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CharacterSurah 27 · An-NamlAyah 27:403 min read

Humility in Success

At the peak of his power, Sulayman calls his miracle 'the favour of my Lord — to test whether I give thanks.'

Qur'anic Reference \u00b7 An-Naml 27:40

قَالَ هَٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ

English Translation

\u201cHe said: 'This is from the favour of my Lord, to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. Whoever gives thanks does so for his own good; and whoever is ungrateful — my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Most Generous.'\u201d

Bengali Translation

\u201cসে বলল: 'এ আমার প্রতিপালকের অনুগ্রহ — আমাকে পরীক্ষা করার জন্য, আমি কৃতজ্ঞ হই নাকি অকৃতজ্ঞ। যে কৃতজ্ঞ হয়, সে নিজের কল্যাণেই কৃতজ্ঞ হয়; আর যে অকৃতজ্ঞ হয় — নিশ্চয়ই আমার প্রতিপালক অভাবমুক্ত, মহানুভব।'\u201d

The moral, reflection, and application sections below are educational guidance inspired by the cited verse — they are not a translation or an authoritative tafsir.

Primary Moral

Treat every success as a test of gratitude, not a certificate of greatness.

Why This Matters

Hardship humbles most people automatically; success is the harder exam, because it whispers 'you earned all of this alone.' How we narrate our victories quietly determines whether they elevate us or corrupt us.

Reflection

Sulayman had just witnessed a throne transported across kingdoms in a blink — a moment when a lesser heart would say 'behold my power.' His first word instead assigns the credit upward: 'this is from the favour of my Lord.' The mightiest king in the Qur'an models the reflex our smallest promotions demand.

Real-Life Application

When your next achievement lands — a result, a contract, praise — say 'hadha min fadli Rabbi' before any other sentence, aloud or in your heart. Then quietly do one act of thanks: a sujud of gratitude or a gift to someone struggling.

Reflection Question

When you describe your achievements, how many sentences pass before anyone hears the word Allah?

Action for Today

Credit Allah first — out loud — the next time someone congratulates you today.

Category

Character

Keywords

  • success
  • gratitude
  • humility
  • achievement
  • pride
  • blessing

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