What is your view regarding striving in the world to g a in e xc e lle nce / perfection?

Answer

A Mu'min who understands the maqsad (objective) of life on earth does not strive and live to prove anything to the kuffaar. He practises the Deen for Allah's Pleasure, for thawaab in the Aakhirah and for everlasting Najaat (Salvation). He does not manipulate the Shariah and the Sunnah to be an example for the kuffaar. We all eat food, not to build up our bodies. We eat good and delicious food to satisfy our nafsaani desires. But in this process the food builds up our bodies and sustains our life on earth. But almost every person's objective for eating food and drinking water is to satisfy hunger, thirst and the nafs. Similarly, while a Mu'min practises according to the Shariah and adopts the Sunnah for the sake of Allah Ta'ala, he unconsciously and without design becomes an example of virtue for non-Muslims. The mundane benefits are by products. Our intention in following the Deen must be absolutely nothing but Allah's Pleasure. We should not contaminate our niyyat with worldly designs and motives, or any motive which negates Ikhlaas (sincerity).

Undoubtedly, we are under Shar'i obligation to utilize our material resources to assist the poor and in other Deeni projects. But this too is only for Allah's Pleasure, not for any other reason. The Qur'aan Majeed states: "They feed the poor, the orphan and the prisoner for the love of Allaah. Verily, we feed you for the Sake of Allaah. We do not intend (to acquire) from you reward nor thanks."

Far from Islam encouraging the Muslim to excel in the dunya in material spheres of life, the Qur'aan and the Ahaadith advocate renunciation of the dunya in varying degrees depending on the quality of Imaan of individuals. The Qur'aan and Ahaadith condemn the dunya and discourage us from indulgence in worldly pursuits beyond the degree of need. You have mentioned Hadhrat Abdur R a h m a a n B i n A u f (radhiyallahu anhu). Despite his greatness, despite his entire wealth being at the disposal of the Deen and despite him being among the Ten Sahaabah whose Jannat has been assured, he will enter Jannat five centuries after Hadhrat Aishah (radhiyallahu anha) because while the former had excelled in the dunya, she excelled in the Aakhirah, and was totally but voluntarily deprived of the dunya. She led a life of extreme poverty and frugality. The merit for the Mu'min is to excel in the Aakhirah, not in the dunya. But this message is not propagated in general in these days because the Imaan of most Muslims dangles on a thread. It is therefore senseless to emphasize renunciation. Hence, we emphasize acquisition of the dunya within the prescribed bounds of the Shariah. That is the minimum Waajib demand for all Muslims, regardless of how weak their Imaan may be.

Undoubtedly, it is infinitely superior to lead a life of a mendicant whose gaze is focused on the Aakhirah even though he lacks in entirety in worldly spheres.