Earn your keep: reviving hard work in an age of automation

Hard work. The generation before us knows all too well what it means to toil relentlessly, and in many cases, so does ours. But what about the next generation?

The next generation belongs to a post-millennial society where convenience is king and nearly everything is at their fingertips. Too often, young people today take life far too lightly, and the concept of hard work no longer resonates with them as deeply as it once did with their elders. The youth of today are more attuned to technology and artificial intelligence than they are to meaningful human connections—and this shift presents a significant challenge.

We must re-instil the value of hard work in our children and encourage them to embrace perseverance, independence, and a strong sense of responsibility. They must learn to rise, take initiative, and do things for themselves, without relying excessively on others. The Blessed Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم emphasised this when he said:

وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَأَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ حَبْلَهُ فَيَحْتَطِبَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ رَجُلًا فَيَسْأَلَهُ أَعْطَاهُ أَوْ مَنَعَهُ

“By Him in whose hand is my soul, if one of you were to carry a bundle of firewood on his back and sell it, that would be better for him than begging a man who may or may not give him anything.” — Bukhari #1470

This narration encapsulates a powerful lesson: earning one’s sustenance through honest effort, no matter how humble the work, is far superior to depending on others. It teaches us the dignity of self-reliance and the importance of striving for ḥalāl rizq—permissible sustenance—with resilience and faith.

Failure, too, is a part of the journey. We must teach the next generation not to be discouraged by setbacks but to see them as opportunities for growth. Perseverance and self-struggle—what we know as jihād—are essential to our existence. Without them, we risk falling into a state of dependency on people rather than placing our trust in Allah عزوجل.

It is our duty to prepare the next generation for the challenges of life. Teach your children to think critically, to make sincere intentions, to plan carefully, and to work diligently. Instil in them the virtues of reliability, responsibility, and the pursuit of lawful sustenance. Through these lessons, they may just develop the character and faith to navigate life’s trials and triumphs with the confidence and conviction of those who place their trust in Allah عزوجل alone.

And Allah عزوجل and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم know best.