A Quick Guide to Success in theModern World - Part 1By Sadaf ZahraWe live in a fast-paced and challenging world. People from all walks of life areeventually aiming for one thing at the end of the day, that is success in everythingthey 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 boostin 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 ofcompleteness 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 justlike religion adds a 'spiritual' soul to our 'physica'' body, it further disciplines us toaccept much of our Success and Defeats according to God's will.Similarly, Islam gives us the additional strength to achieve our goals easily, with thesupport of Allah (SWT) - the One who has power do anything. The thing we needto then consider is to ask for His help in everything we do. A sense of completenesswill thus come inside us when it dawns upon us that what we have achieved is bythe help of Allah (SWT). We also realize how worthy of praise and gratitude He isfor our Success.Our reliance and thanksgiving along with our daily Islamic practice has beendesigned such that it disciplines us and helps gain Barakaat (the blessings of AllahSWT) - 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 gaintrue 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 memorysignificantly. Daily recitation of Surah Al A'ala after Fajr Salaat sharpensone's memory miraculously!For a successful career and barkat (increase in sustenance), regular recitationof Salaat and paying your Islamic taxes (Zakaat, Khums, etc) willastoundingly multiply your earnings!Our Holy Prophet (SAWW) has suggested that the best means of multiplyingyour 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 sourcesof Surah Al Ikhlaas)For a peaceful, happy and content family life, we should try and implementthe rights of each person as prescribed by Islam (for example, the right ofyour parents, the right of your children, the rights of a wife, a husband,siblings, neighbours, Muslim brothers, etc.) These rights have been verybeautifully incorporated in Supplications (Du'as) compiled by Imam ZaynulAbedin (AS) in Saheefa e Sajjadiya.To start with, we all can take out time and pray for our Parents by praying thedu'a for Parents: http://www.duas.org/sajjadiya/s24.htmAnother useful tool for this purpose is recitation of: 2 raka'ats of Nafal(Salaat)- on Thursday evenings regularly - for the safety and protection ofyour 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 - alongwith our perseverance in meeting our targets; it is dependant on the many deeds weperform that cut off the barakaat of Allah (SWT). Often, we don't realize thesignificant loss and wreck that our sins cause; thus ruining the effects of our gooddeeds.In the issues to come, we will discuss and aim very practical solutions - which wecan 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 ourselvesfrom the blessings of Allah (SWT), thus resulting in disappointment andfailure.

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 oneachieves 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 bynot giving what we aim very hard for. The reason He does not give us that successis because the future consequences might be unfavorable for us, or perhaps Hewants us to deserve what we desire to achieve.

In any case, we need to understand that our remembrance of our Lord, and the manyIslamic 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 ofBibi 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 dailyaccompanying namaz) are that if you recite it before going to sleep, you will wakeup feeling as if you have slept for seven hours, even if you have slept for only twohours. You'll complete an assignment on time if you recite this Tasbeeh beforestarting it. It should be recited at the start of the day or before doing any importantwork. Generally, planning something and then reciting this Tasbeeh will makeeverything that you do in pure intentions a sure success!Our Holy Prophet (SAWW) gifted this Tasbeeh to Bibi Fatimah (SA) when sherequested for help in her tiring housework.(Reference: http://www.al-islam.org/gracious/41.htm )Next Issue: Some more quick & practical tips for REAL successFootnotes:S.A.W.W: Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa aalihi wa sallam: Peace be upon Him and his HolyProgeny.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.htmlSaheefa e Sajjadiya (Psalms of Islam) - Collection of Supplications by ImamZaynul Abedin (A) on http://al-islam.org/sahifa/kamila.html

The content of this website is licensed under aCreative Commons Developing Nations License unless stated otherwise.