Consistency is one of the blessings of the creator, bestowed to all human beings. Being faithful, Muslims are more consistent in belief in the supreme power of Allah and in following His will. Consistency in faith has the power to make possible the seemingly impossible. History is full of examples of people who have achieved excellence with the power of determination and consistency. The biographies of scientists like Sir Issac Newton and Albert Einstein demonstrate the role of consistency in the pursuit of excellence.
Consistency does not mean repetitiveness but actually “is the quality of achieving a level of performance which does not vary greatly in quality over time” (Oxford Dictionary). Hence, it differs from repetition. It is performing a deed regularly but with the same quality, passion and enthusiasm. In the Islamic perspective, consistency is the crux of the scriptural texts. The Quran repeatedly commands Muslims to be consistent (Al-Quran, 11: 112; 41: 30). Prophet Muhammad said in one of the traditions: “The most beloved deeds of Allah are the most consistent of them, even if they are few” (Bukhari & Muslim). The biographies of the holy Prophet and of the pious Sufis are full of events where consistency worked when all other things failed.
The secret of success is mostly hidden in consistency. All people who are successful are consistent, and vice versa. Inconsistency is one of the main reasons behind the failure to achieve goals. Consistency leads towards the fulfillment of dreams and enhances the urge to do so. To be consistent in intentions and actions, two things are needed: one is the remembrance of Allah and the second is the companionship of pious Muslims. These two directly affects our heart and the heart pulls us towards the ultimate goal. For achieving the ultimate goal, i.e., the hereafter, in this world one has to perform as good as one can. Doing well and being consistent leads one towards the betterment of the here and the hereafter.
Today, our primary fault is that we are inconsistent and weak in will power. To get success, strong will power and consistency is mandatory. Hence, we need to introspect both individually and collectively as a community and work to strengthen our will power and show consistency in all matters of life. This is the prime time to make people aware of the power of consistency and the drawbacks of inconsistency.

The writer is Assistant Professor at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri. [email protected]

Sartaj Ahmad Sofi