A Quick Guide to Success in the

Modern World - Part 1

By Sadaf Zahra
We live in a fast-paced and challenging world. People from all walks of life are
eventually aiming for one thing at the end of the day, that is success in everything
they do. Consider the following individuals:
For a student in school and university, success in his studies.
For a graduate, success in his career.
For a parent, success in raising a good family.
For a family, success in bonding & understanding with one another.

For any person pursuing anything at any point of life, success contributes to a boost
in their self-esteem; provides them vision and helps them to aim towards progress;
and most of all, self-satisfaction and peace of mind.
The question remains: How many individuals actually experience a sense of
completeness on achieving success? (Maybe one should ask Bill Gates.) Somehow,
success in this 'modern' world lacks the contentment one would otherwise feel leaving them with a long list of 'but's', 'if only's', and 'I wish's' ...
So, how can Islam help you gain complete success in the Modern World?
Everything is incomplete in its essence if you don't add religion to it; because just
like religion adds a 'spiritual' soul to our 'physica'' body, it further disciplines us to
accept much of our Success and Defeats according to God's will.
Similarly, Islam gives us the additional strength to achieve our goals easily, with the
support of Allah (SWT) - the One who has power do anything. The thing we need
to then consider is to ask for His help in everything we do. A sense of completeness
will thus come inside us when it dawns upon us that what we have achieved is by
the help of Allah (SWT). We also realize how worthy of praise and gratitude He is
for our Success.
Our reliance and thanksgiving along with our daily Islamic practice has been
designed such that it disciplines us and helps gain Barakaat (the blessings of Allah
SWT) - granting us not only success in this so-called 'modern' (yet temporary)
world, but also in the Aakhirah (the Hereafter).
We might subconsciously already be relying completely on help from Allah (SWT),
but there is a prescribed pattern to gain the pleasure of Allah (SWT) and thus gain
true and permanent essence of success.
For this issue, listed below are just very quick and simple acts that increase your

level of success in a permanent manner:

To gain success in studies, the recitation of the Qur'an enhances your memory
significantly. Daily recitation of Surah Al A'ala after Fajr Salaat sharpens
one's memory miraculously!
For a successful career and barkat (increase in sustenance), regular recitation
of Salaat and paying your Islamic taxes (Zakaat, Khums, etc) will
astoundingly multiply your earnings!

Our Holy Prophet (SAWW) has suggested that the best means of multiplying
your livelihood miraculously is by entering your house and saying 'Salaamun
'alaykum' audibly, and then reciting Surah Al Ikhlaas five times.
Reference: Majma'-al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 561 (and other commentary sources
of Surah Al Ikhlaas)

For a peaceful, happy and content family life, we should try and implement
the rights of each person as prescribed by Islam (for example, the right of
your parents, the right of your children, the rights of a wife, a husband,
siblings, neighbours, Muslim brothers, etc.) These rights have been very
beautifully incorporated in Supplications (Du'as) compiled by Imam Zaynul
Abedin (AS) in Saheefa e Sajjadiya.
To start with, we all can take out time and pray for our Parents by praying the
du'a for Parents: http://www.duas.org/sajjadiya/s24.htm
Another useful tool for this purpose is recitation of: 2 raka'ats of Nafal
(Salaat)- on Thursday evenings regularly - for the safety and protection of
your family, from dangers, evils and satan.

Something to consider on your way to 'REAL' SUCCESS:

Our success is not only dependant on the numerous good deeds we perform - along
with our perseverance in meeting our targets; it is dependant on the many deeds we
perform that cut off the barakaat of Allah (SWT). Often, we don't realize the
significant loss and wreck that our sins cause; thus ruining the effects of our good
deeds.
In the issues to come, we will discuss and aim very practical solutions - which we
can adopt in our everyday lives - after realizing:
The deeds and actions that invite the happiness and pleasure of Allah (SWT).
The many doings which we, unknowingly perform, and deprive ourselves
from the blessings of Allah (SWT), thus resulting in disappointment and
failure.

In a Nutshell:

We cannot gain success, even if it is in the modern world, unless we turn to Allah
(SWT) - the Most Powerful and Supreme Being - for help. Success that one
achieves without the spiritual essence of depending on Him, is short-lived. Allah
(SWT) tests us by giving us what we want and seeing how thankful we are, or by
not giving what we aim very hard for. The reason He does not give us that success
is because the future consequences might be unfavorable for us, or perhaps He
wants us to deserve what we desire to achieve.

In any case, we need to understand that our remembrance of our Lord, and the many
Islamic rituals and laws we should practice, are pre-requisites of gaining true &
permanent success.
SUCCESS TONIC # 1:

To attain barkat in time and success in everything you do, reciting the Tasbeeh of
Bibi Fatimah Zahra(RA) will work wonders for you. It is as follows:
Recite: Durud Shareef three times.
Recite: Allahu akbar (Allah SWT is the Greatest!) thirty-four times.
Recite: Alhamdulillah (all praise is for Allah SWT) thirty-three times.
Recite: Subhaanallah (all Glory is to Allah SWT) thirty-three times.
Recite: Durud Shareef 3 times.
The benefits of reciting Tasbeeh Fatimah (which we recite five times daily
accompanying namaz) are that if you recite it before going to sleep, you will wake
up feeling as if you have slept for seven hours, even if you have slept for only two
hours. You'll complete an assignment on time if you recite this Tasbeeh before
starting it. It should be recited at the start of the day or before doing any important
work. Generally, planning something and then reciting this Tasbeeh will make
everything that you do in pure intentions a sure success!
Our Holy Prophet (SAWW) gifted this Tasbeeh to Bibi Fatimah (SA) when she
requested for help in her tiring housework.
(Reference: http://www.al-islam.org/gracious/41.htm )

Next Issue: Some more quick & practical tips for REAL success
Footnotes:

S.A.W.W: Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa aalihi wa sallam: Peace be upon Him and his Holy
Progeny.
A.S: Alaihis Salaam: Peace be upon Him.
S.W.T: Subb haanahu wa ta'alaa: The Most Glorious and the Most High.
S.A: Salaamullah 'alaih: Peace be upon her.
Treatise of rights in Islam defined in http://al-islam.org/sahifa/treatise.html
Saheefa e Sajjadiya (Psalms of Islam) - Collection of Supplications by Imam
Zaynul Abedin (A) on http://al-islam.org/sahifa/kamila.html

The content of this website is licensed under a

Creative Commons Developing Nations License unless stated otherwise.