Principles of Success
It is a well-known fact that the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) 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 Quran, 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 (peace be upon him), we can derive those important principles which were followed by the Prophet (peace be upon him). In short, the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) 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 possible) This principle is well explained in a saying of Aishah. She said: "Whenever the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) 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 disadvantage) In the early days of Makkah, there were many problems and difficulties. At that time, a guiding verse in Quran was revealed. It said: "With every hardship there is ease, with every hardship there is ease." (94/5-6). 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 action) This principle is derived from the Hijrah. Hijrah was not just a migration from Makkah to Madinah. 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 enemy) The prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) was repeatedly subjected to practices of antagonism by the unbelievers. At that time Quran enjoined upon him the return of good for evil. And then, as Quran added, "You will see your direct enemy has become your closest friend" (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 (p.b.u.h.) 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 (p.b.u.h.): "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 Makkah was conquered, all of the Prophet’s (p.b.u.h.) direst opponents were brought before him. They were war criminals, in every sense of the word. But the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) 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 thinker) In the famous Ghazwa of Muta, Khalid Bin Walid decided to withdraw Muslim forces from the battlefield because he discovered that the enemy was disproportionately outnumbered. When they reached Madinah, some of the Muslims received them by the word "O Furrar" (O deserters!) The Prophet said: "No. They are Kurrar (men of advancement)."
Those Madinan 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 field) This 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 (p.b.u.h.), 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 radicalism) This principle is well-established by a Hadith of Al-Bukhari. Aishah says that the first verses of Quran 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 Quran. 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 matters) During the writing of Hudaibiyya treaty, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) dictated these words: "This is from Muhammad, the Messenger of God." The Quraishi delegate raised objections over these words. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) promptly changed the word and ordered to write simply Muhammad, son of Abdullah.
These were the principles through which the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) 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
By: Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Source: alrisala.org
Jazak'Allah Khiar, Brother Fi_Sabilillah. Very informative and Insha'Allah abiding them may bring in success as these principles do seem to achieve success and give the image of it and Insha'Allah I shall try them and I'll tell my Brothers and Sisters too!
Qurratul AyN
AsalamuAlaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,
Here I shall quote a British orientalist who remarked about the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.): "He faced adversity with the determination to wring success out of failure."
I don't like many orientalists, buh who was this one that said this?
dichotomous? what does this mean!
direst? is that even a word :|
Jazakhala khair bro
Dichotomy: A division into two especially mutually exclusive or contradictory groups.
Direst comes from the word Dire: dire: adj Definition: terrible, ominous, urgent; crucial.
While Muhammad has shown us great truths, I firmly believe:format_quote Originally Posted by Fi_Sabilillah
If Muslims Believed Muhammad, They Could Transform the World:
Through the Koran, Muhammad tells Muslims to "Say: We believe in God and what was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael, to Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and what was given to Moses and Jesus and the prophets. We discriminate against none of them" (The Family of Imran 3:84).
Another time, Muhammad warns Muslims against drawing “…a line between God and His apostles, saying: 'We believe in some but deny others....’" (Women 4:150).
About 3,400 years ago, before the Hebrews had even entered the "Promised Land," Moses warned his people of a future day, when they would be "…driven out [of the Land] to the farthest parts under heaven…" (Deut. 30:4). But Moses also assured the Israelites that God "...will have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you" (Deut. 30:3).
If, today, Muslims truly believed Muhammad, they would believe "what was given to Moses." And they would rejoice in the resurrection of Israel as Moses foretold. Instead, countless Muslims, "believe in some [prophets] but deny others," while they prepare to "wipe Israel off the map.”
In other words, if Muslims believed the Prophets who preceded Muhammad and drew no “line” between them, they would humbly admit to God and the world, "We have been wrong to fight against Israel." And an astonished world would behold Israel's deadly enemies evidencing incredible faith, unmatched by Jews and Christians throughout their bloody history!
If militant Muslims and their supporters renounced their ignorant rejection of Israel and transformed themselves into peaceful believers in Abraham’s God, astounded Jews and Christians would be hard-pressed to renounce their own ignorant dismissal of Muhammad as a “false prophet” and Islam as a “false religion.”
Then, Jews and Christians, following the Muslims’ unique example, could finally abandon their own erroneous manmade teachings about “the Messiah Jesus” (Women 4:171) and embrace Muhammad’s messages about him, which Jews and Christians have always scorned — the very messages that could create peace among all “believers.”
If Muslims believed Muhammad….
Hey Jane. We've already discussed this issue in another thread:
First of all, we accept the previous scriptures [the Old Testament, the Gospel etc.] When these verses were sent down to the prophets, it was upto the nation to preserve it.
We know that from among them, there were some people who distorted them. Why was this? Because they wanted to follow their own whims and desires. For instance we know that there are so much copies of the Bible today, each with its own different interpretation. None of these are in the original language, and we know that if a scriptures not in its original language - then it's just a translation, its not the actual scripture. [Look at the bible, and ask yourself why you're using that specific version, why can't it just be that you get the original one? The reason for this is because the original doesn't remain. What does this mean? It mean's that you can't compare any of these versions to see what the original message sent down to Jesus was.]
Therefore, we as muslims do believe that the previous scriptures were revealed to the prophets of the earlier nations, however - these got distorted, even though it was upto these people to preserve the message which was sent to their prophet. And we can rightly say that it doesn't exist no more.
Due to the fact that these scriptures were distorted, and the people started worshipping others besides Allaah, and said things about Him which they shouldn't have said (i.e. we're God's children etc.) Allaah sent the message to the final prophet - Muhammad (peace be upon him.) Muhammad (peace be upon him) would come to confirm what was in the previous scriptures [calling to the worship of Allaah/God Alone without any associates] and this message would be for all of mankind (instead of just for the children of Isra'eel.) This message will be preserved by Allaah, and no-one is able to alter it by Allaah's Mercy. We know that till this day [since over 1400yrs ago] the Qur'an is still in arabic and is still preserved the same way it was over 1400yrs ago.
Why you may ask? Why did Allaah not preserve the message of the previous prophets, yet He preserves the message of Muhammad (peace be upon him)? The answer to this is simple. When Allaah sent a messenger to his people, it was upto the people to preserve the message, but they never had to spread it to different parts of the world. However, the message given to Muhammad (peace be upon him) was for the whole world, so Allaah has preserved it, but it is our duty to spread it to mankind. [If you feel this is wrong, you will find verses from the bible which claim Jesus (peace be upon him) being commanded to “Go to the lost sheep of the House of Israel!” Matthew 10:6]
Whereas Muhammad (peace be upon him) is being told:
"Say: 'O mankind! I am sent unto you all, as the Messenger of Allah, to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth." (Qur'an 7:158)
If you use try reading the Qur'an, you may find things which you find confusing, or verses which you don't understand. You may even accidentally take the verses out of context, so i'd just like to point out that the Qur'an can't be interpreted to our own understanding, rather - it should be understood according to how the Messenger of Allaah, and his companions understood it, due to the fact that they lived it throughout their life.
Therefore you'll have to look at the sciences of tafseer to get a true understanding of the interpretation of the Qur'an. You can do that by visiting these sites insha'Allaah (God willing: )
http://www.tafsir.com/
http://www.theholybook.org/
We don't totally reject the previous scriptures, we believe that they were original once upon a time. Think of it this way, the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Final Testament (the Qur'an.) The Final Testament confirms what was in the previous scriptures, yet whatever was fabricated/distorted in the previous scriptures has been refuted in the Qur'an/Final Testament, and the Authentic Sunnah [prophetic way/sayings etc.]
Yet by Allaah's Mercy there are still parts of the Bible which havn't been distorted which prophecise the coming of the final messenger - Muhammad (peace be upon him.):
Read more:
http://www.islamicboard.com/comparative-religion/12390-prophet-muhammad-peace-upon-him-prophecised-bible.html
Allaah Almighty knows best.
Peace.
http://www.islamicboard.com/597859-post17.html
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