Central Khutbah : “The Secret of Success Lies in Perseverance on the Path of Truth”

Modern man often seeks a “secret of success,” as though it were a hidden formula or a technique that one needs to master just once for everything to change. Yet the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the experience of the Muslim community throughout the centuries clearly show that success is neither the result of chance nor the product of human skill detached from faith, but the outcome of a clear idea, a sincere intention, a willingness to sacrifice, and a long-term vision.

The Most High says:
“Do people think that they will be left to say: ‘We believe!’ without being tested?” (Al-‘Ankabût, 2–3)

This verse immediately dispels the illusion that one can attain success and Allah’s pleasure without trials, without a price, and without effort.

Three principles—simple in appearance yet decisive: idea, sacrifice, and vision—lie at the foundation of every serious project: personal, family, social, or civilizational. They shape the consciousness of those who refuse mediocrity and to whom Allah grants the ability to change the course of history.

No great historical figure, no reformer, scholar, or thinker has ever achieved his goal without a clear idea deeply rooted in his heart and mind. In Islam, this idea is tawḥīd—the sincere and exclusive worship of Allah and a life aligned with His pleasure.

The Prophet ﷺ established the foundation of all Islamic success in the hadith about intention:

“Actions are judged only by intentions, and each person shall have only what he intended.”
(Bukhārī, Bed’ul-wahy, 1; Muslim, Imāra, 1907)

Thus, the idea is born in the heart. But an idea, by itself, has no weight until it finds a person ready to carry it, defend it, live it, and sacrifice for it. This is clearly seen in the life of the Prophet ﷺ: his success was not the result of favorable political circumstances but the strength of a man bearing a divine message, willing to endure boycott, isolation, insults, attacks, the Hijrah, and battles—solely so that the truth could reach people.

The idea of tawḥīd became a light of civilization only after years of suffering and spiritual strengthening of the first generation of believers.

The Companions continued the path with the same dedication. The unwavering faith of Abū Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him—particularly during crises such as the wars against the apostates—confirms that an idea cannot survive without a person firmly bound to it and willing to bear its weight. He lived according to the meaning of the verse:

“O you who believe! If you support the cause of Allah, He will support you and make your feet firm.” (Muhammad, 7)

Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr, may Allah be pleased with him, at the peak of youth and social prestige in Mecca, voluntarily abandoned comfort and honor for the idea in which he believed. He became the first preacher in Medina, the teacher of the Ansār, and one of the key “architects” of the Hijrah, preparing the ground for the arrival of the Prophet ﷺ and the establishment of the first Islamic state.

Bilāl ibn Rabāḥ, may Allah be pleased with him, through his simple yet immense proclamation “Aḥadun, Aḥad!—One, One!”, embodied the essence of tawḥīd. Under the burning sun, with a stone on his chest, he did not argue or philosophize—he simply repeated what he believed. His words became a symbol of unwavering faith throughout the ages.

The second rule states: there is no success without effort and sacrifice, nor sacrifice without sincere dedication. One of the most widespread illusions of our time is the belief that great results can be achieved quickly—without cost, without fatigue, without patience.

Allah the Most High says:
“Do you think you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those among you who strive and those who are patient?” (Āl ‘Imrān, 142)

And He says:
“Man will have only what he has striven for.” (An-Najm, 39)

Success is therefore not the product of wishes, but of prolonged self-investment in the idea one believes in. The Prophet ﷺ described the nature of this path:

“Paradise is surrounded by hardships, and Hell is surrounded by desires.”
(Muslim, Jannah, 2822)

Everything that leads to Paradise is initially difficult for the soul: patience, obedience, self-denial, modesty, fighting one’s desires, perseverance in worship, work, knowledge, and education. Everything that leads to ruin is initially sweet for the soul: desires, negligence, excessive comfort, egocentrism, dependence on people’s praise.

During the formation of the first community in Medina, the Prophet ﷺ and the Companions went through an exceptional period of sacrifice: leaving their homeland, poverty, siege, constant threats, and bloody battles. They were living proof that there is no change without sacrifice and that nothing great is built overnight.

Their lives connected two dimensions: night worship and daytime effort. At night, they stood in prayer, in supplication and tears; by day, they worked, fought, taught, and carried responsibilities. They understood that the price of Paradise is precisely what most people try to avoid: effort, patience, and consistency.

The third rule says: there is no lasting consistency without strong will, nor strong will without clear vision.
A will without vision is scattered energy; a vision without will is only a dream.

Allah the Most High says:
“Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves.” (Ar-Ra‘d, 11)

This verse teaches that vision is not a pious wish one passively awaits, but a direction that demands inner transformation. Before the condition of society can change, a person must change his heart, habits, priorities, and relationship with Allah.

The great leaders of Islam, such as ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may Allah be pleased with him, were not strong merely due to organizational abilities. Their strength lay in their vision: a clear conception of justice, responsibility before Allah, and the perspective of the Hereafter. ‘Umar viewed power not as a privilege but as a trust before which he trembled. He spent his nights walking among the people, his days judging and organizing the community, knowing that he would be questioned about every decision.

The believer’s vision is not merely a “better life” in this world. It is the pleasure of Allah, Paradise, and the legacy he will find before him on the Day of Judgment. This is why the Prophet ﷺ said:

“The most beloved deeds to Allah are those done regularly, even if they are few.”
(Bukhārī, Riqāq, 18; Muslim, Musāfirīn, 215)

Consistency in good is the sign of a mature vision. A person of vision does not burn with enthusiasm for a few days; he builds patiently over years.

When these three components—a pure idea, willingness to sacrifice, and clear vision—come together, an exceptional personality is born. Such people are not merely products of their times; they shape their times. They do not fear the trials that accompany progress nor the weight that comes with responsibility. They measure their lives by Allah’s standards, not by people’s.

CONCLUSION: A GENERATION THAT REFUSES MEDIOCRITY

In an age of superficiality, instant content, and the logic of quick success, these three foundations become essential:

– an idea that purifies intention and brings us back to tawḥīd,
– a sacrifice that shapes character and distinguishes the serious from the superficial,
– a vision that connects this worldly life to the Hereafter and makes a person worthy of the future.

Allah the Most High says:
“Man will have only what he has striven for.” (An-Najm, 39)

Whoever truly understands these words will no longer let his idea remain a mere thought, his sacrifice a burden, or his vision a simple dream. All of it becomes a path leading to Allah.

Upon these principles arises a generation that does not measure its life by the circumstances it lived in, but by the legacy it leaves behind—a legacy in hearts, in enduring deeds, and in the prayers of those who come after.

(Central khutbah by the religious leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on November 28, 2025, at the “Centre Islamique Medina” in Wiltz)