Key to success

Just linked these two together for the first time and not sure if everyone knew this and I'm just now figuring it out or what, but when the Athan (Muslim's call to prayer) is called, it says "Come to success". Then in Surah Almuminoon, chapter 23 of the Quran, the first verse says "The believers are successful", and the very next verse describes them as being humble in their PRAYERS! So here in these two examples are two correlations between prayer and success. When you are so hungry for success but are struggling to attain it, look at your prayers. There's the key to your success and mine. 

رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ

"O my Lord! make me one who establishes regular Prayer, and also raise such among my offspring, Lord, and accept my Prayer". Ameen. 

Darkness and light

What I love so much about the first verse of the 6th chapter in the Quran, Surah Alan'aam, is that it starts off thanking and praising God, the One who created the earth and the One who made darkness and light. 

Whenever I read this chapter, this first verse gets me every time. We thank Allah for darkness as much as we thank Him for light. We need both to exist, and both are essential to our fundamental growth as worshippers of God. Without the dark gloomy sky, we wouldn't appreciate the bright lively light. 

As hard as we have it in times of darkness, we thank Him for that opportunity to get closer to Him, and to grow and realize our potential. No one would strive harder if they hadn't reached rock bottom at some point. And without experiencing such a tough point in our lives, we would not appreciate being in a place of peace and stability. Both shape us and give us the energy we need to realize everything we have is an opportunity to get closer to our Creator, the One who blessed us with both darkness and light. 

"الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ الظُّلُمَاتِ وَالنُّورَ 

All praises and thanks be to Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and originated the darkness and the light..."