This World Is The Place Of Trials And Tribulations
ASSEMBLED BY MALLAM ABBA ABANA, KUBWA, ABUJA, NIGERIA
http://variousislamicdawadocuments.blogspot.com
https://web.facebook.com/abba.abana
emails:gonidamgamiri@yahoo.com; abba.abana@gmail.com
Sunday 6th Muharram 1443 AH and 15th August 2021 CE
Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah. As-Salaam Alaikum WA-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu.
Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger.
وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُونِ (٥٦)
(Holy Quran Chapter 51.56) And I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve Me. From Tanzil - Quran Navigator; The verse explains in a simple and straight-forward statement the aim and the purpose of creation of both the man and the Jinn.
Meanwhile, it is important to note that the human being as well as the Jinn are the most superior and the most respected creatures of Allah. Their creation in this world was not without a purpose and the service and worship of Allah, according to the verse, is considered the final goal of creation.
However, one should not forget a fact that neither the services or worships of all the creatures increase the might of Allah nor their disobedience degrades Him of His lofty status. He is indeed the Perfect Being; Who is independent of all His creatures.
Help us Answer the Ummah! Every second, everywhere someone needs an answer. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “A person who leads others to doing what is good will earn the same reward as those who do it.” (Muslim, 1893).
وَلَا تَهِنُواْ وَلَا تَحۡزَنُواْ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَوۡنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ (١٣٩)
“Do not lose hope, nor be sad. You will surely be victorious if you are true in Faith.” And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it].” [Holy Quran Chapter Al Imran Ayah 139]
إِن يَنصُرۡكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمۡۖ وَإِن يَخۡذُلۡكُمۡ فَمَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَنصُرُكُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦۗ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ (١٦٠)
“If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the believers rely.”
[Holy Quran Chapter Imran Ayah 160]
Preamble
Our heart is the driving force for our bodies. When our heart is content, happy and filled with hope, life moves smoothly. However, trials are a part and parcel of life. Some of these trials make us distressed, anxious and when they persist for a long time, we can end up being hopeless and depressed at the situation.
Being afflicted by trials and
tribulations is part of this worldly
life.
Man — from the cradle to the grave — will be tested with these trials.
لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ (٤)
Allah
says: “Verily, We have created man in toil (hardship).” (Holy Quran Chapter
90:4).
There is no one but is afflicted and tested with one or the other type of
sedition (fitnah). Afflictions, in general, are of five types. Allah says:
وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٲتِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ (١٥٥)
“And We will surely test you with something of
fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits…” (Holy Quran Chapter
2:155)
Everyone is tested according to his level of Iman (faith). Testing is according to one’s faith; the most severely
tested among mankind are the Prophets, then the next best and the next best.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When I fall ill,
my pain is equivalent to the pain of two men among you.” (Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 5648).
Allah
says:
“Allah does not charge a soul except (with that within) its capacity.” (Holy
Quran Chapter 2:286)
WHAT IS THIS WORLD?
This world is the place of striving and the Hereafter is the place of reward or punishment, where the believers will be rewarded with Paradise and the disbelievers will be punished with Hell.
Paradise is good and none but those who were good will enter it. Allaah is Good and accepts nothing but that which is good. So the way of Allaah with His slaves is to test them with calamities and tribulations, so that the believer may be known from the kaafir and so that the truthful may be distinguished from the liar, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتۡرَكُوٓاْ أَن يَقُولُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمۡ لَا يُفۡتَنُونَ (٢) وَلَقَدۡ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۖ فَلَيَعۡلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُواْ وَلَيَعۡلَمَنَّ ٱلۡكَـٰذِبِينَ (٣)
“Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe,’ and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allaah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allaah knows all that before putting them to test)” [Holy Quran Chapter al-‘Ankaboot 29:2-3]
Victory and success cannot be achieved except after tests which will bring the good forth from the evil and tell the believer apart from the kaafir, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
مَّا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَنتُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ حَتَّىٰ يَمِيزَ ٱلۡخَبِيثَ مِنَ ٱلطَّيِّبِۗ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُطۡلِعَكُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَجۡتَبِى مِن رُّسُلِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُۖ فَـَٔامِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦۚ وَإِن تُؤۡمِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَلَكُمۡ أَجۡرٌ عَظِيمٌ۬ (١٧٩)
“Allaah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will Allaah disclose to you the secrets of the Ghayb (Unseen)”[ Holy Quran Chapter Aal ‘Imraan 3:179]
Among the trials with which Allaah tests His slaves in order to distinguish the believers from the disbelievers is that which He mentions in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Saabiroon (the patient).
Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: ‘Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.’
They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones”[ Holy Quran Chapter al-Baqarah 2:155-157]
So Allaah tests His slaves, and He loves those who are patient, and gives them the glad tidings of Paradise.
Allaah tests His slaves with jihad, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
أَمۡ حَسِبۡتُمۡ أَن تَدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعۡلَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ جَـٰهَدُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَيَعۡلَمَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ (١٤٢)
“Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allaah tests those of you who fought (in His Cause) and (also) tests those who are As-Saabiroon (the patient)?”[ Holy Quran Chapter Aal ‘Imraan 3:142]
Wealth and children are a trial by means of which Allaah tests His slaves, to know who will give thanks for them, and who will be distracted from Allaah by them:
وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّمَآ أَمۡوَٲلُڪُمۡ وَأَوۡلَـٰدُكُمۡ فِتۡنَةٌ۬ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عِندَهُ ۥۤ أَجۡرٌ عَظِيمٌ۬ (٢٨)
“And know that your possessions and your children are but a trial and that surely, with Allaah is a mighty reward”[ Holy Quran Chapter al-Anfaal 8:28 – interpretation of the meaning]
Allaah tests us, sometimes with calamities and sometimes with blessings, to show who will be thankful and who will be ungrateful, and who will obey and who will disobey, then He will reward or punish them on the Day of Resurrection:
كُلُّ نَفۡسٍ۬ ذَآٮِٕقَةُ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۗ وَنَبۡلُوكُم بِٱلشَّرِّ وَٱلۡخَيۡرِ فِتۡنَةً۬ۖ وَإِلَيۡنَا تُرۡجَعُونَ (٣٥)
“and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good. And to Us you will be returned”[ Holy Quran Chapter al-Anbiya’ 21:35 – interpretation of the meaning]
Testing is according to one’s faith; the most severely tested among mankind are the Prophets, then the next best and the next best. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When I fall ill, my pain is equivalent to the pain of two men among you.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5648).
Allaah tests His slaves with different kinds of trials.
Sometimes He tests them with calamities and tribulations to distinguish the believer from the disbeliever, the obedient from the disobedient, the grateful from the ungrateful.
Sometimes Allaah tests His slaves with calamities; when they commit sin, He punishes them with calamities so that they might come back to him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
وَمَآ أَصَـٰبَڪُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ۬ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِيكُمۡ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَن كَثِيرٍ۬ (٣٠)
“And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much”[ Holy Quran Chapter al-Shoora 42:30]
وَلَقَدۡ أَخَذۡنَـٰهُم بِٱلۡعَذَابِ فَمَا ٱسۡتَكَانُواْ لِرَبِّہِمۡ وَمَا يَتَضَرَّعُونَ (٧٦)
“And indeed We seized them with punishment, but they humbled not themselves to their Lord, nor did they invoke (Allaah) with submission to Him” [Holy Quran Chapter al-Mu’minoon 23:76]
Allaah is merciful to His slaves; He sends repeated tribulations upon the ummah so that they may return and repent to Him, and give up that which Allaah has forbidden, and so that Allaah might forgive them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
أَوَلَا يَرَوۡنَ أَنَّهُمۡ يُفۡتَنُونَ فِى ڪُلِّ عَامٍ۬ مَّرَّةً أَوۡ مَرَّتَيۡنِ ثُمَّ لَا يَتُوبُونَ وَلَا هُمۡ يَذَّڪَّرُونَ (١٢٦)
“See they not that they are put in trial once or twice every year (with different kinds of calamities, disease, famine)? Yet, they turn not in repentance, nor do they learn a lesson (from it)”[Holy Quran Chapter al-Tawbah 9:126]
It is part of the mercy of Allaah that disasters befall sinners in this world, so that their souls might be purified and they might come back to Allaah before they die:
وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡأَدۡنَىٰ دُونَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡأَكۡبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ (٢١)
“And verily, We will make them taste of the near torment (i.e. the torment in the life of this world, i.e. disasters, calamities) prior to the supreme torment (in the Hereafter), in order that they may (repent and) return (i.e. accept Islam)”[ Holy Quran Chapter al-Sajdah 32:21 – interpretation of the meaning]
Sometimes Allaah tests His slaves with calamities in order to raise them in status and to expiate for their sins, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No misfortune or disease befalls a Muslim, no worry or grief or harm or distress – not even a thorn that pricks him – but Allaah will expiate for some of his sins because of that.” (Agreed upon. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5641)
Source: From Usool al-Deen al-Islami, by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri.
THIS WORLD IS FOR AFFLICTIONS AND TRIALS
Narrated Musab bin Saad: "His father,
Saad bin Abu Waqqas said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): “O Messenger of
Allah, which people are most severely tested?" 'He said: The Prophets,
then the next best and the next best. A person is tested according to his
religious commitment. If he is steadfast in his religious commitment, he will
be tested more severely, and if he is frail in his religious commitment, his
test will be according to his commitment. Trials will continue to afflict a
person until they leave him walking on the earth with no sin on him.” (Sunan
Al-Tirmidhi, Sunan Ibn Majah)
Some afflictions are more severe and worse than the others. The afflictions
could be of spiritual or temporal like loss of wealth, death of someone,
illness, or harm done by others. But the most severe ones are those in
religion.
Allah says:
وَٱقۡتُلُوهُمۡ حَيۡثُ ثَقِفۡتُمُوهُمۡ وَأَخۡرِجُوهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ أَخۡرَجُوكُمۡۚ وَٱلۡفِتۡنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ ٱلۡقَتۡلِۚ وَلَا تُقَـٰتِلُوهُمۡ عِندَ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ حَتَّىٰ يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمۡ فِيهِۖ فَإِن قَـٰتَلُوكُمۡ فَٱقۡتُلُوهُمۡۗ كَذَٲلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِينَ (١٩١)
“…and
Al-Fitnah is worse than killing.” (Holy Quran Chapter 2:191)
Rather Allah Almighty says:
يَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلشَّہۡرِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ۬ فِيهِۖ قُلۡ قِتَالٌ۬ فِيهِ كَبِيرٌ۬ۖ وَصَدٌّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَڪُفۡرُۢ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ وَإِخۡرَاجُ أَهۡلِهِۦ مِنۡهُ أَكۡبَرُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِۚ وَٱلۡفِتۡنَةُ أَڪۡبَرُ مِنَ ٱلۡقَتۡلِۗ وَلَا يَزَالُونَ يُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمۡ حَتَّىٰ يَرُدُّوكُمۡ عَن دِينِڪُمۡ إِنِ ٱسۡتَطَـٰعُواْۚ وَمَن يَرۡتَدِدۡ مِنكُمۡ عَن دِينِهِۦ فَيَمُتۡ وَهُوَ ڪَافِرٌ۬ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ حَبِطَتۡ أَعۡمَـٰلُهُمۡ فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأَخِرَةِۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (٢١٧)
“… and
Al-Fitnah is greater than killing.” (Holy Quran Chapter 2:217)
These trials of one's faith are through shirk (innovation in religioin), kufr
(apostasy), hypocrisy etc. Some benefit from these trials: “And when the
believers saw Al-Ahzaab (the confederates), they said:
وَلَمَّا رَءَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابَ قَالُواْ هَـٰذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ۥ وَصَدَقَ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ۥۚ وَمَا زَادَهُمۡ إِلَّآ إِيمَـٰنً۬ا وَتَسۡلِيمً۬ا (٢٢)
“This
is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger
had spoken the truth, and it only added to their faith and to their
submissiveness (to Allah).” (Holy Quran Chapter 33:22)
While others lose:
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَعۡبُدُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ حَرۡفٍ۬ۖ فَإِنۡ أَصَابَهُ ۥ خَيۡرٌ ٱطۡمَأَنَّ بِهِۦۖ وَإِنۡ أَصَابَتۡهُ فِتۡنَةٌ ٱنقَلَبَ عَلَىٰ وَجۡهِهِۦ خَسِرَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأَخِرَةَۚ ذَٲلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡخُسۡرَانُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ (١١)
“And
of the people is he who worships Allah on an edge. If he is touched by good, he
is reassured by it; but if he is struck by trial, he turns on his face (i.e.
reverts to disbelief after embracing Islam). He has lost (this) world and the
Hereafter. That is what the manifest loss is.” (Holy Quran Chapter 22:11)
Narrated Abu Hurairah: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Be prompt in doing
good deeds (before you are overtaken) by turbulence which would be like a part
of the dark night. During (that stormy period) a man would be a Muslim in the
morning and an unbeliever in the evening or he would be a believer in the
evening and an unbeliever in the morning and would sell his faith for worldly
goods” (Sahih Muslim)
Allah indicated that these men (the mushriks of Makkah) are committing
disbelief in Allah, associating with Him (in the worship) and hindering from His
path, and this is more severe and much greater evil and more disastrous than
killing.
Abu Al-Aaliyah, Mujahid, Saeed bin Jubayr, Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah,
Ad-Dahhak and Ar-Rabee bin Anas are of the opinion that “Shirk (polytheism) is
worse than killing.”
Commenting on fitnah, Ibn Katheer says: “Al-Fitnah is greater than killing
means, forcing believing Muslims to revert to Kufr, which Allah considers as
worse than killing.”
Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Saleh Al-Uthaymin said: “It means to prevent the people (the
Muslims) from (practicing) their religion; as Allah said in Holy Quran Chapter 85:10):
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ فَتَنُواْ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمۡ يَتُوبُواْ فَلَهُمۡ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابُ ٱلۡحَرِيقِ (١٠)
'Verily, those who put into Fitnah (trial)
the believing men and believing women (by torturing them and burning them), and
then do not turn in repentance, (to Allah), will have the torment of Hell, and
they will have the punishment of the burning Fire'.”
So preventing the people from their religion is a Fitnah more severe than
killing them. This is because by killing them, the utmost they can do is cutoff
the person from pleasures of this world; whereas the Fitnah cuts them off from
the wo and the Akhirah, as Allah Almighty said:
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَعۡبُدُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ حَرۡفٍ۬ۖ فَإِنۡ أَصَابَهُ ۥ خَيۡرٌ ٱطۡمَأَنَّ بِهِۦۖ وَإِنۡ أَصَابَتۡهُ فِتۡنَةٌ ٱنقَلَبَ عَلَىٰ وَجۡهِهِۦ خَسِرَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأَخِرَةَۚ ذَٲلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡخُسۡرَانُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ (١١)
"… but if a trial befalls him, he turns
back on his face (i.e. reverts back to disbelief after embracing Islam). He
loses both this world and the Hereafter. That is the evident loss." (Holy
Quran Chapter 22:11)
Tafseer Al-Sadi: And when the fighting took place near the Masjid Al-Haram (in
Makkah), (and after He) conveyed that it is evil (to fight) in this sacred
land, Allah informed that the evil fitnah of shirk and preventing people from
Isla is more severe than the evil of killing.
And this verse is used as an evidence for the famous principle, i.e. “Choosing
the lesser of two evils to ward off the greater one.”
The purpose of these afflictions is to purify our sins and to separate the
believers from the hypocrites: “Do people think that they will be left alone
because they say: 'We believe,” and will not be tested. And We indeed tested
those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth
of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of)
those who are liars, (although Allah knows all that before putting them to
test)'.” (Holy Qur’an Chapter, 29:2-3)
Allah also says:
لِّيَجۡزِىَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ بِصِدۡقِهِمۡ وَيُعَذِّبَ ٱلۡمُنَـٰفِقِينَ إِن شَآءَ أَوۡ يَتُوبَ عَلَيۡهِمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورً۬ا رَّحِيمً۬ا (٢٤)
“That
Allah may reward the men of truth for their truth (i.e. for their patience at
the accomplishment of that which they covenanted with Allah), and punish the
hypocrites if He will or accept their repentance by turning to them in Mercy.
Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Holy Qur’an Chapter 33:24)
Therefore we should constantly ask Allah that He keeps us firm upon the
religion.
Courtesy: markazsunnahleicester.com
WAYS TO FACE TRIALS WITH A POSITIVE HEART
Our heart becomes gloomy and questions begin to swarm our minds:
Why are my prayers not being accepted?
What sin have I committed to suffer such a trial?
When will the help of Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] arrive?
What are your tips on maintaining a positive heart during tough situations?
Before we begin with any advice on how to ward off hopelessness during trials, let us remind ourselves of the purpose of our creation. Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] mentions in the Qur’an:
وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَہُمَا لَـٰعِبِينَ (٣٨) مَا خَلَقۡنَـٰهُمَآ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَڪۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ (٣٩)
“And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, for mere play. We created them not except with truth (i.e. to examine and test those who are obedient and those who are disobedient and then reward the obedient ones and punish the disobedient ones), but most of them know not.” [Holy Qur’an Chapter 44, Verses 38-39]
The trials in our life are a means to test our faith and obedience to Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] and earn rewards in this life and the next. Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] also says:
وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٲتِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ (١٥٥)
“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient.” [Holy Qur’an Chapter 2, Verse 155]
This one verse should suffice us to bear all trials with patience as Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] Himself declares the forthcoming of good news to those who do so. But many a time, despite our efforts to be patient, clouds of hopelessness begin to shadow our hearts. Let’s go through a few points that will, in sha Allah, help us bear trials with patience and keep our heart and spirit positive when we are surrounded by negativity.
1. Believe In Your Heart That Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] Is Your Aid
Once I came across a patient who was requesting her doctor to prescribe anti-depressants for her as she was going through a stressful phase in life. The doctor, knowing the harm of such medicines, counseled the lady instead. The doctor’s beautiful words still echo in my mind. He said, “Despite believing in the Qadr of Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala], the reason depression encircles us in stressful situations is because we say with our tongues that everything will be fine, in sha Allah, but we do not truly believe it in our hearts.”
Imagine if your mother promises you that she will make things right for you, you will trust her because you know your mother will not leave any leaf unturned to bring goodness to you. Then how is it that we do not believe in the promise of our Lord, who loves us seventy times more than our mothers? He promises us in His Book, not once but twice,
فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا (٥) إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرً۬ا (٦)
“For indeed, with hardship will be ease, indeed with hardship will be ease.” [Holy Qur’an Chapter 94, Verses 5-6]
2. Do Your Part Then Seek Allah’s [Subhanahu Wa Taala] Help
In the same Surah (Ash-Sharh), Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] goes on to say,
فَإِذَا فَرَغۡتَ فَٱنصَبۡ (٧) وَإِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَٱرۡغَب (٨)
“So when you have finished your duties, then stand up for worship and turn your hopes to Him.” [Holy Qur’an Chapter 94, Verses 7-8]
We get so preoccupied with our problems, that we let worry take us over, resulting in disturbed sleep, poor health, abandoned duties and worship, and gradual isolation of ourselves from others. But in this surah, Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] is asking us first to fulfill our responsibilities (even in times of trial) and then worship Him, turning all hopes towards Him. Instead of over-thinking about our problems, we must occupy ourselves in rectifying our relationship with the One who can solve them. We must redirect our hopes from feeble humans to the All-Powerful Lord. When Al-Fattah (The Opener) opens His gates of bounty for you, then who is it that can withhold it from you? Trials are a blessing as they act as a driving force in drawing us closer to Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala]. The security and peace one feels upon establishing the connection with Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] cannot be described in words. As Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] says,
فَإِذَا بَلَغۡنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمۡسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعۡرُوفٍ أَوۡ فَارِقُوهُنَّ بِمَعۡرُوفٍ۬ وَأَشۡہِدُواْ ذَوَىۡ عَدۡلٍ۬ مِّنكُمۡ وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلشَّهَـٰدَةَ لِلَّهِۚ ذَٲلِڪُمۡ يُوعَظُ بِهِۦ مَن كَانَ يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِۚ وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجۡعَل لَّهُ ۥ مَخۡرَجً۬ا (٢) وَيَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَحۡتَسِبُۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهُ ۥۤۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَـٰلِغُ أَمۡرِهِۦۚ قَدۡ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدۡرً۬ا (٣)
“And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him.” [Holy Qur’an Chapter 65, Verses 2-3]
In a lecture, Mufti Menk explained, “If you sit in a car without driving and you keep making dua to Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] to make you reach a particular destination, your dua will not benefit you in the true sense. When Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] gave you the capacity to move about, and the blessing of knowledge and facilitated for you luxuries, then you are supposed to take some action and then pray to Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] to ease it for you.”
3. Have Good Thoughts Of Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala]
In a Hadith Qudsi, Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] says,
“I am as My servant thinks (expects) I am.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
This means ‘I am able to do whatever he expects I will do’.
My cousin brother’s life turned upside down, when happiness had knocked his door and left before he could truly welcome it. He was blessed with a healthy baby boy, who died within a week due to some illness. My cousin, being a man of taqwa, bore this trial with utmost patience, and only had good thoughts of Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala]. His mother used to comfort him saying that Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] never wishes bad for His believers, and will, in sha Allah grant him more sons. In the next pregnancy, his wife gave birth to completely healthy triplet boys, Ma Sha Allah. So beautiful was his reward of patience.
A greater example of patience and hope is found in Prophet Ayyub [Subhanahu Wa Taala]. How great must have been his patience that he bore 17 years of illness with faith and gratitude? And henceforth, Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] rewarded him by returning him all that he had lost of health, wealth, and family.
Sometimes the trial may be a blessing in disguise as Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] says,
كُتِبَ عَلَيۡڪُمُ ٱلۡقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرۡهٌ۬ لَّكُمۡۖ وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تَكۡرَهُواْ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَهُوَ خَيۡرٌ۬ لَّڪُمۡۖ وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ۬ لَّكُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (٢١٦)
“But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.” [Holy Qur’an Chapter 2, Verse 216]
Remind yourself of those times when you eventually realized that blessings do come disguised as trials.
A beautiful example of this can be seen in the love of parents. Every time a toddler puts a dirty thing in his mouth, they snatch it away from him, leaving him hurt and crying. Though they love him, their concern for the safety of their child makes them withhold things from him. To the child, it seems almost cruel that his parents would take away something he desires so much. However, he is unaware that his parents’ actions are for his own benefit. In the same way, we may not understand why Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] gives us a certain trial – but He knows what good will come of it. So always think good of Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala].
4. Develop A Positive Attitude Towards Trials
Recently, a story of a crippled family gained much attention in the media. The father, a poor old man, relayed the story of his five children who were born healthy, but as they grew up, suffered slow crippling, one by one, due to a genetic disease. The old mother and father were responsible for taking care of these children ages 7 to 15, who behaved like 2 year olds. What touched my heart in his interview was his outlook towards his problem. Though he was badly struggling in terms of funds and domestic help to look after his crippled children, on being asked if he was saddened by his fate, he said, “Maybe God didn’t trust anyone other than me to take care of these beautiful helpless children.”
Can we compare the problems of our life with his great trial? We must constantly remind ourselves that there is someone out there facing a greater trial than ours. As the old saying goes, “I was feeling sad for having no shoes, until I saw a man with no feet”.
The Messenger of Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] gave us advice for when we have financial troubles:
“Look at those who are inferior to you and do not look at those who are superior to you, for this will keep you from belittling Allah’s Favour to you.” [Sahih Muslim]
5. Deal With Your Guilt
If the guilt of a sin is killing you on the inside, and you are overwhelmed by the feeling that you are being punished for your sins, then know that Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala]’s Mercy is greater. He [Subhanahu Wa Taala] mentions constantly in the Qur’an,
وَٱلَّذِينَ عَمِلُواْ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ ثُمَّ تَابُواْ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهَا وَءَامَنُوٓاْ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهَا لَغَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬ (١٥٣)
“But those who committed misdeeds and then repented after them and believed – indeed your Lord, thereafter, is Forgiving and Merciful.” [Holy Qur’an Chapter 7, Verse 153]
So we should continuously repent to Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] so that He [Subhanahu Wa Taala] wards off the punishment for our sins.
Also, the Messenger of Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] said,
“Have taqwa (fear) of Allah wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out, and behave well towards the people” [40 Hadith an-Nawawi]
Make a habit of following up a bad deed with a good deed, like a heartfelt apology to make up for the damage that happened, or increasing voluntary deeds.
6. Do Not Underestimate Dua
Just like WhatsApp, if we could see blue ticks every time Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] heard our duas, how amazing would that be? But we don’t even need that, because more amazing is the promise of Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] to us:
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعۡوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِۖ فَلۡيَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِى وَلۡيُؤۡمِنُواْ بِى لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡشُدُونَ (١٨٦)
“And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.” [Holy Qur’an Chapter 2, Verse 186]
The most amazing part about this ayah is that Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] did not say, “when my [Subhanahu Wa Taala] pious servant calls upon Me”, He [Subhanahu Wa Taala] just says – ‘supplicant’, which could be anyone. Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] promises that He [Subhanahu Wa Taala] will respond to the supplication of anyone without the need of a mediator. So sit in a quiet place, raise your hands and talk to Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] – He is the One who knows you the best, the One to whom you can complain, the One who can rectify any situations for you.
The Prophet (ﷺ) has promised that Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] responds to our duas in three ways. He (ﷺ) said,
“There is no Muslim who calls upon his Lord with a dua in which there is no sin or severing of family ties, but Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] will give him one of three things: either He [Subhanahu Wa Taala] will answer his prayer quickly, or He [Subhanahu Wa Taala] will store (the reward for) it in the Hereafter, or He [Subhanahu Wa Taala] will divert an equivalent evil away from him.” [Jami’ at-Tirmidhi]
7. Remind Yourself: We Belong To The Hereafter
Each one of us can bear witness that a thing we had longed for since a long time, once we achieve it, it loses its worth and novelty after a while. That is a part of innate human nature. The hearts of the believers, and all human beings, cannot attain eternal happiness in this life. You cannot eat the same kind of meal continuously for more than a few days, even if it is your favorite meal. Out of boredom, the followers of Prophet Musa [AS] were willing to change the decadent meal of quails to the ordinary meal of lentils and onions. That is the reason Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] created heaven for us, wherein even similar-looking fruits will have a different taste every time we eat them. A place where our every new desire will be fulfilled. When we start considering this life to be a journey towards the eternal Paradise, and its trials as hurdles of this journey, the hope for the pleasures of Paradise will act as a barrier for hopelessness to come into our lives. The Messenger of Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] said,
“On the Day of Resurrection the disbeliever who lived the most luxurious will be brought, and it will be said: ‘Dip him once in Hell.’ So he will be dipped in it, then it will be said to him: ‘O so- and-so, have you ever enjoyed any pleasure?’ He will say: ‘No, I have never enjoyed any pleasure.’ Then the believer who suffered the most hardship and trouble will be brought and it will be said: ‘Dip him once in Paradise.’ So he will be dipped in it and it will be said to him: ‘O so-and-so, have you ever suffered any hardship or trouble?’ He will say: ‘I have never suffered any hardship or trouble.’” [Sunan Ibn Majah]
So there will be a time very soon, where the trials of this life will seem like nothing in comparison to pleasures of Paradise In Sha Allah.
These are a few points we must keep in our mind when going through a tough phase in life so that we pass through it without hopelessness or ungratefulness creeping into our hearts. Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] has promised in the Qur’an, for those who patiently endure their trials,
أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ يُؤۡتَوۡنَ أَجۡرَهُم مَّرَّتَيۡنِ بِمَا صَبَرُواْ وَيَدۡرَءُونَ بِٱلۡحَسَنَةِ ٱلسَّيِّئَةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ (٥٤)
“Those will be given their reward twice for what they patiently endured,” [Holy Qur’an Chapter 28, Verse 54]
I pray to Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] to ease the trials of those who are suffering and to protect us from trials and when a trial befalls us, grant us patience to endure it with gratefulness, Ameen!
Curled from https://productivemuslim.com/face-your-trials/
References and sources
1. From Usool al-Deen al-Islami, by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri.
2. Islam Q&A 13205
3. https://islamqa.info/en/answers/13205/this-world-is-the-place-of-trials-and-tribulations
4. Courtesy: markazsunnahleicester.com
5. https://www.arabnews.com/node/935516/islam-perspective
No comments:
Post a Comment