Turning defeat into victory: living by Allah’s standards
Allah Almighty says:
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا
“Today I have perfected your faith for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your way.”
(Surat al-Ma’idah, 5:3)
We are all familiar with this verse. It was revealed on the Day of ‘Arafah during the Farewell Hajj of the Prophet ﷺ and was among the final revelations of the Qur’an. It announced the completion and perfection of this deen.
The word deen is often translated simply as “religion”, but it means much more than this. Islam is a complete way of life. Allah has chosen it for us, completed it for us and given us through it the standards by which we should live.
Justice is not selective
One of the clearest divine standards is justice. Allah Almighty says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ
“O you who believe, stand firmly for justice as witnesses for Allah, even if it is against yourselves, your parents or your close relatives.”
(Surat an-Nisa’, 4:135)
Islam does not allow loyalty, family ties or self-interest to corrupt justice. We must uphold the truth even when it goes against ourselves or those closest to us.
This means we cannot apply justice selectively. We can’t issue a VAR or red card on the football pitch for one team but not another. This is double standards in action!
Allah also says:
وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا ۚ اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ
“Do not let the hatred of a people lead you away from justice. Be just; that is closer to righteousness.”
(Surat al-Ma’idah, 5:8)
Double standards on the football pitch
Football depends on clear rules. Supporters can accept losing when a match is judged fairly. What is harder to accept is seeing a match lost when it is judged unfairly.
This is why supporters ask why VAR was used for one incident but not another, why one challenge was judged dangerous while another was overlooked, and why the same rule seemed to change depending on the team or player involved.
Many were upset after the match between Egypt and Argentina in the World Cup earlier this week by what were perceived as unfair decisions. Their frustration was understandable. Football matters. It brings people together, creates pride and gives joy to millions. However, the lesson goes beyond one match.
Who controls the scoreboard?
There is a danger when we allow others to decide our value. If you wait for someone else to give you a certificate saying that you are successful, you also give them the power to declare you a failure.
This is not only about a referee’s scoreboard. It is about the wider standards by which we judge ourselves. The real problem is not simply losing a match. It is allowing our worth to depend entirely on standards created by others, on platforms they control, through rules they set and before judges they appoint. We must therefore ask: who has the right to decide whether we are truly successful?
No one is above justice
The Prophet ﷺ made the Islamic standard of justice clear – he said it would apply even to his own daughter:
وَايْمُ اللَّهِ لَوْ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ سَرَقَتْ لَقَطَعَ مُحَمَّدٌ يَدَهَا
“By Allah, if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, Muhammad would cut off her hand.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
He ﷺ said this after explaining that earlier nations were destroyed because they punished the weak but allowed the powerful to escape. There could not be one law for ordinary people and another for the elite.Even Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her), his own beloved daughter, would not receive special treatment.
Justice cannot be switched on and off depending on who is involved.
When human standards are applied selectively
This problem is not limited to football. We also see it in international affairs. People ask why some United Nations resolutions are enforced while others are ignored, why sanctions are imposed in some cases but not others, why international courts are taken seriously at one time and dismissed at another, and why human-rights principles are called universal but are not always applied equally.
The suffering of an oppressed people cannot be compared with the disappointment of losing a football match. They are not equal in scale. However, both can reveal the same problem: rules described as universal are not always applied universally.
We have seen this painfully in Gaza. For years, the world has spoken about human rights, international law and the protection of civilians. Yet Gaza has led many to ask why these principles appear firm in some cases but weak or negotiable in others.
Human systems can be influenced by politics, power and self-interest. Allah’s standard of justice does not change according to how many properties you have, what you earn, what your title is or how many followers you have – which is the standard of success in our time.
Playing someone else’s game
One of our difficulties is that we are often playing a game designed by someone else. The greatest danger is not simply losing such a game. It is spending our whole lives trying to win on a field chosen by others, under rules written by others, before judges appointed by others, and then allowing their decision to define our worth.
This does not mean abandoning international law, education, professional qualifications, sport or public institutions. Nor does it mean that we should stop demanding justice.
It means that we should not treat their approval as the final judgment on our value. We should challenge injustice and demand fairness, but we should not hand over our confidence and self-worth to systems that may not judge us fairly.
What is true success?
Modern culture tells us that success means owning more, earning more, looking impressive and receiving public recognition. These things may have value, but they cannot be the source of a person’s worth. Allah gives us a different standard. He says:
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ تَزَكَّىٰ
“Successful indeed is the one who purifies themselves.”
(Surat al-A‘la, 87:14)
True success begins with purifying the heart, intentions, actions and character.
Allah also says:
فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ
“Whoever is kept away from the Fire and admitted into Paradise has truly succeeded.”
(Surat Ali ‘Imran, 3:185)
This is the final standard of success. It is not what degree you hold, your postcode, or what car you drive. It depends on what is in your heart and your actions. This is the divine standard.
Do not give others control of your self-worth
At the moment, we are playing someone else’s game. They have established their standards which are not fair standards. They appoint the referees. The playing field is not level. The judgements are fallible.
If you allow other people to decide your worth, they can raise you one day and bring you down the next. This is especially dangerous on social media. Within seconds, your life can be destroyed by a platform over which you have no control. Allah has already told us how honour is measured:
إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ
“Indeed, the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you.”
(Surat al-Hujurat, 49:13)
Honour before Allah is based on taqwa (obedience to Allah). A person’s true worth is shown through their actions – those who are benefitting others, and spreading goodness, standing firm against oppression and tyranny are the best people, not those who are playing with trillions. What matters is if you are a person of righteousness and fairness. Those are the ones are truly successful and top of Allah’s list.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَىٰ صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ، وَلَٰكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَىٰ قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ
“Allah does not look at your appearance or your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Seek Allah’s pleasure
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنِ الْتَمَسَ رِضَا اللَّهِ بِسَخَطِ النَّاسِ كَفَاهُ اللَّهُ مُؤْنَةَ النَّاسِ، وَمَنِ الْتَمَسَ رِضَا النَّاسِ بِسَخَطِ اللَّهِ وَكَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَى النَّاسِ
“Whoever seeks Allah’s pleasure despite people’s displeasure, Allah will suffice them against the people. Whoever seeks people’s pleasure through Allah’s displeasure, Allah will entrust them to the people.”
(Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi)
A believer listens to good advice and corrects their mistakes, but their main concern is whether Allah is pleased with them.
Islam redirects competition
Many are sad after the defeat of Egypt, but nevertheless, let’s remember this is not the most important thing. Without trivialising it, let’s look at our priorities again. Let’s shift our focus back to whether we have fulfilled our role as Muslims and servants of Allah. Are we looking after our parents and communties and our ummah?
Whether we are sad or not, we need to promote the divine standard that is not controlled by emotions or interest, but are neutral and infallible. We ask Allah to make us promoters of justice.
Be proud of your identity
Allah has taught us to be proud of our identity and commanded us to be people of goodness and justice. This is why we need to emphasise that justice applies to all people at all times. It is unbiased. We should evaluate success, dignity and self-worth using Allah’s scale.
Islam does not reject ambition or competition. It directs them towards what is good and useful.
Allah says:
إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ
“Indeed, your efforts are diverse.”
(Surat al-Layl, 92:4)
People work towards many different goals. The important question is not only whether we are striving, but what we are striving for.
Allah also says:
فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ
“So compete with one another in good deeds.”
(Surat al-Baqarah, 2:148)
The Muslim Ummah should aim for excellence in all fields – whether it is science, medicine, technology, literature, business or sport. Muslims should train well, prepare properly and aim to win. Our teams and athletes should be supported, and young people should see sporting success as something valuable.
But sport must remain within a higher purpose. A trophy can bring joy and pride, but it cannot decide our final success before Allah.
We pursue excellence not only for public recognition, but because ihsan, doing things well, is beloved to Allah and because our abilities should benefit others.
What should we ask after a defeat?
A sporting defeat can cause real disappointment, but it can also lead to honest self-reflection. The Prophet ﷺ gave us a comprehensive principle for setting priorities and responding to disappointment.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
احْرِصْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَنْفَعُكَ، وَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ، وَلَا تَعْجِزْ
“Be eager for what benefits you, seek Allah’s help and do not give up.”
(Sahih Muslim)
The remainder of the hadith teaches us that when something has already happened, we should not remain trapped in endless thoughts of “if only”. We recognise Allah’s decree, learn what we can from the experience and move forward. This is not passivity. A believer does not allow one setback, one judgment or one defeat to destroy their sense of purpose.
Allah has given us five standards to live by: justice, success, dignity and worth, excellence, and right priorities. These are the standards by which we should judge ourselves, not the standards of the world.
We ask Allah Almighty to make us among the people of righteousness, success, excellence and justice. We ask Him to enable us to spread goodness, uphold fairness and remain guided by His standards rather than the changing judgments of people. Ameen.
Based on the Khutbah of Shaykh Haytham Tamim on 10th July 2026