Trials
Sheikh Abdul Muhsin Al-Qaasim
All praise is due to Allaah, may peace and
blessings be upon the Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), his household and
companions.
Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah as he should be feared, for fear of Allaah brings
more blessings and prevents afflictions.
Dear Muslims! Allaah has foreordained the fate of all creatures, written down
their impacts and deeds, portioned out between them their livelihood and wealth
and created death and life that He may test them which of them is best in deed.
Indeed, belief in Allaah's decree and preordainment is one of the pillars of
faith. Nothing happens in this universe except by His will.
This life is full of misfortune and sorrow. It is destined to be a place of
hardships and trouble. Trials and tribulations are as inevitable in this life as
cold and heat. Allaah says,
"And certainly We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of
wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to those who are patient."
Pre-destination is a test by which the truthful ones are distinguished from
untruthful ones. Allaah says,
"Do people think that they will be left alone
because they say, 'We believe,' and will not be tested."
(29: 2)
The human soul does not become pure except through trials, and it is during
tribulations that real men are known. Ibn Jawzee said, "Whoever wants to
have everlasting peace and well-being with no affliction does not understand the
meaning of Allaah's commandments, nor does he perceive the meaning of submission
to Allaah. Every soul (either believing or disbelieving) shall inevitably taste
suffering in this world, for this life is based on hardships. Man lives between
comfort and suffering. Prophet Aadam, for instance, had the angels prostrated
before him and yet was soon after expelled from paradise. A believer is
afflicted with trials in order to refine him, not to punish him. He is tested in
ease as well as in hardship. Allaah says,
"And We tried them with good (blessings) and
evil (calamities) in order that they might turn (to Allaah's obedience)."
(Al-A'raaf 7: 168).
Brothers in faith! Something undesireable may sometimes have a pleasant result,
while something seemingly desirable may turn out to have an unpleasant and
abominable result. Do not therefore feel that harmful things cannot come to you
through hardship. Allaah says,
"And it may be that you dislike a thing which
is good for you and that you lie a thing which is bad for you. Allaah knows, and
you do not know."
Al-Baqarah (2: 216).
Prepare yourself mentally for afflictions before they occur so as to make their
occurrence light on you. Do not be worried because of tribulations, for they
have their limits, and watch what you utter during your hard times for many a
word has ruined its utterer. A resolute Muslim stands firm during hardships, his
heart does not change and he does not complain. Console yourself whenever
afflicted with a promise of reward from Allaah. Wise people show endurance
whenever they are stricken with misfortune so as not to add to their misfortune
the malicious joy of their enemies, for whenever yourenemies know of your
misfortune they are overjoyed.
Brothers in Islaam! Endeavour to keep your misfortunes and pains to yourself,
for concealment of afflictions and pains are of the qualities of noble people.
Be patient over afflictions, they will soon be removed from you. Those who
perished only suffered that because of their impatience while the patient ones
are being recompensed with good rewards. Allaah says,
"And those who are patient, we will certainly
pay them a reward in proportion o the best of what they used to do."
(Al-Anaam 16:96).
The reward of the patient ones will be doubled for their patience and Allaah
will be with them, remove their afflictions and make them victorious.
O afflicted one! Your Lord does not deny
you what you want except what is better than that, He does not test you but for
your well-being and He does not subject you to tribulations but to purify you.
He tries His slaves with pleasure as he blesses them with calamity. Do not
therefore waste your time thinking over what has already been guaranteed for
you. As long as one is still alive his provision will no doubt come to him.
Allaah ta'ala says,
"And no (moving) living creature is there on earth but its provision is
due from Allaah."
(Hood 11:6).
Further, if Allaah – out of His wisdom – closes a door
against you, He opens out of His mercy a door better for you than the closed
one. It is by afflictions that righteous and understanding people are increased
in rank and reward. Sa'ad bin Abee Waqqaas said: I said, "O Messenger of
Allaah, who are the most afflicted of all people? He replied (r), "The
Prophets, then the righteous people, then those who are nearest to them in
perfection and those who are nearest to them. Man is tested according to his
religiosity; if heis strong religiously, his test is increased and if he is weak
in religion, his test is reduced And a believer will be tested until he walks on
the earth sinless [i.e. his sins have been erased by series of afflictions that
he endured.]" (Al-Bukhari)
Fellow Muslims! Prophet Aadam laboured along difficult paths beset with
affliction; Prophet Ibraheem was thrown into a blazing fire; Ismaeel was laid
down for slaughter; Yoonus was swallowed by a whale; Prophet Aayoob suffered
from a severe illness; Yoosuf was sold for a pittance, thrown into a well and
wrongfully jailed and Muhammed (r) suffered different kinds of injury. You also
are in path of calamities moving, for the life does not give pleasure only to
anyone. The Prophet (r) said, "If Allaah wants to do good to somebody, He
afflicts him with trials." (Al-Bukharee). Some people ofknowledge said,
"Whoever Allaah creates for paradise will be having trials and undesirable
things."
Real trial, dear brothers, is the trial in one's religion and whatevertrial
besides that is regarded as well being, for it raises one in the rank and erases
ones sins. Also all comforts that do not bring one closer to Allaah is a
tribulation. Do not therefore grieve over what you miss in worldly materials,
for worldly pleasure begets pain and disobedience. Aboo Dardaa said, "Of
the insignificance of this world to Allaah is that He is not disobeyed except in
it, while what is with Him cannot be obtained except by abstaining from it.
Engage yourself in what will benefit you more. Keep away from what is in
peoples' hands you will be the wealthiest of them; do not lose hope in Allaah's
mercy lest you are disgraced; always remember Allaah'sfavour on you and drive
away your distress by being pleased with Allaah's decree, for however long the
night may be, it will be followed by the dawn.
Supplicate to Allaah. He will give you relief and if you are patientAllaah will
provide a way out for you. Ponder over the story of Prophet Ya'qoob who lost a
son for a long period and yet did not lose hope of relief from the Almighty One,
but rather said, "Maybe Allaah will bring them all (back) to me."
Dear brother! It is only Allaah who deserves all praise and is capable of
attending to all complaints. It is only Him you must beseech to remove your
misfortunes. Pray to Him during the night with submission and humbleness and
request Him to make your affairs easy for you. He says,
"Is it not He who responds to the distressed one when he calls Him
(better than your gods.)" (27: 62)
Put your trust in the Omnipotent Lord and take refuge with Him with a humble
heart, He will open the doors of His mercy for you. Fudayl ben 'Iyaadh said,
"If you lose hope in all people and you do not ask anything from them, your
Lord will give you all that you want." Whoever leaves his affairs to the
hands of Allaah will achieve what he aspires: Always recite the prayer of
Prophet Yoonus:
"None has the right to worshipped except You (O Allaah) Glorifed (and
exalted) are You (above all that they associate with You) Truly I havebeen of
the wrong doers." The 'Ulamaa said, "No one In distress recites this
prayer except that Allaah gives him relief from his distress." Ibn al-Qayyim
said, "It has been tested that whoever says:
"Verily distress has seized me and You are the most merciful of all those
who show mercy!" Seven times Allaah relieves him of his distress! Put then
yourself under the protection of Allaah, depend upon Him, submit your affairs to
Him and ask Him for relief. Try to supplicate in the most appropriate periods
like during prostration and the last hour of the night. Do not feel uneasy if
your supplications have not yet been answered, and do not lose hopeof Allaah's
mercy even though the period of your affliction may seem long, for relief is
near, and continue to pray to Allaah. Also know that when Allaah afflicts you no
one except Him is capable of removing that affliction for He does whatever He
wills.
If your provision seems delayed, do a lot of istighfar, for misdeedsnecessitate
punishment; and if it does not seem that your supplications are having any
impact, then examine yourself, for it may be that you have not been sincere in
your repentance. Endeavour also, to give charity to the needy, for charity
prevents and removes affliction. However, if your affliction is removed, give a
lot of thanks and praise to your Lord and know that a false sense of safety is a
big trial. Allaah says,
"Say: Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allaah has ordained
for us. He is our Lord and Protector, and in Alaah let the believers put their
trust."
(At-Taubah 9: 51).
Dear Muslims! No condition is permanent. Fortunate is he who is always
God-conscious. Fear Allaah in any condition you may find yourself. You can do
nothing to prevent what has been destined to happen as you do nothing to attain
what has not been pre-ordained. The ability to choose and control is with Allaah
alone and His choice for His slave is better for him than his choice for
himself. Dawood bin Sulaymaan said, "Three things indicate the piety of a
believer; his trust in Alaah in what he has not attained; his satisfaction with
whatever he has attained and his patience over what he has missed." A wise
man was asked, "What is wealth?" He replied, "Fewness of one's
mundane desires and one's contentment with what suffices him."
Shurayh said, "A slave will not be afflicted by a trial except that he
finds three blessings therein, (1) that the trial has nothing to do with his
religion, (2) that the trial was not bigger than it is, and (3) that Allaah
gives him patience to bear it."
“And he who brings the
Truth and he who confirms (and supports) it -- such are the men who do right.
They shall have all that they wish for, with their Rabb (Only God, Cherisher and
Sustainer). Such is the reward of those who do good: so that Allah will remit
from them (even) the worst in their deeds and give them their reward according
to the best of what they have done.” (Qur’an 39:33-35)