Islamic quotes about success, in this life and the next

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ

Certainly will the believers have succeeded.

Quran 23:1, Surah Al-Muminun

The opening of Surah Al-Muminun, which then lists the qualities of those who succeed.

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ

He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself.

Quran 87:14, Surah Al-Ala

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّىٰهَا

He has succeeded who purifies it.

Quran 91:9, Surah Ash-Shams

After eleven oaths in Surah Ash-Shams, the answer: success is purifying the soul.

فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ

So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire].

Quran 3:185, Surah Al-Imran, part of the ayah

The Quran's definition of the final success.

وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَٰنِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ

And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives.

Quran 53:39, Surah An-Najm

Effort counts.

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا۟ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ

Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.

Quran 13:11, Surah Ar-Rad, part of the ayah

وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ

My success is not but through Allah.

Quran 11:88, Surah Hud, part of the ayah

The words of the prophet Shuayb: wa ma tawfiqi illa billah.

فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ

And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah.

Quran 3:159, Surah Al-Imran, part of the ayah

وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مَخْرَجًۭا

And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out.

Quran 65:2, Surah At-Talaq, part of the ayah

فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةُ فَٱنتَشِرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًۭا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed.

Quran 62:10, Surah Al-Jumuah

Work and dhikr together: "that you may succeed".

وَٱلَّذِينَ جَٰهَدُوا۟ فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَمَعَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.

Quran 29:69, Surah Al-Ankabut

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ، وَرُزِقَ كَفَافًا، وَقَنَّعَهُ اللَّهُ بِمَا آتَاهُ

Successful is the one who has accepted Islam, is given enough to live on, and is made content by Allah with what He has given him.

Sahih Muslim 1054, narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr

الْمُؤْمِنُ الْقَوِيُّ خَيْرٌ وَأَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِ الضَّعِيفِ، وَفِي كُلٍّ خَيْرٌ، احْرِصْ عَلَى مَا يَنْفَعُكَ، وَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْجِزْ

The strong believer is better and more loved by Allah than the weak believer, and there is good in both. Be keen on what benefits you, seek Allah's help, and do not give up.

Sahih Muslim 2664, narrated by Abu Hurayrah

لَوْ أَنَّكُمْ كُنْتُمْ تَوَكَّلُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ حَقَّ تَوَكُّلِهِ لَرُزِقْتُمْ كَمَا تُرْزَقُ الطَّيْرُ، تَغْدُو خِمَاصًا وَتَرُوحُ بِطَانًا

If you relied on Allah as you truly should, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds: they go out hungry in the morning and come back full in the evening.

Jami at-Tirmidhi 2344, narrated by Umar. Graded hasan sahih

اعْقِلْهَا وَتَوَكَّلْ

A man asked whether to tie his camel and trust in Allah, or leave it untied and trust in Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Tie it, and trust in Allah."

Jami at-Tirmidhi 2517, narrated by Anas. Graded hasan

مَا أَكَلَ أَحَدٌ طَعَامًا قَطُّ خَيْرًا مِنْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ مِنْ عَمَلِ يَدِهِ، وَإِنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ كَانَ يَأْكُلُ مِنْ عَمَلِ يَدِهِ

No one has ever eaten better food than what he earned with his own hands, and the prophet of Allah Dawud used to eat from the work of his own hands.

Sahih al-Bukhari 2072, narrated by al-Miqdam

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ إِذَا عَمِلَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَمَلًا أَنْ يُتْقِنَهُ

Allah loves that when one of you does a job, he does it well.

Al-Bayhaqi, Shu'ab al-Iman, and Abu Ya'la, narrated by Aishah. Graded hasan by al-Albani

أَحَبُّ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَدْوَمُهَا وَإِنْ قَلَّ

The deeds most loved by Allah are the most constant, even if they are small.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6464; Sahih Muslim 783

إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ

Actions are only by intentions.

Sahih al-Bukhari 1; Sahih Muslim 1907

وَمَنْ كَانَتِ الْآخِرَةُ نِيَّتَهُ جَمَعَ اللَّهُ لَهُ أَمْرَهُ، وَجَعَلَ غِنَاهُ فِي قَلْبِهِ، وَأَتَتْهُ الدُّنْيَا وَهِيَ رَاغِمَةٌ

Whoever makes the Hereafter his aim, Allah brings his affairs together, puts contentment in his heart, and the world comes to him whether it likes it or not.

Sunan Ibn Majah 4105, narrated by Zayd ibn Thabit. Graded sahih by al-Albani

مَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا سَهَّلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ

Whoever takes a path seeking knowledge, Allah makes easy for him a path to Paradise.

Sahih Muslim 2699

نِعْمَتَانِ مَغْبُونٌ فِيهِمَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ: الصِّحَّةُ وَالْفَرَاغُ

There are two blessings that many people lose out on: health and free time.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6412, narrated by Ibn Abbas

وَجَدْنَا خَيْرَ عَيْشِنَا بِالصَّبْرِ

We found the best of our life in patience.

Umar ibn al-Khattab, reported by al-Bukhari in his Sahih without a chain (Book of Softening the Hearts)

إِذَا أَمْسَيْتَ فَلَا تَنْتَظِرِ الصَّبَاحَ، وَإِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَلَا تَنْتَظِرِ الْمَسَاءَ، وَخُذْ مِنْ صِحَّتِكَ لِمَرَضِكَ، وَمِنْ حَيَاتِكَ لِمَوْتِكَ

When you reach the evening, do not wait for the morning, and when you reach the morning, do not wait for the evening. Take from your health for your illness, and from your life for your death.

Abdullah ibn Umar, Sahih al-Bukhari 6416, after the hadith "Be in this world as if you were a stranger"