Who is Successful in Allah’s Sight?

The True Meaning of Success in Islam: Understanding Allah’s Perspective

Every person who comes into this world wants to make themselves successful and thrives in every possible way to achieve success. When their desires are fulfilled, they think they have succeeded. Since people’s natures differ, their standards and measures of success also vary. For some, climbing Mount Everest is success, for others, becoming an international athlete is success, for some, being a film actor is success, and for others, becoming a doctor, engineer, scientist, professor, political leader, or lawyer is success. In short, everyone considers the fulfillment of their desires as success, and people in the world also think that attaining fame and high positions is success. The question arises, however, is what people consider success truly the real success for a human being? Are such people genuinely worthy of being called successful? The answer to this question lies with the Creator of the world and the One who sent humans into it. Let’s find out what He says.

Before finding the answer, let us understand the purpose of human creation and why humans are sent into this world, so that we can better comprehend the answer. Allah’s command is:

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ (الذاريات:56)
Translation: I have created the jinn and the humans only to worship Me.

And in another place, it is said:
الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ (الملك:2)
Translation: The One who created death and life to test you, as to who among you is best in deed, and He is the Almighty, the Most Forgiving.

Through these two verses, we can understand the two main purposes for which we have been created: first, that we are created to worship Allah, meaning we have to carry out His commands and avoid His prohibitions. The second purpose is that we are sent as a test in this world, where both good and bad paths have been made clear to us, and our trial is to follow the good path while avoiding the bad, so that the outcome is good. We may also choose the path of wrongdoing, but its end is bad.

With the purpose of life in mind, let us now refer to the following verse from Surah Aal-e-Imran:

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ۗ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ (آل عمران:185)
Translation: Every soul will taste death, and you will be paid in full your rewards on the Day of Judgment. Whoever is removed from the fire and is admitted to Paradise, indeed, he is successful. And the worldly life is nothing but the enjoyment of deception.

Now it is absolutely clear, and the answer to the question is evident: the success that people seek in this world, through the fulfillment of their desires, is merely deception because this world itself is deceptive. Everyone has to depart from this temporary world and move towards the eternal world, where every action, whether good or bad, will be recompensed. Those who are saved from Hell and enter Paradise are truly successful in Allah’s sight.

Allah mentions this in another verse:
فَمَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ (المؤمنون:102)
Translation: Those whose scales are heavy with good deeds, they are the successful ones.

In another place, He says:
وَوَقَاهُمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ، فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكَ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ (الدخان:56-57)
Translation: He protected them from the punishment of Hell, as a favor from your Lord. That is the supreme success.

And in another verse, Allah says:
مَّن يُصْرَفْ عَنْهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَدْ رَحِمَهُ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْمُبِينُ (الأنعام:16)
Translation: Whoever is removed from the punishment on that Day, indeed, Allah has shown him mercy. And that is the clear success.

From these verses, it is clear that in Allah’s sight, the greatest success is being saved from the punishment of Hell and entering Paradise. Now let us also learn who the people are who will be successful in the Hereafter, those who will be saved from Hell and admitted into Paradise.

The brief answer to this is that anyone who has true faith and fulfills its requirements will be successful in the Hereafter. This is mentioned by Allah in the very first verse of Surah Al-Mu’minun, followed by the description of the qualities of the believers. Allah gives glad tidings of success to the believers: “قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ” – Truly, the believers have succeeded.

The Prophet ﷺ also said:
يا أيُّها النَّاسُ قولوا: لا إلهَ إلَّا اللهُ تُفلِحوا (صحيح ابن حبان:6562)
Translation: O people, say “There is no god but Allah” and you will succeed.

Along with faith, every good deed will aid in the achievement of success in the Hereafter. Although it is impossible to mention all good deeds, here are some of the righteous deeds particularly mentioned as paths to success:

Faith along with worshiping the Lord and doing good deeds is a means of success. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ارْكَعُوا وَاسْجُدُوا وَاعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمْ وَافْعَلُوا الْخَيْرَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (الحج:77)
Translation: O you who have believed, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord and do good that you may succeed.

In this verse, Allah emphasizes the importance of worship with three commands: to bow, prostrate, and worship the Lord. This is why the first thing that will be asked about on the Day of Judgment is prayer. Whoever fulfills it properly will be successful, and whoever neglects it will be unsuccessful. The Prophet ﷺ said:
إنَّ أوَّلَ ما يحاسبُ بِه العبدُ يومَ القيامةِ من عملِه صلاتُه فإن صلحت فقد أفلحَ وأنجحَ وإن فسدت فقد خابَ وخسرَ (صحيح الترمذي:413)
Translation: The first thing a servant will be judged for on the Day of Judgment is his prayer. If it is good, he will succeed, and if it is corrupt, he will fail and be a loser.

Repenting to Allah also leads to success.

 Allah says:
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (النور:31)
Translation: And repent to Allah, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.

Taqwa (God-consciousness) is also a source of success, as Allah says:
وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (البقرة:189)
Translation: And fear Allah, that you may succeed.

Allah also speaks of the believers who have good deeds and pure beliefs:
أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ (البقرة:5)
Translation: Those are upon [right] guidance from their Lord, and it is those who are successful.

Purifying one’s soul and freeing it from the filth of sin and polytheism is also a means of success. Allah says:
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ (الأعلى:14)
Translation: Indeed, he has succeeded who purifies himself.

Those who enjoin good and forbid evil are also successful, as Allah says:
وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ (آل عمران:104)
Translation: Let there be among you a nation who invites goodness, enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong. And it is they who are successful.

Belief in the Prophet and following him also leads to success, as Allah says:
فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ ۙ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ (الأعراف:157)
Translation: Those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the light which was sent down with him, it is they who are successful.

Spending in Allah’s path and avoiding stinginess also leads to success, as Allah says:
وَأَنفِقُوا خَيْرًا لِّأَنفُسِكُمْ ۗ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ (التغابن:16)
Translation: And spend in the way of Allah, which is better for you. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul, it is they who are successful.

The successful believers possess all these qualities, and all are related to righteous deeds. Success is achieved through faith, righteous actions, and staying away from all forbidden things. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنصَابُ وَالْأَزْلَامُ رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (المائدة:90)
Translation: O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone altars, and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.

In conclusion, the one who believes in Allah, worships Him, fears Him, follows the right guidance, repents, purifies himself, enjoins good, forbids evil, supports and follows the Prophet, spends in Allah’s path, and avoids all sinful acts is successful in Allah’s sight. He will be saved from Hell, his deeds will outweigh his wrongdoings, and he will enter Paradise, which is the ultimate success. On the other hand, those who do not believe, walk the path of sin, and indulge in forbidden actions, even though they may seem successful in the world, will face failure in the Hereafter and receive their punishment in Hell.

Lastly, it’s important to clarify: Does Islam prohibit earning wealth? Does it forbid holding positions or gaining knowledge of the world? No, Islam does not forbid earning wealth, achieving positions, or acquiring knowledge. Muslims can be successful in all fields, as long as they remember their responsibilities as Muslims and continue to follow Allah’s commands. For example, a doctor can help the poor, a lawyer can defend the innocent, and a scientist can work for the benefit of the Muslim community. Islam encourages earning wealth through lawful means and contributing it for good causes. Thus, Islam does not prohibit acquiring

wealth, but it does instruct to use it for good purposes.

May Allah grant us all success in this world and the Hereafter.