What do you define as the highest success?

[3wliya_maryam]

Salam alaikum,

Inshallah everyone here is in the best of health in 2021.

I would like to bring forth a topic about defining real success. I was hoping if anyone here can share some thoughts. 

What do you believe is high success? Does it have to do with pursuing medicine, law or engineering? Or is it something deeper, like purifying the soul, gaining spirituality with Allah, strengthening your personality and/or contributing towards your community?

Unfortunately some ethnic families claim to have faith in God yet they hold beliefs that nothing is more successful than becoming a doctor, or studying business is not as good. They forget that this is no more than materialistic, which means that even though they may want best for their child, they still want to impress the community they live in. 

If someone asked you how would you define success, what would be the answer?

 

 

 

[El Cid]

I believe true success is the balance between religion and this world. I dislike both people who fail to understand this for example people who become overly religious at times tell you this world is temporary and they do not pursue worldly advents anymore and just sit there and wait for death. Then there are people who become overly worldly and make their careers their religion and they shirk everything else including family to give priority to their career. 

For me, there is no nobility in poverty and I would never choose poverty for myself or anyone. Be successful. The easiest way to do that is to enroll in a university, study something worthwhile like Business/Law/Engineering/Medical, get an entry level job in your field whilst being in school, finish your degree and expand from there. You'll be moderately successful in your middle life and overly successful later if you work hard and have realistic goals. Then there's religion which means do your best, do not fall into Haram activities and keep your obligations like praying etc. There need not be a compromise between the two. 

[Khurasani]

You cant really come with one definition on it that accounts for everyone because we have different goals and different capacities. I would define it as reaching your potential in every aspect of life. Most of us will likely never reach that but if we continously strive to reach this state we will get as close to it as we possibly can. We will be satisfied with ourselves on the day of judgement that we did what we needed to and that we strived for it even if we never reached this perfection we came as close to it within our capacity. I know this is very vague but you just cant put a clear definition of success really.

[hasanhh]

Coming safely through on the Last Day.

What other real success is there?

[Abu_Zahra]

1 hour ago, 3wliya_maryam said:

Unfortunately some ethnic families claim to have faith in God yet they hold beliefs that nothing is more successful than becoming a doctor, or studying business is not as good. They forget that this is no more than materialistic, which means that even though they may want best for their child, they still want to impress the community they live in. 

I would say that success is submitting to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) and following the path of the Qur'an and the Ma'soomeen (عليه السلام).

I agree that some people are obsessed with specific careers or with money making in general. This is not the key objective.

Having said that, earning a lawful living and gaining knowledge are both religious duties. Therefore those who think that sitting at home or limiting oneself to low income tasks is 'piety' are also mistaken. Often they use religion as a cover for laziness.

[The Green Knight]

True success is satisfying God.

[AbdusSibtayn]

The rida of my Imam (aj).

The moment I come to know that he is pleased with me, nothing else will matter to me anymore. No worldly achievements. No recognition. No wealth.

[Shahrukh K]

3 hours ago, 3wliya_maryam said:

What do you believe is high success?

Success is shunning of desire and fear.

The entire universe of pain is born of desire. Give up the desire for pleasure and you will not even know what is pain.

[inneedofprayers]

Sorry, if I am deviating from a very philosophically oriented discussion on "success" to a more mundane and "this-worldly" definition of success. For me the highest success includes many things actually! Here are a top few I instantly thought of : a) to achieve my potential (via a fulfilling career), b) being a caring and kind human being and benefitting humanity, c) having a peaceful life with a soulmate. 

[notme]

In addition to some of above, success is when people rely on you while you are alive and miss you when you have died. 

[hasanhh]

1 hour ago, notme said:

In addition to some of above, success is when people rely on you while you are alive and miss you when you have died. 

ln Isaiah, there is the oft quoted, "the living give you thanks." Your post reminded me of it.

[Ashvazdanghe]

9 hours ago, notme said:

In addition to some of above, success is when people rely on you while you are alive and miss you when you have died. 

Hadith n. 10

10. Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Meet people in such a manner that if you die they should weep for you and if you live they should long for you. 5

10. وَ قَالَ عليه‏السلام: خَالِطُوا النَّاسَ مُخَالَطَةً إِنْ مِتُّمْ مَعَهَا بَكَوْا عَلَيْكُمْ وَ إِنْ عِشْتُمْ حَنُّوا إِلَيْكُمْ.

Quote

To the person who behaves with others with benignity and manner-liness, people extend their hand of cooperation, they honour and respect him and shed tears after his death. Therefore, a person should lead such an agreeable life that no one should have any complaint against him, nor should any harm be caused by him to anyone so that during life he should attract others and after death too he should be remembered in good words

https://www.al-islam.org/nahjul-balagha-part-2-letters-and-sayings/selections-sayings-and-preaching-amir-al-muminin-ali#hadith-n-10