YOU WERE CHOSEN FOR A REASON
The master race theory, which also gave rise to the study of eugenics, is critically flawed, but it pursues a concept that is as old as man. We would never be on the same pedestal in life. Some would be rich, while others would be poor. Some are born to be leaders, and others are meant to serve. It is the way our world is structured. The beauty of it all is that no one ever knows what his portion is until he emerges from his struggles.
A man who shies away from struggling and always wants an easy life has forgotten from which he was created, for which he was created, and to which cause he ends. From a struggling spermatozoan among millions of aspiring humans, 9 months in darkness, from childhood to adulthood and seeking purpose and them till he dies, man would be entangled in that continuous loop, seeking, albeit subconsciously, the purpose for which he is created.
Malcolm Gladwell, in his bestseller book Outliers: The Story of Success, also made an assertion. Successful athletes like Michael Phelps, rich billionaires like Bill Gates, and basketball players like Michael Jordan were all born with the natural abilities to do what they excel at. In addition to that, the society, time, and era they live in also support their journey to becoming who they are. Then it begs a question: “Why didn’t it happen to someone else but them?”
He also said that you have to have put in 10,000 hours of practice to be an expert. But it seems an overstretched simplicity and overgeneralization of reality.
Allah says of Musa:
وَأَنَا ٱخْتَرْتُكَ فَٱسْتَمِعْ لِمَا يُوحَىٰٓ
“I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed” (Q20:13)
He also says:
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰٓ ءَادَمَ وَنُوحًۭا وَءَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَءَالَ عِمْرَٰنَ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ٣٣
Indeed, Allah chose Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of ’Imrân above all people ˹of their time˺. (Q3:33)
أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَتَ رَبِّكَ ۚ نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُم مَّعِيشَتَهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۚ وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍۢ دَرَجَـٰتٍۢ لِّيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضًۭا سُخْرِيًّۭا ۗ وَرَحْمَتُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌۭ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ
Is it they who distribute your Lord’s mercy? We ˹alone˺ have distributed their ˹very˺ livelihood among them in this worldly life and raised some of them in rank above others so that some may employ others in service. ˹But˺ your Lord’s mercy is far better than whatever ˹wealth˺ they amass. (Q43:32)
To live a simple life as we seek our purpose and the reason we were on the path we chose, it is awesome when we start realizing that not all of us can be successful at any undertaking we take a shot at. Know your place when you need to, and appreciate those who hold the position you dream to hold.
-Ashraf Akintola