MISTAKE # 2: SOLELY ATTRIBUTING ONE’S EFFORTS AND INTELLECT TO ONES SUCCESS
Many of us achieve success by working hard. It is especially during those moments of enjoying success when Satan can delude us to attribute our successes solely to our tireless efforts and to our powerful intellect. Doing so would be to deny Allah’s favors upon us. We see this happening to Qarun, whose example Allah has mentioned in Surah Al-Qasas. Allah tells us in His book that He had provided Qarun with a great amount of wealth but instead of thanking Allah, Qarun attributed all those riches to his intellect. The Quranic verse below highlights his arrogance:
“He (Qarun) said: “This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess.” Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected. But the Mujrimoon (criminals, sinners, etc.) will not be questioned of their sins (because Allah knows them well, so they will be punished without account).”
Quran (Surah Al-Qasas, Verse 78)
We tend to forget that whether it was our efforts, intellect, or simply a miracle that gave us our success – they are all blessings that Allah bestows on His servants. How many people do we we know of who are not blessed with the ability to work hard or to use their intellect or are bestowed with any miracles? And even if some are bestowed with such blessings, they are not always guarantors of success.
Let us, therefore, not forget that Allah alone blesses us with not just the successful outcomes but also with the means (ability to work hard, intellect, etc.) to achieve those outcomes and if He wills He can bestow success irrespective of any of the above.
In continuation of the earlier example from Surah Al-Kahf, the proud man’s wise companion reminded him of his reality in the world in the following verse.
“His companion rebuked him during the conversation, saying, “Do you disbelieve in the Being Who has created you from clay (i.e. your father Adam), then from out of Nutfah (mixed semen drops of male and female discharge) and then shaped you as a man?”
Quran (Surah Al-Kahf, Verse 37)
The lesson is that when things seem to be going well, we should never let pride or arrogance infect our souls. We should never forget about who we really are, the temporary nature of all blessings and provisions in life, and the reality of the Lord to Whom we all will return.