In the name of Allaah, Most Beneficent and Most Merciful
Everyone of us wants to be successful. None of us wants to be a failure. We all have set certain goals/targets to achieve and we are all striving for it. We believe that by achieving the set goals/targets we will attain success.
Definition of Success (From Dictionary):The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted. Desired or Favorable outcome.
Success is relative in this world and it is not absolute. Also it is subjective to the goals that are set.
Examples of Goals set by people in this world:
Small Goals:
Child: Ask a child about success, he will say he wants loads of chocolate, icecream or toys etc.
Youngster: To get some degree or position or job
MiddleAged Man: To have a house for himself, to make it big in his field, or to see his children excel in things
Goal of life:
To become the Happiest man or Wealthiest man or powerful person or famous person etc……
This Goal of life actually steers our life. The decisions we make always conform to this BIGGER GOAL.
Let us examine the Success of this life!!!
If our bigger goal pertains to this worldly life…. Then the success we get when we achieve it is Transient in nature:
- Transient: Either that will leave us or we will leave it.
- Happiness: We will happy for some time, but we cannot be happy for ever
- Assets: The things we achieve might not stay with us for ever
Is there any success which will bring us Everlasting success, Everlasting happiness, Everlasting assets (never diminish)???
YES!!! There is a Success. This Success is in the hereafter. This success is Jannah.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale-Imraan verse 185:
Every soul shall have a taste of death! All of you shall get your full recompense only on the Day of Resurrection. Then only those will be Truly Successful, who escape the Fire of Hell and is admitted to the Gardens! As regards the life of this world, it is merely a thing that deceives!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 61 Surah Saff verses 10-12:
- O ye who believe! Shall I lead you to a bargain that will save you from a grievous Penalty?
- That ye believe in Allah and His Messenger, and that ye strive (your utmost) in the Cause of Allah with your property and your persons: that will be best for you if ye but knew!
- He will forgive you your sins and admit you to Gardens beneath which rivers flow, and to beautiful mansions in Gardens of Eternity: that is indeed the Supreme Achievement.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verses 88-89:
- But the Messenger and those who believe with him, strive with their wealth and their persons (in the Cause of Allah): for them are (all) good things: and it is they who will prosper.
- Allah hath prepared for them Gardens, under which rivers flow, to dwell therein: that is the Supreme Felicity.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 72:
Allah hath promised to believers, men and women, Gardens under which rivers flow to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in Gardens of everlasting bliss. But the Greatest Bliss is the Good Pleasure of Allah: that is the Supreme Felicity.
FAILURE is the exact opposite of Success!!!!
Failure of this world is transient, sorrow fades away after some time, sometimes there is another chance to make it up, Disappointment is also short-lived.
FAILURE of the HERE-AFTER is Everlasting, disappointment is everlasting, Sadness/sorrow is ever lasting, Hurt/Disgrace is ever-lasting.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 63:
Know they not that for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger is the fire of Hell, wherein they shall dwell? That is the Supreme Disgrace.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 45 Surah Jathiyaa verses 7-11:
- Woe to each sinful Dealer in Falsehoods:
- He hears the Signs of Allah rehearsed to him, yet is obstinate and lofty as if he had not heard them: then announce to him a Penalty Grievous!
- And when he learns something of Our Signs he takes them in jest: for such there will be a humiliating Penalty.
- In front of them is Hell: and of no profit to them is anything they may have earned, nor any protectors they may have taken to themselves besides Allah: for them is a Tremendous Penalty.
- This is (true) Guidance: and for those who reject the Signs of their Lord is a grievous Penalty of Abomination.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 36-37:
- As to those who reject faith if they had everything on earth, and twice repeated to give as ransom for the penalty of the Day of Judgement, it would never be accepted of them. Theirs would be a Grievous Penalty.
- Their wish will be to get out of the fire, but never will they get out therefrom: their penalty will be one that endures.
The Question is WHAT IS OUR GOAL IN LIFE???
DID WE SET OUR GOAL FOR THE EVERLASTING SUCCESS OF THE HEREAFTER or SOMETHING WHICH IS JUST FOR THIS WORLD
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verses 18-21:
- If any do wish for the transitory things (of this life), We readily grant them–such things as We will, to such persons as We will: in the end have We provided Hell for them: they will burn therein disgraced and rejected.
- Those who do wish for the (things of) the Hereafter, and strive therefore with all due striving, and have Faith; they are the ones whose striving is acceptable (to Allah).
- Of the bounties of thy Lord, We bestow freely on all these, as well as those: the bounties of thy Lord are not closed (to anyone).
- See how We have bestowed more on some than on others; but verily the Hereafter is more in rank and gradation, and more in excellence.
Not that Islam discourages its believers to demean or belittle these favors of fame and fortune from Allah Subhanawata’ala; but Islam definitely does not relate these to ‘success’!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 28 Surah Qasas verse 77:
But seek with the (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on thee the Home of the Hereafter, nor forget thy portion in this world: but do thou good as Allah has been good to thee and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the land: for Allah loves not those who do mischief.
!!!WE SHOULD NOT SET SUCCESS IN THIS LIFE AS A BIGGER GOAL !!!!
It is indeed amazing that the people who strive their utmost all their lives in the accumulation of wealth and fame of this world and give little or no importance to their everlasting life in the Hereafter, thinking they are following the pursuit of success; will reach their destination One Day only to realize that they followed nothing but a mirage and dreams of falsehood!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 57 Surah Hadid verse 20:
Know ye (all) that the life of this world is but play and amusement pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying (in rivalry) among yourselves of riches and children
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 200:
There are men who say: “Our Lord! give us (thy bounties) in this world!”, but they will have no portion in the hereafter.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 42 Ash-Shura verse 20:
Whoever seeks the harvest of the Hereafter, We do increase his harvest. And whoever seeks the harvest of this world, We do give him of it, but in the Hereafter he will have no share whatsoever.
May Allah give us all the ability to make the goal of this life to attain the pleasure of Allah and conform our life style to the commands of Allah and Sunnah of Rasulullah (Peace be upon him) in order to attain this bigger goal.
COMMENTS