The Twelve Secrets of Success
إن الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينه ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله تعالى من شرور أنفسنا، وسيئات أعمالنا، ، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله ، اللهم صلِّ وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه ومن تبعه إلى يوم الدين
It is most likely that every human being wants to achieve success in this life. Because the desire of being successful is important for everyone, you will find 100’s of books written on the subjects of the secrets of success and the successful people.
Regarding the desire of being successful in this life, Muslims are no different. The only difference is that a Muslim doesn’t only want to achieve success in this life but he also wants to achieve success in the Hereafter. The reason that success in this life is critical for Muslims, because Allah assigned them major responsibility and this responsibility cannot be achieved by mediocre people. Therefore, a prerequisite for the success of Muslims in the Hereafter is their success in this life to ensure that they are able to fulfill Allah’s assigned responsibility on them.
This responsibility was very clear in the mind of early Muslims. When the chief commander of the Persian army, Rustom (رستم) met one of the Muslim fighters, Rabi Ibn Amer (ربعى بن عامر), during the battle of Qadisiyya (القادسيه) asked him, what brought you here? Rabi Ibn Amer (ربعى بن عامر) answer was straight forward, concise and polite. He said:
إن الله ابتعثنا لنخرج من شاء من عبادة العباد إلى عبادة الله ومن ضيق الدنيا إلى سعتها ومن جور الأديان إلى عدل الإسلام.
“Allah has raised us up to liberate whom He wills from the servitude of the slaves of Allah to the servitude of Allah and from the constriction of this life to its vastness and from the oppression of religions to the justice of Islam.
This clarity of purpose of Inviting people to Islam was assigned by Allah to the followers of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). Allah says:
﴿قُلْ هَـذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَاْ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي﴾ . (سورة يوسف)
“(O Mohammad) say: “This is my way: I invite to Allah with sure knowledge, I and those who follow me.” (Yousef 12:108)
Obviously, a poor, ignorant and weak person cannot invite others to his religion by claiming that following it assures success in this life and the Hereafter. Most people are skeptic and always ask for proof. The state of Missouri captured this view by the motto on their car license tag: “Show Me”. Yes, if you want to invite me to Islam and convince me that Islam is the religion that can cure the ills of the society and can transform people to greatness, then “Show Me” what it did at least to you.
Since success is critical for leadership in this world and the Hereafter, Allah and His messenger must have taught us the secrets of success. We realize that the Quran is unique regarding the extent of its content that leaves no important topic but addressed. Allah says in Surat Al-Nahl that the Quran contains everything.
وَنَزَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ تِبۡيَـٰنً۬ا لِّكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَهُدً۬ى وَرَحۡمَةً۬ وَبُشۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ (٨٩)
We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur’an) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for the Muslims. (Al-Nahl 16:89)
The Quran’s strategy of teaching involves the use of stories, examples, questions and commands. Therefore, in order to derive the secrets of success, you need to study the subject as covered by these four elements.
If we examine the Quran, we find a detailed account of an event that was transformational in the history of Islam. If Muslims did not achieve success in this event, it would have been doubtful that Islam as a religion would survive. I am talking about the Battle of Badr. Therefore, the Quran’s account of this battle and the Prophet’s practice must reveal for us some key secrets of success.
In this talk, I’ll inshallah present 12 secrets of success based on the battle of Badr as well as other examples from the Quran and the Seerah of the prophet (PBUH). But I am sure that you may come with more as you do the same.
While most of the books that you study on the secrets of success focus on the materialistic means, the secrets of success in Islam emphasizes both the materialistic means and the spiritual means.
In the materialistic world, those who possess more materialistic means will be more successful. But those who have access to the spiritual means will be more successful even if their materialistic means are limited So, the first secret of success is to ensure that you have access not only to the materialistic means but also the spiritual means. This explains Allah’s revelations:
يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ حَرِّضِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ عَلَى ٱلۡقِتَالِۚ إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمۡ عِشۡرُونَ صَـٰبِرُونَ يَغۡلِبُواْ مِاْئَتَيۡنِۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنڪُم مِّاْئَةٌ۬ يَغۡلِبُوٓاْ أَلۡفً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِأَنَّهُمۡ قَوۡمٌ۬ لَّا يَفۡقَهُونَ (٦٥)
“O Prophet, urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty steadfast among you, they will defeat two hundred; if there are a hundred, they will defeat a thousand of the unbelievers, because they are people who do not understand. (Al-Anfal 8:65)
Securing the spiritual means requires true belief and this implies your full commitment to obey Allah. Note that in this verse, Allah is addressing you as a believer and not merely as a Muslim. But even if we cannot compare our level of belief to the companions of the Prophet (PBUH), we still can achieve success even if our materialistic means are less but obviously not at the same level as those who have the superior belief. Allah says:
ٱلۡـَٔـٰنَ خَفَّفَ ٱللَّهُ عَنكُمۡ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمۡ ضَعۡفً۬اۚ فَإِن يَكُن مِّنڪُم مِّاْئَةٌ۬ صَابِرَةٌ۬ يَغۡلِبُواْ مِاْئَتَيۡنِۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُمۡ أَلۡفٌ۬ يَغۡلِبُوٓاْ أَلۡفَيۡنِ بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
Now, Allah has lightened things for you because He knows how much weakness exists in you, so if there are a hundred steadfast among you, they will defeat two hundred, and if there are a thousand of you, they will defeat two thousand with Allah’s will; for Allah stands alongside those who are patient.” (Al-Anfal 8:66)
The second secret of success is to ensure that you have access to the spiritual means is to have the proper intention. Therefore, continuously examining your intention is critical. We all know the importance of intention form the hadeath that narrated by Omar Ibn Al-Khattab (عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله) and reported in both Bukhari and Muslim in which the Prophet (PBUH) said:
عن أمير المؤمنين عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله تعالى عليه وعلى آله وسلم يقول :«إنما الأعمال بالنيات، وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى، فمن كانت هجرته إلى الله ورسوله فهجرته إلى الله ورسوله، ومن كانت هجرته لدنيا يصيبها أو امرأة ينكحها فهجرته إلى ما هاجر إليه».(رواه البخاري مسلم).
“Actions are but by intentions and every person shall have what he intended. He whose emigration was for Allah and his Messenger; His emigration is for Allah and his Messenger. But he whose emigration was to achieve some worldly benefit or a woman to marry her, his emigration is for that for which he emigrated.”
Because the intention is required to set the person’s proper connection with Allah and open for him all the spiritual means of success, several Muslim scholars said that the hadeeth “actions are but by intentions”, represents 1/3 of Islam (وقال جماعة من العلماء: «هذا الحديث ثلث الإسلام») and Imam Al-Shafie said:
وروى عن الشافعي رضي الله تعالى عنه أن قال: يدخل هذا الحديث في سبعين باباً من الفقه،
“This hadeath about intention enters in seventy areas of Fiqh”
The third secret of success is to have a clear vision. We when study the Prophet’s life, we note that even in face of the most difficult situations. his vision that this religion will spread all over the world was very clear. Therefore, even he when was escaping for his life from Mecca and immigrating to Madina and was caught by Suraqah ibn Malik (سُرَاقة بن مالك). Suraqah said to the Prophet (PBUH): “Your people (the Quraishites) have promised a generous reward to anyone who captures you. What would you offer me and I will deter anyone who will try to follow you.” The Prophet (PBUH) said: “I offer you the bracelets of Kisra (The king of Persia). The amazing part is that Suraqah who was disbeliever did not question the vision and accepted the offer and asked the Prophet (PBUH) to have it written down.
Another example is when the Muslims were facing the greatest challenge and this is when all the tribes gathered to surround Madina and the Prophet and His companions were digging the trench. When Muslims faced a hard rock to break, they called upon the Prophet (PBUH). He struck the rock the first time and shouted: “Allah is Great, I have been given the keys of Ash-Sham (Syria) and by Allah, I can see its red palaces at the moment.” (الله أكبر، أعطيت مفاتيح الشام، والله إني لأنظر قصورها الحمر الساعة)،.
He then struck the rock a second time and said: “Allah is Great, I have been given Persia, by Allah, I can now see the white palace of Madain now.”(الله أكبر، أعطيت فارس، والله إني لأبصر قصر المدائن الأبيض الآن).
Then he struck the rock a third time and it turned into very small pieces, and he shouted: “Allah is Great, I have been given the keys of Yemen, by Allah, I can see the gates of Sana’a from my place here.” (الله أكبر، أعطيت مفاتيح اليمن، والله إني لأبصر أبواب صنعاء من مكاني).
Having a great vison is contagious by not only impacting you but also impacting all those who are around you. With your sincere intention, you should have great vision. After all, your mission is grand, noble and great and your responsibility is too serious for small self-centered vision.
The fourth secret of success is taking advantage of the opportunities that Allah places in front of you.
In my previous talk on “The Quran: Unveiling the Unseen World to the Seen world” on October 25th, I discussed the battle of Badr and how Allah created conditions that were necessary to ensure the success of Muslims. These spiritual means included:
- Creating the opportunity and establishing its time and place.
- Offering supernatural materialistic support by the angels.
- Granting physical support by sending the rain
- Providing psychological support by showing the enemies as small in number.
One of the lessons that we learn from the battle of Badr is that Allah created the opportunity for Muslims to face Quraysh while the Muslims were not ready for this encounter. The question was whether the Muslims will reject the opportunity on the basis that they are not ready and return to Al-Madina or stay and fight and take advantage of the opportunity in spite of the risk. We know that they took advantage of the opportunity but they got themselves ready taking advantage of all the materialistic means that were afforded to them at that time.
If your intention is pure, Allah will create for you opportunities, but these will not come every day. If you dismiss them, you would have failed in this step of success. Therefore, you should never reject any opportunity no matter how challenging. Do your best preparing for it and take advantage of it because it may be the one gate to your professional and business success.
The fifth secret of success and this is tied to the intention is that you should focus on the process and not on the end results. In Islam the end never justifies the means. The reason is that results are in the hand of Allah but the process you use is your hand. Do you want to succeed at any cost or you want to ensure that you are pleasing Allah by only using means that are moral, ethical and just?
The teachings of Islam suggest that success for the sake of achieving success is not what Muslims should aim for, but something else instead? Building a business, becoming healthier, more fulfilled, are all things we want; however, these things are not where our real value and growth lie. Our real value and growth lie in pleasing Allah and setting a true role model of righteous servants of Allah. In fact, focusing on the end results will dampen our efforts and we become trapped in a fixed mindset of succeeding or failing and ignoring the fact that Allah judges us based on our actions and not based on the results. The Muslim must always be upright and never compromise or deceive. Allah says:
فَٱسۡتَقِمۡ كَمَآ أُمِرۡتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلَا تَطۡغَوۡاْۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ۬ (١١٢)
“So be upright, as you are commanded, along with those who repented with you, and do not transgress. He is Seeing of everything you do.” (Hud 11:112)
فَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ (٨) وَدُّواْ لَوۡ تُدۡهِنُ فَيُدۡهِنُونَ (٩)
” So, do not obey those who the liars They would like you to compromise, so they would compromise.” (Al-Qalam 68:9)
The Prophet’s example when he left his cousin Ali to return to the people of Quraysh who wanted to kill him, the properties they entrusted him with is an example that a Muslim should never cheat or betray a trust even to his worst enemy. ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit (عبادة بن الصامت) reported the Prophet (PBUH) Said:
قول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: اضمنوا لي ستا من أنفسكم أضمن لكم الجنة: اصدقوا إذا حدثتم، وأوفوا إذا وعدتم، وأدوا إذا ائتمنتم، واحفظوا فروجكم، وغضوا أبصاركم، وكفوا أيدكم. أخرجه أحمد وابن حبان والحاكم عن عبادة بن الصامت رضي الله عنه وصححه الألباني في صحيح الترغيب.
“Guarantee for me six deeds and I will guarantee for you Paradise: Be truthful when you speak, keep your promises when you make them, fulfill the trust when you are trusted, guard your chastity, lower your gaze, and restrain your hands from harming others.”
The sixth secret of success that we can drive is to focus on the larger issues and don’t be distracted by the minor ones. It is reported by Al-Hussein Bin Ali that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ , قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ” إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ مَعَالِيَ الأُمُورِ وَأَشْرَافَهَا وَيَكْرَهُ سَفْسَافَهَا ” . )مستدرك الحاكم(
“Allah loves grand and honorable matters and hates the minor ones”.
Focusing on what is important creates immense clarity and saves time and effort.
The seventh secret of success that we find in the Quran is that you should seek a good example and learn from him. By all counts, the Prophet (PBUH) is the most successful person ever existed. Allah has identified for us the one role model that we all must follow.
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا )الأحزاب(
You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful role model for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the praise of Allah. (Al-Ahzab 33: 21)
Books on the secrets of success suggest that an unfortunate characteristic is that people try to do things on their own too often. A much faster way is to seek the counsel of wise people. This we clearly learn from the Prophet (PBUH). He was always consulting with his companions as long as the issue has nothing to do with a clear command from Allah.
The eighth secret of success that we can derive form the Quran and the Sunnah is to create success formula that involves establishing key performance indicators (KPI) to measure your progress. People fail because they fail to measure their progress. Shdad ibn Awas (شداد بن أوس) said that the Prophet (PBUH) said:
عن شداد بن أوس – رضي الله عنه – قال : قال رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم – : ” الكيس من دان نفسه وعمل لما بعد الموت ، والعاجز من أتبع نفسه هواها وتمنى على الله – عز وجل – ” . رواه البيهقي والترمذي وابن ماجه.
“A wise person is one who holds himself accountable and prepare for what will come after death; and a the helpless is one who follows his desires and expects from Allah the fulfillment of his futile desires.”
Khalifa Omar Bin al-Khattab (سيدنا عمر رضي الله عنه) used to say:
حاسبوا أنفسكم قبل أن تحاسبوا، وزنوا أنفسكم قبل أن توزنوا، فإنه أهون عليكم في الحساب غدا أن تحاسبوا أنفسكم اليوم، تزينوا للعرض الأكبر، يومئذ تعرضون لا تخفى منكم خافية” (الحاقة).
“Assess yourselves before you are judged, weigh your deeds before they are weighed for you, it is easier for you to judge yourself today instead of being judged tomorrow. Beautify your position for the grand exposition when all your deeds will be exposed, and he recited from Surat Al-Haqah: (يَوْمَئِذٍ تُعْرَضُونَ لا تَخْفَىٰ مِنكُمْ خَافِيَةٌ) “On that day you shall be exposed, not a single secret of yours will be concealed”.
The nineth secret of success is to understand the benefits of benevolence by seeking success to allow you to contribute to the world in some meaningful way. This is obviously a key command from Allah that we should be charitable and kind to the orphans or the poor. Allah equated those who deny the religion by those who are not supporting the orphans and the needing. Allah also tells us that the regret that people will express after their death is not being charitable enough. Allah says:
أَرَءَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِى يُكَذِّبُ بِٱلدِّينِ (١) فَذَٲلِكَ ٱلَّذِى يَدُعُّ ٱلۡيَتِيمَ (٢) وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينِ (٣)
“Have you seen him who denies the religion? (1) He is the one who pushes away the orphan, (2) And does not promote feeding the needy.” (Al-Maun 107:1-3)
وَأَنْفِقُوا مِنْ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَوْلَا أَخَّرْتَنِي إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ فَأَصَّدَّقَ وَأَكُنْ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
“Spend from what We have provided you before death comes to one of you and he would say: ‘My Lord, if You would only give me a little more time, I will give charity and be one of the doers of good.” (Al-Munafiqoon 63:10-11)
We also know that the first thing the Prophet (PBUH) did when he arrived to Madina was to build a Mosque and in it he included a shelter for the homeless and a free hospital.
It is critical that we seek wealth and power whether political, physical or technological to be more charitable because we realize that our existence is very limited and who knows how much more time we have left. The question is what are we leaving behind?
This was a clear goal for early Muslims and this is why within one generation the weak, divided, and morally corrupt tribes of Arabia were able to establish the most powerful and the greatest civilization ever known to man.
The companions had an extremely balanced view toward this Life. While they worked hard in this Life and accumulated wealth and power, they understood that it is a mere bridge to the hereafter. While they considered this Life as worthless and thus it is not worth fighting over it, they considered it as so important that they cannot leave it to their enemies to control. They succeeded because they were able to solve this complex paradox.
The tenth secret of success is to have a growth mindset. When you study the history of the Prophet (PBUH) you realize his ease in learning and adopting new ideas that are proposed by others. He adopted the concept of the trench as means for defense when Salman Al-Farisi proposed it. The companions were also receptive to learning and adopting systems and tools used by others. They had what Carol Dweck identified in her work on Mindset as a growth mindset as compared what she called a fixed mindset.
Individuals with a fixed mindset have a generally rigid perspective on their talents and abilities. They believe that their intelligence and talent is fixed. Genetic. Unchangeable.
Individuals with a growth mindset have an open, more hopeful perspective on their talents and capabilities. They believe that they can learn new things and improve at the areas they are weak in.
Having a growth mindset is a marker of success. By always seeking to learn, no matter the position, emotion, or outcome you have in life, you are constantly gaining insights and experience.
The eleventh secret of success is to recognize the need and ensure the balance in your life. The Prophet (PBUH) said to Abdullah ibn Amt (عبد الله بن عمرو)
إنَّ لِجَسَدِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وإنَّ لِعَيْنِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وإنَّ لِزَوْرِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وإنَّ لِزَوْجِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا].
“Your body has real right, your eyes have real rights, your friends have real right and your spouse has real rights”.
Also, Salaman al- Farist (سلمان الفارسي) gave to Abu-Adrdaa ( أبي الدرداء) the following advice:
إِنَّ لِرَبِّكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَلِنَفْسِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، وَلأَهْلِكَ عَلَيْكَ حَقًّا، فَأَعْطِ كُلَّ ذِي حَقٍّ حَقَّهُ.
Your Lord has a right on you; your soul has a right on you; and your family has a right on you; so you should give the rights of all those who have a right on you).
When the Prophet (PBUH) was told about what Salman said, the Prophet (PBUH) said:
صدق سلمان لقد أوتي سلمان علما
Salman has said the truth, he has been given knowledge.
The twelve secret of success is to enjoy your work. It is amazing that in spite of the major responsibilities that the Prophet (PBUH) has over his shoulder, he was always smiling. The reason why you should be happy and approach your work in a more playful and curious way because if you follow Allah commands and the Prophet’s example, you will be surely successful as Allah says:
وَأَلَّوِ اسْتَقَامُوا عَلَى الطَّرِيقَةِ لَأَسْقَيْنَاهُم مَّاء غَدَقًا* {الجن}.
“If they tread the right path, We would surely have bestowed on them water (blessings) in abundance.” (Al-Jinn 72: 16)
وَلَقَدۡ سَبَقَتۡ كَلِمَتُنَا لِعِبَادِنَا ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ (١٧١) إِنَّہُمۡ لَهُمُ ٱلۡمَنصُورُونَ (١٧٢) وَإِنَّ جُندَنَا لَهُمُ ٱلۡغَـٰلِبُونَ (١٧٣)
“And Our Word has already come to pass in favor of Our servants, the messengers (171) That they would indeed be supported, (172) And verily Our host would be the victors.” (Al-Saffat 37:171-173)
إِن يَنصُرۡكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمۡۖ وَإِن يَخۡذُلۡكُمۡ فَمَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَنصُرُكُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦۗ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ
“If Allah is your helper none can overcome you, and if He withdraw His help from you, who is there who can help you after Him? In Allah let believers put their trust.” (Al-Emran 3:160)
Hard work is necessary in any field, but it’s important to enjoy your work. Happiness is necessary to sustain work. Endless “working hard” can create resistance and. Studies show that successful people have 80/20 split, meaning 80% of your work should be enjoyable and the remaining 20% should consist of the serious.
Summary
- Accessing both the materialistic and spiritual resources
- Examining your intention
- Having a clear vison
- Taking advantage of the divine created opportunities
- Focusing on the process and not the end results
- Focusing on the large issues
- Taking advantage of good examples
- Developing Key Performance Indicators
- Understand the benefits of benevolence (your legacy)
- Developing a growth mindset
- Ensuring the balance in your life
- Enjoying your work
The title of the presentation is the 12 secrets or success plus, here is the plus (+):
Before you start any new project, perform the prayers of Istikhara which is two rakats and at the end you recite the supplication of istikhara.
للَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي
“O Allah! I ask guidance from Your knowledge, and ability from Your Might and I ask for Your great blessings. For indeed You have power, and I am powerless; You have knowledge and I know not; You are the Knower of the unseen realms. O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me with regard to my religion, my livelihood and the end of my affair then decree it for me, facilitate it for me, and grant me blessing in it. And if You know that this matter is not good for me with regard to my religion, my livelihood and the end of my affair then turn it away from me and me from it; and decree for me better than it, wherever it may be, and make me content with it”.
When negotiating a deal and afraid that someone may trick you, you can the recite the following verse from Surat Ghafir:
أُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِي إِلَى اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ
“I entrust Allah with all my affairs because Allah watches over His servants”, (Ghafir 40:44); because Allah say following it:
فَوَقَاهُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِ مَا مَكَرُوا
“Allah saved him from the evils which they plotted against him” (Ghafir 40:45)
And if you are distressed because things are not going the way you want, read the following verse from Surat Al-Anbiya:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
“There is no God but you, You are far exalted and above all weaknesses, and I was indeed a wrongdoer”, (Al-Anbiya 21:87); because Allah says following it:
فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَكَذَلِكَ نُنْجِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“Allah saved him from depression and thus we save those who have faith.” (Al-Anbiya 21:88)
We pray to Allah to give us the wisdom to be serious in studying the Quran and the Seerah of His messenger (PBUH) to learn the secrets of success and to grant us the wisdom to take advantage of both the materialist and spiritual resources to achieve success in this life and in the hereafter.
DUA
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