A Muslim's intention when working
24-9-2014 | IslamWeb
Question:
Assalaamu Alaikum. How should us Muslim put the right intention about our jobs. What is our ambition and goals, what is our drive and what is our passion? We do not go for wealth nor do we go for position and title. Allah is The Provider and we ask Allah for anything and everything. And sustenance has been decreed and we would not die before we receive all that has been provision for us by Allah. Yet, we shouldn’t stay at home and do nothing. We should work hard and strive in this life and we are asked to seek sustenance. At the same time, all of the worldly things are meaningless and we should strive to prepare ourselves for the Hereafter. How does all of this link together? Perhaps its a little easier if one's job is to build houses or providing Islamic knowledge to the people because you are helping people and the Ummah, but if you are working in a corporate organization providing services to the public, and you are one of the many executive, how do go about this - i.e. the questions that I have raised I have tried to go thru the various articles and responses to questions in this site but for some reason could not really find the answers. Perhaps I have overlooked. I would like to know how do we motivate ourselves. Appreciate your response. May God bless you, the team and your families.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
First of all, we would like to emphasize the importance of intention in all one’s deeds, whether related to worship or habit. As for the acts of worship, intention is a condition for having one’s act of worship accepted. Allah, The Exalted, says (what means): {And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give Zakah. And that is the correct religion.} [Quran 98:5]
‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab 
narrated that the Prophet said: “Indeed, actions are judged according to their intentions and every person will get the reward of what he has intended.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
As for the habitual act, a good intention turns it into a rewardable act of worship (when performed with the intention of pleasing Allah). This is evidenced by the Hadeeth reported on the authority of Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqaas that the Prophet said to him: “You will be rewarded for whatever you spend in the path of Allah, even if it were a morsel of food which you put in your wife's mouth.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Among the things that help a Muslim attain Ikhlaas (devoting deeds and intentions solely and sincerely to Allah) are:
1) Evoking the grandeur of Allah,
2) Recognizing the importance of Ikhlaas,
3) Struggling spiritually to attain Ikhlaas,
4) Imploring Allah to bless us with Ikhlaas.
If one's job is an act of worship, then when doing it, one should aspire to earn the pleasure of Allah, and should not use it as a means of attaining worldly gains, as in this case he will incur sin and lose the reward of his Lord. Allah, The Exalted, says (what means): {Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter - We increase for him in his harvest. And whoever desires the harvest of this world - We give him thereof, but there is not for him in the Hereafter any share.} [Quran 42:20]
However, if one happens to attain worldly gains in the process, then there is no harm in that and this does not contradict one's Ikhlaas. Abu Tharr narrated, “It was said to the Prophet What do you say about when) a man does a deed for the sake of Allah and people praise him for it?’ He said: ‘That is the immediate glad tidings of the believer (which he has received in this world).’” [Muslim]
On the other hand, if the person’s work is only an habitual act, then there is nothing wrong in making it a means to fulfilling a worldly purpose such as wealth, prestige, or position and the like; this is not prohibited as per the Sharee‘ah. In fact, one may be rewarded for that as well, as we said earlier, when the person uses his work to support his religion, repel injustice and defend the weak as did Abu Bakr . He used his wealth to buy Muslim slaves and set them free, and he helped weak Muslims.
Holding a prestigious position can also benefit Muslims as one's mediation and intercession may be sought by them. Allah, The Exalted, says (what means): {Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a reward therefrom; and whoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a burden therefrom. And ever is Allah, over all things, a Keeper.} [Quran 4:85]
Abu Musa said, “Whenever a needy person would come to the Messenger of Allah he would turn to those who were present and say: ‘Intercede (on his behalf) and you will be rewarded.’” [Al-Bukhari]
In brief, we are required to strive, earn a living, populate and build up the earth. Allah, The Exalted, says (what means): {… He has produced you from the earth and settled you in it…} [Quran 11:61] Anas ibn Maalik narrated that the Prophet said: “If the Last Hour comes while one of you has a palm seedling in his hand (which he can plant before it falls), then let him plant it.” [Ahmad and Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad]
It is also permissible for us to earn worldly gains and pleasures in a permissible way as prescribed in the Sharee‘ah.
Allah Knows best.