolated practices but as the entire framework of how we move through life—integrating faith, purpose, and action.

Deen as The Way of Life

When we talk about Deen, we often say that Islam is our Deen, our way of life. Many Muslims understand this in a limited sense, focusing on the daily Salah, Dhikr, giving Zakat, fasting in Ramadan, or going to Hajj and Umrah. While these acts are undeniably foundational, they represent only a part of what Deen truly encompasses.

Let me propose a broader, more holistic understanding of Deen—an understanding that I’ve drawn from the Quran, Hadith, Sunnah, and the insights of scholars. Deen is not just our spiritual obligations; it is everything we do. For a Muslim, Deen is a complete way of life. Every action—big or small—can and should be a part of our Deen. Whether it’s our work, relationships, sleep, or even recreation, every aspect of our existence can become a part of worship if aligned with the right intentions.

This holistic approach transforms how we view Deen. It’s no longer just about fulfilling certain rituals but about integrating faith into every moment. By doing so, we align our entire journey—our thoughts, actions, and goals—with our ultimate destination: returning to Allah SWT.

Choosing the Right Path for Your Journey

On this journey, Deen is our road, the path we take to fulfill our purpose. Now that we know who we are—our body, mind, heart, and soul—and have clarity on our purpose, it’s time to choose the path that best aligns with who we are.

Think of it this way: if your body is a car, the path you choose should match your vehicle. If you’re a Land Rover or Jeep, you thrive on mountain roads, tackling rugged terrains with resilience. If you’re a racecar, your path should be smooth, built for speed and precision. Similarly, in life, understanding your unique strengths, talents, and passions is crucial to choosing the right path.

This understanding helps us avoid frustration and inefficiency. Imagine a racecar trying to navigate a rocky mountain trail—it’s a great vehicle, but it’s simply not built for that terrain. Or think of a fish trying to climb a tree; no matter how hard it tries, it won’t succeed because it’s not aligned with its nature. The same applies to us: knowing ourselves allows us to choose the path that maximizes our potential and aligns with our purpose.

The Practical Paths Ahead

For some, the path might be entrepreneurship—building something from the ground up, solving problems, and creating value in the world. For others, it might be the employee path—contributing meaningfully within a team or organization. There are countless paths ahead, and no single one is “better” than another. What matters is finding the one that aligns with who you are and how you can best serve Allah’s creation.

Ultimately, all paths lead back to Allah SWT. Our goal is not to question the destination—it’s the same for all of us. Instead, our focus is on understanding ourselves and identifying the best way to serve Him. When we choose a path that aligns with our unique talents and calling, our journey becomes smoother, more fulfilling, and more impactful.

In summary, the Path—or Deen—is not just the road we travel but the way we integrate our purpose, passion, and actions into a life of worship. It’s about knowing who we are and selecting a path that aligns with our strengths, ensuring that every step brings us closer to Allah SWT.

Understanding Your Place on the Journey

One of the most important realizations to embrace on this journey is that you are exactly where you are meant to be. Right now, at this moment, you are in the right place, at the right time. Nothing in this life is coincidental or accidental. Everything happens with purpose, even if we don’t always understand it in the moment.

Instead of questioning, “Why am I here?” or feeling stuck in your current situation, ask yourself a different question: “Where am I going?” Your current position isn’t as important as the direction you’re heading. Trust that Allah has placed you exactly where He wants you for a reason. The challenge isn’t to fight your present reality but to align yourself with the path Allah is guiding you toward.

A Personal Story: Finding My Path

Rather than just offering theory, I find it more meaningful to share my personal journey. My story of finding my path reflects a transition—a journey through conventional employment to discovering entrepreneurship. Each step, each phase, had its purpose, and it taught me valuable lessons about aligning my strengths, passions, and calling with my ultimate destination.

In the next part of this chapter, I’ll take you through this journey. It’s not just about what I learned but about helping you reflect on your own journey, so you can find the path that best serves your unique purpose. Stay with me as we navigate the twists and turns of this road together.

A Lesson From My Early Journey

One of my earliest lessons in finding my path comes from a story about my mom, may Allah grant her the best here and hereafter. She is a beautiful soul, full of care and love for her children. My mom used to work as a tailor, and in her wisdom, she thought this path might also be a good fit for me. She even went out of her way to find one of the best teachers, a master tailor, and enrolled me in tailoring lessons.

Now, as much as I wanted to respect my mom’s wishes, tailoring wasn’t something I wanted to do. But, being the good son I wanted to be—and because she promised me ice cream—I went along with it. Every day, I’d walk to my lessons, stop to buy ice cream, and then reluctantly study how to be a tailor.

I spent about a month learning tailoring, and let me tell you, it was miserable. I was terrible at it. I wasn’t just bad; I felt like I was selling my soul every time I walked into that place. The work drained me, and I couldn’t see myself doing this for the rest of my life. After a month, I finally mustered the courage to tell my mom, “I can’t do this anymore. I’m not good at it, and I’ll never be great at it.”

Why do I share this story? Because many of us are in similar situations. We end up doing things we don’t like, things that don’t align with who we are, just for the sake of money or to meet someone else’s expectations. We compromise our passions, our talents, and sometimes even our souls, for the sake of “fitting in” or earning a living.

That experience taught me a valuable lesson early in life: you can’t force yourself into something just for the sake of money, status, or someone else’s approval. Whatever path you choose, it has to be something you enjoy and something that aligns with your strengths and values. Otherwise, you’ll be running on empty, and your journey will feel like a burden rather than a meaningful pursuit.

This was the starting point of my life’s journey—recognizing what didn’t work for me. It’s a lesson that shaped how I eventually found my path, one that felt authentic and fulfilling. And it’s a reminder for all of us: find a path that resonates with who you are and what you’re meant to contribute. Anything less isn’t worth it.

Finding My Path: The Denmark Chapter

The next part of my journey in finding my path takes me to my time in Denmark. When I first arrived, I didn’t know many people, and I had to start from scratch. To survive, I took on all kinds of jobs—delivering newspapers, washing dishes, cleaning toilets, working in restaurants, and even baking pizzas. It was tough, but I knew these jobs were temporary. They were something I had to do, not what I wanted to do.

While doing those jobs, I kept my mind alive by dreaming about what I would do one day. At that time, my dream job was to be a web designer. I would think about web design and imagine myself working in a studio, creating beautiful, meaningful work. This dream kept me going through the long hours and difficult days.

After a couple of years of hard work and persistence, I finally landed my dream job as a designer. I enjoyed it immensely—it felt like I had finally arrived. But after some time, I realized that simply designing beautiful websites wasn’t enough. I wanted to do more, to grow further. So, I expanded my skillset into areas like analytics and marketing. Later, I took on leadership roles, managing teams and guiding projects.

That journey—from arriving in Denmark with nothing, working odd jobs, to becoming a design team lead in one of the largest corporations—took me nearly seven to ten years. It was a gradual process, with many challenges and lessons along the way. Achieving my dream job felt like the culmination of all that hard work.

But as I’ll share in the next part of this story, even that dream job wasn’t meant to be my final destination. It was just another step on the path, guiding me toward the purpose I was truly meant to fulfill.

Rediscovering Purpose

About ten years ago, I found myself at what should have been the pinnacle of my career. I had my dream job, a good salary, and a happy family—everything that should have made me feel fulfilled. Yet, as I shared earlier in this book, I felt a sense of emptiness. Even though I was doing things I liked, it wasn’t serving a greater purpose. I found myself soul-searching, trying to understand why I felt this void despite having everything I had once dreamed of.

It was during this time that I rediscovered Islam. I realized that my purpose in life wasn’t just to earn a living or achieve personal success—it was to serve Allah SWT. This realization changed everything for me. I wanted my work to reflect this deeper purpose, to be more than just a job, to serve Allah full-time.

To be honest, I had no idea how to do this. I was navigating between my spiritual awakening and my entrepreneurial instincts, and they seemed to collide in unexpected ways. I made dua, asking Allah SWT to guide me: “O Allah, I want to serve You. Show me the way.”

What followed was a journey of transition—from being an employee focused on climbing the career ladder to becoming an entrepreneur pursuing freedom and alignment with my faith. It started with an idea for a social network for Muslims. That venture didn’t succeed, but it taught us valuable lessons. Those lessons paved the way for our next venture: a Muslim ad network, which eventually grew into a marketing agency. Over time, I began helping other startups as a co-founder, advisor, and sometimes even an investor.

This journey of entrepreneurship, faith, and rediscovering purpose wasn’t linear, nor was it something I could have predicted. If you’d asked me ten years ago if I’d end up here, I would have laughed. But here I am.

The reason I’m sharing this part of my story is because your journey will likely feel the same. You may not know where you’ll end up, but you need to trust your story. Trust that Allah SWT has a plan for you. As long as your intention is sincere and you remain persistent in your actions, Allah will guide you. You will find the path that allows you to serve Allah in the best possible way. It may take time, and there will be challenges, but every step will bring you closer to living your purpose.

Entrepreneur or Employee

There comes a point in your journey where you face an important decision: should you follow a professional career or take the entrepreneurial path? Both options are valid, but there’s wisdom in taking the time to build a strong foundation first.

If you’re considering entrepreneurship, don’t rush into it. My advice is to first gain experience. Work for someone else, join a company, and learn a skill. In this process, you not only become proficient in a specific area but also discover your strengths, your passions, and your weaknesses. Entrepreneurship becomes meaningful and sustainable when you know yourself and understand the problems you want to solve from the inside out. When you deeply understand a challenge, when you’ve honed your skills and built your resourcefulness, you’re much more prepared to tackle it better than anyone else. That’s when entrepreneurship becomes a natural next step.

If you decide to take the professional career path, focus on joining a cause that aligns with your purpose. When you know yourself—your skills, your strengths, and your values—it becomes much easier to identify the right team or organization to join. When your work aligns with your purpose, it no longer feels like just a job—it becomes a form of service and fulfillment.

For those who want to pursue entrepreneurship, I encourage you to read my first book, 7 Steps to Success. It outlines the practical steps and mindset shifts needed to start and grow a business with purpose.

The People You’ll Meet on the Path

On your journey, you’ll encounter different types of people. Understanding their roles in your life is key to making your path meaningful and aligned with your purpose.

People Who Inspire You
These are individuals doing incredible work—beautiful souls creating impact in ways that resonate with you. If their work aligns with your purpose, don’t hesitate to join them. Collaborating with like-minded people makes the journey more meaningful and fulfilling. Compete in doing good.
People You Serve Professionally
If you choose the entrepreneurial path, you’ll meet people who need your services and are willing to pay for them. Serving your customers with Ihsan (excellence) is a form of Ibadah (worship). There’s no shame in providing value and being compensated for it. Remember, by serving others well, you’re serving Allah SWT.
People You Serve Selflessly
Along the way, you’ll also encounter those who can’t pay you—those in genuine need, like the poor, the miskeen, or the orphan. Helping them, without expecting anything in return except from Allah, is one of the highest forms of service. This is where charity and zakah come in. As Muslims, we are commanded to give at least 2.5% of our wealth in zakah. It’s not just a financial obligation—it’s an opportunity to bring barakah (blessings) into your wealth and serve Allah through acts of compassion.

Our Role on the Path

As we navigate this journey, our job is not to judge the people we encounter but to help them. Some will inspire us, others will depend on our services, and some will require our compassion and generosity. In every case, our actions should reflect sincerity and excellence, trusting that Allah SWT will reward our efforts.

Let me conclude this section with a story that highlights the essence of serving with purpose, inshallah.

The Call to Serve: A Lesson from Tawaf

One of the most profound lessons I learned came during my first journey to Umrah. As I joined thousands of other Muslims circling the Ka’bah during Tawaf, I found myself repeatedly proclaiming the powerful words:

لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ
“Here I am, O Lord, here I am.”

At first, I reflected on the translation: “Here I am.” But the question struck me: Why are we saying this? What is the purpose behind these words?

In that moment, I realized something life-changing. Hajj and Umrah are not just acts of worship; they are profound reminders of our ultimate purpose. These words, “Here I am, O Allah,” are not only declarations during Tawaf—they are declarations for our entire life. They remind us why we are here in this world: to serve Allah SWT.

Hajj and Umrah are a preparation for the next life, a chance to realign ourselves with our grander purpose. As we say, لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ, we remind ourselves, “O Allah, You called me, and I answered. I am here to serve You.”

A Lifelong Prayer for Guidance

This declaration doesn’t end with Tawaf; it’s a prayer for our entire journey. Before we step fully onto our path in life, we must remember to say:

لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ
“O Allah, here I am. Here I am again, ready to serve You. Please guide me to the straight path. Open my heart, open my soul, and expand my chest, so that everything I do is pleasing to You. Show me the path that brings me closer to You, and forgive me for my shortcomings. Verily, You are the Most Forgiving, the Most Kind, the Most Merciful.”

This prayer is not just a ritual; it is a framework for life. It’s a reminder that our ultimate purpose, no matter where we are or what we do, is to serve Allah SWT in the best possible way. When we internalize this, our path becomes clear, and every step forward is taken with intention, sincerity, and hope for His guidance and mercy.

The Tawaf and the words of لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ ground us in this truth: we are here because Allah called us. And our response should always be, “Here I am, O Allah, ready to serve You.” This is the mindset we carry as we navigate our path, always asking Allah to show us the way that pleases Him and brings us closer to Him.

Dua
O Allah, guide us to the Straith Path that is best for us. Whether we choose entrepreneurship or a professional career, help us align our work with our Purpose and Passion. Grant us success in this life and the next, and make our efforts a means of serving You and benefiting others. Ameen.

Goals:
On a scale of 1 to 10, how you evaluate your Path?
What are your Path goals to achieve 10?

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Beliefs:
What are your beliefs about your Path?
What is holding you back to achieve 10 out of 10?

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Motivation:
Why does it matter to achieve these goals?
What happens if you do? What happens if you don’t?

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Methods:
What is your plan to achieve your Path goals?
What simple steps can you take today?

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