Trials

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        Allah (swa) blessed the Human beings above all His other creation and Allah’s (swa) love for Human beings are greater than the love of a Mother to her child. So if this is the case most of us will wonder or say that if Allah (swa) love is so great why do bad things happen to good people? Why do we lose our loved ones to accidents? Why are small children born abnormally? Why do innocent children and women die out of hunger? Why Allah (swa) created sadness and grief? Why there are so many suicides? There are so many questions like this in our mind when we go through trials tribulations in this worldly life.

         Why do we face trials or why are we tested? 

              To distinguish between those who sincerely believe in Allah (swa) and those who do not.

         Allah (swa) says in Quran “Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: “we believe, and will not be tested”.

         In our worldly life also we sometimes test our friends to see if their loyal to us. Just like this Allah (swa) test His servants by taking away some of the blessings Allah (swa) gave him. If that person is grateful and patient to Allah (swa) in prosperity and in times of hardship Allah (swa) will make all his affairs right. 

              To encourage mankind to do good deeds.

         Allah (swa) says in Quran “Who had created death and life so that He may test who is in best of deeds”.

         Allah’s (swa) mercy and kindness is so vast that Allah (swa) will sometimes use trials as a mean of showing the right path to his servants. Sometimes people are lost in this materialistic world and they forget to remember Allah (swa). So it is the decree of Allah (swa) that Allah (swa) will warn or guide this person by the means of trials. So that he once again remember his creator and start worshipping Allah (swa).

              To purify souls and expiate sins.  

         Our Messenger Muhammad (saw) had said “Whatever trouble, illness, anxiety, grief, pain and sorrow afflicts a Muslim, even if it is a pricking of a thorn- Allah (swa) removes some of his sins because of it”.

         Some people often complain and whine about his afflictions. But he doesn’t know that Allah (swa) is expiating or is forgiving his sins when he goes through trials. In this world we cannot even bare the heat of the sun or the cold of the winter so how can we bare the heat and cold of Hell? How can we bare the punishment of the Hell? So be thankful that you sins are been forgiven and that you won’t have to suffer the punishment on the day of resurrection. Cause we rather go through the trials in this world rather than going through wrath and anger of Allah (swa) on the day of Judgement.

               To distinguish those who believe in the Hereafter and those who do not.

         Allah (swa) says in Quran “We might test him who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it: and the Lord watches over all things (All knower of everything thing i.e. He keeps records of each and every person as regards deeds and then He will reward them accordingly).

          If you really believe in the Hereafter and all its blessings we won’t really bother about losing anything in this life. One of the most prominent companion of Prophet Muhammad (saw) Musab bin Umair (ra) was one of the most handsome, richest and well-dressed Meccan youth at that time. When Musab bin Umair became a Muslim his mother took everything away from him. He was left only with a piece of cloth to cover his lower body. But his zeal to walk the path of Prophet Muhammad (saw) was overwhelming. He fought all his worldly desires and achieved martyrdom in the path of Allah (swa). He gave away women, wealth, power and all what the world had to offer to seek the love of Allah (swa). What more do we need my Muslim brothers and sisters. If we have love of Allah (swa) we have everything. So if you walk the path of our Messenger (saw) be prepared be tested. Because that is how Allah (swa) test you if you really believe in the Hereafter.

A DOSE FROM NATURE   

  

          A man once found a butterfly cocoon. He kept it in jar till one day the butterfly was about to emerge from the cocoon. He took the cocoon out of the jar and kept it on a table to see this magnificent natural phenomenon by Allah (swa). Half of the butterfly got out of the cocoon but its struggle to free its self from the cocoon was halted by a small obstruction in the cocoon. So the man used small pair of scissor and cut of this obstruction in the cocoon. Soon the butterfly was out but its shriveled wings never opened fully. The man waited for hours but the wings never opened. Allah (swa) created the butterfly in a unique way that’s its struggle to free itself from the cocoon will pump blood into the wings of the butterfly. But since the man lightened its struggle, its ability to open its wings was gone. The butterfly will never fly and soon it will face its death. We Human beings go through trials so that our souls are purified, strengthened and as a call to the right path. Just as the struggling was essential to the Butterfly we Human beings needs trials to become more mature and stronger in all the aspects of life. 

WHY ARE WE FAILING TO ACHIEVE THE BENEFITS OF TRIALS!

          Every year the numbers of suicides in the west are increasing and the number of people falling into anxiety and depression are on rise. What could be the cause?  Materialism and weakness in faith are the main causes of these two problems. If someone goes through a trial the key to overcome this particular trial is to actually believe that this worldly life is just a passing and all the good is in the Hereafter. But for someone who does not believe in the Hereafter when he had lost something in this life he will get emotionally weak and fall into depression since he doesn’t believe that there is a Hereafter with more blessings and good and that this life is just a delusion. For someone who is weak in faith will have difficulty in getting your emotion together and believing that it is the decree of Allah (swa). Most of the time when something bad happen to someone the first reaction is to separate himself or herself from others. This is a trap by Satan to devour us in our emotional weakness. The best thing is to remember Allah (swa) as often as possible. Allah (swa) had constantly advised us to remember Allah (swa) and then Allah (swa) will remember us.

         What we really fail to achieve in this worldly life is trusting Allah (swa). We being Muslims and believing that all that exist in this worldly life and all our affairs are in the Hands of Allah (swa). We know that not a single weight of an atom will increase or decrease except with the decree of Allah (swa). So why shall we not love and remember Allah (swa) Who had given the glade tidings of both of the worlds. We Human beings are so selfish that knowing all this we transgress the laws of Allah (swa) to achieve our own desires and lusts. But remember that you might get what you want or what you desire in this life after transgressing the laws of Allah (swa) but you will soon face the consequences in this world and the Hereafter.  So trusting Allah (swa) and obeying the laws of Allah (swa) are crucial in achieving the happiness in both worlds.

   

LAST ADVICE

         The picture you see in this article tells us a true story of a couple. Allah (swa) gave them the happiness of getting married, gave them the happiness of pregnancy and gave them the happiness of giving birth to three children. But Allah (swa) took the lives of these three infants during the birth. Allah (swa) tests people in various degrees but know that when you are going through a trial that there people who are going through trials which are more severe and harsh.

         I have a friend who is more than thirty years and he is a person who needs special care. He cannot speak properly, his legs are crippled, he got some abnormalities in his hands, he cannot speak. He had been subjected to child abuse during childhood, he had been robbed by a very close friend of his who took all the money he saved to get medical treatment, his mother and father had passed away and rest of his family doesn’t really bother about him and he had tried to kill himself several times when he got no one to comfort what he was going through. But each time Allah (swa) intervened and saved his life. Masha Allah my friend with the grace of Allah (swa) had changed his whole life after all his trials. He performs his prayers regularly and he is now studying Quran with the help of a friend of mine. He cannot even be compared to a person with all the senses in place. But he Alhamdullilahi knows that this worldly life is short and if he does obey Allah (swa) and if he dies as a pious person he will be resurrected as a perfect Human being and he will be given Jannah.

         My friend with all his abnormalities walks to the mosques and he puts so much effort to study Quran even if he cannot speak. But we having all the senses and having a normal body we pray little and we put so little effort to study Quran. So how come we will have the strength to with stand the trials of this worldly life. Regardless of this think about the countless blessings pouring on us by Allah (swa). But when a small blessing given to us by Allah (swa) are taken or when we fail to achieve something we want in this life,we transgress the laws of Allah (swa) to achieve it or we whine and cry. So how can we achieve happiness in this life and the Hereafter. Dear Muslim brothers and sisters! This life is just a mirage. Once you come to know the reality of this life your soul will have already left your body to meet your creator. That day you cannot offer any ransom to send you back to do good deeds again in this worldly life. So be thankful that you have you senses and your body to worship Allah (swa). Because there is no greater blessing in this life than being a Muslim and performing your religious obligations to Allah (swa). So don't waste your time in grief, because Allah (swa) door is open 24 hour for His servants to attain the eternal blessings of Allah (swa).  May Allah (swa) guide my friend, give him Jannah and May Allah (swa) gives him the best of the appearance of the people of Jannah.