The Secret of Success

A wise man is one who understands the difference between today’s world and tomorrow’s world; who does not desire in this world what is to be achieved in the post-death world. A man ought to be a realist. He must not chase after his desires because desires lead man nowhere but to destruction. Every man’s heart is an ocean of desires. These desires are not wrong in themselves but the place for the fulfilment of these desires is tomorrow’s world and not the world of today. The Purpose of Man’s Trial According to the creation plan of God, man was settled on this earth for the purpose of putting him to the test. This divine intention is clearly stated in the Quran at several different points. One example of how God’s scheme was to be carried out is alluded to in the chapter Yunus (Jonah): “Then We made you their successors in the land, so that We might observe how you would conduct yourselves.” (10:14) This kind of test is basically of one’s sense of moral responsibility. When a person comes to understand that he is on trial and that angels are recording all of his actions, this automatically engenders in him the requisite sense of responsibility. Now he becomes cautious in every aspect of his activities—in thinking, speaking, dealing, and in all other activities. Indeed, this understanding of how he is being tested works like a self-correcting mechanism which promotes deep introspection. It is the crucial factor that makes him a good person and a good member of society.