The actual standard of success

Dear Islamic brothers! People today define success in various ways. Some think success is to be wealthy, or famous, or to hold a high rank in society, and people spend their lives attempting to achieve this corrupted understanding of success. What is the basis of true success?  What is success in the court of Allah Almighty? After taking 7 oaths, Allah Almighty says:

قَدۡ  اَفۡلَحَ  مَنۡ  زَکّٰىہَا ۪ۙ(۹) وَ  قَدۡ خَابَ مَنۡ  دَسّٰىہَا (ؕ۱۰)

Translation from Kanz al-ꜤIrfān: Indeed, he who purified himself attained prosperity. And he who covered it in sin failed.^[1]

The criterion for success is not honour, fame, wealth, pleasure or rank, rather it is the purification of the self. The one who cleanses his self and protects it from corrupt beliefs, bad mannerisms, harmful habits, and spiritual illness is successful. Those who fail to do this will never be successful, regardless of what they achieve in this world.

King or slave of the slaves?

Dear Islamic brothers! It is an easily understood matter. A slave who is bound by chains can earn as much as he can and attain an honourable rank in society, but nobody will call him successful unless he is free. Ponder! What is worse than being enslaved by your own self?

A king said to a pious old man, “Old man! Ask for something and I will give it to you.”

The pious man replied, “I do not ask for anything from the slave of my slaves.”

The king was astonished and said, “Me? A slave? I am a king!”