What it meant to be a man.

 Ever since I was a child, I learned what it meant to be a man. I looked up to my father, who loved me dearly, but also disciplined me and taught me how to do things. He knew that by being strict, he might not win my affection as much as my mother did, but he chose to be respected rather than loved. He wanted his family to trust him and rely on him for everything. He endured countless hardships to provide for my brothers, my sister and my mother, giving them the best possible food, education, clothes and lifestyle. He never allowed anyone to doubt him or question his methods. He was the ultimate authority in our home. But he also sacrificed his own needs and comfort for ours. He always put us first. He was ready to face any danger or challenge for us. He was the one who would rush to put out a fire, or intervene in a conflict, or take responsibility for any problem. All my life, I wanted to grow up and become a man like him. A man who could provide, comfort and support his family.

Being a man was the foundation of my aspirations. But as I grew older, wiser and more educated, Allah revealed to me a higher purpose of living not just for myself or my family, but for the entire humanity. I began to dream of becoming a person who serves the people, who cares for their welfare and happiness. I wanted to be a blessing for humanity. But I knew that I could not do this until I became a man myself, that is, by working hard and achieving success that would enable me to give to others. And before that, it was necessary that I took care of the people who were close to me, like my parents, wife and children. I had no selfish desires for myself, I only worked and lived to build something that others could benefit from.