In search of Excellence

We all want to be excellent in every of our fields. We don’t want to be inferior in any way. We do want to show our excellent side to the World. We try hard to be excellent personality. Trying to be excellent personality is not a bad thing. But how one can be excellent personality? Some want to be excellent personality through clothing, posture, wealth, fame and etc. Everyone searches excellence in different ways. Some fail and others succeed. Some remain in half way, others reach their destination. Some slide from ladder of success, others climb. Some remain in the ditch, others climb the summit of the mountain. What is the reason behind all this?

There are different reasons behind these? We don’t want to list them all here.

“As do all who succeed in life, that DEFINITENESS OF PURPOSE is the starting point from which one must begin.”

First know or research how to succeed, then begin your journey. Try your best to answer these questions: What can I do? Why do I do? What’s my intention (niyya) behind this? How can I do? Know that WHAT and WHY you choose determines your success. Choose carefully good thing and make sure your intention is good and pure. Some people choose good thing, but their intention is bad which results in failure. Others choose the bad thing again, which results in failure. So choose what doesn’t make you lose in this world and Hereafter (Aakhira). Purify your intention.
By the way, from where one can start in search of excellence? A person who searches for excellence should have a correct turning point and correct path to follow. Otherwise, he/she remains in half way.
Purifying the soul– striving to purify soul is a turning point of excellence. Unfortunately, today we forget this turning point rather we search excellence in other things. Why purifying soul is a turning point of excellence? Because it is the way to ultimate success or ultimate failure if not purified. Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says:

“He has succeeded who purifies it(soul).
And he has failed who instills it [with corruption]” Al-Qur’an, Suurat Ash-Shams 91:9-10

So purifying soul from evils is our turning point of excellence. Prophetic hadith also shows this.

أَلاَ وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ‏.‏ أَلاَ وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ ‏”‏‏.‏
“Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

When the heart is corrupted, the tongue doesn’t speak good things, eye runs to seeing evils, ears listen to except bad. Inversely, when the heart is good, tongue speaks good, ear listens to good, eye doesn’t want to see evils. So heart is the central engine for other organs. Searching for excellence by purifying soul is an effective and fruitful way. The one who strives to purify himself/herself achieves excellence in both worlds, this duniya and Aakira. Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says:

“But whoever comes to Him (Allah) as a believer having done righteous deeds – for those will be the highest degrees [in position]: Gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself.” Al-Qur’an, Surat Taha 20:75-76

“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.” Surat An-Nahl:97

‘Good life’ in this world is tranquility and peace as Ibn Abbaas said.

Some people search excellence in fame, money, fashion and etc. But all these things will be exhausted soon or later. Even if they get what they wanted, they don’t get satisfaction and real happiness.
If you search for excellence begin from purifying your soul, then Insha Allah you will get other things. Money becomes your servant, everyone knows you without your knowledge.

Following correct path– In search of excellence you should follow the correct path. Every path doesn’t make you excellent personality. As we said earlier turning point for excellence is purifying the soul(heart). To purify the heart, correct method should be applied. Otherwise bad medicine kills the patient.
Through studying and implementing Qur’an and Sunnah heart is purified from every evil thing. This method is the best method and has no parallel in the purification of the soul. This method is best method that takes the person into excellence and high horizon. Allah indeed helps the one who strives to purify the soul.Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says:

“And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.” Al-Qur’an Surat Al-Ankabut 29:69

“Be sincere in your aim and you will find the support of Allah surrounding you.” Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim

Choosing end point/destination– In search of excellence you should crave for nonexhaustive excellence that is hereafter. Excellence of this World is exhausted. Choosing your end destination makes you excellent and wise. But the one who chooses this short life and forget the life to come is doomed, indeed. Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says:

“Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments – We fully repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be deprived. Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter but the Fire. And lost is what they did therein, and worthless is what they used to do.” Al-Qur’an, Surat Hud 11:15-16

“But whoever desires the Hereafter and exerts the effort due to it while he is a believer – it is those whose effort is ever appreciated [by Allah ].” Suurat Al-Isra:19

When we choose our end destination, we are not neglecting this world’s affairs. Of course we work to gain our livelihood without forgetting the life to come. This world is a place of sowing what will be reaped in the life to come. So it is field of doing good deeds or bad. But if we take this world as our ultimate goal, we lose both worlds. In this world we lose peace of mind, tranquility and in the life to come there is punishment.

So in search of excellence, choosing an end destination and working hard for it brings effective and continuous happiness and success.
In search of excellence, choosing this short life and dying for it is no more than a waste of whole life and evil destination. Look at those who want to be famous in music, movie, films, and etc, what is their end? They search excellence in something evils that bring them loss.
Conclusion
Everyone searches excellence in different things. Searching excellence in the purifying the soul, however, has no parallel. When the heart is purified, it gets peace of mind, tranquility, contentment, happiness and success. But when it is corrupted and forgotten, it remains in continuous loss of peace of mind, unhappiness, depression, hopelessness, pessimism, and etc. Nothing can bring it happiness and contentment. Following the right path is way to purifying soul and searching for excellence. Choosing end destination rises human from animal behavior to high horizon. When a man believes in Allah and Hereafter in certainty, his honor and thinking develop. He knows his destination and takes corrects steps to that way. He doesn’t wander like an animal. Everything brightens in front of him. He knows how and where to reach. This is indeed the best method of in search of excellence. For today I leave you here. In sha Allah if I get free time, I will come back with another article. Assalamu aleykum warahamatullahi wa barakatuh.