In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Abu Hurayra narrated that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said, "When Allah desires good for someone He afflicts them."
The good is a lot of good -- for this life and the next life. As one is tried it is a means for one to turn to Allah and it is an atonement of one's wrong deeds, the writing of good deeds or both. Allah causes one to go through physical tribulations in the body, wealth, children, family and those things that are beloved to them in order to purify them and raise their ranks with Him. Trials are Divine type of medicine through which someone is purified and cured from mortal sins that will destroy one.The good is a lot of good -- for this life and the next life.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said, "A believer is always in a state of either illness, circumstances of lack of wealth or state of humiliation."
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said, “The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people He tests them. Whoever accepts that wins His pleasure but whoever is discontent with that earns His wrath.” [Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah]
The most severely tested of the people are the Prophets. Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I said: “O Messenger of Allah, which of the people are most sorely tested?” He said: “The Prophets, then the next best and the next best. A man will be tested in accordance with his level of religious commitment. If his religious commitment is strong, he will be tested more severely, and if his religious commitment is weak, he will be tested in accordance with his religious commitment. Calamity will keep befalling a person until he walks on the earth with no sin on him.” [Tirmidhi]
In His Book, Allah has mentioned different kinds of calamity that befell the Prophets.
Narrated Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): I never saw anybody suffering so much from sickness as Allah's Apostle.
We may be tested by all sorts of difficulties -- small and big -- e.g. sickness, lack of income, disobedience of children, family discord, bad spouse, loss of a loved one, water crisis, toilet problem, people backbite/slander you, traffic jam, bad imam/leader, neighbor problems, environmental problems, political problems... In fact, the many afflictions that may beset a person are uncountable. This is the point that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam was stressing when he mentioned: "No fatigue, illness, anxiety, sorrow, harm or sadness afflicts any Muslim, even to the extent of a thorn pricking him, without Allah wiping out his sins by it." [Bukhari and Muslim]
The way we interact with tribulations is that when tribulation comes, we say inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un, and patiently persevere.
Allah Almighty says,
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّـهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ﴿١٥٦﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَٰتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٥٧[Qur'an, al-Baqarah 2:155]
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, (155) Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.)" (156) Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided. (157)
When we say inna lillahi, we recognize that we belong to Allah, that we are part of His dominion, and He does whatever He pleases with us. wa inna ilayhi raji'un -- and indeed unto Him we shall return and such that He will reward us for this tribulation with such a reward which no eyes have seen, no ears have heard nor even come to the heart of the human being.
When we recognize that we belong to Allah, not ourselves, and that we will return to our Lord, this will help us bear this tribulation that come to us from Allah.
Allah Almighty says,
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ ﴿٢[Qur'an, al-Mulk :2]
[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving - (2)
Through difficulties the believer seeks reward, and there is no way to attain it but patience, and there is no way to be patient except with resolute faith and strong will.
Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wassallam say: “There is no Muslim who is stricken with a calamity and says what Allah has enjoined – ‘Verily to Allah we belong and unto Him is our return. O Allah, reward me for my affliction and compensate me with something better’ – but Allah will compensate him with something better.” [Muslim]
She said: When Abu Salamah died, I said: Who among the Muslims is better than Abu Salamah, the first household to migrate to join the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wassallam? Then I said it, and Allah compensated me with the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wassallam.
Allah provided for her better than her great husband, and decreed for her to marry he beloved Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam.
How wonderful are those moments in which a person turns to his Lord and knows that He alone is the One Who grants relief from distress. How great is the relief when it comes after hardship.
فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ﴿٥﴾ إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ﴿٦﴾ فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَٱنصَبْ ﴿٧﴾ وَإِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَٱرْغَب ﴿٨[Qur'an Ash-Sharh 94:5-8]
For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. (5) Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. (6) So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship]. (7) And to your Lord direct [your] longing. (8)
Our adab (manners) we are supposed to have when we have the various tribulations is shown on the tongue of Prophet Ibrahim alayhissalaam, which Allah mentions in the Qur'an,
فَإِنَّهُمْ عَدُوٌّ لِّىٓ إِلَّا رَبَّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿٧٧﴾ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَنِى فَهُوَ يَهْدِينِ ﴿٧٨﴾ وَٱلَّذِى هُوَ يُطْعِمُنِى وَيَسْقِينِ ﴿٧٩﴾ وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ ﴿٨٠﴾ وَٱلَّذِى يُمِيتُنِى ثُمَّ يُحْيِينِ ﴿٨١﴾ وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَطْمَعُ أَن يَغْفِرَ لِى خَطِيٓـَٔتِى يَوْمَ ٱلدِّينِ ﴿٨٢﴾ رَبِّ هَبْ لِى حُكْمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ ﴿٨٣[Qur'an, Ash-Shu'ara 26:75-83]
He (Prophet Ibrahim) said, "... Indeed, they are enemies to me, except the Lord of the worlds, (77) Who created me, and He [it is who] guides me. (78) And it is He who feeds me and gives me drink. (79) And when I am ill, it is He who cures me (80) And who will cause me to die and then bring me to life (81) And who I aspire that He will forgive me my sin on the Day of Recompense." (82) [And he said], "My Lord, grant me authority and join me with the righteous. (83)
Notice the difference between his mention of food and drink and illness.
May Allah enable us to see all things are from Him and grant us patience and increase us in patience and send relief to those who are in distress and grant us all tawfiq in all of our affairs. Ameen.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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