Don't Be Hung Up With Failures and Successes

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

When we race towards and struggle in Allah's cause, we are going to be hit with problems and they can take away our motivation. This world has two things--on one hand is tempation and distractions, and on the other side is problems. So Allah tells us that whatever problems (musibah) happened was on the dot from Allah, that it is exactly the problems we were supposed to have.

The problems that come our way in the struggle for Islam, whether it happened deep inside our selves or any where in the world, Allah attributes them as some sort of relief--maybe relief from the mistakes we have made in our cause. So Allah hits us with that problem and we struggle through that problems. And that struggle becomes an expiation for our mistakes and the flaws that we have in our struggle.

Those challenges that we faced, perhaps are means by which our ranks are raised even higher because we had more potential. And your poitential won't come out until you test yourself to the limit. So Allah will give them even more problems so you can overcome them and your ranks are raised. Allah does this so to develop a strong personality in you so that you stop becoming sad over the things you lose.

When you really struggle for Allah you stop worrying about your project because the project is not Islam but a means to serve Islam. When that project failed or stopped, your Islam does not stop. You will turn to Allah and say, "Ya Allah, that project is gone but I am still here and my firy heart to serve You is still there." So you stop worrying about your losses because your loyalty is not to a project but to Islam. The projects of the Companions were Badr, Uhud, Ahzab, and when they were losing 70 shuhada (martyrs) at Uhud, Allah essentially told them don't worry about it.

The flipside is true too--just because you gain success, that does not mean you are successful with Allah. You are still in the heart of the struggle. You don't be hung up with failures and successes.

مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَا ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّـهِ يَسِيرٌ ﴿٢٢﴾ لِّكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ ﴿٢٣﴾ الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبُخْلِ ۗ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ ﴿٢٤﴾

No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being - indeed that, for Allah, is easy - (22) In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful - (23) [Those] who are stingy and enjoin upon people stinginess. And whoever turns away - then indeed, Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy. (24)[Quran, Al-Hadid 57:22-24]

May Allah help us in our struggle for Islam. Aameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam