The Means of Attaining Victory and Success

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) has given every person the means of attaining victory and success, whether they are rich or poor. As for the means that do not have victory and success in them, such as wealth and status, He has given them to some people and not others.

Iman and righteous deeds are the sole cause of attaining victory and success in this worldly life and the hereafter. It is a right that has been made easy for everyone.

Furthermore, Iman is located in the heart which everyone has, and actions are done through the limbs which everyone possesses. Thus, whoever has Iman in their heart and their limbs perform righteous deeds, they will be successful in this worldly life and the hereafter; and all those other than them will be of the losers.

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

“By time, Indeed, mankind is in loss; Except for those who believe, do righteous deeds, advise each other to truth and advise each other to patience.” [Surah al-ʿAsr (103):1-3]

1) Victory and success in this worldly life and the hereafter can only be attained through Iman and righteous deeds. The value of a person with Allah is based on what he possesses of Iman and what he performs of righteous deeds, and not on what he possesses of wealth, materialistic things, or position. Furthermore, the value of a person with Allah is based on his attributes and not his self, for Abu Lahab was a man of noble descent and honorable lineage, but he will be endured to the blazing Hellfire because he did not believe in Allah. As for Bilal, the African (may Allah be pleased with him), because of his belief that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, he almost died because of the punishment he received of having a heavy rock placed upon his stomach. So Allah raised his rank to make the adhan on top of the Kaʿbah on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, and He made him the caller of adhan for His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) until he died. On top of that, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) heard Bilal’s footsteps ahead of him in Paradise.

Some people believed that victory and success was in affluence, like the people of Nuh. Others believed that it was in strength, like the people of ʿAad. Others believed that it was in manufacturing, like the people of Thamud. Others believed that it was in worshipping idols, like the people of Ibrahim. Others believed that it was in business, like the people of Shu’ayb. Others believed that it was in agriculture, like the people of Saba’. Others believed that it was in sovereignty and statehood, like Namrud and Firʿawn. And yet others believed that it was in wealth, like Qarun.

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) sent the prophets and messengers (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon them) to these people calling them to the worship of Allah Alone without any partner, making clear to them that victory and success were not in these things, but rather in Iman and righteous deeds only, along with obedience to Allah and His Messenger.

1– Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

 “And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger and fears Allah and is conscious of Him - it is they who are the victorious.” [Surah an-Nur (24):52]

2– And Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

“Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them. And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain. They are the ones upon right guidance from their Lord, and it is they who are the successful.”  [Surah al-Baqarah (2):3-5]

2) These people, when they belied the messengers, continued in their disbelief and were misled by what they had; Allah destroyed them and saved His prophets and messengers along with their followers, and bestowed victory upon them over their enemy. In accordance with their conviction of such things (i.e. worldly things), they sinned; and in accordance with their great sins came a painful punishment.

1– Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

“So each We seized for his sin; and among them were those upon whom We sent a storm of stones, among them were those who were seized with the blast [from the sky], among them were those whom We caused the earth to swallow, and among them were those whom We drowned. And Allah would not have wronged them, but it was they who were wronging themselves.” [Surah al-ʿAnkabut (29):40]

2– And Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

“So when Our command came, We saved Salih and those who believed with him, by mercy from Us, and [saved them] from the disgrace of that day. Indeed, it is your Lord who is the Powerful, the Exalted in Might. And the shriek seized those who had wronged, and they became within their homes [corpses] fallen prone.” [Surah Hud (11):66-67]

The Fiqh of Tazkiyah al-Nafs (Purification of the Soul)

Tazkiyah: Purifying one’s internal and external self from every form of filth and dirt.

Tazkiyah has three types of relationships:

The first: Concerning the right of Allah; that is for a person to purify and clean himself from shirk, hypocrisy and riya’, such that he worships Allah sincerely in the religion.

The second: Concerning the right of the Messenger (Peace be upon him); that is for a person to purify and clean himself from innovation, such that he worships Allah based upon what the legislation necessitates.

The third: Concerning the rights of people; that is for a person to purify himself with obedience and noble manners, and to clean himself from disobedience and bad manners such as malice, jealousy, lying, backbiting and transgressing against others, as well as to deal with people with good manners.

Whoever is blessed with these virtues has indeed attained high ranks in Iman, knowledge, action, character and Paradise.

1– Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

 “And by the soul and He who proportioned it, and inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness. He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who instills it [with corruption].” [Surah al-Shams (91):7-10]

2– And Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

“He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself, and mentions the name of his Lord and prays. But you prefer the worldly life, while the hereafter is better and more enduring.” [Surah al-Aʿla (87):14-17]

True success is victory over what is sought after and salvation from what is dreaded, in both this world and the Hereafter.