How to obtain success and prosperity in this world and the Hereafter? What kind of success does Islam want its Ummah to gain from this world?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Allah, The All-Knower, has informed us that the good deeds are a means to living a good life now and being rewarded by Paradise on the Day of Judgement.

Allah Says (what means): {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.} [Quran 16:97]

So anyone who wants to be happy in this worldly life and the Hereafter should stick firmly to the Quran and the Sunnah and abide by what is in them, performing the orders and avoiding the prohibited matters. The Quran and the Sunnah are understood as the righteous predecessors understood them. The righteous predecessors are the companions of the Prophet and their followers in righteousness.

Allah Says in Surah Al Mu'minoon that the believers are the only ones who will succeed and be rewarded Al Firdaus, a high rank in Paradise.

Allah Says (what means): {Certainly will the believers have succeeded: They who are during their prayer humbly submissive. And they who turn away from ill speech. And they who are observant of zakah. And they who guard their private parts. Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed — But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors — And they who are to their trusts and their promises attentive. And they who carefully maintain their prayers — Those are the inheritors. Who will inherit al-Firdaus. They will abide therein eternally.} [Quran 23:1-11]

So, anybody who embodies the attributes mentioned in these verses will be successful in this worldly life and the Hereafter. He will live honorably and die honorably.

Omar Ibn Al Khattab was right when he said: “We are people who have been honored and venerated by the Quran after having been abject and subservient. So, anybody who seeks honor in anything other than that (Islam), Allah will lower him.”

Anyway, this Ummah will not evolve from its sleepiness nor will it obtain victory in its battles, nor will it get the mastery of the world unless it applies the Sharee’ah of Allah as explained in the Quran and the Sunnah in all the fields of life. And unless it (the Ummah) becomes proud of its religion worshipping Allah Alone not making any partners to Him.

Allah Says (what means): {Allah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that - then those are the defiantly disobedient. And establish prayer and give zakah and obey the Messenger - that you may receive mercy.} [Quran 24:55-56]

When the Muslims were applying the religion in all the fields of life, Allah gave then victory over all other people and made them a cause for the guidance of many people. All people on the earth recognized the rule of Muslims and their enemies testified to their justice and good behavior.

Now the state of the Muslim Ummah will not change to the best unless it applies what the good processors applied. In fact, the present life of this Ummah will not be good except by what made it good in its past. To do otherwise, the Ummah can only expect a humiliation that Allah will not lift until it returns to His Religion.

Allah knows best.