When Allah Calls a Heartbreaking Moment a ‘Clear Victory'

Assalamu alaykum, The most honest way to see reality is to learn certain truths from Allah. When these truths settle in the heart, everything looks different. The world hasn’t changed - the heart has gained clarity. The Quran is like a pair of glasses. Without it you notice shapes but miss the meaning. You wander through life missing signs. Put on the Quran’s glasses and everything sharpens, full of purpose and lessons. Think of a simple modern example. Imagine a man with a very high-paying job at an international company. His office sits beneath glass walls as if under the sea, whales and colorful fish drifting by. He travels the world, stays in luxury hotels, eats at fine restaurants and shares pictures most people only dream about. Ask people if he’s successful and almost everyone will say yes. We see money, degrees, travel, marriage, houses and business wins and instantly call it success. Hardship and simplicity become failure. That shows our idea of success comes from the world, not from revelation. But a Muslim should view success differently. Allah gives us clearer glasses to see what others miss. Those glasses reveal that one of the grandest homes ever built belonged to Fir'aun, who raised massive monuments to intimidate and impress passing ships. He looked successful by people’s standards. Yet in Allah’s sight he was one of the greatest failures. Then consider Ibrahim (peace be upon him). No palace, no army, no kingdom - exiled and wandering - yet in Allah’s sight he was among the most successful people ever. The Quran teaches that success isn’t measured by wealth, and poverty isn’t necessarily failure. We need those definitions reset. Parents want their children to prosper, so they focus on schooling, careers and opportunities. But sometimes they neglect what’s more important: prayer, respect and a lasting bond with Allah. A child may drift away from prayer while everyone chases degrees. Years later parents may face a loss worse than they imagined. Worldly success becomes too costly when it risks the soul. This is why our understanding must come from the Quran. The event of Hudaybiyyah shows this clearly. After surviving the terrifying siege of the Trench, the Muslims hoped for peaceful entry to the Ka'bah. They walked for days under the burning sun, thirsting and tired, wearing Ihram and reciting the Talbiyah with tears, filled with longing to see the House of Allah. Near Makkah they were stopped by the Quraysh at Hudaybiyyah. Exhausted and full of hope, they learned they would not perform Umrah that year. The disappointment crushed them. A rumor that Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) had been killed almost led them to fight; they swore their loyalty under a tree in a moment of raw pain. When the treaty was offered, its terms felt harsh. They turned back. It looked like loss. They were brokenhearted. The companions hesitated even to leave Ihram, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) had to shave his head and set the example. Tears mixed with the hair as they followed. But Allah called that moment a clear victory. The verse was revealed: “Indeed, We have granted you a clear victory.” (Surah al-Fath, Ayah 1) How could this be victory when they didn’t enter the Ka'bah? Because the victory was in their hearts: discipline, loyalty and obedience when a nation might have collapsed. They trusted Allah even while their hearts were breaking - that was the real triumph. There was also deep wisdom: the treaty made the Quraysh acknowledge the Muslims as a political force, forcing negotiations and elevating the Muslims’ status. What looked like a setback became the beginning of rapid spread and stronger position, leading eventually to the peaceful opening of Makkah. This teaches us to understand victory by Allah’s measure, not ours. The greatest victory is inner: discipline, obedience and control over emotion. Outward wins come later; the first victory must be within. Our Ummah today struggles with discipline, yet we show it beautifully in Salah. When the Iqamah is called, the world calms and we stand in straight rows. That discipline is in us; the task is to carry it beyond the prayer. If our youth build a sincere relationship with the Quran - studying, reflecting, discussing - real change begins. The Quran isn’t a quick skim; it’s an ocean that opens to patient hearts. When a person grasps the Quran, they change. When they change, their family changes. When families change, communities change. The Sahaba were first transformed inwardly by the Quran, and then they transformed the world. When they proved their loyalty to Allah, the world was given to them. That is true success - nothing like the world’s definition. Wa al-salam.