WHAT IS SUCCESS?
1- Why Muslims are backward?
Nowadays most of us wonder why we are backwards. This question is so serious and important that we start questioning about our religion. We did not stop just there; we start thinking if this is the cause of our backwardness. Some genius start thinking, we are interpreting the Quran in a wrong way and they start explaining it the way it makes sense to them. Others have the same old philosophy how come these non-Muslims are successful; they must be in a right path. They are following the real teaching of Allah and we are not that is why they are successful and we are not.
Gentlemen, we all should have faith that Allah has provided us this book with explanation, provided by Muhammad (pbuph) to Sahaba (Peace be on them all) to us. It is just impossible that Allah has asked us to follow me and follow Rasool (pbuph) and He did not provide us what to follow clearly. My Dear if we do not believe that Quran and Sunah is preserved our faith is in vain and that will make us go astray and follow history written by anyone Tom, Dick or Harry.
Most of us trust on common sense. If something is right it will make sense, otherwise it is wrong. It sounds correct, but we often forget how common sense is developed. How we choose something, the way we choose.
We all agree values are set by our upbringing. Since, we were brought up in such atmosphere where majority is authority was emphasized. It gave us criteria to judge what is right and what is wrong. Perhaps we may often hear questions like: Do you mean everybody is wrong? Do you think, every channel is saying wrong things? Do you think, All the Ulmaas on T.V. are wrong?……….
Dear that is why we say, “common sense is not so common”. To have a correct common sense first book should be Quran so we can read other books in the light of Quran and not the other way.
Let’s go back to our original topic why Muslims are backwards! To find out answer to this, we should know what is success?
2- What is success?
Technological progress.
Inventions
More GDP
Less Unemployment
More hospitals
Less population
No. of cars per 1000 people
No. of telephones per 1000
GDP per capita
Literacy rate
More schools and colleges..
No. of PHDs
Roads and bridges etc, etc….
3- Who has given us these criteria of being successful? (Interesting question)
4- Why have we made these criteria of being successful? (Another interesting question)
We all know the answer for question #3
Answer for question # 4. We all know that we think according to our knowledge which has been receiving through different resources. What are our resources: School, College, T.V. (a major resource), internet, books, movies, dances, songs, games, social parties, going out with friend(s) etc.
What do these resources provide you? Mostly garbage!
What-ever WE take in that’s what WE take out even in more filthy form….
Garbage in Garbage out (GIGO). Some-times we are right too.
5- How do we know we are right or wrong?
Another name for Quran is Furqan which means criteria of being right or wrong. Read Quran with understanding to get guidance and Authentic Ahadeeth along with it. If you do not understand something, ask those who have the knowledge.
When I see in the Quran, criteria of a successful person is:
23: 1. The believers must (eventually) win through,-
23: 2. Those who humble themselves in their prayers;
Now if we want to see who is backward and who is successful, we need to see it through criteria of Quran and sunnah, not the one that has imposed on us by Jews and Christians or any other group.
Allah is saying He would have given non-Muslims everything but He knew we will become non-Muslim for the conveniences of this life.
List of successful nations and people in the Quran according to our criteria and common sense:
Abu- Jahal
Qaum-e- Aad
Qaum-e-Nooh
Qaum-e-Samood
Bani-Israeel
Pharaoh
Qaroon
Haman.
They had everything what we are looking for these days. I am glad that we were not at that time other-wise we all be either part of them or impressed by their beautiful houses, money, system and education and inventions. Believe me; most of them were stronger than today’s U.S.A. And for Allah, they were among the worst nations and people! Allah says in Quran:
What About these people?
Hazrat Adam (A.S.)
Hazrat Nooh (A.S.)
Hazra Abraham (A.S.)
Hazrat Musa (A.S.)
Hazrat Isah (A.S.)
Hazrat Ayub (A.S.)
Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH)
They all were without material, without money or wealth, without anything but TAQWA and they were chosen as prophets for every nation that is mentioned above. Allah showed us the example of the best people who we supposed to follow. Unfortunately, we all seem to followers of the Hamman, Pharaoh and Abu Jahal from the first list.
There are some other people who were given lots of wealth and materials; they were also Allah’s beloved. Like Hazrat Suleman (A.S), Hazrat Uthman (R.A). They used all their wealth in the name of Allah. It shows us the criterion is only your taqwa and nothing else.
I am sure some of us will still not understand and they will say these molvies, fundamentalists, extremists do not want us to have prosperity and success. These are convenient names learnt from disbelievers, when-ever we like to criticize Islam or Quran or Muslim, we use these words. For them Allah says:
2:269. He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good. And none will remember except those of understanding.
May Allah make us understand His message and give us strength to follow the right path. If we keep looking for the definition of success in the Holy Quran you we’ll find the similar reasons and none will say what we really think about success!
When we’ll know we are successful? Let’s ask Quran and Quran says in Surah Ale Imran Ayat 185,
Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.”
This is the complete and comprehensive answer to our questions:
- We’ll all die and without death you cannot find whether, you are successful or not.
- You will be given life again and will be rewarded or punished according to your deeds. So don’t worry if you are not rewarded in this world or someone is not punished for his evil deeds.
- Most importantly, it is not success what you think of, the real success is if you are saved from the hell and admitted to heaven.
- And in the end, Allah has warned us that we will be trapped in the delusion of this transitory life and will look for some quick rewards in this world.
May Allah give us understanding of Deem e Islam. Ameen!
Rizwan Hafeez Khan