The Anchor of the Soul: Shifting from Ego to Allah
Finding Balance, Purpose, and Eternal Peace in a Distracted World
Life in the modern world is a relentless current. We are often swept away by the demands of building careers, nurturing families, and maintaining a social image. We are busy, but are we purposeful? We are moving fast, but do we know where we are going?
The central struggle of the human experience is not between wealth and poverty, but between the Ego (Nafs) and the Creator (Allah).
Many live primarily for the ego. They chase approval, accumulate status, and seek validation from others. This path, while glittering on the surface, often leads to inner restlessness and a spirit that feels constantly starved. However, the path of the Ahlul Bayt (AS) teaches us a higher reality: Living for Allah.
This does not mean abandoning the world; it means anchoring the world in the Divine. It means transforming the mundane into the sacred.
The Two Types of Workers
A profound tradition, reflecting the teachings of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and preserved in the eloquence of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (AS), categorizes humanity into two distinct groups.
The Hadith describes the reality of our striving:
“People in this world are of two kinds:
One works in this world for the sake of the world alone. His worldly pursuits distract him from the Hereafter. He fears poverty for those he will leave behind, yet feels safe and unconcerned about himself. His life is thus spent serving the benefit of others.
And the other works in this world for what lies beyond it. What was destined for him of this world comes to him without striving for it. He secures both gains together, and comes to possess both realms—this world and the next. He attains honour in the sight of God, and asks nothing of God except that it is granted.”
(Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 269)
1. The Servant of the Ego
The first worker is trapped in a paradox. He works tirelessly to amass wealth and security, ostensibly to protect his future or his heirs (”fearing poverty for those he will leave behind”). Yet, he neglects the poverty of his own soul. He is “safe and unconcerned” about his spiritual state, unaware that he is spiritually bankrupt.
Imam Ali (AS) famously noted the tragedy of such a person: they exhaust their life to build a world they must leave, while destroying the Hereafter they must inhabit.
2. The Servant of Allah
The second worker understands the secret of existence. By focusing on the Akhirah (Hereafter), the Dunya (World) is not lost—it is conquered. When you work for Allah, the sustenance (Rizq) destined for you arrives naturally. As the Hadith states, he “possesses both realms.” He enjoys the blessings of this life without being enslaved by them, and he secures the eternal peace of the next.
The Quranic Perspective: The Great Exchange
The Holy Quran perfectly encapsulates this shift from self-centric living to God-centric living. It requires a declaration of total surrender.
Allah says in the Quran:
“Say: Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds.”
(Surah Al-An’am, Chapter 6, The Cattle, Verse 162)
This verse is the blueprint for the believer. It does not say “my prayer is for Allah, but my job is for my ego.” It encompasses living and dying. Every breath, every email sent, every meal cooked, and every conversation held can be an act of worship if the intention (Niyyah) is to please Allah.
Practical Alchemy: Turning Daily Life into Worship
How do we bridge the gap between the spiritual ideal and the daily grind? We do it by aligning our intention with the guidance of the Prophet (SAW) and his purified progeny, the Ahlul Bayt (AS).
Here is how the shift from Ego to Allah looks in practice:
At Work: Diligence as Duty
The Ego approach: You work for applause, promotions, or to feel superior to colleagues. Failure brings devastation; success brings arrogance.
The Allah approach: You work because Allah loves a worker who is trustworthy and skilled. You view your job as a trust (Amanah). You are honest even when no one is watching, because He is watching.
Relationships: Connection as Compassion
The Ego approach: You love others for what they give you. You seek control or recognition. Relationships are transactional.
The Allah approach: You serve your family and friends because it is a command of Allah to uphold ties of kinship (Silat al-Rahim). You forgive not because the other person deserves it, but because you seek Allah’s forgiveness.
Inner Peace: Trust vs. Anxiety
The Ego approach: You obsess over results. If things go wrong, you panic, believing you are in total control.
The Allah approach: You focus on the effort, which is your jurisdiction, and leave the outcome to Allah. This is the essence of Tawakkul (Reliance).
As Imam Ali (AS) said: “I recognized Allah through the breaking of determinations,” realizing that control ultimately lies with Him.
The Path of the Ahlul Bayt (AS)
To truly live this way requires a guide. The Prophet (SAW) left behind the “Two Weighty Things” (Thaqalayn): The Book of Allah and his Progeny, the Ahlul Bayt.
The Ahlul Bayt (AS) are the practical embodiment of living “From Ego to Allah.” Whether it was Imam Ali (AS) giving his ring to a beggar while in prayer, or Imam Husayn (AS) sacrificing everything on the plains of Karbala, their lives were devoid of ego. They did not move a single step unless it was for the pleasure of the Divine.
The Result? When you silence the ego and amplify the voice of God in your heart:
Anxiety vanishes: You fear no one but Allah.
Work becomes meaningful: Even mundane tasks earn heavenly rewards.
You become “Wajihan inda-Allah”: As the Hadith concludes, you become “honourable in the sight of God,” a station where your prayers are answered and your heart is at rest.
Let us strive to be the second type of worker—the one who captures the peace of this world and the glory of the next, by making the simple choice to live not for the self, but for the Sustainer of the self.
Arabic Original of the Hadith (Nahj al-Balagha):
وَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: النَّاسُ فِي الدُّنْيَا عَامِلَانِ: عَامِلٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا لِلدُّنْيَا، قَدْ شَغَلَتْهُ دُنْيَاهُ عَنْ آخِرَتِهِ، يَخْشَى الْفَقْرَ عَلَى مَنْ يَخْلُفُهُ، وَيَأْمَنُهُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ، فَيَفْنَى عُمْرُهُ فِي مَنْفَعَةِ غَيْرِهِ؛ وَعَامِلٌ عَمِلَ فِي الدُّنْيَا لِمَا بَعْدَهَا، فَجَاءَهُ نَصِيبُهُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بِغَيْرِ عَمَلٍ، فَأَحْرَزَ الْحَظَّيْنِ مَعًا، وَمَلَكَ الدَّارَيْنِ جَمِيعًا، فَأَصْبَحَ وَجِيهًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ، لَا يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ شَيْئًا إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاهُ.