I Am Successful Because......

By : Zeba Hashmi, London Ontario

Have you often heard this statement? “I have achieved this success because of my hard work.” It is a statement said from a subjective perspective of examining one’s own efforts. This statement reflects the individual’s perseverance through the challenges they faced from their perspective. It also reflects a level of intelligence and smartness in the methods and choices made to arrive to the point of success. Attributing success to oneself and knowing all the steps one had to overcome is an exhilarating feeling which can borderline on self-gratification and arrogance.

All of the above makes sense from a purely material and worldly point of view. Why wouldn’t we be able to speak or boast about our success since we placed the effort in it? If we factor in the unknowns that could have affected our pathway to success, that perhaps we did not consider when making the statement, the result would have been different. If we contemplate the capabilities that we have been provided by our Creator, Allah SWT, and attribute it to His Mercy, we would certainly be more humbled.

There are many who would like to achieve worldly success in terms of a fulfilling career, monetary gain, popularity, material possessions, and the list goes on. For some, success means having a peaceful life with stability but that also requires a level of stable income to meet basic needs. Consider the fact that there so many people striving to achieve success. Poverty from a Canadian perspective is an individual or family living below the low income cut off (LICO - which varies in the $30K range depending on the province). Globally, poverty possesses different standards. There are those without even the basic physical necessities of food, water, shelter, and clothing, who must first meet those challenges to elevate to a point of self-actualization (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs).

Every individual firstly has to understand their starting line of where they begin in their journey towards attaining worldly success is different. Poverty level is a major one. Those who are struggling to meet basic needs to survive face a steeper climb to the notion of worldly success. However, at times, the struggle creates a drive. We all have witnessed so many good news stories of refugees who arrived with very little to Canada and now are todays leaders. Some examples are Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, Ahmed Hussein and businessman and philanthropist, Mohamad Fakih.

An overall encompassing starting point is one’s capabilities, in their God-given attributes. This may make them average, above or below the others. We know there is hikmah (wisdom) in what Allah SWT blesses us with, and we take those attributes and work with it in the best way possible. Allah SWT made us all unique. He is the Merciful and wants what is best for us. Even in what we see as failures, there is success that we cannot see whether it is in the form of personal growth, maintaining our humility, or re-directing our paths to another direction.

Society presents many levels of barriers to different individuals. Our society-built values which are flawed, present systematic hindering factors to those who may not fit the mold of the accepted form of a successful person. Our appearance consisting of skin color, dressing, or speech, or disabilities, may not be accepted by those considered to be ‘mainstream.’ Therefore, a system consisting of biased gatekeepers, unfair policies, and skewed practices can hinder the path to success. When one arrives at that moment of success, always firstly reflect upon Allah SWT’s provisions and how He is the one Who helped achieve the success. Unquestionably, this runs alongside with placing effort towards an achievement. This is a balance between belief and trust in Allah SWT and our own efforts. Therefore, while a successful achievement can bring us much pride and joy, always reflect upon what privileges were available to you and overall, remember that it is Allah SWT, is the Ar-Razzaq (The Provider), and Al-Mughni (The Enricher) Who makes every small and big achievement possible.

Photo by Fabian Keller on Unsplash