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Tag: Success

  • Quest for True Success: Divine Message of Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (PBUT)

    Quest for True Success: Divine Message of Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (PBUT)

    There are many definitions, thoughts, and opinions about success as humans try to define what true success really is. Some think success is to accumulate wealth and material things or try to get to the top of the corporate ladder or attain a high position in government. Is success the internal feeling of satisfaction and being happy with what is achieved after sacrifice, struggle, and endeavor? If that is the case then a person who does evil, with some efforts and struggle of course, will be quite happy and feel successful with what he achieves, like a thief after he loots and plunders other people’s properties. But is this true success?

    Allah (SWT) bases success of any individual on his or her belief in Him and the building of a relationship with Him through acts of worship and obedience to His Message.

    Man in the end realizes that what he thinks success to be is nothing more than a temporary feeling. No sooner does he achieve success, what he thought would bring him a deep sense of satisfaction before he starts the quest all over again because his worldly achievement does not full fill the soul. He chases the gratifications of the Dunya, running after fortune or fame till death overtakes him. Some people try to fill the inner void with drugs or alcohol. Some are so miserable that they think of or try suicide. What we know for certain is that genuine happiness and success cannot be achieved through worldly achievement or wealth alone. In fact, many affluent or famous people live miserable lives.
    Allah (SWT) describes how people who chase this Dunya and are unable to find true success react when the Angel of Death approaches. Such a person realizes that the worldly things he was running after in this life are left behind and now he begs Allah (SWT) for another chance. Any person with such belief that materialism is success will never be satisfied or happy in life. He will always want more and more, nothing will please him enough, until death overcomes him. Allah (SWT) tells us in Surah Mo’minoon, “Until, when death comes to one of them, he says, ’My Lord, send me back that I might do righteousness in that which I left behind.’ No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected” (Quran 23:99-100).

    Seeking True Success

    The attainment of true success is a fundamental quest of all human beings. Most would agree that a lasting peace of mind, contentment, happiness, and freedom from worries and anxiety are true hallmarks of success, and that material gains alone cannot achieve that. The question we should then ask is how can we achieve these attributes of success. The answer necessitates pondering our existence here on earth: How did we come to be here on earth? Is it by accident or by the design of a Wise Creator who has created everything that exists?
    Any person who thinks deeply enough concludes that there must be a Creator for all that exists. As Muslims, we believe, without any shadow of a doubt, that Allah (SWT) is the Creator of the heavens and earth and everything between them, everything that exists. We firmly believe that Allah is the One and Only God, Allah has power over all things, and He is the Rich and Self Sufficient. All the most beautiful names and attributes belong to Allah (SWT) alone. This wise Creator did not create man and then leave him to chart his path alone. He (SWT) did not leave him to decide by himself what is good or bad, what is guidance, and what is success. Allah (SWT) says: “Then did you think that We created you in mere idle play and that to Us you would not be returned?”(Quran 23:115). And in another verse He again asks: “Does man think that he will be left neglected?” (Quran 75:36).

    In fact, He Almighty knows that man, with his selfish interest, greed, and short-sightedness, would not be able to determine what true success is. So with His infinite wisdom and knowledge, Allah (SWT) has sent Messengers such as Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all) to convey His Divine Message, guiding all of mankind to true success in this world and true success in the world to come. The message of the prophets was one and the same. Allah (SWT) makes this clear in the following verse: “Say: ’We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction among any of them, and unto Him we are those who surrender’” (Quran 2:136).

    In fact, from the very beginning He (SWT) has equipped man to strive for true happiness and success. In the Quran, we learn what the Creator told Adam and Eve after they disobeyed Allah’s directive not to eat from a particular tree: “We said, ’Down with you all from this [state]. And when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance, need have no fear nor will they grieve. And those who disbelieve and deny Our signs — those will be companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally” (Quran 2:38-39). But from the very early time mankind has rejected God’s guidance and instead chosen his own way. The consequences have been severe whether they were individuals, communities, or nations. He (SWT) says: “And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a life of narrow scope, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind” (Quran 20:124).

    The Quest in This Life

    Allah (SWT) describes man’s quest in this life as falling in one or the other of two categories. He (SWT) says: “And when you have completed your rites, remember Allah like your remembrance of your fathers or with greater remembrance. And among the people is he who says, ’Our Lord, give unto us in this world,’ and he will have in the Hereafter no share. But among them is he who says, ’Our Lord, give unto us in this world good and in the Hereafter good, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.’ Those will have a share of what they have earned, and Allah is swift in account” (Quran 2:200-202).

    In these verses, Allah SWT describes the first category of people who work for this life only and have no desire for the Hereafter. He sees this life as his ultimate abode, his ultimate concern, and therefore success is only to achieve things that are worldly. We should be reminded of the du’a we make during our Qunoot in Witr prayer, especially in the month of Ramadhan: “Allahumma la taj’alid dunya akbara hammina”– “O Allah, don’t make this world our biggest concern.” Ameen.

    The second category of people are those who listen to the guidance from Allah (SWT) and supplicate to Him fervently to have success both in this world and the next. Such a person is mindful of his duty to Allah and makes sure to make good use of whatever Allah has bestowed upon him in this world. He believes that he has a role in this life and must utilize it to get to the Hereafter and he tries to seek success in both. There is no third category. So if someone thinks that success is only in the Hereafter, then he has made a category other than which the Creator has described.

    Ways to Attain True Success

    Faith and righteous deeds are the greatest and most fundamental of means of attaining true success. Allah says, “Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he is a true believer, verily to him We will give a good life, and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do” (Quran 16:97).
    This is also taught in the Bible in Galatians 6:8: “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. “The reason for this is clear: those who believe in Allah are sincerely motivated to do righteous deeds and by so doing, hearts and attitudes are changed and these individuals are guided to success in this world and the Hereafter. Such are the people who follow principles and guidelines by means of which they deal with everything that happens to them, be it circumstances of happiness and excitement or circumstances of anxiety, worry, or grief. This has been explained in the hadith of Rasoolullah (pbuh) in which he said: “How wonderful is the situation of the believer, for all his affairs are good. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks for it and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him. This does not apply to anyone but the believer” (Muslim).
    As to righteous deeds, Allah (SWT) gives us many opportunities to do good deeds that bring about success. Allah (SWT) describes some of the behaviors of those who truly succeed: “Certainly will the believers have succeeded, They who are during their prayer humbly submissive; And they who turn away from ill speech; And they who are observant of zakah; And they who guard their private parts, except with their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed – but whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors; And they who are to their trusts and their promises attentive; And they who carefully maintain their prayers. Those are the inheritors who will inherit Paradise. They will abide therein eternally” (Quran 23:1-11).)
    One reads in the Bible, as the final words of Prophet David (pbuh), in 1 Kings 2:3, “And observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to Him, and keep His decrees and commands, His laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.”
    As the quest for true success has been the ways of the Prophets of God Almighty, including Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (pbut), we must join in this pursuit if we also want true success. We must supplicate to Allah (SWT) to help us in this process, and a beautiful du’a we learn from the Prophet (pbuh) is the following: “Allahumma aslih li deeni alladhi huwa ‘ismatu amri, wa aslih li dunyaya allati fiha ma’ashi, wa aslih li akhirati allati ilayha ma’adi, waj’al al-hayata ziyadatan li fi kulli khayr, wa’l-mawta rahatan li min kulli sharr.” — “O Allah, correct my religious commitment which is the foundation of my life, and correct my worldly affairs in which is my livelihood, and grant me good in the Hereafter to which is my return. Make my life a means of accumulating good, and make death a respite for me from all evil.” (Muslim).
    Allah (SWT) bases success of any individual on his or her belief in Him and the building of a relationship with Him through acts of worship and obedience to His Message. The opportunity to strive for that success is a true gift from God, a blessing to be experienced, and available to each and every person on earth. And the reward for that success is a promise, without fail, made by God. I ask Allah (SWT) to grant us true success as He granted to Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them) and His righteous servants.

  • Prophet Yusuf (p): From Trials to Triumph

    In surah Baqarah, verse 253, as in so many verses in the Qur’an, we are told that Allah (SWT) does what He wills. We observe this principle in everyday life.  We may plan one thing but if Allah (SWT) plans something else, then our plan can never be fulfilled.  In the story of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him), one can clearly understand that whatever Allah wills to happen, does indeed happen.  By his own scheming, one can neither succeed in defeating Allah’s plan nor in altering it.  At the tender age of 17, Yusuf was sold into slavery in a land far from his home.  He was then imprisoned for some period of time for an offence he did not commit, an offence which was totally outside the scope of his high moral character.  From such depths of humiliation, Yusuf rose due to his strong faith and moral excellence to such an extent that the king gave him authority over all the granaries and storehouses of Egypt.

    This is a unique story which has lessons of wisdom for all of us.  Yusuf’s brothers thought that he was the main hurdle in getting the full attention of their father so they attempted, in their jealousy, to get rid of him by throwing him into a well.  They were sure that their plan had worked.  Little did they know that by their act of betrayal they were placing Yusuf on the first step of the ladder which would take him to the great heights of success that Allah (SWT) had planned for him.  Their actions, in fact, eventually earned them utter humiliation, being forced to come to Egypt for provision as the land was beset by famine. It was Yusuf to whom they made their entreaty for food. Similarly, the king’s wife who had falsely accused Yusuf, eventually had to suffer the embarrassment of publicly confessing her sin.

    Indeed, no one can humiliate an individual upon whom Allah (SWT) wants to bestow honor.  On the other hand, when Allah (SWT) decides to bring about a person’s downfall, no one can stop it.  All attempts to rescue such a person end in failure.  If we fully understand this fact, then we will never try to cross the boundaries set by Allah (SWT).  As for success and failure, they lie solely in Allah’s Hand.  Those who are struggling in the way of Allah (SWT) and facing many difficulties should remember that Allah knows about their intentions, their efforts, and their suffering, and always helps the righteous people in ways that best suit and benefit their spiritual upliftment.  Allah (SWT) made it possible for Yusuf to achieve great success because he faced all the difficult situations with taqwa and sabr, and as such, he never ceased striving for ihsan (Islamic excellence).  And we must never forget that it is not enough to acquire knowledge, for one must embed this knowledge into the qalb (heart).  Only then can we respond with taqwa and sabr, emulating the strength of ihsan as exemplified by Prophet Yusuf.

    Through the story of Yusuf, Allah (SWT) comforted Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).  The unjust treatment by Yusuf’s brothers was similar to the way the Makkan non-believers treated Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  He was reminded that just as Yusuf faced all the difficulties with piety and patience and then was ultimately granted success, he too would be strengthened and succored by Allah (SWT).

    The resemblance was so close that the people of Quraish could see their faces in the story of the Yusuf.  By linking the story of Yusuf to the encounter between Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the Quraish, the Qur’an is predicting the future of the Makkan people.  Within one to two years of revelation of surah 12 which tells the story of Yusuf, Quraish planned harm against the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) just as the envious and hateful brothers had plotted against Yusuf.  The Prophet was forced to migrate from one land to another; but, here again, this migration only furthered his destiny, helping him  in spreading Allah’s Message.  He too was granted ascendancy and power in a manner that reminds one of Yusuf’s journey to Egypt from Palestine.  Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an, “Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe” (58:11).

    Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) returned to Makkah after conquering it without any bloodshed.  What happened to the Makkans on the occasion of the conquest of Makkah?  The Quraish  stood humbled before Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the same way as the brothers of Yusuf were begging before him.  Yusuf had the power to take revenge but he pardoned them by saying, “No blame lies with you today.  May Allah (SWT) forgive you.  He is the Most Merciful of those who are merciful.”  Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not seek revenge against the Quraish, and repeated the same words as he pardoned them on the day of conquest of Makkah.

    Today, we witness Muslims and Muslim countries all over the world facing hardships.  The story of Yusuf reminds us that we should have strong faith that whatever is happening is the result of Allah’s Will and Plan.  He is forever Good and Wise, and He Knows all things. Therefore, we must trust Him and treat these trials as a test and an opportunity to come back to Him.  Indeed, in difficult times, we remember Allah (SWT) more than in good times.

    As political upheaval is taking place in Egypt once again, it is a great lesson for all of us that Allah does what He wills, according to His plan; but His promise is that after every difficulty there is ease.  We should remember the verse, “Verily, Allah does not change a people’s condition unless they change their inner selves” (Qur’an 13:11). Insha’Allah, these difficult times will put us on the first step of the ladder which can take us the great heights of success.  Allah (SWT) knows best!

    Let us make du’a to Allah (SWT) to give us qalb-as-saleem, peace of heart, so that we can respond in the wisest ways to the challenges and difficulties we face each and every day.  Ameen.

  • Defining True Success

    Defining True Success

    2010_2_cover1What is the image of a successful person? A well-educated, knowledgeable person, who has surplus earnings, well-known for expertise in his/her chosen specialty/trade, and carries with him/her a great deal of influence and power over public decision making is deemed successful by most standards. Perhaps a few of us are chasing all of the above, but certainly all of us are chasing at least a few of the above.

    We justify our endeavors as virtuous and pull out anything that hinders us from achieving our “just” legitimized desires. Unfortunately, we live in a day and age when it appears as if by following Islam, it is impossible to achieve the success defined above. It makes us ask the question, “Is Islam for us or against us?” We tend to perceive Islam as an encumbrance that limits the pursuits of knowledge, skills, power, and influence. Is this a correct perception? Does Islam make people weak, poor, oppressed, and miserable?

    We believe Islam is the most powerful motivator of the human souls. It is so dynamic by nature that it transforms a believer into an energetic character who is unable to rest until success is achieved. Islam creates a hunger for more – more knowledge, more money, more power. To spread true knowledge, to spend generously, to rule justly are the essential manifestations of Islam – not poverty, weakness, and misery.

    Even though, by following the principles Islam promotes, it is more probable than not that you will gain economic, material, and political success, their purpose has never been that one would get rich and powerful. In fact, Islam completely ignores these aspects of worldly success and does not find it even worth mentioning in its primary definitions of success. It tells us to not even cast a longing eye on these things. If anything, one is encouraged to inculcate a dislike for them. Escaping hellfire is the real success. Entering Jannah is the real success.

    How can Islam influence the worldly success of its followers when it speaks mostly of “unworldly” things? To many purists, it would be shocking to invite people to Islam by promising them worldly success. While we must admit that in Islam one is overwhelmed with salvation as the ultimate objective and tends to knowingly ignore or pay less attention to worldly success in the purely material sense, it does not understate its importance. The teachings of Islam by nature are such that by following them one can charter whatever course he wishes to. Who can be a better businessman than a Muslim? Who can be a better lawyer, judge, scientist, researcher, doctor, engineer than he whose thinking is in harmony with the rest of nature and he who understands best his creator and his relationship with him?

    This is a topic too extensive and too difficult for us to do justice to here. Without any pretensions, we set out to attempt to understand certain guiding principles of Islam and how they prepare and propel the human mind to inevitable success, peace, and happiness. May Allah (SWT) forgive our shortcomings. We seek the good in this life and in the life hereafter, and we also seek deliverance from hellfire.