Monday, November 14, 2022

Test Your Iman (Faith in Allah)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

The Iman and the strength of our Iman changes from time to place. Just like the high blood pressure patients who must monitor their blood pressure level, it is imperative on every single one of us to monitor our Iman so it stays strong and not weakened until you lose it. Three things we have to be cognizant about:

1) Just because we tasted piety at one point, it does not mean that we shall remain pious throughout our lives. Allah says that don't be like those who were given the Book before you and as time went on their hearts became hard. 

2) Iman is an active verb and so we must always nourish our iman and be vigilant that our iman does not go down. 

3) Even if we have the blessing of piety, whether it was memorizing the Quran, gaining knowledge, or even a blessing that Allah has given you, it is possible that the blessing which at one point in time caused your Iman boost or take you to Allah, at another point in time it might actually become an impediment against strong Iman or take you away from Allah because you didn't have the right intentions or the right attitude, you misuse it, you become arrogant and jealous.

Check your piety: 

1) Look at the quality of your worship when you are alone. The highest level of Iman is that you worship Allah in secret as you worship Allah in public. 

2) How do you react in the face of calamity and tragedy.  It is easy to fool yourself into a false sense of confidence. Iman is strong when things are good, when life is good, when everything is fine. What will happen at the first stroke of calamity? How much patience is manifested within the few minutes of hearing about the tragedy is the litmus test of Iman. Does your heart turn to Allah, do you take comfort in turning to Allah, making du'a, or is there an emptiness or a sense of complete rejection? Yes, it is painful but having Iman when tragedy happens, it links you to Allah immediately. 

3) How do you treat other people, not so much about the people in the masjid, your acquaintances or colleagues, but how you treat the closest people in your lives -- your parents, spouse, children. What is your compassion and kindness when you are in the privacy of your household with your lifelong partners and family and what is your reaction when you have been provoked. How you treat them when your anger is boiling inside of you.This will truly show the level of your iman. 

Protect our Iman by making an extra effort to be around people of Iman and befriend them. It's not good just to have taqwa if you have taqwa alone by yourself. That taqwa will whittle away and it is going to be constantly attacked. To fortify taqwa, be with the people of taqwa, go to the masjid, seek people in your neighborhood or locality that can become family friends for you and your children that are people of Iman and taqwa. Make sure that you associate with people who will make you better Muslims. The Prophet said that a person follows the religion od his friends so be careful who your friends are.

May Allah protect our Iman and increase us in Iman and grant us righteous friends and companions. Aameen.

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