Question: What qualities do you think a good Muslim youth should have to be successful?

Answer: I [the author - Abdul Adheem al-Muhtadi al-Bahrani] think he or she should possess the following qualities:

1. Sincerely believing in Allah and completely relying on Him


Imam Ali [a] said, ‘Faith rests on four pillars: reliance upon Allah, entrusting one’s affairs to Allah, submission to the will of Allah, and contentment with Allah’s decree.’ [Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 63, no. 154]


2. Being able to control and lead himself


The Prophet [saws] said, ‘Controlling the self and combatting with it against its lower desires raises one’s stations and multiplies one’s rewards.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5407]

3. Always looking for progress and success within what Allah has permitted


Imam Ali [a] said, 'Act in accordance with knowledge and you will prosper.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 2479]

4. Driving fear away from inside him


Imam Ali [a] said, ‘When you fear a matter, dive straight into it for verily the intensity of your wariness of it is greater than what you actually fear.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 175]

5. Being magnanimous and patient


Imam Ali [a] said, ‘Through patience are great things accomplished.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4276]

6. Not belittling himself


Imam Ali [a] said, ‘The one who considers himself to be worth something will not weaken himself through his lower desires.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4611]

7. Observing the Islamic principles and dealing with people accordingly



The Prophet [saws] said, ‘The most intelligent of people is he who is best at dealing with people.’[Amali al-Saduq, p. 28, no. 4]

8. Making use of every blessing Allah has given to him




The Prophet [saws] said, 'Appreciate God’s blessings given to you, and let them not vanish, for a lost blessing will hardly be regained.’[Nahj al-Fasahah]

9. Caring for his health and the right of his body over him

The Prophet [saws] said, ‘There is no clothing more beautiful than good health.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 381, no. 5]

Treatise of Rights by Imam Zayn al-'Abidin [a]

10. Not being excessive in eating and drinking
The Prophet [saws] said, ‘Be warned against excessive food, for it poisons the heart with hardness, slows the limbs in performing acts of obedience, and blocks the souls from hearing counsel.’ [Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 182, no. 10]

11. Not leaving himself without money that he often needs



The Prophet [saws] said, ‘Blessed is the one who is a Muslim with sufficient sustenance.’ [Nahj al-Fasahah]

12. Serving other people as much as possible

The Prophet [saws] said, ‘The service of a believer to his fellow believing brother is [worthy of] a station of which the reward and grandeur can only be perceived by returning the same service.’[Mustadrak al-Wasail, v. 12, p. 429, no. 14524]

13. Not being confused when someone disagrees with him concerning his true belief, for people, throughout history, are different

Imam Ali [a] said, ‘A sincere person does not entertain misgivings and a person convinced [of his faith] does not doubt.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 9532]

14. Liking to undertake and carry out responsibilities

The Prophet [saws] said, 'Indeed each of you is a shepherd responsible for his own herd. The commander of the people is their shepherd and responsible for his herd, just as a man looks after his household and is responsible for them, and a woman tends to her husband and children and is responsible for them.’[Sahih Muslim, no. 1829]

15. Being frank and honest and not beating around the bush




Imam Ali [a] said, ‘Truthfulness is the congruity of logic with divine convention, whereas lying removes logic from divine convention.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, nos. 1552-1553]

16. Not delaying in doing good



The Prophet [saws] said, ‘He for whom a door of goodness is opened must seize the opportunity for verily he does not know when it will close.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 165, no. 2]

17. Reading useful books that will benefit him



Imam Ali [a] said, ‘And know that there is no good in knowledge that is of no use, and that one cannot benefit from knowledge that is not worthy of being learnt.’ [Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 31]

18. Making friends with good people



The Prophet [saws] said, ‘The most prosperous of people is he who mingles with honourable people.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 185, no. 2]

19. Not thinking of gaining the content of every one around him, because this requires hypocrisy

Imam al-Hasan [a] said, 'He who seeks to please Allah at the expense of displeasing people, Allah suffices him in everything including his affairs with people. But the one who seeks to please people at the expense of Allah's displeasure, Allah relegates him to those very people.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 71, p. 208, no. 17]

20. Avoiding disputes and idle talks




Imam Ali [a] said, ‘Leave sharpness and reflect instead on the argument, and avoid idle talk in order to be safe from error.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5136]

21. Not mocking others



Imam Ali [a] said, ‘Everything has a seed, and the seed of enmity is mockery.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, 7316]

22. Mentioning the good deeds and fine qualities of others



Imam Ali [a] said, ‘You may improve the doers of good by honoring them, and rehabilitate the wrongdoers by disciplining them.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 82, no. 81]

23. Criticizing himself and watching his deeds



Imam Ali [a] said, 'The rational man must calculate his soul's misdeeds against religion, reason, ethical virtues and good moral conduct. He must gather this information within himself or write it down in a book and work at eradicating them.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 6, no. 58]

24. Persuading himself that he is able to do what is required

Imam Ali [a] said, 'Cajole your soul tactfully to worship, and be gentle with it and do not force it. Make allowances for both its weariness and its activity, except for the daily obligations that are incumbent upon it, for it must fulfil them and undertake them at their prescribed times.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 69]

25. Thanking Allah for every blessing



Imam Ali [a] said, ‘The first duty incumbent upon you towards Allah, Glory be to Him, is thanksgiving for His favours and seeking out His pleasure.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3329]

26. Not being like a tool in the hands of others



Imam Ali [a] said, ‘Do not ever be a slave to others when Allah, glory be to Him, has made you free.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 31]

27. Knowing his position in life well




Imam Ali [a] said, ‘The worth of a man is proportionate to his ambition … and his chastity is in proportion with his sense of self-worth.’ [Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 47]

28. Showing his opinion with evidence when needed



mam Ali [a] said, 'The [valid] opinion comes from balanced judgment, whilst the impetuous and rash opinion is a vile foundation indeed.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 81, no. 76]

29. Looking at his listeners when talking with them



Imam Ali [a] said, 'Accustom your ear to listen effectively, and do not listen to anything that will not benefit your progress.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6234]

30. Being more a listener than a speaker



Imam Ali [a] said, 'Even if you are not an articulate scholar, at least be an attentive listener.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4090]

31. Participating in the meetings of joy considering their etiquette and the meetings of consolation considering their etiquette



Imam Ali [a] said, ‘Performing common acts of courtesy, bringing solace to a grief-stricken person, and being hospitable to guests is the instrument of leadership.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6585]

32. Offering presents to those who have given him presents on occasions



The Prophet [saws] said, 'Offer gifts to each other to strengthen your friendship, for gifts enhance love and make spite and hatred perish.’[Nahj al-Fasahah]

33. Believing that he is important in life and has a value in the existence



Imam Ali [a] said, ‘The worth of a man is in proportion to his ambition … his courage is in proportion to his self-esteem.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 47]

34. Not involving himself in bad doings, and when this happens, he has to repent, pray to Allah to forgive him, and try to restore his morale

Prophet Jesus [a] said, ‘The man who has no debt to people is more comfortable than the one indebted, even if he repayed his debt; and similarly the man who has not committed any sins is more comfortable than he who has committed sins, even if he has sincerely repented and returned [to the right path].’[Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 392]

35. Not living idly and not wasting his time



The Prophet [saws] said, ‘Verily Allah hates the healthy-bodied idle person, who is neither concerned with his worldly life, nor the Hereafter.’[Sharh Nahj al-Balagha li B. Abi al-Hadid, v. 17, p. 146]

36. Looking forward to the future and trying to achieve it sincerely

Imam Ali [a] said, ‘There is no garment more beautiful than vitality.’ [al-Tawhid, v. 74, no. 27]

37. Arming himself with good deeds to receive the death that he shall meet inevitably



Imam Ali [a] said, ‘Good-doing is incumbent upon you, for it is the best cultivation and the most profitable commodity.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6112]

38. Not spending his life unmarried
The Prophet [saws] said, 'When any young person gets married at the prime of his youth, his inner Satan cries out in rage, 'Woe unto him! Woe unto him! Two thirds of his faith have now been secured against me, and he has only to be careful of his duty to Allah in the remaining third.’[Bihar al-Anwar, p. 221, no. 34]

39. Reciting the Qur'an and supplications with understanding and reflection



Imam Ali [a] said, ‘Learn the Quran for it is the best of speeches, and study it for it is the spring of the hearts.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 110]

40. Sparing something of his moneys for emergencies



mam Ali [a] said, ‘Be liberal, but do not squander; and be calculating, but do not be parsimonious.’[Sharhe Nahj al-Balagha li Ibn Abi al-Hadid, v. 18, p. 150]

41. Not being satisfied with a certain limit of success and stop going forward

Imam al-Sadiq [a] said, ‘Iblis [Satan] – may Allah’s curse be on him – says to his troops, ‘If I can gain mastery over three things in man, I will no longer care how much good he does for it will not be accepted from him: if he overrates his good deeds, forgets his sins, and is overcome by self-admiration.’[al-Khisal, p. 112, no. 86]

42. Pardoning those who do wrong to him



The Prophet [saws] said, ‘The best of my community are those who when treated foolishly are tolerant, and when attacked they forgive, and when they are hurt are patient.’[Ibid. v. 2, p. 123]

43. Strengthening his relations with his kin and being dutiful to his family

Imam al-Baqir [a] said, 'Maintaining relations with one's kin purifies one's actions, brings about an increase in wealth, repels misfortunes, eases the account [on the Day of Resurrection], and delays one's appointed time of death.’[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 150, no. 4]

44. Ordering his life, relations and all his affairs




Imam Ali [a] said, 'Disorganisation is the cause of destruction.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 5571]


Imam al-Sadiq [a] said, 'One who is lenient and moderate in his affairs will obtain whatever he wants from people.’[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 120, no. 16]