Quranic Concept of Success

By, late Professor Dr. Zeenath Kausar

When we talk about success, we often characterize it with wealth, fame, power, influence, academic
or professional achievement. But this raises an important question: Does possessing these things
really mean being successful?

The Quran presents a profound and a different understanding of success. It connects success (falah)–
prosperity, salvation, felicity, and ultimate triumph not merely with material possessions but with who
that person becomes before Allah. Some of the verses on success collected in this article show that
success is inseparable from taqwa, tawhid, patience, faith, guidance, repentance, generosity, worship
and purification of self. Concurrently, Quran’s emphasis on certain things can never lead to success
such as corruption, arrogance, falsehood, exploitation, greed, intoxication and rebellion against divine
guidance.

Therefore, the Quranic understanding of success is both spiritual and practical. It focuses on huqqul
ibaad (duties towards servants of Allah) as well as huqooqul Allah (duties towards Allah). It doesn’t
ask a human being to abandon the world nor neglect any of the duties or work we do for a living.
Instead, we are encouraged to achieve success through worldly endeavours such as benefiting
humanity as vicegerents of Allah be in the form of teachers, doctors, leaders, engineers etc. Crucially,
these pursuits must be rooted in the concept of tawhid and the diligent fulfilment of our duties towards
Allah. However, we should not allow the material achievements to become our ultimate measure of
life—neglecting our duties towards mankind and Allah. A person may achieve everything that society
calls as success and yet be losers before Allah while someone who appears to have little in financial
terms may have attained the greatest possible success before Allah by possessing faith, righteousness,
and performing all his ordained duties.

Allah says in the Quran:

They are on (true) guidance, from their lord, as it is these who will prosper. (Surah al-Baqarah
2:5)

The verse emphasises on the foundation of Quranic success which is guidance. Prosperity doesn’t
merely mean human ambitions but begins with knowing where to go, why chose the righteous path
and live according to divine guidance. It first corrects our direction before speaking of our
achievements in the world. Guidance ensures that success is not merely movement, but movement
towards the right destination. It also means success in both the world and hereafter.

Classical exegetes such as Ibn Kathir explains “al-muflihoon”—those who are successful—as those
who attain what they seek and be saved from evil that they tried to avoid in the world. Hence, success
contains both attainment and salvation.

They ask you (O Mohammad) about the crescents. Say: “These signs to mark fixed periods of
time for mankind and for the pilgrimage.” It is not Al-Birr (piety, righteousness etc) that’s you
enter the houses from the back, but Al-Birr is from Taqwa. So, enter houses through their proper
doors, and have Taqwa of Allah that you may be successful. (Surah al-Baqarah 2:189)

The verse is significant because it challenges the vacuum notions of religious practice. True
righteousness relates to taqwa—God consciousness rather than meaningless rituals or outward
displays. In the context of this, the instruction to enter the houses through proper doors can be
understood as an important aspect of life where true success requires proper and ethical means.
Therefore, Quran doesn’t separate the destination from path. Instead, how one gains success matters
as much as what one achieves.

Let there be a group among you who call others to goodness, encourage what is good, and forbid
what is evil—it is they who will be successful. (Surah al-Imran 3:104)

In this verse, Quran’s emphasis on success is not individualistic. It stresses on a successful community
as one where people care about moral responsibility and well-being of each other. However, in our
contemporary society freedom is often characterised with the right to remain ignorant and indifferent to others. But Quran teaches that believers should contribute towards the moral betterment of the society. True success comes with the willingness and ability to spread goodness in the world.

O you who believe! Do not consume Riba doubled and multiplied, but fear Allah that you may be
successful. (Surah al-Imran 3:130)

Here, the verse traces back to the period of jahilliyah when the creditor used to incur interest on
debtor. Hence, success is associated with economic morality. Wealth gained through someone’s
exploitation cannot represent true success. This is a strong challenge to modern explanations of
success, where financial achievement is often glorified without questioning its means.

O you who believe! Endure and be more patient and remain stationed and fear Allah that you
may be successful. (Surah al-Imran 3:200)

This verse presents success as something that requires endurance. The believer must be patient and
persistent personally, collectively and in the way of Allah. Success doesn’t come easily, it needs
patience, fortitude, faith and consciousness towards Allah. Patience hence is not passive waiting, but a
disciplined perseverance rooted in taqwa and tawhid.

O believers! Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and drawing lots for decisions 1 are all evil of Satan’s
handiwork. So, shun them so you may be successful. (Surah al-Maidah 5:90)

Success doesn’t merely require good qualities but also abandoning harmful habits. The Quran here
identifies gambling and intoxication as corruptive practices that exploit induvial and societies. Syed Qutub underlines on destructive social effects of these practices especially their ability to weaken the
moral responsibility and human connections.

Who does more wrong than those who fabricate lies against Allah or deny His signs? Indeed, the
wrongdoers will never succeed. (Surah al-Anam 6:21)
Who does more wrong than those who fabricate lies against Allah or deny His revelations? Indeed,
the wicked will never succeed. (Surah Yunus 10:17)
Say, O Prophet, “Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allah will never succeed. (Surah
Yunus 10:69)
Do not falsely declare with your tongues, “This is lawful, and that is unlawful,” only fabricating
lies against Allah. Indeed, those who fabricate lies against Allah will never succeed. (Surah al-
Nahl 16:116)

These verses emphasize a core concept of Quran which is injustice may temporarily appear victorious,
but it doesn’t lead to ultimate success. A wrongdoer may become affluent, possess power or influence,
but it cannot protect them from being accountable of their actions before Allah. The distinction is
important because one of the greatest errors in humans’ perception is associating temporary power
with success.

And the weighing [of deeds] that Day will be the truth. So those whose scales are heavy – it is
they who will be the successful. (Surah al-Araf 7:8)

This verse shifts the meaning of success toward accountability. Those with good deeds will not face
the wrath of Allah on the day of resurrection and will enter paradise. What matters the most is the
weight of one’s faith and deeds before Allah. This final evaluation won’t be conducted by public
opinion, the people we please, institutions or society. It only belongs to Allah.

O believers! When you face an enemy, stand firm and remember Allah often so you may
triumph. (Surah al-Anfāl 8:45)

These verses reflect on courage, patience and remembrance of Allah during difficult times. In this verse, Allah specifically instructs his servants in manners of fighting and methods of courage when meeting the enemy in battle. This is significant because humans often forget Allah in difficult time. Syed Qutb sees remembrance as a source of inner peace—protecting believers from despair. Hence, the believers must infiltrate the ability to remain steadfast under pressure.

But the Messenger and the believers with him strived with their wealth and their lives. They will
have all the best, and it is they who will be successful. (Surah al-Tawbah 9:88)

The Quranic message here is meaningful because success requires sacrifice. Everything humans achieve in their life be anything is not sudden. It comes with slow growth. One cannot expect changes in life without giving something of oneself. This verse must be understood within its historical and Quranic context where believers faced persecution, loss of wealth and loss of people. Hence every meaningful achievement requires sacrifice whether moral, physical, material, intellectual or spiritual.

So, give the relative his right, as well as the needy and the traveller. That is best for those who
desire the countenance of Allah, and it is they who will be the successful. (Surah al-Rum 30:38) So, fear Allah as much as you are able and listen and obey and spend [in the way of Allah]; it is better for yourselves. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul – it is those who will be the successful. (Surah al-Taghabun 64:16)

The verses here give preference to others despite of their own needs. Syed Qutb describes this as an extraordinary moral transformation created by faith. Generosity is one of the greatest virtues one can possess. It leads humans to true success. Hence, Quran does not define success through possession only but through a humble heart who gives aways for the sake of Allah, self-control and spiritual clarity to ensure that nothing one owns holds power over its soul.

As for those who repent, believe, and do good ˹in this world˺, it is right to hope that they will be
among the successful. (Surah al-Qasas 28:67)

The Quranic concept of success is not hopeless, instead it repeatedly asks the wrongdoers to turn back
to Allah. A person who has committed mistakes is not permanently excluded from success. Repentance transforms the path of life. The combination of faith, repentance and good deeds show that moral transformation is always linked to success. While failure is not necessarily the end of person’s life. The greatest form of success comes with realizing the mistake and turning back to Allah.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the verses examined in this article present a thorough Quranic philosophy of success. It
begins with divine guidance, sustained through taqwa, worship, patience, remembrance, moral ethics,
kind-heartedness, and repentance. While humility and purification of soul also constitute the definition of success. Concurrently, falsehood, injustice, corruption, arrogance, greed, exploitation and defiance cannot lead to ultimate success. One of the powerful lessons that Quran gives is that success should not be measured by one’s wealth, fame or power. Instead, it should be whether the person has remained guided, obeyed Allah, purified themselves and dealt with everyday life within the frameworks of Islam.

The Quranic success therefore is not narrow. It includes worldly matters but it is not limited to world
only. It allows humans to live, earn, work, struggle, seek knowledge and achieve with the focus
towards pleasing Allah and serving mankind.

The words of Prophet Shuayb summarize this worldview beautifully in Surah Hud 11:88:

He said, “O my people! Consider if I stand on a clear proof from my Lord and He has blessed me with
a good provision from Him. I do not want to do what I am forbidding you from. I only intend reform to
the best of my ability. My success comes only through Allah. In Him I trust and to Him I turn.

True success is reaching the destination for which Allah created us.***

Daniya Afroz is writing on behalf of Professor Dr. Mumtaz Ali—husband of Late Dr Zeenath Kausar and Professor at IIUM