Success

Cont'd from page 3

the name of his Lord, and observing the contact prayers (Salat).

Success for believers is measured by the growth of our souls, and God tells us how to accomplish this:

By following the messengers (7:157), by helping others and overcoming our natural stinginess (59:9, 64:16), by avoiding evils such as gambling and drinking (5:90), by being fair in our business dealings (3:130), by reverencing and commemorating God at every opportunity (3:200, 5:100, 8:45).

[5:35] O you who believe, you shall reverence GOD and seek the ways and means to Him, and strive in His cause, that you may succeed.

[22:77] O you who believe, you shall bow, prostrate, worship your Lord, and work righteousness, that you may succeed.

And by following all His commandments, such as the Friday prayer.  [62:9] O you who believe, when the Congregational Prayer (Salat Al-Jumu’ah) is announced on Friday, you shall hasten to the commemoration of GOD, and drop all business. This is better for you, if you only knew.[62:10] Once the prayer is completed, you may spread through the land to seek GOD’s bounties, and continue to remember GOD frequently, that you may succeed.

 

An author by name of Larry Baden gives a nice definition of a successful life. First, he wants to be sure that our work in this world should be such that it will be a good day when we stand before God to give an account. Second, that the sort of legacy we leave to our children is one we are happy with. So how is it that we want to be remembered?

This is what Abraham prayed for: [26:83] “My Lord, grant me wisdom, and include me with the righteous. [26:84] “Let the example I set for the future generations be a good one. [26:85] “Make me one of the inheritors of the blissful Paradise.” And it’s a good way to look at success. Can we receive our record in our right hand and stand before God joyfully? And will the example we leave behind be one that benefits others?

To spell success we have to know God, worship God alone, and steadfastly persevere with God. Then, God willing, we can spell success H-E-A-V-E-N.

Lydia

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[3:200] O you who believe, you shall be steadfast, you shall persevere, you shall be united, you shall observe GOD, that you may succeed.

Formula for Success

[24:56] You shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and obey the messenger, that you may attain mercy.