A lot of books have been written and lectures delivered – world over – by renowned motivators on How to be Successful is Life. Most of them agree that there can’t be any concept of success without faith in the Almighty. They talk and write of success for only this world and not the hereafter.
But when we get closer to the Qur’ān and try to recite and understand it, we find that the Qur’ān gives us complete guidance for success for both the worlds – pre-requisites for which are Iman (Faith in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Scripture and the prophets), Amal-e-Saleh (good deeds – by giving wealth, for love of Him, to his/her relatives and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set people free from burden of debt), ‘Twasi bil-Haq’ (mutual exhortation to truth) and ‘Twasi bis-Sabr’ (mutual exhortation to constancy and steadfastness). Any act devoid of the above mentioned any of the four pre-requisites will make us unsuccessful, though, worldly wise we may find ourselves very successful.
This is what the following ayaats of surah Kahaf teach us in the simplest of words.
(18:32) O Muhammad, present a parable before them. There were two persons; to one of those We gave two gardens of vine and surrounded them with a fence of date-palm trees and We kept a piece of land between them for cultivation.
(18:33) Both of the vine-yards yielded abundant fruit and did not fail anywise in bringing forth their produce, and We caused a canal to flow in their midst.
(18:34) And the owner of the gardens got much benefit. In spite of all this, while conversing with his neighbour, he said, “I have more of wealth than you and have mightier men at my service.”
(18:35) Then he entered his “Paradise1”, while he was unjust to himself, and said, “I don’t think that this wealth of mine will ever perish,
He considered his gardens to be “Paradise”. Thus he behaved like those mean persons, who, when rise to power and wealth, are always involved in the misunderstanding that they are enjoying “Paradise” in this world; therefore they do not stand in need of any other Paradise.
(18:36) and I do not believe that the Hour of Resurrection will ever come. Anyhow if ever I am returned to my Lord, I will get even a grander place than this.
That is, “I don’t think there is any life-after-death, but supposing there be one, 1 shall fare even better there than in my present life, for my prosperity is a clear proof that I am a favourite of God.”
(18:37) His neighbour rebuked him during the conversation, saying, “What! do you disbelieve in the Being Who has created you from clay, then from sperm drop and shaped you as a perfect man?
This shows that “unbelief” in Allah is not confined to the denial of the existence of God in so many words, but arrogance, pride, vanity and the denial of the Hereafter are also kufr. Although that person did not deny the existence of Allah, maybe he professed it as is apparent from his words (“If ever I am returned to my Lord-”), yet in spite of his profession, his neighbour charged him with unbelief in Allah. This is because the person, who considers his wealth and his grandeur, etc., to be the fruits of his own power and capability and not the favours of Allah, and who thinks that they are everlasting and none can take them away from him and that he is not accountable to anyone, is guilty of “unbelief in Allah”, even though he might profess belief in Him, for he acknowledges Allah as a Being and ‘not as his Master, Owner and Sovereign’. In fact, belief in Allah demands not merely the profession of His existence but also the acknowledgment of His Sovereignty, Mastery, Rule and the like.
(18:38) As for myself; Allah alone is my Lord and I set up no partners with Him.
(18:39) And when you were entering your garden, why didn’t you say, ‘Only that shall happen what He will: neither I nor anyone else has any power.
That is, “If we are able to do anything, it is by the help and support of Allah alone.”
(18:40) If you find me now less in wealth and offspring than you, my Lord may bestow on me a better garden than yours and send from heaven on your garden a catastrophe that might turn it into a barren plain,
(18:41) or its water might sink into the earth and you may not be able to bring it out in any way.”
(18:42) At last (it so happened that) all his fruit produce was destroyed and, seeing his vines overturned on the trellises, he began to wring his hands at the loss of what he had spent on it, saying, “I wish I had not associated a partner with my Lord! “
(18:43) He was so helpless that neither could he find any host to help him against Allah, nor was himself able to avert that catastrophe;
(18:44) It was then that he realized that all the power of helping rests with Allah, the True One. That reward is the best Which He bestows and that end is the-best to which He leads.
Very strong is the message that we get from the above ayaats but how nicely and simply told so that even a common person may understand.
This goes on to show that how strongly we rely on our materialistic resources and our own selves (our intellect, education, health, wealth, planning, decisions, etc.). However, when we come closer to the Qur’ān, try to understand and adopt its hidayat in all the affairs of our life, inshaAllah all our intellect, education, health, wealth, planning, decisions, etc. will transform into Allah’s rehmat in real spirit and sense which will ultimately make us successful in both the worlds.
The Holy Qur’ān suggests four key words to be used as frequently as possible. We must say, Subhan Allah when we see, hear and feel something beautiful, Maashallah when we see people happy and cheerful, InshaAllah whenever we plan something.
Lastly, let’s pledge to give at least an hour every day to recite and understand the meaning of the Holy Qur’ān so as to seek hedayat from Allah. Now the study of the Holy Qur’ān has become even easier as today it is available not only in text form but also in audio-video and other forms.
[sahassan_akbar@yahoo.com]