The Road to Success
(Translated)

One might ask: How could a great and ancient Ummah like the Ummah of Islam become so inferior to other Ummahs? How could a nation blessed by Allah with the greatest of all revealed laws decline and fall into the darkness of ignorance, led by its enemies to follow them, devoid of will, into the lizard's burrow and follow their whims?!

This Ummah cannot transform from strength to weakness unless it deviates from the path of truth, strays from what Allah has approved for it, changes its compass, and begins to resort to rules other than what Allah has revealed. Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "We were the most humiliated Ummah, then Allah honored us with Islam; however, if we seek honor in anything other than Islam, Allah will humiliate us."

When we see its current state, each of us can only strive to change it and please our Lord. We must work to return it to the path Allah has ordained for it and the path He has chosen for it, so that it may once again become the best Ummah brought forth for mankind, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. Imam Malik said: "The last part of this nation will not be reformed except by that which reformed its first part."

Obeying Allah means fully adhering to all His commandments, not omitting a single one. We apply them in our lives without omission or alteration. We apply them individually, collectively, and societally, with all the individuals, ideas, feelings, and systems within this society, so that it becomes an Islamic society governed by Allah's laws and commandments. This can only be achieved under the rule of the Khilafah (Caliphate), which all Muslims must work to restore so that it can implement what Allah has pleased for them.

[الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِيناً]

“Today I have perfected your faith for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your way.” [Al-Ma'idah 5:3]

The alienation the Ummah is experiencing today, after the Khilafah (Caliphate) was destroyed, and the weakness, loss, and dispersion it is experiencing, after becoming a feast for the vile, must be addressed. The Ummah of Islam must be freed from this disease that has exhausted its body, so that it can assume its true place and lead nations toward goodness, righteousness, and prosperity.

This noble work, and by that we mean carrying this blessed call to resume life according to Islam, requires determination, patience, steadfastness, and the ability to bear the consequences. This work requires those who undertake it to have good faith in Allah, trust in Him, and confidence in His promise, no matter how difficult the circumstances and the conditions are.

The ultimate desire to attain the level of success and eternal life in Paradise motivates every sincere Muslim to compete in obeying Allah Almighty and His Messenger (saw) and to attain rewards and good deeds.

Abu Jaafar said in his interpretation of:

[قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ]

“Successful indeed are the believers,” [Al-Mu'minun 23:1]. “He, may His praise be exalted, means by His saying:

[قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ]

“Successful indeed are the believers,” [Al-Mu'minun 23:1]. Those who believed in Allah and His Messenger Muhammad (saw), and acknowledged what he brought them from Allah, and acted according to what he called them to... attain eternity in the gardens of their Lord and achieve what they sought from Him.”

This is the success achieved by every Muslim who obeys his Lord in the rulings He has revealed to His servants. It is the success that is achieved by a Muslim who is patient, steadfast, and sacrifices everything he has, never changing or deviating from the path Allah has prescribed for His righteous servants. It is the success that every believing soul yearns for; to meet its Lord while He is pleased with it, to live in this world worshipping Allah alone, doing what He has commanded, and abstaining from what He has forbidden, hoping to attain Allah's pleasure and eternal life in His Paradise.

Living in this mortal world requires one to fight great battles against many enemies: Beginning with Satan, who openly challenged Allah and said:

[لأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَاطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ * ثُمَّ لآتِيَنَّهُمْ مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَعَنْ شَمَائِلِهِمْ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَاكِرِينَ]

“I will lie in ambush for them on Your Straight Path. I will approach them from their front, their back, their right, their left, and then You will find most of them ungrateful.” [Al-A'raf 7:16-17]. It also requires passing through the soul that commands evil and drives a person to destruction and the pursuit of desires, arriving at Satan’s brothers among mankind who spread corruption on earth, become arrogant and seek to spread injustice and darkness.

Allah Almighty has confirmed in His Holy Book that this world is a place of trial.

[وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمَوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ]

“We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure.” [Al-Baqarah 2:155] A Muslim must be aware of this and live this life as Allah wants him to live it, not as he wants to live it. He must live it through its ups and downs, with no concern other than that Allah be pleased with him in every situation he faces and in every situation he encounters.

Allah Almighty said about the believers who believed him:

[مِنَ المُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللهَ عَلَيْهِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَضَى نَحْبَهُ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَنْتَظِرُ وَمَا بَدَّلُوا تَبْدِيلاً]

“Among the believers are men who have proven true to what they pledged to Allah. Some of them have fulfilled their pledge ˹with their lives˺, others are waiting ˹their turn˺. They have never changed ˹their commitment˺ in the least.” [Al-Ahzab 33:23]. This group of people, who have believed in Allah, includes those who have passed away and received no reward in this world. However, we consider them among the victorious and successful in the sight of Allah, Allah willing. And among them are those who wait, despite the hardship, persecution, and torture they face. You will see them steadfast and steadfast, hoping for Allah's approval and hoping for reward and bounty.

This group of believers works for the eternal home, not caring about the status, wealth, position, or prestige of this fleeting world. Even if Allah grants them empowerment in this world and victory over His enemies and theirs, the ultimate success lies in emerging from this fleeting world with their hearts attached to the eternal and their souls rejoicing in the generosity, bounty, and forgiveness of their Lord. Thus, they receive acceptance and forgiveness from Him, and He grants them Paradise and they attain the ultimate victory. Blessed are those men who know why they were created and for what they exist.

He said (saw): «لَوْ كَانَتْ الدُّنْيَا تَعْدِلُ عِنْدَ اللهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوضَةٍ مَا سَقَى كَافِراً مِنْهَا شَرْبَةَ مَاءٍ»“If the world to Allah was equal to a mosquito's wing, then He would not allow the disbeliever to have a sip of water from it.” This is the reality of this world; it is insignificant and worthless, and blessed is he who appreciates it and considers it a place of testing that he passes with caution, hoping for Allah’s mercy and forgiveness, asking Him to be among His successful servants.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrirby
Zeina Al-Samet