1] How to be successful in life

1]
How to obtain success and prosperity in this world and
hereafter.Whatkind of success or prosperity that islam want the ummah
islam gain in this world.
Praise be to Allaah.
Peace of mind, contentment, happiness and freedom from worriesand
anxiety… these are what everyone wants, and these are the ways in
which people can have a good life and find complete happiness and joy.
There are religious means of achieving that, and natural and practical
means, but no one can combine all of them except the believers;
although other people may achieve some of them, they will miss out on
others.
There follows a summary of the means of achieving this aim for which
everyone is striving. In some cases, those who achieve many of them
will live a joyful life and a good life; in other cases, those who
fail to achieve all of them will live a life of misery and hardship.
And there are others which are in between, according to what the means
he is able to attain.These means include the following:
1 – Faith and righteous deeds:
This is the greatest and most fundamental of means. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Whoever works righteousness — whethermale or female — while he (or
she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will
give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful
provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to
the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise inthe Hereafter)"
[al-Nahl 16:97]
Allaah tells us and promises us that whoevercombines faith with
righteous deeds will have a good life and a good reward in this world
and in the Hereafter.
The reason for that is clear: those who believe in Allaah – with
sincere faith that motivates them to do righteous deeds that change
hearts and attitudes and guides themto the straight path in thisworld
and the Hereafter – follow principles and guidelines by means of which
they deal with everything that happens to them, be it the causes of
happiness and excitement or the causes of anxiety, worry and grief.
They deal with the things that they like by accepting them and giving
thanks for them, and using them in good ways. When they deal with them
in this manner,that creates in them a sense of excitement and the hope
that it will continue and that they will be rewarded for their
gratitude, which is more important than the good things that happen to
them. And they deal with bad things, worries and distress by resisting
those that they can resist, alleviating those that theycan alleviate,
and bearing with goodly patience those that they cannot avoid. Thus as
a result of the bad things they gain alot of benefits,
experience,strength, patience and hope of reward, which aremore
important and which diminish the hardships they have undergone and
replace them with happiness and hope for the bounty and reward of
Allaah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
expressed this in a saheeh hadeeth in which he said: "How wonderful is
the situation of the believer, for all his affairs are good. If
something good happens to him, he gives thanks for it and that is good
for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience,
and that is good for him. This does not apply to anyone but the
believer." (Narrated by Muslim, no. 2999).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that
thebeliever is always gaining and the reward for his deeds is always
multiplying, no matter what happens to him, good or bad.
2 – Being kind to people in word and deed, and all kinds of doing
good. This is one of the means of removing worry, distress and
anxiety. By this means Allaah wards off worries and distress from
righteous and immoral like, but the believer has the greater share of
that, and is distinguished by the fact that his kindness to others
stems from sincerity and the hope of reward, so Allaah makes iteasy
for him to be kind to others because of the hope that this will bring
good things and ward off bad things, by means of his sincerity and
hope of reward. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who
orders Sadaqah (charity in Allaah's Cause), or Ma'roof (Islamic
Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allaah has
ordained), or conciliation between mankind; and he who does this,
seeking the good Pleasure of Allaah, We shall give him a great reward"
[al-Nisa' 4:114]
Part of that great reward is relief from worry, distress, troubles, etc.
3 – Another of the means of warding off anxiety that stems from
nervous tension and being preoccupied with disturbing thoughts is to
occupy oneself with good deeds or seeking beneficial knowledge, for
that will distract one fromdwelling on the matters that are causing
anxiety.
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