The Quest of a Curious Muslim — Page 134
IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT RELIGION? 134 piety, and virtue, of a person is a measure of success, not worldly gains. Therefore, it is vital to understand that religion not only directs us to strive for worldly success but informs us that our journey continues from this world to the Hereafter where we also need to be successful and that success has been defined by religion. Contrasting between worldly success and the more permanent success associated with the Hereafter, the Quran says: ﻗ ُ ﻞ ۡ ﻣ َ ﺘ َ ﺎ ع ُ ا û K ﻧ ۡ ﯿ َ ﺎ ﻗ َ ﻠ ِ ﯿ ۡ ﻞ ٌ ۚ و َ ا ﻻ ۡ ٰ ﺧ ِ ﺮ َ ة ُ ﺧ َ ري ۡ ٌ ﻟ ّ ِ ﻤ َ ﻦ ِ ا ﺗ 7 ﻘ ٰ ﻰ That is, “Say, ‘The benefit of this world is little and the Hereafter will be better for him who [has taqwa, or] fears God’” (4:78). No matter what a person gains in this world, it will remain “little” and true gains are ones associated with taqwa. The purpose of religion then is not to bind us with laws and regulations just for the sake of controlling us, rather it is to guide man to attaining spiritual prosperity so that we can please our God. Yes, religion does give us rules and laws but having laws is the very hallmark of civility. Take the