January 13, 2026
I ham feeling MOST successful today, therefore decided to write about it as the concept was also discussed in the book I am presently reading Living with the Quran. I am not just reading the book, I am devouring it. I am a third of the way through – one is to explore it week by week – I am on Week 17. Purchased the book the day before yesterday.
My close friend, in his message today, y was urging moderation. This was his message:
He: Be very mindful of extremes, also for food, beverage, work, exercise, sleep, etc. Go in moderation. (Followed by nine emoji, which is not, exactly, moderation)
Me: How boring when I get into something I GET into something. Anything worth doing is with overdoing has been my motto. And it has worked!! The sweet mell of success is mine.
He: 
Me: I am humble actually
He: 
Me: It is Allah who who guides me. It seems He always has.
He: 
Knew I had written about success before. Went to the search engine of my blog, typed success and many blogs popped up. The one I had distinctly remembered was April 3, 2025.
Success in the Light of the Quran; Success Defined in Western terms; Artificial Intelligence’s Answer to What is Success; Comparisons Made Between the Three; Also the Consequences of Failure; Two Reels Linked; One of Cultural Night, the Other March 18, 2025, Photos of Fajr Prayer Sight and Playful Hair and Nails.
Went back to it, it almost says it all. I will therefore copy and paste.
“I am oft surprised to see the word success in the Quran. It seems unlikely as success is a huge concept in the Western world and is typically extremely monetarily and materialistically orientated (as we shall soon see.) This is how it is seen in the Quran, two of the verses I have memorized and often offer in prayer.
Qura: 91 The Sun. By the sun and its rising brightness and by the moon as it follows it, and by the day as it reveals its glory and by the night when it draws a veil over it by the sky and how be He built it and by the earth and how He speak it and by the soul and how he formed it then inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it. He who purifies it will indeed be successful and he who corrupts it is sure to fail. Quran 91: 1-10. Another translation; Quran 91 The Sun (Ash-Shams) Successful indeed is the one who purifies their soul, and doomed is one who corrupts it. (Quran 91: 9-10)T hen Again in Verse 87 The Most High (Al-A’la) The Way to Success. Successful indeed are those who who purify themselves, remember their Lord and pray. But you ‘deniers only’ prefer the life of the world even though the the Hereafter is far better and more lasting.(Quran 87 14-17) Allah (SWT) does make it perfectly clear and obvious how to achieve success in His eyes.
Looking to the West, success is defined as follows: 1. the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. 2. the attainment of fame, wealth, or social status. Used in a sentence: Her success owned more to hard work than luck. 3. A person or thing that achieves desired aims or attains fame, wealth. Used in a sentence. I must make a success of my business.
Decided to look elsewhere for more clarification. This being the very modern age, and I being very, (shall we say), up-to-date put this question to AI “What is success?” I queried. This answer was received.
“Success is a multifaceted concept that varies greatly among individuals, shaped by personal values, goals, and cultural influences. At its core, success often refers to the achievement of a desired outcome or the attainment of wealth, respect or fame. However, interpretations of success can differ significantly. For some, it involves achieving person and professional goals while maintaining a balanced life and making a positive impact on the world. Others may define success as the continuous pursuit of learning and growth, viewing the journey itself as a success, regardless of specific outcomes. Cultural and societal factors also play a role in shaping one’s definition of success. For instance, the traditional “American Dream” emphasizes material wealth and upward mobility, which can sometimes lead to financial stress when individuals strive to meet these societal expectations. Ultimately, success is a personal construct, and its definition can evolve over time. Aligning your pursuits with your core values and finding fulfillment in your endeavors are key components of what many consider to be true success.”
Goodness gracious – that is exactly what the Quran says. “Successful are those who purify themselves, remember their Lord, and pray.” That is a core value. What of the consequences of failing to be successful? AI mentions financial stress as being a consequence of not meeting societal expectations. Also adding that the definition of success can evolve over time.Whereas, the definition of Islamic success has remained the same for centuries. The consequences of not doing so are clearly explained: He who purifies the soul will be successful and he who corrupts it will surely fail. The repercussions of failure is spelled out in Quran 87, those shun the Quran. Quran 87: 11-13. 11. But it will be shunned by those most wretched. 12. Who will burn in the greatest fire. 13. Where they will not be able to live or die.”
These are the words found words are found in Living with the Quran, a book so inspiring I feel impelled to read “We all chase success in one way or another. But was is true success. Is it what we accomplish or how the world responded to us? Or is it something much deeper? Real success, the kind that endures is the success of the soul. Anything related to the soul cannot be tied to this world. True success lies in something far beyond recognition of applause. Only the soul can attain it. It is our best and truest designation.” (pg.66) I vow to focus upon the success of my soul.
Laughingly I say to myself: “Hmmm maybe I was not successful after all.” I did align my pursuit with my core values and find fulfillment in my endeavors. The filming of last week was expertly edited by Nesh and Behind the Blog appeared first on my phone and then on television screens throughout the word if they tune into Alexis Alaa MicBride’s channel. It was SO professionally edited – I laughingly begin then it gets serious. The questions appear written on the screen, the audience wait for my response. Often the camera focuses on my hands – never realized before how much I ‘talk with my hands”. The world can now admire my manicure. My tears were saved until the end. I recovered quickly. There will be more to come. The video appeared on my phone at breakfast – needed privacy to view it – left Nesh a a voice message of ecstasy to which he responded: “I love that you loved it Alexis. You are an absolute natural in front of the camera and I cannot wait to create more! I have a few more ideas for YouTube apart from the Behind the Blog series, will send you an email to see what you think.” I responded: “Great. It is not hard to do particularly when you are SUCh a professional.”
The day had begun triumphantly and successfully. This was the message sent to my WhatsApp folk. Sunrise by the pool. That is not me swimming. I did water walking. Good for my knee and I can’t swim
Send a message to my WhatsAp folk AND to Bamboo Hospitality to receive many messages back and forth.
Bamboo: Wow Wow—so good
Me: It was absolutely great. The children’s pool perfect for water walking. This is the best place on earth 
Bamboo: Wow—Thank you for your compliments
Me: Thank you for being here and having me as your long term guest.
Bamboo: 
Sent some photos during the day, mostly of me. You can see them now. One during the day with the caption: Movie star me this morning. The YouTube is up and running. The hat a clever celebrity touch. The perfect way to end a perfect day was to go to a community reading of the Introduction to Islamic Creed at the Our Innai Bookshop in the Plaza Damas KL. Prayers preceded and followed the lecture by a leading scholar. Therefore, it was time to cover.
I rather expertly tied an hijab upon my head, sending it to a close friend. You shall see the photo. His response was not well received.
Me: Scarf tied by myself.
He: Looks like Lawrence of Arabia
Me: He was a guy. I am a girl. Haven’t you noticed??? Hahaha Do you know the difference??? Hahaha
He: Good morning my dear. I meant the way u wrap yr head.
Me: It was work!! But it held together and I ‘fitted’ in.
