Most Muslims find it rather odd that their religion, which strikes a beautiful balance between faith and action, could be accused of being “fatalistic”. Perhaps this misconception came about because Muslims are taught to say “Praise be to God!” whenever anything good or bad happens. This is because Muslims know that everything comes from Almighty Allah, who is the All-Knowing Sustainer of the Universe, and that since a Muslim should rely completely on Allah, whatever happened must have been for the better. However, this does not mean that Muslims are not taught to take action in life — just the opposite is true. Islam requires not only faith but action — such as regular prayer, fasting, and charity. To be more precise, in Islam actions are part of one’s faith. Islam totally rejects the extreme beliefs of some religions that teach that you shouldn’t go to a doctor when sick, but only pray for God to heal you. Islam’s outlook is very positive since it teaches that human beings can take positive action in this life. This was certainly what was taught by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, to his followers — since they obviously took the action of spreading Islam from Spain to Morocco in a very short period of time. Even though Islam teaches that Allah knows what human beings will do before they do it, human beings still have free will. Certainly, Allah, who is All-Knowing and All-Wise, knows what is going to happen to everyone before it happens — to deny this would be a denial of Allah Himself. However, if human beings did not have free will, it would be ridiculous and unjust for Allah to demand that they do certain things and believe certain things. Far from being “fatalistic”, Islam teaches that a human being’s main purpose in life is to be God-conscious. Due to this, Muslims worry less about material matters and view their earthly life from a proper perspective. This is due to the fact that Islam clearly teaches that if people worship and depend on Almighty Allah alone, then they have nothing to worry about – since Allah wants what is best for them. True freedom, from the Islamic perspective, does not mean aimlessly following all of your human desires for food, drink, wealth, and sex. On the contrary, freedom means being able to control one’s base desires and fulfilling them in a proper and legal way. This brings one’s desires in tune with what God wants for us — only then is a person truly free!
TAG: Faith
Misconception: Muslims Worship Muhammad (PBUH)
According to Islamic belief, the Prophet Muhammad was the last Messenger of God. He, like all of God’s prophets and messengers – such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus — was only a human being. Christians came to the mistaken assumption that Muslims worship Muhammad by formulating an incorrect analogy – they worship Jesus so they assumed Muslims worship Muhammad. This is one of the reasons that they called Muslims by the incorrect name “Mohammedans” for so many years! Muhammad, like Jesus, never claimed divine status. He called people to worship only Almighty God, and he continually emphasized his humanity so that people would not fall into the same errors as Christians did in regard to Jesus. In order to prevent his deification, the Prophet Muhammad always said to refer to him as “the Messenger of God and His slave”. Muhammad was chosen to be God’s final messenger — to communicate the message not only in words but to be a living example of the message. Muslims love and respect him because he was of the highest moral character and he brought the Truth from God – which is the Pure Monotheism of Islam. Even when Islam was in its very early stages, God revealed that Muhammad “was sent as a mercy to all of mankind” – thus informing us that the message of Islam would become very widespread. Muslims strive to follow the great example of Muhammad, peace be upon him, but they do not worship him in any way. Additionally, Islam teaches Muslims to respect all of God’s prophets and messengers – but respecting and loving them does not mean worshipping them. All true Muslims realize that all worship and prayer must be directed to Almighty Allah alone. Suffice it to say that worshipping Muhammad — or anyone else — along with Almighty Allah is considered to be the worst sin in Islam. Even if a person claims to be Muslim, but they worship and pray to other than Almighty Allah, this cancels and nullifies their Islam. The Declaration of Faith of Islam makes it clear that Muslims are taught only to worship God. This declaration is as follows: “There is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger and Servant of God”.
Who Is Allah?
It is a known fact that every language has one or more terms that are used in reference to God and sometimes to lesser deities. This is not the case with Allah. Allah is the personal name of the One true God. Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has no plural or gender. This shows its uniqueness when compared with the word god which can be made plural, gods, or feminine, goddess. It is interesting to notice that Allah is the personal name of God in Aramaic, the language of Jesus and a sister language of Arabic.
The One True God is a reflection of the unique concept that Islam associates with God. To a Muslim, Allah is the Almighty, Creator, and Sustainer of the universe, Who is similar to nothing and nothing is comparable to Him. The Prophet Muhammad was asked by his contemporaries about Allah; the answer came directly from God Himself in the form of a short chapter of the Quran, which is considered the essence of unity or the motto of monotheism. This is chapter 112 which reads:
“In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Say (O Muhammad) He is God the One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone.”
Some non-Muslims allege that God in Islam is a stern and cruel God who demands to be obeyed fully. He is not loving and kind. Nothing can be farther from the truth than this allegation. It is enough to know that, with the exception of one, each of the 114 chapters of the Quran begins with the verse: “In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.” In one of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), we are told that “God is more loving and kinder than a mother to her dear child.”
But God is also Just. Hence evildoers and sinners must have their share of punishment and the virtuous, His bounties and favors. Actually, God’s attribute of Mercy has full manifestation in His attribute of Justice. People suffer throughout their lives for His sake and people oppressing and exploiting other people all their lives should not receive similar treatment from their Lord. Expecting similar treatment for them will amount to negating the very belief in the accountability of man in the Hereafter and thereby negating all the incentives for a moral and virtuous life in this world. The following Quranic verses are very clear and straightforward in this respect:
“Verily, for the Righteous, are gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord. Shall We then treat the people of Faith like the people of Sin? What is the matter with you? How judge you?” (68:34-36)
Islam rejects characterizing God in any human form or depicting Him as favoring certain individuals or nations on the basis of wealth, power, or race. He created the human beings as equals. They may distinguish themselves and get His favor through virtue and piety only.
The concept that God rested on the seventh day of creation, that God wrestled with one of His soldiers, that God is an envious plotter against mankind, or that God is incarnate in any human being are considered blasphemy from the Islamic point of view.
The unique usage of Allah as a personal name of God is a reflection of Islam’s emphasis on the purity of the belief in God which is the essence of the message of all God’s messengers. Because of this, Islam considers associating any deity or personality with God as a deadly sin that God will never forgive, despite the fact He may forgive all other sins.
[Note that what is meant above applies ONLY to those people who die in a state wherein they are associating others with God. The repentance of those who yet live is acceptable to God if He wills. – MSA of USC]
The Creator must be of a different nature from the things created because if he is of the same nature as they are, he will be temporal and will therefore need a maker. It follows that nothing is like Him. If the maker is not temporal, then he must be eternal. But if he is eternal, he cannot be caused, and if nothing outside him causes him to continue to exist, which means that he must be self-sufficient. And if he does not depend on anything for the continuance of his own existence, then this existence can have no end. The Creator is therefore eternal and everlasting: “He is the First and the Last.”
He is Self-Sufficient or Self-Subsistent or, to use a Quranic term, Al-Qayyum. The Creator does not create only in the sense of bringing things into being, He also preserves them and takes them out of existence and is the ultimate cause of whatever happens to them.
“God is the Creator of everything. He is the guardian over everything. Unto Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth.” (39:62, 63)
“No creature is there crawling on the earth, but its provision rests on God. He knows its lodging place and its repository.” (11:6)
God’s Attributes
If the Creator is Eternal and Everlasting, then His attributes must also be eternal and everlasting. He should not lose any of His attributes nor acquire new ones. If this is so, then His attributes are absolute. Can there be more than one Creator with such absolute attributes? Can there be, for example, two absolutely powerful Creators? A moment’s thought shows that this is not feasible. The Quran summarizes this argument in the following verses:
“God has not taken to Himself any son, nor is there any god with Him: For then each god would have taken of that which he created and some of them would have risen up over others.” (23:91)
And Why, were there gods in earth and heaven other than God, they (heaven and earth) would surely go to ruin.” (21:22)
The Oneness of God
The Quran reminds us of the falsity of all alleged gods. To the worshippers of man-made objects, it asks: “Do you worship what you have carved yourself?” (37:95)
“Or have you taken unto you others beside Him to be your protectors, even such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves?” (13:16)
To the worshippers of heavenly bodies, it cites the story of Abraham: “When night outspread over him he saw a star and said, ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set he said, ‘I love not the setters.’ When he saw the moon rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set he said, ‘If my Lord does not guide me I shall surely be of the people gone astray.’ When he saw the sun rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord; this is greater.’ But when it set he said, ‘O my people, surely I quit that which you associate, I have turned my face to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth; a man of pure faith, I am not of the idolaters.'” (6:76-79)
The Believer’s Attitude
In order to be a Muslim, i.e., to surrender oneself to God, it is necessary to believe in the oneness of God, in the sense of His being the only Creator, Preserver, Nourisher, etc. But this belief – later on called “Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah” – is not enough. Many of the idolaters knew and believed that only the Supreme God could do all this, but that was not enough to make them Muslims. To tawhid ar-rububiyyah one must add tawhid al’uluhiyyah, i.e., one acknowledges the fact that is God alone Who deserves to be worshipped, and thus abstains from worshipping any other thing or being. Having achieved this knowledge of the one true God, man should constantly have faith in Him, and should allow nothing to induce him to deny truth.
When faith enters a person’s heart, it causes certain mental states which result in certain actions. Taken together these mental states and actions are the proof of true faith. The Prophet said, “Faith is that which resides firmly in the heart and which is proved by deeds.” Foremost among those mental states is the feeling of gratitude towards God which could be said to be the essence of ‘ibada’ (worship).
The feeling of gratitude is so important that a non-believer is called ‘kafir’ which means ‘one who denies a truth’ and also ‘one who is ungrateful.’
A believer loves and is grateful to God for the bounties He bestowed upon him, but being aware of the fact that his good deeds, whether mental or physical, are far from being commensurate with Divine favors, he is always anxious lest God should punish him, here or in the Hereafter. He, therefore, fears Him surrenders himself to Him, and serves Him with great humility. One cannot be in such a mental state without being almost all the time mindful of God. Remembering God is thus the life force of faith, without which it fades and withers away.
The Quran tries to promote this feeling of gratitude by repeating the attributes of God very frequently. We find most of these attributes mentioned together in the following verses of the Quran:
“He is God; there is no god but He, He is the Knower of the unseen and the visible; He is the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. He is God, there is no God but He. He is the King, the All-Holy, the All-Peace, the Guardian of Faith, the All-Preserver, the All-Mighty, the All-Compeller, the All-Sublime. Glory be to God, above that they associate! He is God the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful. All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” (59:22-24)
“There is no god but He, the Living, the Everlasting. Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave? He knows what lies before them and what is after them, and they comprehend not anything of His knowledge save such as He wills. His throne comprises the heavens and earth; the preserving of them oppresses Him not; He is the All-High, the All-Glorious.” (2:255)
“People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say not as to God but the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a Spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not, ‘Three.’ Refrain; better is it for you. God is only one God. Glory be to Him – (He is) above having a son.” (4:171)
The Honor Of The Masjid
Allah(SWT) says in the Qur’an: And the Masaajid are for the worship of Allah (alone) so invoke not anyone along with Allah (Surah Al-Jinn 72:18)
The renowned meaning of a Masjid is the place where Allah is Worshipped and that which is made waqf for Salaat. This is what we call a Masjid, if all the Masaajid are for the Worship of Allah then why do you go and worship others apart from Allah? The reality should be that the masaajid should be kept pure of Aqaaid-e-Fasidah (wrong beliefs) and Aamal-e-Baatilah (Wrong actions) (Maariful Qur’an)
It is related by Wassila bin el Asq’a(RA) that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Keep away from your Masjids:- your little children and the lunatics, and in the same way those who quarrel and those who speak loudly. (Ibn-i-Majah, Tabrani)
Imam Abul Hafz Siraj Ud-Din Al Ansaari(ra)(A.H 723- 804) states: it is not permissible for a guardian to bring a child/ lunatic who they know will urinate etc.. (in the place of prayer) to the Masjid. Otherwise, it is Makrooh. (Al Ashbah Wan Nathahir) Allamah Shami(ra) has also agreed with this statement of Abul Hafz.
It is related by Hasan Basri(ra) through Mursal, that Rasul Allah (SAW) said: ‘A time will come when the conversation of the people in the mosques will center around their worldly affairs. You must not sit with such people. Allah (SWT) has nothing to do with them. (Baihaqi, Shubu Iman)
Attachment to the Masjid is a sign of Faith
It is related by Abu Sa’eed Khudri (RA) that the Apostle of Allah said: “When you see that a person is attached to the Masjid and looks after it (devotedly), give the testimony of Faith for him because Allah says that only those who believe in Allah and the last day they are the ones who frequent the masjids of Allah and keep them occupied” (Tirmizi, Ibn-i-Maja, and Daarmi)
In the light of the above Hadith, it can be clearly understood that it is not just obligatory to ensure that the sanctity of the Masjid is preserved and we remain silent. Rather we should make it our duty not to entertain those who intend to harm our Masaajid.
The Masjid is a place of worship and a symbol of Faith. Sincere attachment to it, care and concern for its maintenance, and the desire to see it humming with the worship and the remembrance of Allah are thus the signs of true Faith. (Ma’ariful Hadith) May Allah Ta’ala protect the Imaan of our youth from this FITNAH. Aameen Al Kauthar
by Mufti Yusuf Danka
Moral Lessons From The Story Of Prophet Moses (PBUH)
The story of Moses (peace be upon him) is mentioned in more than 70 places in the Holy Qur’an as it is full of instructive details and important events. The important thing that I would like to focus on is that this story is full of moral lessons of which I shall try to highlight a few in this article.
Always trust the wisdom of Allah: This story teaches all people that what Allah does is always the right thing even if you cannot see this wisdom with your own human eyes. He revealed to the mother of Moses to cast her son in the river, “Behold! We sent to your mother, by inspiration, the message ‘Throw (the child) into the chest, and throw (the chest) into the river: the river will cast him up on the bank, and he will be taken up by one who is an enemy to Me and an enemy to him’: But I cast (the garment of) love over from Me: and (this) in order that may be reared under My Eye.” (Qur’an, 20:38)
Be polite while calling people to the path of Allah: It is known that the Pharaoh confronting Moses is the toughest tyrant in the history of humanity. In spite of this, Allah asks Moses and Aaron to be lenient when they talk to him, “Go, both of you, to Pharaoh, for he has indeed transgressed all bounds; “But speak to him mildly; perchance he may take warning or fear (God).” (Qur’an, 20:43-44)
Have trust in Allah’s support for those who believe in Him: When Moses confronts the huge number of magicians, he, as a human being, feels afraid “So Moses conceived in his mind a (sort of) fear.” (Qur’an, 20:67) Allah emphasizes that Moses is a Messenger, but a human being who may feel scared and He (Allah) immediately tells him: “We said: “Fear not! for you have indeed the upper hand. Throw that which is in your right hand: Quickly will it swallow up that which they have faked. What they have faked is but a magician’s trick: and the magician thrives not, (no matter) where he goes.” (Qur’an, 20:69)
Faith can touch one’s heart and change him from one extreme to another: When the magicians saw what Moses did, they realized that that was not magic, but something ‘Divine’ and this is why “the magicians were thrown down to prostration: they said, “We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.” (Qur’an, 20:70)
What Is The Qur’an And What Is The Qur’an About?
What is the Qur’an?
The Qur’an is a record of the exact words revealed by God through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad [PBUH]. It was memorized by Muhammad [PBUH] and then dictated to his Companions, and written down by scribes, who cross-checked it during his lifetime. Not one word of its 114 chapters, Surahs, has been changed over the centuries so that the Qur’an is in every detail the unique and miraculous text which was revealed to Muhammad [PBUH] fourteen centuries ago.
What is the Qur’an about?
The Qur’an, the last revealed word of God, is the prime source of every Muslim’s faith and practice. It deals with all the subjects which concern us as human beings: wisdom, doctrine, worship, and law, but its basic theme is the relationship between God and his creatures. At the same time, it provides guidelines for a just society, proper human conduct, and an equitable economic system.
Are there any other sacred sources?
Yes, the sunnah, the practice, and example of the Prophet [PBUH], is the second authority for Muslims. A hadith is a reliably transmitted report of what the Prophet [PBUH] said, did, or approved. Belief in the sunnah is part of the Islamic faith.
Examples of the Prophet’s sayings The Prophet [PBUH] said:
· ‘God has no mercy on one who has no mercy for others.’
· ‘None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself’.
· ‘He who eats his fill while his neighbor goes without food is not a believer.’
· ‘The truthful and trusty businessman is associated with the prophets, the saints, and the martyrs.’
· ‘Powerful is not he who knocks the other down, indeed powerful is he who controls himself in a fit of anger.’
· ‘God does not judge according to your bodies and appearances but He scans your hearts and looks into your deeds.’
‘A man walking along a path felt very thirsty. Reaching a well he descended into it, drank his fill, and came up. then he saw a dog with its tongue hanging out, trying to lick up mud to quench its thirst. The man saw that the dog was feeling the same thirst as he had felt so he went down into the well again and filled his shoe with water and gave the dog a drink. God forgave his sins for this action.’ The Prophet [PBUH] was asked: ‘Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?’ He said, ‘There is a reward for kindness to every living thing.’
Dua And Our Own Good Deeds
[005:041] O Messenger (Muhammad [sal-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam])! Let not those who hurry to fall into disbelief grieve you, of such who say: “We believe” with their mouths but their hearts have no Faith. And of the Jews are men who listen much and eagerly to lies – listen to others who have not come to you. They change the words from their places; they say, “If you are given this, take it, but if you are not given this, then beware!” And whomsoever Allah wants to put in Al-Fitnah (error, because of his rejecting of Faith), you can do nothing for him against Allah. Those are the ones whose hearts Allah does not want to purify (from disbelief and hypocrisy); for them, there is a disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a great torment.
Abu Bakrah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Shall I not inform you of one of the gravest of the cardinal sins?” We said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah!” He (PBUH) said, “To join others as partners with Allah in worship and to be undutiful to one’s parents.” The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) sat up from his reclining position (in order to stress the importance of what he was going to say) and added, “I warn you that making a false statement and giving false testimony. I warn you against making a false statement and giving false testimony.” The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) kept on repeating this (warning) till we wished he should stop.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Commentary: The contents of this Hadith make the gravity of making a false statement abundantly clear. How unfortunate indeed it is that, like other major sins, the evil of giving false testimony is very common among present-day Muslims. May Allah prevent us from it.
Narrated Abu Huraira (Radi-Allahu ‘anhu): Allah’s Apostle (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, “(The performance of) ‘Umra is an expiation for the sins committed (between it and the previous one). And the reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allah) is nothing except Paradise.” Bukhari Vol. 3 : No. 1
Abud-Darda (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (PBUH) said, “He who defends the honor of his (Muslim) brother, Allah will secure his face against the Fire on the Day of Resurrection.”[At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: If someone says something disgraceful against a Muslim, one must defend his Muslim brother (or sister, for that matter) and say that what has been stated about him or she is wrong and that he (or she) is free from the accusation made against him (or her).
Abdullah bin ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with them) narrated that: He heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: “Three men, amongst those who came before you, set out until night came and they reached a cave, so they entered it. A rock fell down from the mountain and blocked the entrance of the cave. They said: ‘Nothing will save you from this unless you supplicate to Allah by virtue of a righteous deed you have done.’
Thereupon, one of them said: ‘O Allah! I had parents who were old, and I used to offer them milk before any of my children or slaves. One day, I went far away in search of grazing and could not come back until they had slept. When I milked as usual and brought the drink I found them both asleep. I hated to disturb them and also disliked giving milk to my children before them. My children were crying out of hunger at my feet but I awaited with the bowl in my hand for them to wake up. When they awoke at dawn, they drank milk. O Allah! If I did so to seek Your Pleasure, then deliver us from the distress caused by the rock’. The rock moved slightly but they were unable to escape.
The next said: ‘O Allah! I had a cousin whom I loved more than anyone else (in another version he said: as a man can love a woman). I wanted to have sexual intercourse with her but she refused. Hard pressed in a year of famine, she approached me. I gave her one hundred and twenty dinars on condition that she would yield herself to me. She agreed and when we got together (for sexual intercourse), she said: Fear Allah and do not break the seal unlawfully. I moved away from her in spite of the fact that I loved her most passionately, and I let her keep the money I had given her. O Allah! If I did that to seek Your Pleasure, then, remove the distress in which we are.’ The rock moved aside a bit further but they were still unable to get out.
The third one said: ‘O Allah! I hired some labourers and paid them their wages except one of them departed without taking his due. I invested his money in business and the business prospered greatly. After a long time, he came to me and said: O slave of Allah! Pay me my dues. I said: All that you see is yours – camels, cattle, goats, and slaves. He said: O slave of Allah! Do not mock me. I assured him that I was not joking. So he took all the things and went away. He spared nothing. O Allah! If I did so seeking Your Pleasure, then relieve us of our distress.’ The rock slipped aside and they got out walking freely”. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Immigrating To A Non-Muslim Country For Work
Muslims can live in any place and in any country. However, there are some basic Islamic rules about migration, which differ according to the circumstances in one s country and in the prospective country.
Muslim Shariah scholars have divided hijrah, or migration, into four categories: fard (obligatory), haram (forbidden), makruh (disliked), and mubah (permissible).
Immigration is fard when you are forced to change your religion and cannot freely establish your faith in your location, in such case you have to move to another area where you can worship Allah without restraint.
It is haram to immigrate for an evil purpose, to corrupt your faith, or to cause mischief in the land.
It becomes makruh if you feel your religion will come under great risk (in the new land). It is not recommended for Muslims to migrate to the lands where their and their descendant’s religion might be at risk.
And it is mubah if you make sure your faith will remain strong and you will benefit from the new location you want to move to.
Therefore, before you immigrate to any country, you have to make sure your faith will be solid and that you will be able to keep the religious identity of your children safe in face of temptations and evil surroundings. If you are able to do this, then you can move to any place you want.
Hadith: Taqdeer Kay Munkir
Hadith: Taqdeer Kay Munkir
Tired of Life Difficulties?
Never Despair! Allah’s Mercy Is Always There
Abu Sa`id and Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “No fatigue, nor disease, nor anxiety, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
This world is no more than a test in which all humans are bound to face some hardships and challenges that reveal their patience and steadfastness.
The forms of this test are numerous and diverse: Some people suffer poverty, some suffer physical illnesses, some live in a state of insecurity, some are deprived of their cherished and beloved ones, and still others suffer psychiatric disorders. Referring to this fact, Allah says:
{And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the patient, Who says, when afflicted with calamity: “To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return”: They are those on whom (descend) Blessings from Allah and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.} (Al-Baqarah 2:155-157)
In another verse, He Almighty says: {He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.} (Al-Mulk 67:2)
Since trials and hardships are inevitable, Islam does not let them pass by without instructing Muslims on the best course of action or by guiding them to the safest and most appropriate attitude. The Hadith reveals one dimension of Islam’s recipe for successfully dealing with life’s challenges.
In order to balance the negative effects posed by afflictions, Islam draws our attention to their expected fruit. Problems and troubles serve as means to expiate sins and elevate the believer’s rank in the Hereafter.
This optimistic and positive approach safeguards one from falling prey to despair and grief. Here, it is fitting to cite some Prophetic hadiths that emphasize this concept:
Abu Yahya Suhaib bin Sinan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “How wonderful is the case of a believer; it is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is good for him” (Muslim).
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “He whom Allah intends good, He makes him suffer from some affliction” (Al-Bukhari).
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “A Muslim, male or female, continues to remain under trial in respect of his life, property, and offspring until he faces Allah, the Exalted, with no sin record” (At-Tirmidhi).
The above hadiths should not be mistaken for a call to fatalism and defeatism. The message the hadiths convey is that every Muslim should expect hardships and prepare to weather them. This point makes a distinction between one who trusts in Allah and believes in His mercy and one who feels that he is alone in this world, that he faces its formidable challenges isolated from any source of support or assistance.
So, these hadiths are meant to infuse Muslims with hope and vigor and drive away the destructive thoughts of failure and hopelessness. To get a better understanding of them, they should be considered the light of the following hadiths:
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “A strong believer is better and dearer to Allah than a weak one, and both are good.
Adhere to that which is beneficial for you. Keep asking Allah for help and do not refrain from it.
(If you are afflicted in any way), do not say: ‘If I had taken this or that step, it would have resulted into such and such,’ but say only: ‘Allah so determined and did as He willed.’ The word ‘if’ opens the gates of satanic (thoughts)” (Muslim).
In line with this hadith comes the Prophet’s advice to his cousin Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) to know that with patience comes victory, with distress, comes relief, and with hardship comes ease.
In this respect, one idea may be a source of worry and disturbance. How can we approach afflictions with such optimism when they are clear signs of Allah’s wrath and manifestations of His punishment? Has not Allah said,
{Whatever misfortune happens to you, is because of the things your hands have wrought, and for many (of them) He grants forgiveness} (Ash-Shura 42:30)?
Actually, these questions haunt many people, especially the practicing ones when they are afflicted with a calamity, deprived of a cherished person, or plagued with an illness. The problem is that in many cases this thought becomes a source of frustration and depression.
Instead of being an incentive to hasten to Allah and drawing closer to him, the idea serves sometimes as a dispiriting factor. So, let’s see how the Companions viewed the above verse and how they took it positively and optimistically.
In his comment on this verse, Imam Al-Qurtubi reports that `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “This verse is the most hopeful one in the Quran; if my sins are to be expiated through afflictions and calamities, and in addition to that, Allah forgives many other sins, then what will remain after such expiation and forgiveness?”
True, life’s disasters leave hearts broken and loved ones deprived, but the bright believer knows how to turn them into a source of determination and a fountain of strength.
I conclude with the beautiful authentic hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) tells us that the people who face the harshest trial (bla’) are the prophets, then those next to them (in faith and devotion), and then the next. Everyone will be tried according to his level of faith; one who has strong faith will undergo a harsh trial and one who is of weak faith will receive a weak trial. And the affliction will encompass one until he becomes free of sins altogether.