By Imam Shamsi Ali
ISLAM is the religion of success. It leads and provides its followers aclear guidance on how to achieve success in life. Many verses of the Quran talk about success and how the believers must struggle to achieve success. (See for example: Ch.2: 5 & Ch. 23:1)
But all must know, success in Islam is balance and comprehensive in nature. Our success means both physical and spiritual as well as worldly (dunia) and in the Hereafter (Akhirah).
The Islamic view of success is concluded in our daily supplication (doa): “Rabbana aatina fiddunia hasanah wa fil akhirati hasanah wa qinaa adzaban naar” (O Allah, grant us happiness/goodness (success) here in this world and in the hereafter. And save us from the hellfire).
Among the meanings of balance and comprehensive success that Islam wants is for the believers to succeed both in their individual and communal (collective) life. In several verses of the Qur’an, Allah often uses “و الجماعة” (waw al-jamaa’ah) to emphasize the importance of communal success.
One great example of how collective success can be achieved is through collective obedience to Allah. In Surah Al-Hajj verse 77 Allah tells us: “O you Who believe, bow down l, prostrate yourselves, and adore your Lord, and do good; that you may prosper”.
