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Fatwa CenterNo true success away from Islam
Question
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. Is there any other way to gain success in this world apart from Islam? Of course there is no doubt that Islam will lead to success in the Hereafter, but what about this world? Please, I need many details about this topic.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Success is to gain what is desired and be saved from what is dreaded. As defined by the scholars, this depends on Islam in both this worldly life and the Hereafter. Allah says (what means): {Indeed, the disbelievers will not succeed.} [Quran 23:117]
When Qaaroon (Korah) disbelieved in Allah, Allah destroyed him, like other disbelievers who were progressively led to destruction from where they did not know (it would come), and so, they neither were successful in this worldly life nor in the Hereafter.
After mentioning the destruction of Qaaroon, Allah says (what means): {Oh, how the disbelievers do not succeed!} [Quran 28:82]
Ibn Katheer said in his Tafseer (Quran exegesis) regarding the interpretation of the above verse, "The disbelievers will never be successful before Allah, neither in this worldly life, nor in the Hereafter."
The disbeliever will never succeed, neither in this worldly life, nor in the Hereafter. The disbeliever may get a temporary provision in this worldly life, but not success.
Allah may open the doors of this world for a disbeliever as a way of progressively dragging him to destruction while he thinks that it is success, but in reality, Allah leads him to destruction. Allah says (what means): {So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair. So the people that committed wrong were eliminated. And praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.} [Quran 6:44-45]
Opening the doors of this worldly life for them is described by Allah as a little enjoyment, but He did not describe it as success.
Allah says (what means):
- {And whoever disbelieves – I will grant him enjoyment for a little; then I will force him to the punishment of the Fire, and wretched is the destination.} [Quran 2:126]
- {Say, "Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allah will not succeed." [For them is brief] enjoyment in this world; then to Us is their return; then We will make them taste the severe punishment because they used to disbelieve.} [Quran 10:69-70]
- {Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allah will not succeed. [It is but] a brief enjoyment, and they will have a painful punishment.} [Quran 16:116-117]
The author of Adhwaa’ Al-Bayaan said when interpreting this verse, "Allah mentioned in this verse that {Those who invent falsehood about Allah will not succeed}, such as claiming that He prohibited such-and-such while He did not prohibit it, and their claim that He has partners and children – they do not succeed, because in this world, they only get a little enjoyment that is of no importance, and in the Hereafter they will be tormented a great torment; a severe and painful torment."
In brief, there is no success for the disbeliever, neither in this worldly life, nor in the Hereafter, but it is a question of getting a little worldly pleasure, and this is not considered success. This is in contrast to the righteous believers who succeed in this worldly life, as Allah grants them blessing, and they succeed in the Hereafter and enter Paradise.
Allah says (what means): {And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning.} [Quran 7:96]
Allah also says (what means): {So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair.} [Quran 6:44]
Many people confuse between the two 'openings' that are mentioned in the above two verses; the opening of blessing and the opening of dragging one to destruction. People do not distinguish between them, and they believe that the easiness and abundance that the disbelievers have in this world is success and goodness, while it is destruction and evil.
Allah says (what means): {And let not those who disbelieve ever think that [because] We extend their time [of enjoyment] it is better for them. We only extend it for them so that they may increase in sin, and for them is a humiliating punishment.} [Quran 3:178]
Allah knows best.
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