What is that one sentence that every daughter or son in their youth has to listen from their parents. “You will never be successful”. Our parents always made a discussion about children’s habits. Let’s say! Your parents are constantly telling you to change your bad habits & follow good habits.
In our life, if you are breathing & alive then you are constantly trying to adopt those practices that will bring you closer to ALLAH & makes you a better you a Muslim. Better Muslims have habits that are habits of highly successful Muslim youth that we are about to discuss further. Most of our young people in Islamic societies & western countries are unsuccessful because they are not having a healthy the relationship with ALLAH. Today’s youth should reflect upon Islamic teachings by ALLAH & His Prophet (SAW). Here is the list of at least six habits that will help our youth to be a better Muslim.
- Be Truthful:
When we make a mistake, being truthful is not always easy. When we lie about something, we get afraid, feel nervous or become anxious. We often get afraid that if everyone gets to know about your mistake, we will be in trouble from our friends & parents. In this situation, we mostly forget that whether we tell anyone about our mistake or not, ALLAH is the only one who high most knows about each & everything thing. You cannot escape from that Creator of the Universe. Being truthful is one of the habits of highly successful Muslim youth as it mentioned in Quran (Al-Ma’idah 5:119):
“This is a day on which the truthful will profit from their truth: there are gardens, with rivers flowing beneath — their eternal Home: Allah well-pleased with them, and they with Allah. That is the great salvation, (the fulfillment of all desires).”
It feels like it is burdensome telling the truth, but we all are aware of the feeling of relief we experience when we tell the truth, whether the result of telling the truth comes in the form of punishment. Not being truthful leads to a slippery slope, guaranteeing that with one lie, more lies must be told. As it said in Sahih-Bukhari, Book # 73, and Hadith 116:
“The beloved of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), said, as narrated by `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him),
Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to al-fujur [wickedness, evil-doing], and al-fujur leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar.”
So, being truthful is one of the habits of highly successful Muslim youth. In Islam, being truthful is not an option, but it is an obligation for Muslims. Ultimate success achieved by adopting a habit of being truthful because our goal of being truthful is paradise.
- Have Self-Restraint & Be God Conscious:
Ultimate success in becoming a better Muslim this also lies in how well we can refrain ourselves from what is impermissible. As Satan’s goal is to make you a slave to your desires. Habits of highly successful Muslim youth also includes a practice that one must refrain oneself from beverages that contain alcohol or any drug because these habits distract you from your religious obligations & you yearn to satisfy your sexual desires immorally & illegally. ALLAH says in Quran:-
“And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint, — none but persons of the greatest good fortune.” (Fussilat 41:5)
To be a highly successful Muslim youth, one must develop self-restraint.
- Be Consistent:
Apart from above-mentioned habits, being consistent is one of the habits of highly successful Muslim youth. A Muslim understands that it is harder to do something regularly & consistently then to do it a few times. It mention in Sahih-Bukhari, Book # 76 & Hadith # 469:
Indeed, the Mother of the Believers `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that “the most popular action to Allah’s Apostle was that which done continuously and regularly.”
A Muslim needs to be as consistent as possible, especially in those areas of Islam which needs a lot of improvement that includes religious obligations such as prayers, fasting, manners & studying habits.
- Be Focused:
Being focused means that you are awake, alert, motivated & responsible in your religious & practical tasks. The best way to develop focus is to pray with deep concentration to the extent that you become unaware of your surroundings. Quran says about the believers in Al-Mu’minun 23:2:
“Those who humble themselves in their prayers.”
Do your best in developing your focus no matter what the task are you performing.
- Be Punctual:
Highly successful people whether they are Muslims or not, value their time & of others as well. So, ultimately be punctual. Being punctual is one of the habits of highly successful Muslim youth. One of the foremost religious obligations in a life of Muslim is prayer. ALLAH & His Prophet (SAW) has given us clear reminders that every prayer must be offered at their due times. It mentioned in Sahih-Bukhari, Book # 10 & Hadith # 505:
“Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked “which deed is the dearest to Allah?” the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times”
Being punctual demonstrates that Islam is a religion that places everything on time.
- Be Patient:
The antonym of being patient is being incomplete, being rushed & working inaccurately. How does being thorough includes in habits of highly successful Muslim youth? It is included in that way, for example, in prayer we learn to be patient & concentrate on what we are reciting. We read in the Muwatta of Imam Malik Book # 47 & Hadith # 47.1.8:
“Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘I was sent to perfect good character”
Try to seek perfection from your early age that will help you to develop keen eye & peacefulness in your life & in the life of others around you as well.