Islam is the complete code of life and it gives details and mentions about each and every aspect of life. Therefore, by following the instructions of Islam one can live the worldly life in the best manner. Islam encourages its followers to live this worldly life in the best manner and is against abstinence. The first and foremost important thing that can help a believer live life in an Islamic way and achieve success through it is believing in God. Allah says:
فَأَعْرِضْ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّىٰ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَلَمْ يُرِدْ إِلَّا الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا
“So turn away from (him) who turns away from Our Reminder and not he desires except the life (of) the world.” (Surah An-Najm 53:29)
The other major Islamic life element that can help a person achieve success is steadfastness. When a person is steadfast in times of difficulty or does work with a steadfastness in normal circumstances as well, the ultimate result is success in every activity. Thus, if Muslims wishes to achieve success, he or she needs to be steadfast in whatever activity they undertake and whatever kind of work they do on a daily basis. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اصْبِرُوا وَصَابِرُوا وَرَابِطُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“You who believe, be steadfast, more steadfast than others; be ready; always be mindful of God so that you may prosper.” (Surah Ali ‘Imran 3:200)
Being a Muslim it is the primary duty to be good and strives for spreading goodness. When there is goodness all around, the ultimate result is success for all. Thus, to achieve success on Islamic principles, a believer needs to refrain from bad and commit to doing good no matter whatever the circumstances are. Allah says:
وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنسَاهُمْ أَنفُسَهُمْ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
“And (do) not be like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves. Those [they] (are) the defiantly disobedient.” (Surah Al-Hashr 59:19)
Your own little world, is basically your world, in where you do and say what you want. It doesn’t mean you do bad things, it’s never okay to do bad things and no one can decide what’s right or wrong morally, it just means that you don’t have to pay attention to Culture, and what the world we live in (The physical world) says what you should and not do. Being independent is helpful in a way that will teach you the pride of doing your tasks yourself and the way you want.
Allah expects from us in this life to Live in the World:
- Recognize that Allah is lord and master, not only of this world
- Don’t value the world life above the life of the hereafter
- Don’t be fooled into thinking that that’s all there is
- Guard yourself against the delusions of this world
- Spend wisely the resources given to you by Allah
- Allah is the provider for the world and saves it
- You get what you ask for, so ask for the best
- It’s good to help people, and stuff
- Differentiate Right From Wrong
- Avoid disgracing others
- Do good and have good
- Learn to be independent
- Make life easier for others
- Realize that you’re a REALLY cool person
- If you do want friends, hang out with them
- Don’t pay attention to if it’s the right etiquette
- Desire for yourself what Allah desires for you
- If you’re doing the right thing, you’re never wrong
- Fill your mind with whatever you want it to be filled with
- Don’t create, say, or do anything dishonest or misleading
- The worldly life is an opportunity to obedience to your creator
- Know what you like, what you don’t like, and what your morals are
- Realize that you don’t have to do any of the things that you don’t like
Therefore, if one wishes to walk in the way of good and receive guidance from Allah Almighty then it is imperative to strive and that too in the way of goodness for greater guidance and consequent reward. Thus, when doing good with others a Muslim must remember that the reward of it comes from Allah Almighty and that reward is the only success that a person should desire. Allah says:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا الْعِجْلَ سَيَنَالُهُمْ غَضَبٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَذِلَّةٌ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُفْتَرِينَ
“Indeed, those who took the calf [for worship] will obtain anger from their Lord and humiliation in the life of this world and thus do We recompense the inventors [of falsehood].” (Surah Al-A`raf, 7:152)
Islamic principle that can help in achieving success in life is a consultation with others. It is one of the most important aspects of decision making which people ignore primarily because of their arrogance and the impression that they know all. When a person consults with others regarding any matter, chances are that a person gets to listen or see some new perspective that initially would not have been clear to the person.
Allah Almighty says in the Quran about this in the following manner:
- “And consult them in the matter.” (Quran 3:159)
- “Is the reward for excellence (Ihsan) [anything] but excellence (Ihsan).” (Quran 10:26)
- “Seek the life to come by means of what God has granted you, but do not neglect your rightful share in this world. Do good to others as God has done well to you.” (Quran 28:77)
- “These are the verses of Allah. We recite them to you, [O Muhammad], in truth; and Allah wants no injustice to the worlds.” (Quran, 3:108)
- “For each [religious following] is a direction toward which it faces. So race to [all that is] good. Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you forth [for judgment] all together. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.” (Quran 2:148)
This world is full of all kinds of temptations, these temptations if not properly dealt with result in a person going down the path of ignorance without even realizing it. One of the major problems of the present world is that people are striving to make their life easier at the cost of making it difficult for others. This approach is wrong and Islam gives the principle of making the life of others easy to achieve success. Allah says:
وَابْتَغِ فِيمَا آتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَأَحْسِن كَمَا أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ وَلَا تَبْغِ الْفَسَادَ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
“But seek, through what Allah has given you, the home (of) the Hereafter, and (do) not forget your share of the world. And do good as Allah has been good to you. And (do) not seek corruption in the earth. Indeed, Allah (does) not love the corrupters.” (Surah Al-Qasas 28:77)
Therefore, one must try to do good to others and make their life easier, as the reward of it comes from Allah Almighty and is an equivalent reward to the deed if not greater. Regarding the reward of good deeds. One must never transgress for Allah is always watching and has knowledge of all our acts, whether they are done openly or in private. He is the merciful Lord; He orders His believers to avoid all the major sins and be pure in their intentions. Allah says:
كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُم مِّنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
“You are (the) best (of) people raised for mankind – enjoining the right and forbidding [from] the wrong and believing in Allah. And if believed (the) People (of) the Book surely would have been good for them. Among them (are) [the] believers, but most of them (are) defiantly disobedient.” (Surah Al-Imran 3:110)
Therefore, in life, the increased and greater belief of a Muslim in Allah is a sign of his or her differentiation from the rest of the religions and their followers, and this belief is what will bring success to a Muslim. One must try to do good to others and make their life easier, as the reward of it comes from Allah Almighty and is an equivalent reward to the deed if not greater. Regarding the reward of good deeds. Allah says:
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا
“Then (do) not they ponder (on) the Quran? And if it had (been) from other than Allah, surely they (would have) found in it much contradiction.” (Surah An-Nisa` 4:82)
Islam is the complete code of life. If Muslims wish to achieve success in this world and in the world hereafter, then the best solution available for such a person is to incorporate the principles of Islam in life and climb up the ladder of success. A real issue of the present world is that individuals are ignorant and work on the basis of making it troublesome for other people around them. This approach is generally quite wrong, and our religion teaches us to help people around us. It even says to help those who can’t help you back, and Allah will give you the reward of it.
