Do Not Weaken and Do Not Grieve -- Remember The Promise of Allah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Sometimes we forget that this is the fleeting dunya (world), the dunya wherein we will face trials, left, right, and center. And the everlasting abode is the Aakhirah (hereafter).

Allah Most High says in the Qur’an,

الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ ﴿٣﴾ أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن يَسْبِقُونَا ۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ ﴿٤﴾ مَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ لَءَاتٍ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ﴿٥﴾ وَمَن جَـٰهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَـٰهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿٦

Alif, Lam, Meem (1) Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried? (2) But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars. (3) Or do those who do evil deeds think they can outrun Us? Evil is what they judge. (4) Whoever should hope for the meeting with Allah - indeed, the term decreed by Allah is coming. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing. (5) And whoever strives only strives for [the benefit of] himself. Indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds. (6)

[Qur’an,Al-Ankabut 29:1-6]

We make du’a during and after every salah, standing for tahajjud in the depths of the night and crying to Allah, and asking Him to accept our prayers. But so many times we feel that our du'as are not being answered. Know that the answer is not forthcoming is part of the test. Allah’s delaying it is not Allah’s denial. Ultimately only Allah knows what is best for us. The quicker we realize and accept this, the faster we are on the road of success.

We need to stand strong and bear beautiful patience (sabrun jameel صَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ) in times of adversity, holding on to the rope of Islam and having firm faith in the promise of Allah. Allah has made beautiful promises to the believers in the Qur’an, how then can we be sad when one of our du’as is not answered. We should instead strive for righteousness, enjoining good and forbidding evil, remembering the promises of Allah for His slaves and striving to earn the most beautiful promise of all— Jannah-tul-Firdaus.

What is a promise? Let us understand the definition: a promise is a declaration or an assurance that one will do something or that a particular thing will happen.

Allah’s promises to believers:

Forgiveness

وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ ۙ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿٩

Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds [that] for them there is forgiveness and great reward. (9)

[Qur’an, Al-Ma'ida 5:9]

Always aim to do good deeds with the intention of pleasing Allah, and never fall short in repentance to Allah for Allah, the Most Merciful and All-Forgiving, has promised His believers forgiveness. He has also promised a great reward, so imagine what kind of great reward would come from Allah the Most Great.

Guidance– Hidayah

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ يَهْدِيهِمْ رَبُّهُم بِإِيمَـٰنِهِمْ ۖ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهِمُ ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ فِى جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ ﴿٩

Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - their Lord will guide them because of their faith. Beneath them rivers will flow in the Gardens of Pleasure (9)

[Qur’an, Yunus 10:9]

We ask Allah for guidance in our salah every day. Pray your salah on time and regularly and do good deeds. If Allah didn’t accept this du’a of yours, He is guiding you to something better or delaying it for a later date to strengthen you in faith.

Protection from Shaytan

نَّهُۥ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ سُلْطَـٰنٌ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ﴿٩٩﴾ إِنَّمَا سُلْطَـٰنُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِهِۦ مُشْرِكُونَ ﴿١٠٠

Indeed, there is for him no authority over those who have believed and rely upon their Lord. (99) His authority is only over those who take him as an ally and those who through him associate others with Allah. (100)

[Qur'an, An-Nahl 16:99-100]

The Shaytan is waiting for you to fail your test so he can take over your mind, filling it with sadness, complaints and despair. Why me? Why didn’t Allah accept my du’a? I’m useless. Ever had those thoughts? That’s the Shaytan. Push all those thoughts aside and seek refuge in Allah from the Shaytan.

Put your trust fully in Allah and know with certainty that Allah has something better planned for you.

Your Efforts Will be Rewarded

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلًا ﴿٣٠

Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds. (30)

[Qur’an, Al-Kahf 18:30]

At times you may feel that you are striving so hard to do good, to keep steadfast in your prayers, to stay away from sin yet still your life is not the way you had planned it to be. You may feel you are doing wrong. Allah promises us that no effort will be wasted, every single righteous deed will be rewarded , we just have to bear patience, the reward may come in this dunya or it may come in the Aakhirah or both. We just have to bear beautiful patience.

The reward may not be in the form we wanted it to be in but it will be in the form that is best for us, for Allah loves us more than our own mothers. He, the Most High, is the only One that know what is best for His believers.

Paradise

وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۖ كُلَّمَا رُزِقُوا۟ مِنْهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزْقًا ۙ قَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى رُزِقْنَا مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَأُتُوا۟ بِهِۦ مُتَشَـٰبِهًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِيهَآ أَزْوَ‌ٰجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ ۖ وَهُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ﴿٢٥

And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with a provision of fruit therefrom, they will say, "This is what we were provided with before." And it is given to them in likeness. And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally. (25)

[Qur’an, Al-Baqarah 2:25]

The ultimate promise of Allah for His believers is Jannah. This is the eternal abode we should all be striving for in this dunya. All our deeds and actions in this dunya should bring us closer to Allah and to attaining Jannah and His Noble Countenance. If our deeds and actions are not bringing us closer to Allah then we need to re-evaluate our lives, refrain from sinning, purify our intentions, and seek Allah’s forgiveness and His mercy.

Trust Allah and have full faith in His promises in His Book and see how your life changes for the better.

هَـٰذَا بَيَانٌ لِّلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةٌ لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿١٣٨﴾ وَلَا تَهِنُوا۟ وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا۟ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ﴿١٣٩

This [Qur'an] is a clear statement to [all] the people and a guidance and instruction for those conscious of Allah. (138) So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers. (139)

[Qur'an, An-Nisa 3:138-139]

May Allah save us from the trials and tribulations of this life and the next. May Allah grant us success in this life and the next and save us from the torment of the Hellfire. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam