Hayya Alal Falah (Come to salvation)
(Translated)

For many, “Falah” means attaining the greatest share of pleasures in this world—accumulating immense wealth, holding high positions, living in luxury and extravagance, and achieving multiple successes in studies, work, and family life...

This limited and mistaken understanding stems from the distortion and confusion of Muslim concepts due to the influence of Western culture, which has invaded Muslim lands and uprooted the purity of their thoughts. These thoughts were once solely derived from their pure Aqeedah, untainted by any flaw—an Aqeedah chosen by Allah for His servants, coming from Al-Hakeem Al-Khabeer.

Allah Almighty, says at the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah:

[الم * ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ * الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ * وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ * أُولَئِكَ عَلَى هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ]

“Alif, Lam, Meem. (1) This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2) Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them, (3) And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith]. (4) Those are upon [right] guidance from their Lord, and it is those who are the successful.” [Al-Baqara:1-5].

Ibn Abbas, in his interpretation of

[وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ]

says: They are the ones who attain what they seek and are saved from the evil they flee from. "What they seek" refers to the pleasure of Allah and Jannah, while "what they flee from" refers to the wrath of Allah and Jahannam (Hellfire) - may Allah protect us from it.

The word "Falah” is repeated five times in our ears when the muezzin calls for the obligatory prayers: “Hayya Alas Salah, Hayya Alal Falah” (Come to prayer, Come to Salvation) What does it mean?

Imam An-Nawawi, in his commentary on Sahih Muslim, explains: Hayya Alas Salah means: Come to prayer and turn towards it. Hayya alal falah means: Come to triumph and salvation. Some interpret it as: Come to eternal life, meaning: Turn towards what leads to everlasting life in Jannah.

Thus, Falah is the reward for those who follow Allah’s guidance and do not deviate from the path He (swt) has set for His servants. It is the reward for those whose ultimate concern in this world is seeking Allah’s pleasure and attaining His Paradise.

This presents a pure and noble concept of success, one that replaces the mistaken worldly notion of it. True success is realizing Allah’s presence in our lives, aligning our goals with His pleasure, and accepting His decrees—whether trials, blessings, or empowerment—knowing that everything is good as long as we remain steadfast on His path and trust in His promise to establish His religion. We hope for His blessings in this world, but greater than this world and everything in it is His ultimate reward in the Akhirah: "Jannah as vast as the heavens and the earth."

True Falah, all of Falah, lies in being sincere with Allah (swt) in all that He has commanded and forbidden. The highest rank of this sincerity is carrying this blessed call, bearing its responsibility, and defending it against the fierce attacks launched by its enemies—those who wish to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths. But Allah refuses except to perfect His Light, for He is Al-Mo’z, An-Naser, Al-Qawey’ Al-Aly. We must be sincere to Allah in all our actions, positions, and roles, rally around this call, strive to elevate it and raise its Rayah (banner), and march alongside the workers for this cause—standing firm like a solid structure, strengthening one another until Allah fulfills His promise. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

«مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَعَاطُفِهِمْ مَثَلُ الْجَسَدِ إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمَّى»

“The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever”.

Islam has always emphasized the importance of building a spirit of community, making it the responsibility of the individual, the society, and the state. Every Muslim stands as a guardian at one of the frontiers of this Deen, defending it with all the strength he possesses.

The most distinguishing feature of the Muslim Ummah is that it is an Ummah of enjoining good and forbidding evil. Therefore, everyone who belongs to it must act swiftly, abandon all excuses, and beware of the desires of the self that lead to negligence and complacency. One must work with high determination and constant effort to attain the pleasure of their Lord and be among the successful.

Despite the bitter reality that the Muslim Ummah endures today—where the enemies of Islam dominate Muslim lands, violate their sanctities, and shed their blood—what brings peace to the heart and strengthens the soul is that the successful believer has tied his happiness to the pleasure of his Lord and the hope of His Jannah. He does not confine success to power on this earth or to victory alone. Whoever has attained Allah’s pleasure does not concern himself with hardships, struggles, or enemies, nor does he fear tyrants, as long as he remains steadfast on the truth and guided by his Lord.

"I do not care when I am killed as a Muslim, On whichever side my death for Allah occurs."

There is no Muslim who does not long to see the Rayah of Islam flying high, to witness Allah granting empowerment, honor, and victory to the Muslims. However, despite the joy in that, it does not compare to the greatest happiness sought by every Muslim—the ultimate success of attaining what is with Allah in the Akhirah, for it is better and everlasting.

As for what is in this world, it holds a lesser rank. True Falah, all of Falah, is on Yawm Al-Qiyamah (the Day of Judgment)—the day when Allah calls His servants and says:

[ادْخُلُوهَا بِسَلاَمٍ آمِنِينَ]

“Enter it in peace, safe [and secure].” [Al-Hijr:46]

[وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَئِكَ رَفِيقاً]

“And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions.” [An-Nisa:69].

Let our highest priority be to find joy in meeting Allah while He is pleased with us—having followed His commands, refrained from what He prohibited, and exerted our efforts to elevate His religion. Let us be sincere to Him in all our actions and affairs so that we may be among His true and faithful servants, and may He, by His will, count us among the successful. So come to success! Let us hasten to attain Jannah:

[سَارِعُوا إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ]

“And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous” [Aal-i-Imran:133].

O Allah, bear witness that we strive to be among them, so do not deprive us and make us among them.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Zaina As-Samet