Key to Success

 It is a well-known fact that the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) was the supremely successful man in the entire human history. But he was not just a hero, as Thomas Carlyle has called him. According to the Qur’an, he was a good example for all mankind. He has shown us the way of achieving supreme success in this world.

By studying the life of the Prophet we can derive those important principles which were followed by the Prophet. In short, the Prophet of Islam was a positive thinker in the full sense of the word. All his activities were result-oriented. He completely refrained from all such steps as may prove counter-productive.

First Principle: To begin from the possibleThis principle is well explained in a saying of Aishah. She said: "Whenever the Prophet had to choose between two options, he always opted for the easier choice." (Al-Bukhari)To choose the easiest option means to begin from the possible, and one who begins from the possible will surely reach his goal.

Second Principle: To see advantage in disadvantageIn the early days of Mecca, there were many problems and difficulties. At that time, a guiding verse in the Qur’an was revealed. It said: "With every hardship there is ease" (Quran 94:5).This means that if there are some problems, there are also opportunities at the same time. And the way to success is to ignore the problems and avail the opportunities.

Third Principle: To change the place of actionThis principle is derived from the Hijrah. Hijrah was not just a migration from Mecca to Medina. It was to find a more suitable place for Islamic work, as history proved later on.

Fourth Principle: To make a friend out of an enemyThe prophet of Islam was repeatedly subjected to practices of antagonism by the unbelievers. At that time the Qur’an enjoined upon him the return of good for evil. And then, as the Qur’an added, "You will see your direst enemy has become your closest friend" (Quran 41:34).

It means that a good deed in return of a bad deed has a conquering effect over your enemies. And the life of the Prophet is a historical proof of this principle.

Fifth Principle: To turn minus into plus After the Battle of Badr, about 70 of the unbelievers were taken as the prisoners of war. They were educated people. The Prophet announced that if any one of them would teach ten Muslim children how to read and write he would be freed. This was the first school in the history of Islam in which all of the students were Muslims, and all of the teachers were from the enemy rank. Here I shall quote a British orientalist who remarked about the Prophet of Islam: He faced adversity with the determination to wring success out of failure.

Sixth Principle: The power of peace is stronger than the power of violence. When Mecca was conquered, all of the Prophet’s direst opponents were brought before him. They were war criminals, in every sense of the word. But the Prophet did not order to kill them. He simply said: "Go, you are free." The result of this kind behavior was miraculous. They immediately accepted Islam.

Seventh Principle: Not to be a dichotomous thinkerIn the famous Ghazwa of Muta, Khalid bin Walid decided to withdraw Muslim forces from the battlefield because he discovered that the enemy was unproportionately outnumbered. When they reached Medina, some of the Muslims received them by the word "O Furrar" (O deserters!) The Prophet said "No. They are Kurrar" (men of advancement)."

Those Medinan people were thinking dichotomously, either fighting or retreating. The Prophet said no. There is also a third option, and that is to avoid war and find a time to strengthen yourself. Now history tells us that the Muslims, after three years of preparation, advanced again towards the Roman border and this time they won a resounding victory.

Eighth Principle: To bring the battle in one’s own favorable fieldThis principle is derived from the Ghazwa of Hudaibiyya. At that time, the unbelievers were determined to engage Muslims in fighting, because obviously they were in an advantageous position. But the Prophet, by accepting their conditions unilaterally, entered into a pact. It was a ten-year peace treaty. Until then, the meeting ground between Muslims and non-Muslims had been on the battlefield. Now the area of conflict became that of ideological debate. Within two years, Islam emerged as victorious because of the simple reason of its ideological superiority.

Ninth Principle: Gradualism instead of radicalismThis principle is well-established by a hadith of Al-Bukhari. Aishah says that the first verses of the Qur’an were related mostly to heaven and hell. And then after a long time when the people’s hearts had softened, the specific commands to desist from adultery and drinking were revealed in the Qur’an.This is a clear proof that for social changes, Islam advocates the evolutionary method, rather than the revolutionary method.

Tenth Principle: To be pragmatic in controversial mattersDuring the writing of Hudaibiyyah treaty, the Prophet dictated these words: "This is from Muhammad, the Messenger of God." The Qurayshi delegate raised objections over these words. The Prophet promptly changed the word and ordered to write simply Muhammad, son of Abdullah.

These were the principles through which the Prophet of Islam gained that success which has been recognized by historians as the supreme success.

In the end, I would like to repeat those ten principles of success:

1. To begin from the possible

2. To see advantage in disadvantage

3. To change the place of action

4. To make a friend out of an enemy

5. To turn minus into plus

6. The power of peace is stronger than the power of violence

7. Not to be a dichotomous thinker

8. To bring the battle in one’s own favorable field

9. Gradualism instead of radicalism

10. To be pragmatic in controversial matters

The Best Among You (Muslim)

"O you men! surely We have created you of a male and a female, and made you tribes and families that you may know each other; surely the most honorable  of you with Allah is the one among you most careful (of his duty); surely Allah is Knowing, Aware." (Al Hujuraat 49 : 13).

The Prophet Muhammad (Sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has said:

1. "The best of the Muslims is he from whose hand and tongue the Muslims are safe." [Muslim]

2. "The best of people are those with the most excellent character." [Tabarâni, Sahîh]

3. "The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind." [Dâraqutni, Hasan]

4. "The best of people are those who are best in fulfilling [rights]." [Ibn Mâjah, Sahîh]

5. "The best of people during fitnah is a man who takes up the reins of his horse pursuing the enemies of Allah, causing them fear yet they make him fearful too, or a man who secludes himself in the desert fulfilling the rights of Allah upon him." [Hâkim, Sahîh]

6. "The best of mankind is my generation, then those that follow them and then those that follow them. Then there shall come a people after them who will become avaricious, who will love gluttony, and who will give witness before they are asked for it." [Tirmidhî, Sahîh]

7. "The best of people are those who live longest and excel in their deeds, whereas the worst of people are those who live longest and corrupt their deeds." [Tirmidhî, Sahîh]

8. "The best of women are those that please him [her husband] when he sees her, obeys him when she is commanded, and who does not secretly betray him with regards to herself and her money in that which he dislikes." [Ahmad, Sahîh]

9. "The best of women are those that please you when you see them, obey you when commanded, and who safeguard themselves and your money in your absence." [Tabarâni, Sahîh]

10. "The best of marriages are the easiest ones." [Abu Dâwûd, Sahîh]

11. "The best of your dates is the Borniyyû date; it expels disease yet does not contain any disease itself." [Hâkim, Hasan]

12. "The best of your garments are those which are white; shroud your dead in them and clothe your living with them. The best of that which you apply to your eyelids is antimony causing the eyelashes to grow and sharpening the eyesight." [Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh]

13. "The best quality of your religion is scrupulousness." [Hâkim, Sahîh]

14. "The best of your religion is that which is easiest." [Ahmad, Sahîh]

15. "The best of the prayer lines for men are the first rows, the worst being the final rows. The best of the prayer lines for women are the final rows and the worst are the first rows." [Muslim]

16. "The best prayers for women are those performed in the most secluded parts of their houses." [Ibn Khuzaymah, Sahîh]

17. "The best of you in Islam are those who are most excellent in character as long as you deeply understand the religion." [Ahmad, Sahîh]
18. "The best of you are the best of you in fulfilling [rights]." [Ahmad, Sahîh]

19. "The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best of you to my family." [Tirmidhî, Sahîh]

20. "The best of you are my generation, then those that follow them and then those that follow them. Then there shall come after them a people who will betray and be untrustworthy, will give witness even though they have not been asked to, will make vows yet will not fulfil them and obesity will appear amongst them." [Bukhâri]

21. "The best of you are those who feed others and return greetings." [Abu Ya'lâ, Hasan]

22. "The best of you is he from whom good is anticipated and safety from his evil is assured; the worst of you is he from whom nothing good is expected and one is not safe from his evil." [Tirmidhî, Sahîh]

23. "The best thing mankind has been given is excellent character." [Hâkim, Sahîh]

24. "The best of that which you treat yourself with is cupping." [Hâkim, Sahîh]

25. "The best of journeys undertaken are to this Mosque of mine and the Ancient House." [Ahmad, Sahîh]

26. "The best of which man can leave behind for himself are three: a righteous child who supplicates for him, an ongoing charity whose reward continues to reach him and knowledge which others benefit from after him." [Ibn Hibbân, Hasan]

27. "The best Mosques for women are the most secluded parts of their houses." [Bayhaqi, Sahîh]

28. "The best of the world's women are four: Maryum bint 'Imrân, Khadîjah bint Khuwaylid, Fâtimah bint Muhammad and Âsiyah the wife of Fir'awn." [Ahmad, Sahîh]

29. "The best of days that you should perform cupping are the 17th, 19th and 21st of the month. I did not pass a single gathering of angels on the night of Isrâ' except that they would say to me, 'O Muhammad, perform cupping!'" [Ahmad, Sahîh]

30. "The best day on which the Sun has risen is Friday; on it Âdam was created, on it Âdam was made to enter Paradise and on it he was expelled. The Hour will not be established except on Friday." [Muslim]

31. "Verily, the best of perfume for men is that which is strong in smell and light in colour, and the best of perfume for women is that which is strong in colour and light in smell." [Tirmidhî, Sahîh]

32. "The most beloved of religions according to Allah the Most High is the 'easy and flexible religion.'" [Ahmad, Hasan]

33. "The most beloved of deeds according to Allah are the continuous ones, even if they are little." [Agreed upon]

34. "The most beloved of names according to Allah are 'Abd Allah, 'Abd'l-Rahmân and Hârith." [Abu Ya'lâ, Sahîh]

35. "The most beloved of deeds according to Allah are the prayer in its right time, then to treat the parents in an excellent manner, and then Jihâd in the path of Allah." [Agreed upon]

36. "The most beloved of deeds according to Allah is that you die and yet your tongue is still moist from the remembrance of Allah." [Ibn Hibbân, Hasan]

37. "The most beloved words according to Allah the Most High are four: Subhânallah, Alhamdulillâh, Lâ ilâha illallah and Allahu Akbar; there is no problem with which one you start with." [Muslim]

38. "The most beloved of speech according to Allah is when the servant says, 'Subhânallahi wa bihamdihî' [How Transcendent is Allah and we praise him!]." [Muslim]

39. "The most beloved of speech according to Allah the Most High is that which Allah chose for his Angels: Subhâna Rabbî wa bihamdihî, Subhâna Rabbî wa bihamdihî, Subhâna Rabbî wa bihamdihî." [Tirmidhî, Sahîh]

40. "The most beloved of people according to Allah is he who brings most benefit, and the most beloved of deeds according to Allah the Mighty, the Magnificent, is that you bring happiness to a fellow Muslim, or relieve him of distress, or pay off his debt or stave away hunger from him. It is more beloved to me that I walk with my brother Muslim in his time of need than I stay secluded in the mosque for a month. Whoever holds back his anger, Allah will cover his faults and whoever suppresses his fury while being able to execute it, Allah will fill his heart with satisfaction on the Day of Standing. Whoever walks with his brother Muslim in need until he establishes that for him, Allah will establish his feet firmly on the day when all feet shall slip. Indeed, bad character ruins deeds just as vinegar ruins honey." [Tabarâni, Hasan]

41. "The most beloved of people to me is 'Â'ishah and from the men, Abu Bakr." [Agreed upon]

42. "The best of people in recitation are those who when they recite, you see that they fear Allah." [Bayhaqi, Sahîh]

43. "The best of your leaders are those that you love and they love you, you supplicate for them and they supplicate for you. The worst of your leaders are those that you hate and they hate you, you curse them and they curse you." [Muslim]

44. "The best of you are those who are best in paying off their debts." [Tahâwi, Sahîh]

45. "The best of you are those with the longest lives and most excellent character." [Bazzâr, Sahîh]

46. "The best of you are those with the longest lives and best in action." [Hâkim, Sahîh]

47. "The best of you are those with the softest shoulders during prayer." [Bayhaqi, Hasan]

48. "The best of you are those who are best to their wives." [Tirmidhî, Sahîh]

49. "The best of you are those who are best to their families." [Tabarâni, Sahîh]

50. "The best of you during the 'Period of Ignorance' are the best of you in Islam as long as they deeply understand the religion." [Bukhâri]