Superior humans are born from hard work, sincerity and determination in carrying out the mandate of life. In Islamic teachings, a person's superiority is not determined solely by intelligence, wealth, or position, but by his faith, knowledge, morals, and efforts to provide benefits to others. Allah SWT says in QS. An-Najm verse 39, "And that humans only get what they have worked for." This verse emphasizes the importance of effort and responsibility in achieving success.
Islam
teaches that prayer must be accompanied by effort, knowledge must be realized
in charity, and gratitude must be reflected in real work. Therefore, superior
people are not those who simply want to be better than other people, but rather
those who continue to improve themselves, work honestly and seriously, never
give up in the face of difficulties, and use every success as a way to bring
benefits. Thus, hard work is not just a path to success, but a form of faith,
responsibility and devotion to Allah SWT.
The
October 30, 2006, issue of Fortune magazine featured a special report on
research into the secrets behind the success of exceptional individuals—ranging
from corporate executives to athletes. It turns out that innate talent is not
the sole key to success; rather, hard work, rigorous training, and sustained
sacrifice over a long period are the essential factors. Bobby Fischer is a
prime example of an athlete who achieved the title of Chess Grandmaster at the
age of 16—a feat accomplished only after nine years of intensive training.
These findings underscore the importance of instilling a "culture of
excellence" from the very beginning to achieve optimal results.
A
"culture of excellence" is realized when driven by a
grand vision, a willingness among the people to make sacrifices, smart
strategies, creative innovations, and a proactive mindset, all underpinned by a
character defined by perseverance. Exceptional individuals are distinguished by
their spirituality, intellect, and work ethic. President SBY has highlighted
this on several occasions, stating, "Indonesia needs to harness and
cultivate a culture of excellence for the sake of progress." Sports
embody values such as sportsmanship, competitiveness, cooperation,
discipline, hard work, and honesty. This is precisely why a number of communist
nations incorporated sports into their cultural development strategies.
A
willingness to work hard emerges naturally when one lives in a society with a
culture that fosters it. S.H. Sarundajang (Governor of North Sulawesi;
interview with Kompas, Nov 13, 2005) recounted how, in his hometown,
farmers used to wake up at 4:00 a.m. to the sound of tetengkoren—a
signal used to rouse one another—before heading out together to work in the
fields. He observes that this culture has since faded.
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