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Tests by Allah (SWT)

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#1 [Permalink] Posted on 5th March 2012 10:18
By Ebrahim Saifuddin

Allah سبحانه و تعالى has tested the people of the past in various ways and will keep on testing His creation. He has informed us about these tests in the Quran. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم also informed us that Allah سبحانه و تعالى will test us from time to time. Sometimes hardships and losses occur in life due to our sins. To wash of these sins in this world, Allah سبحانه و تعالى inflicts upon us these hardships:

Narrated by 'Ayesha رضي الله عنها: Allah's Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even though it were the prick he receives from a thorn." (Sahih Bukhari Vol. 7, Book 70, #544)

And again by a different narrator:

Narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri رضي الله عنه and Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, 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." (Sahih Bukhari Vol. 7, Book 70, #545)

Paying for sins in this world is much easier than paying in the Hereafter. It is a blessing in disguise which Allah سبحانه و تعالى bestows upon us and saves us from the payment of these sins in the Hereafter.

The Quran informs us what to do when we face these tests in our life and also tells us about the reward that we will receive if we are successful in dealing with the situation in the way we are expected to:

Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere, Who say, 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. - [Quran 2:155-157]

We are to be patient during hard times and always remember that Allah سبحانه و تعالى is the Creator of everything and We all will return to Him. No deed is lost in front of Allah and we will be rewarded for even the minutest good that we ever did do. Trials afflicting us can be signs of His Love. It is narrated that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

Narrated By Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه: Allaah's Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials." (Sahih Bukhari Vol. 7, Book 70, #548)

Misfortune can bring a person towards the right path. It can make better Muslims out of people. Observing patience, remembering Allah سبحانه و تعالى and turning only to Him for help and guidance during such times, will help us attain Allah's forgiveness and His rewards.

Allah سبحانه و تعالى tests man through various agencies, both through adversity and prosperity. A person with a luxurious life is tested to see how much he spends in the way of Allah سبحانه و تعالى and how much he is thankful to Allah سبحانه و تعالى for the blessings bestowed upon him. Another can be tested by the things he desires but does not and/or cannot possess. What do these people do is actually their test. Does the person deviate from the way of Allah سبحانه و تعالى to pursue the worldly gains?

Every soul shall have a taste of death: and We test you by evil and by good by way of trial. To Us must ye return. [Quran 21:35]

The Quran reminds us that in periods of hardships, we are to remain patient, remember Allah, and protect ourselves from committing that which is declared unlawful by Allah سبحانه و تعالى:

Ye shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and in your personal selves; and ye shall certainly Hear much that will grieve you, from those who received the Book before you and from those who worship many gods. But if ye persevere patiently, and guard against evil,-then that will be a determining factor in all affairs. - [Quran 3:186]

An important thing that we should always remember is that everyone is tested. If we declare that we are Muslims, that does not mean that we will not be tested in this world. The Quran is very clear on this issue:

Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, "We believe", and that they will not be tested? - [Quran 29:2]

One should not think or feel that he is the only unique person going through such times or that Allah سبحانه و تعالى is displeased with him. Every single person faces difficulties to the best of their capacity. Surely Allah is not unjust and does not over burden a soul:

On no soul doth Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear - [Quran 2:286]

This world is an abode for tests and one should not deny or avoid these but should face them and pass them successfully. A person can be put into hardships for a number of reasons and we might not know those reasons when undergoing a certain loss but what we must do is always remember Allah سبحانه و تعالى, be patient, abstain from what is unlawful, give charity and ask Him to help ease out our hard times. If we do fail to do this then we should turn to Allah سبحانه و تعالى and ask for forgiveness. Allah سبحانه و تعالى is Most Merciful and InshaAllah He will forgive us for the wrong that we do.


http://www.peopleofsunnah.com/islam/general/107-testsbyallah.html
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#2 [Permalink] Posted on 14th June 2012 19:05
Mus'ab Ibn Sa'd narrated from his father رضي الله عنهما who said: "I said, 'O Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم, what people face the harshest trials?'

He answered, 'The Prophets, then the people most like them [in piety], then the people next most like them. A person is tried according to his religiousness. If his religion in firm, his trial makes him stronger. If his religion has some weakness, then he is tried according to his religiousness. A person is continually tried until he walks on the earth and he has no sin [left, as they have all been wiped away due to the trials].'"


[at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ahmad and ad-Daarimi]
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#3 [Permalink] Posted on 27th July 2012 04:26
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "The greater reward is with the greater trial. When Allaah سبحانه و تعالى loves a people, He tries them, so whoever is pleased, then for him is the pleasure [of Allaah], and whoever is displeased, then for him is the displeasure [of Allaah]."

[at-Tirmidhi graded it hasan]
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#4 [Permalink] Posted on 27th July 2012 19:13
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "When Allaah سبحانه و تعالى wants good for His servant, He hastens his punishment in this world. And when He intends bad for His servant, He delays his sins until he faces them on the Day of Resurrection."

[Recorded by at-Tirmidhi and others]
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#5 [Permalink] Posted on 30th July 2012 17:56
The pressures and trials of life inevitably test a person's character, but the beauty of a person's character should shine through in such situations. Many of us become visibly miserable and agitated at such times, however it is the mark of a believer that he maintains a dignified composure and continues to treat others with adab (etiquettes), akhlaaq (manners) and pleasantness. Even in suffering a believer behaves beautifully to the extent that others cannot tell whether he is suffering or not.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 31st July 2002]
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#6 [Permalink] Posted on 30th July 2012 18:00
It has been mentioned that a devout female worshipper suffered some injury in one of her fingers, so she expressed her gratitude to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى. She was asked why she did so; to which she said: "The sweetness of its reward has caused me to forget the bitterness of its patience." [Sharh al-'Aqeeda al-Wasitiyya]
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#7 [Permalink] Posted on 1st August 2012 19:24
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "Wonderous indeed are the affairs of a believer, for every affair of his is good! If some good befalls him, he thanks Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, and that is good for him. And if some evil befalls him, he is patient, and that is good for him!"

[Muslim and Ahmad]
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#8 [Permalink] Posted on 2nd August 2012 20:09
One of the occasions in which the du'a of a person is answered is after a calamity has befallen him. However, it is necessary that a person display patience and satisfaction at Allaah's سبحانه و تعالى decree, and not wail or lament over his misfortune.

Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها narrated that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"There is no Muslim that is afflicted with a calamity, and he says what Allaah سبحانه و تعالى has commanded him to say: 'To Allaah we belong and to Him we will return! O Allaah! Give me the rewards (of being patient over) this calamity, and grant me something better than it to replace it,' except that Allaah will give him something better to replace it."

Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها said, "So when (my husband) Abu Salamah died, I said this du'a, but could not help thinking, 'Who is better than Abu Salamah? (i.e. no one can replace Abu Salamah رضي الله عنه). Then the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم himself sent me a messenger proposing to me, so Allaah سبحانه و تعالى blessed me with someone better than Abu Salamah."


[Muslim; Tirmidhi; Abu Dawood; and others. The addition of Umm Salamah's رضي الله عنها story is found in some of the books of Seerah. Du'a: The Weapon of the Believer, pp140-141]
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#9 [Permalink] Posted on 4th August 2012 20:52
Shaykh ul Islam Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله, the master of spiritual diseases and their cures, writes:

"The Divine Decree related to the believer is always a bounty, even if it is in the form of withholding (something that is desired), and it is a blessing, even if it appears to be a trial, and an affliction that has befallen him is in reality a cure, even though it appears to be a disease!

Unfortunately, due to the ignorance of the worshipper, and his transgressions, he does not consider anything to be a gift or a blessing or a cure unless he can enjoy it immediately, and it is in accordance with his nature.

If he were only given a little bit of understanding, then he would have counted being withheld from as a blessing, and the sickness as a mercy, and he would relish the trouble that befalls him more than he relishes ease, and he would enjoy poverty more than he enjoys richeness, and he would be more thankful when he is blessed with little than when he is blessed with a lot."


[Madarij as-Salikin, 2/215-216]

Note that a believer does not ask for problems and trials, but when they occur, the true believer relishes them more than he would an apparent blessing, because he realises and expects the great reward that he will obtain through his patience and perseverance.

[Du'a: The Weapon of the Believer, p172]
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#10 [Permalink] Posted on 5th August 2012 17:59
When a person's iman is strong, then he will realise that everything that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى has decreed for him is good, even if he does not see the wisdom behind a certain decree.

So, when an affliction befalls him, he will know and realise that hidden in it is great good and benefit for him. As Allaah سبحانه و تعالى states:


"For it is possible that you hate something, yet Allaah places in it a lot of good (for you)." (4:19)

[Du'a: The Weapon of a Believer, p174]
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#11 [Permalink] Posted on 6th August 2012 15:57
Sufyan Ibn 'Uyayna رحمه الله stated:

"What the slave detests is better for him than what he loves! This is because what he detests will cause him to increase in his du'a, whereas what he loves will distract him (from worshipping Allaah)."


[al-Hamad, p101]
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#12 [Permalink] Posted on 7th August 2012 17:03
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#13 [Permalink] Posted on 9th August 2012 16:28
The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"The first to be called to Paradise on the Day of Judgement will be those who praised Allaah during times of prosperity and adversity."


(Bayhaqi, Shu'ab al-Iman)
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#14 [Permalink] Posted on 10th August 2012 18:11
The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"The fortunate one is he who is protected from trials." He repeated this statement three times and then said, "And the one who is tested but perseveres, then glad tidings are for him."


(Abu Dawood)
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#15 [Permalink] Posted on 11th August 2012 16:46
Qadi Shuraih رحمه الله stated:

"If I am afflicted with any affliction, I praise Allaah سبحانه و تعالى four times:

I praise Allaah سبحانه و تعالى that the affliction was not greater than it is.

I praise Him when He gives me the patience to withstand the affliction.

I praise Him for guiding me to the statement, 'To Allaah we belong, and to Him we shall return.'

And I praise Him for not making that affliction affect my religion."


[adh-Dhahabi, Siyar Alam an-Nubala, (Beirut: Muassasah al-Risala, 1990), vol 4, p105]
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