Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?” [The Noble Qur’an, Surah Al-Mu’minoon (Chapter of the Believers), 23:115]
Based on a survey conducted by Pew Research Center, among the most cited factors for what makes life meaningful are family, careers and material well-being. This shows that most people believe excelling in these three areas fulfils the purpose of life.
Although these three factors may contribute to the success of our lives in this world, but for a Muslim, without excelling in them, he can still achieve success in his life. How can this be so? In Islam, the provisions that we have acquired in this world are actually the result of Allah’s innumerable favours on us and not to be considered as a yardstick to measure our success in this world. Each and every one of us are blessed in different ways, but what sets us apart is our deeds. Allah says:
“Who has created death and life, that He may test which of you is best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving.” [The Noble Qur’an, Surah Al-Mulk (Chapter of the Dominion), 67:2]
Good deeds are essential because they reflect a person’s faith and commitment to Allah’s will. They serve as a means of seeking His pleasure and reward. A deed is only accepted if it is both sincere (performed for Allah’s sake) and correct, meaning it is in accordance with Islamic teachings. In other words, this is the concept of worship in Islam which Allah has ordained upon us, making it the purpose of our lives, as mentioned in the Noble Qur’an:
“And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).” [The Noble Quran, Surah Adh-Dhariyat (Chapter of the Scattering Winds), 51:56]
Worshipping Allah is fundamentally connected to obeying Allah and His Messenger, Muhammad ﷺ (may Allah send Blessings and Peace upon him). Those who obey Allah and His Messenger ﷺ will definitely be successful in this world and the Hereafter as Allah says in His Book:
“And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed achieved a great success (i.e. he will be saved from the Hellfire and made to enter Paradise).” [The Noble Qur’an, Surah Al-Ahzab (Chapter of the Confederates), 33:71]
If being rich is what most people consider as success, then Islam has the formula how to be the richest of the people. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Be on guard against the unlawful and you shall be the most worshipping among the people, be satisfied with what Allah has alloted for you and you shall be the richest of the people, be kind to your neighbour and you shall be a believer, love for the people what you love for yourself and you shall be a Muslim. And do not laugh too much, for indeed increased laughter kills the heart.” [Jami’ at-Tirmidhi (2305). Classified as ‘Hasan’ (Good) by Sheikh al-Albani in Silsilah al-Ahadeeth as-Saheehah (930)]
“Whoever makes the Hereafter his goal, Allah makes his heart rich, and organises his affairs, and the world comes to him whether it wants to or not. And whoever makes the world his goal, Allah puts his poverty right before his eyes, and disorganises his affairs, and the world does not come to him, except what has been decreed for him.” [Jami’ at-Tirmidhi (2465). Classified as ‘Sahih’ (Authentic) by Sheikh al-Albani]
What is meant in both of the hadiths above is those who are satisfied with Allah’s Decree and provision, and those whose goal is the Hereafter, Allah will make them spiritually rich (i.e., richness of the heart) by bestowing His blessings upon them.
Therefore, true success in Islam is not measured by the amount of wealth we accumulate, the status we achieve, or even the recognition we receive from people. Rather, it is measured by the state of our hearts, the sincerity of our intentions, and the righteousness of our deeds. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Verily, Allah does not look at your appearance or your wealth, but rather He looks at your hearts and your actions (deeds).” [Sahih Muslim (2564)]
A person may possess little in this world, yet be great in the sight of Allah due to his faith, patience, and obedience. Conversely, a person may possess everything that people admire, yet be deprived of true success because he turns away from his Creator and neglects his purpose.
This life, then, is not a destination, but a test; a temporary journey leading to an eternal abode. Every blessing we enjoy and every hardship we endure is an opportunity to draw closer to Allah through gratitude and patience. Know that Iblis (i.e, Satan) do not cease in his efforts until he make the servant forget Allah’s favours and fall into ingratitude. Iblis said to Allah:
“Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them grateful (i.e. they will not be dutiful to You).” [The Noble Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf (Chapter of the Elevations), 7:17]
Therefore, do not let Iblis succeed in his objective by falling into ingratitude and making this world the sole concern of our lives; heedless of the Hereafter. Allah admonishes us so that we refrain from following the ways of the disbelievers:
“They know only the outside appearance of the life of the world (i.e. the matters of their livelihood), and they are heedless of the Hereafter.” [The Noble Qur’an, Surah Ar-Room (Chapter of the Romans), 30:7]
The truly intelligent person is not the one who excels only in worldly matters, but the one who prepares for the Hereafter and what comes after death. Narrated by Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنه (may Allah be pleased with him):
“I was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when a man from the Ansar came to him, greeted the Prophet ﷺ, and then said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which of the believers is best?’ He said: ‘Those with the best character.’ He then asked: ‘Which of the believers is the most intelligent?’ He said: ‘Those who remember death the most and are best prepared for what comes after it. Those are the truly intelligent ones.’” [Sunan Ibn Majah (4259)]
Thus, let us realign our understanding of success. Let us strive to fulfil our true purpose by worshipping Allah with sincerity and following the guidance of His Messenger ﷺ. Let us prioritise the Hereafter over the fleeting pleasures of this world, while using what we have in this life as a means to attain Allah’s pleasure.
In doing so, we will attain the greatest success; a success that is not temporary or limited, but everlasting: the pleasure of Allah and entry into His Paradise.
May Allah make us among those who understand their purpose, act upon it sincerely, and attain success in this world and the Hereafter. Aameen.
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