The Path to Success – Achievement, Victory, Empowerment

With complete clarity of vision, comes knowing what the signs of success are, the different forms of victory and what true empowerment is. 

This is the path to success that the Islamic call follows, generation after generation. Undoubtedly, the hearts of those calling towards Allah long to see success, attain victory and experience the empowerment of the religion of Allah. This contributes to contentment of heart and continued fervor for the cause. 

Yes, we want contentment, and perhaps our souls will be content when we see signs that we know are indicative of success. At that point we should thank Allah and pray that He grants us sincerity, accepts our actions, and affords us contentment through an increase in these signs of success. Allah says: 

﴿ لَئِن شَكَرۡتُمۡ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمۡۖ ﴾ [ إبراهيم:7]

'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you (in favor) [Ibrahim:7]

When you feel that your vision and the vision of your brothers are known and clear; that everyone has insight of the nature of the stage you find yourselves in, what the battle truly is, how big the challenges are, what the core message is, what role we must play. That you have a clear sense of a strategy for change and are content with it, along with the signs of victory and empowerment becoming apparent therein. When all of this is coupled with striving to imbibe the qualities of one who has contracted himself with Allah on this path, and the attributes required of one working for Allah’s religion, then say: 

﴿ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي هَدَىٰنَا لِهَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهۡتَدِيَ لَوۡلَآ أَنۡ هَدَىٰنَا ٱللَّهُۖ ﴾ [ الأعراف:43]

"Praise to Allah, who has guided us to this; and we would never have been guided if Allah had not guided us. " [Al A'raf:43]

Be assured that the tree of our educational goals is lush and growing, its fruits are ripe, and its shade is capable of accommodating new numbers and large masses. These are the signs of success on the journey of education and training. 

When each of us dedicates of their time and effort to master one aspect of the needs of the Islamic Community , specializing and working in that domain; when the responsibility of the mission is distributed among all capable individuals, and when each of us are mobilized for the benefit of Islam, then we will overcome the scarcity of resources and succeed in making optimal use of them. When the function and responsibility of each work unit becomes distinctive and the institutional or collective aspect prevails over individualism, it is then that we have excelled in working for Allah’s sake. As the Messenger – peace be upon him – is reported to have said: “Certainly, Allah loves that when any of you undertake an action he does it with excellence.” He also said: “Certainly, Allah has prescribed excellence in all things.”   

When you witness Islamic values spreading across vital sectors of society and they reflect in the behaviors and actions of students, workers, professionals, and elites; when this goodness reaches the grassroots of society from amongst the masses, then say: 

﴿رَبِّ أَوۡزِعۡنِيٓ أَنۡ أَشۡكُرَ نِعۡمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِيٓ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيَّ﴾ [ النمل: 19]

“My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me” [An Naml:19]

Then you may anticipate that in these sectors, groups for reform will emerge that commit to Islam as a way of life and work to propagate it. At that point, you will find a sense of contentment among the public regarding the necessity of Islamic change. This is considered a success in spreading the call or mission. 

When our people adopt a comprehensive developmental vision that we present in every field, embodying the correct Islamic approach to addressing the problems of our society, at that point, the endeavor of the ‘Islamic Solution’ has succeeded and the slogan “Islam is the Solution”  becomes realized. 

When our journey in calling to Allah continues despite constraints, when we innovate new ways to benefit our people and invite them, and when we reclaim the age of taking the initiative in offering fresh perspectives on vital issues that our people accept, then know for certain that we have established a permanent presence in the life of our community that cannot be ignored or pushed aside. 

As long as the ranks maintain their cohesion, steadfastness, and maintains close contact with their strong leadership, ready to strive and sacrifice, then that will be a sign that the proper understanding of the Islamic call exists and will continue to develop, sympathy for our movement will increase, support for our endeavors will strengthen, and people will rally around us. 

Moreover, if we face adversity we will be supported. All of this will confer upon us fortitude and protection, just like was sought by the Messenger of Allah through taking aid from Mut’am ibn Adiyy and later from the Ansar in the pledge of ‘Aqabah wherein he said: “I take the pledge of allegiance from you that you protect me just as you protect your women and children.” Baraa ibn Ma’rur then took his hand and said: “Yes, by the One who sent you with truth as a prophet, we will protect you as we cling to safeguard our lower garments.” 

 It is the victory achieved by the Messenger of Allah and his companion while they were in the cave. The day he went out with no one but his companion, Al-Siddiq, without an army or equipment. His enemies were many, and their strength was apparent. All material strength was on one side, while he and his companion were void thereof. Yet victory was granted. As Allah says: 

﴿إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدۡ نَصَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِذۡ أَخۡرَجَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ثَانِيَ ٱثۡنَيۡنِ إِذۡ هُمَا فِي ٱلۡغَارِ إِذۡ يَقُولُ لِصَٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحۡزَنۡ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَاۖ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَيۡهِ وَأَيَّدَهُۥ بِجُنُودٖ لَّمۡ تَرَوۡهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ٱلسُّفۡلَىٰۗ وَكَلِمَةُ ٱللَّهِ هِيَ ٱلۡعُلۡيَاۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ  ٤٠﴾ [ التوبة:40-40]

If you do not aid the Prophet – Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us." And Allah sent down his tranquillity upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah – that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise. [At Tawbah:40] 

It is the very same victory achieved by the young boy ‘Abdullah ibn al-Thaamir, when he compelled the tyrant amidst a crowd of people to take the name of Allah, who the tyrant himself disbelieved in, so that he may be enabled to kill the boy. The boy was subsequently killed, but his death marked a victory, since the people believed in Allah after hearing the tyrant say: “In the name of the lord of the boy” and so they proclaimed that Allah is supreme. 

This type of victory took place again in the trenches when faith prevailed over tribulation, and belief triumphed over life itself. This is because the oppressors lost hope in controlling souls despite the control they had over physical bodies. 

This is victory without overt empowerment, and it resembles the triumph of Salih when Allah saved him and the few who believed with him on that day when Thamud was destroyed. That was also victory without empowerment. 

There is also, however, victory with empowerment. Allah says: 

﴿وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَيَسۡتَخۡلِفَنَّهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ كَمَا ٱسۡتَخۡلَفَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمۡ دِينَهُمُ ٱلَّذِي ٱرۡتَضَىٰ لَهُمۡ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ خَوۡفِهِمۡ أَمۡنٗاۚ يَعۡبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشۡرِكُونَ بِي شَيۡ‍ٔٗاۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡفَٰسِقُونَ  ٥٥﴾ [ النّور:55-55]

Allah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that – then those are the defiantly disobedient. [An Nur:55]

﴿ٱلَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّٰهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُاْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَمَرُواْ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَنَهَوۡاْ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡأُمُورِ  ٤١﴾ [ الحج:41-41]

[And they are] those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish prayer and give zakah and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of [all] matters. [Al Hajj:41]

On that day, the righteous Caliphate will be restored.  The banner of truth will rise, and justice will prevail. As when the Persian addressed the commander of the Faithful, Umar ibnul khattab, -may Allah be pleased with him – when he saw him sleeping in the open with no bodyguards, he said: “You ruled and brought justice, so you experienced safety and slept with comfort, oh ‘Umar.”