On FIRE, age of 40, and 4-hour work week

Three ideas that might be unrelated, but suddenly clicked for me.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Recently, I watched Raditya Dika’s podcast featuring Samuel Ray where the concept of FIRE (Financial Independent, Retire Early) was discussed.

Essentially, FIRE involves saving enough capital so that you can live off a 4% annual withdrawal from your investment returns, while the remainder acts as a hedge against inflation. While I don’t agree with the standard advice of buying traditional bonds due to the prohibition of Riba, the core idea is incredibly interesting to me.

As a Muslim, this reminded me of the significance of reaching age 40. In Islam, when you reach 40, you are advised to focus more deeply on your Akhirah. (Refer to this article, in Indonesian, if you want to find out more about age 40 in Islam: [Link]).

On the surface, these two concepts, financial independence and spiritual focus, might not seem connected, but I’ve started to draw a line between them. If I want to allocate more time to the Deen by the time I’m 40, FIRE is a concept that can complement that goal perfectly, provided it is achieved in a Sharia-compliant way.

This thought, combined with Tim Ferriss’s 4-Hour Workweek, suddenly lit a lightbulb in my mind. It raised a vital question: How can I reach FIRE by age 40 so that I can work just four hours a week and spend the rest of my time on religion?

I am still in my mid-twenties and far from that goal, but the idea is deeply appealing. I understand that working and providing Nafkah (sustenance) is a mandatory form of worship for men to provide for their families. However, the idea of dedicating the majority of one’s time to the Deen is a beautiful prospect.

Why a 4-hour workweek specifically? I believe people still need a sense of self-actualization. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala has granted us skills and talents, so I think a portion of work is still required to honor those gifts. It isn’t about doing nothing; it is about working with high intention and purpose. So I guess Financial Independent, Recreationally Employed or “Entrepreneured” is more fitting for me.

Since 2019, I have been studying Islam through HSI Abdullah Roy. My time there has shown me that there is an immense ocean of knowledge to seek. While not everyone is meant to be an Ustadz, a “4-hour workweek” would allow someone to dedicate significantly more time to Da’wah and seeking useful knowledge to prepare for the afterlife.

May Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala help us all in this pursuit.