English Column: Success is by design, not fortuitous

“Success is by design, not fortuitous”
Picture by ~bubblypenguin of deviantart.com

I had an opportunity, back in 2010 to be in a seminar with one renowned Malay novelist, the author of the bestselling novel ‘Pemilik Cinta-ku selepas Allah dan Rasul,’ Sister Fatimah Syarha. She was also a senior of mine who happened to be in the same club as me in IIUM that is Journalism Club (JC). But when I was enrolled in IIUM in 2009, she has already graduated, so basically, the only thing I heard was stories from my seniors.

The seminar that we and many other hundred people attended was about spreading Islam is our first priority and conducting our role as a student has never been runners up. It is a process that goes in line with each other. The speaker, who was a great businessman, shared his experience when he was a student struggling to cope with his studies as well as immersing in da’wah activities.

He said that, there was once a time where he had to go to Perak to from Kuala Lumpur (he was studying in Putra University Malaysia, UPM) to deliver a lecture there for the purpose of da’wah. Delivering that lecture is one thing, the easy part, as the journey KL-Perak is 2-3 hours by car, but the difficult part is the next day, and sequel to the lecture, is his PHD viva. He has to present his PHD thesis the next day and from stories I heard, presenting your thesis in an undeniably difficult task to be conducted. It needs considerable amount of utter preparation in order to suffice.

He went to Perak to give the lecture and left without any preparation for his viva the next day. He went there accompanied by his friend who became to co-driver. With the help of Allah, his friend coincidently shared some info that was in a magazine related to the questions asked in his viva they had rehearsed. The viva eventually was a success.

I was astonished by the idea of success brought up by the speaker of “When we help Allah, Allah will help us” but everything changed when sis Fatimah refuted that idea during the Q and A session.

Sis Fatimah gave a clear explanation. Her point was, in my own words “Success is by design, not fortuitous. We cannot believe in miracles.”

I, there and then, rejected the speakers view and agreed with her view that success is obtained by sheer dedication. Miracles like what the speaker told hardly ever happen to anyone and we are not authorized to “hope” for such marvels to happen.

Success is by design, not fortuitous

Success is the topical target of everybody. Invariably, every man and woman in his or her own way hopes to achieve success.

Success is not fortuitous explicitly explains that it is not mere “luck,” effort plays an important role in the journey to success.

The style of how to execute effort depends on the compatibility of people as long as it adheres to what Allah has enjoined.

Different people have different styles. Some people can follow a certain set of ways but the same styles may not work with other people. It is important to know your strengths and weaknesses in doing so.

Imagine if the prophet repeatedly hoped for miracles to happen without planning a modus operandi, we would never feel the warmth of Islam. The prophet went through a lot, planned a strategic movement to ensure success in disseminating Islam.

No secrets to success

There is actually no secrets to success, it only requires diligence in hard work and overcome all your mistakes. That is all. No trick-or-treat no nothing.

Conclusion

I am a person who does not believe in luck.

That is why I love wishing “All the best” instead of the “Good luck.”

Does it differ? It does, significantly.

“Good luck” implies reliance to luck, good fortune or any other word related to it. But “All the best,” on the other hand, indicates dependence to sheer dedication, “All the best” to the effort one has paid out to win a certain goal.

Hoping for miracles to happen, such as waiting for “luck” to happen is a big mistake and we are not authorized to do so. But if Allah permits such thing to happen, the fact of it occurring is undeniable.

When you want something, work for it instead of waiting for it. Do your best and Allah will do the rest. But if you do not do the best, I personally don’t think Allah will do the rest. When you help Allah, Allah will help you. But if Allah fails you in any of your endeavors; that doesn’t mean Allah is not helping you.

“All the best” to whatever you are doing!