Trials and Tribulations

Who Experiences Trials and Tribulations?

Trials and tribulations are an undeniable part of this worldly life. What constitutes a trial or tribulation differs from person to person, yet every person is being tested in some form or many forms–be it through ease or through hardship, in matters of health, relationships, wealth, and more.

People who came before us were also tested–not sparing neither the pious nor the powerful. Many of the most beloved people to Allah went through various types of major tests. They serve as a reminder for all of us–to appreciate how they withstood those trials and how perseverance pays off.

It was narrated from Mus’ab bin Sa’d that his father Sa’d bin Abu Waqqas said, “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which people are most severely tested?’ He said, ‘The prophets, then the next best and the next best. A person is tested according to his religious commitment. If he is steadfast in his religious commitment, he will be tested more severely, and if he is frail in his religious commitment, his test will be according to his commitment. Trials will continue to afflict a person until they leave him walking on the earth with no sin on him.’” [Ibn Majah]

It is not just humans who are tested. We must remember that even Iblees was confronted by a testing situation and he failed by disobeying the command of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). There is wisdom in these tests being delivered.

Why We Experience Trials

Trials and tribulations are not necessarily delivered in proportion to our mistakes. In fact, they may not have anything to do with our mistakes but they may be presented as an opportunity to scale the obstacle and reach something better on the other side.

Trials can be a sign that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) intends good for us, because through trials our sins are expiated and we have the opportunity to perform good deeds. Trials and tribulations are thereby a means of purification and earning nearness to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He).

Crude oil is refined before it can be used. Gold and diamonds go through a rigorous process of purification before they reach their potential. Likewise, we must go through a spiritual purification process.

Some tribulations make us appreciate what we never appreciated before while others teach us something which protects us from bigger issues in the future. Temporary trials may appear as a reminder of the blessings that we have taken for granted. Illness makes us appreciative of health and prompts us to use our healthy days productively. Missing someone makes us appreciate that relationship and value it more when reunited. Being inconvenienced through travel and unfamiliar surroundings makes us appreciate stability and security.

Some trials are an expiation for sins that we may have forgotten about or neglected to repent from while others are an opportunity to strengthen our character and endurance.

 

لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَا‌ۚ

“Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity…” [Qur’an; 2:286]

Through our trials and tribulations we not only come to recognize our own mettle but also the true quality of the people around us. We get the opportunity to distinguish between our true supporters and wolves in sheep’s clothing.

In some cases, enduring a trial is a barter for something better in the hereafter.

“Allah said, ‘If I deprive my slave of his two beloved things (i.e., his eyes) and he remains patient, I will let him enter Paradise in compensation for them.'” [Bukhari]

“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]

“When Allah wants good for his slave, He hastens his punishment in the world. And when He wants bad for His slave, He withholds his sins from him until he appears before Him on the Day of Judgement.” [Tirmidhi]

“This people of mine is one to which mercy is shown. It will have no punishment in the next world, but its punishment in this world will be trials, earthquakes and being killed.” [Abu Dawud]

“If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials.” [Bukhari]

“When Allah wants good for his slave, He hastens his punishment in the world. And when He wants bad for His slave, He withholds his sins from him until he appears before Him on the Day of Judgement.” [Tirmidhi]

“Indeed greater reward comes with greater trial. And indeed, when Allah loves a people He subjects them to trials, so whoever is content, then for him is pleasure, and whoever is discontent, then for him is wrath.” [Tirmidhi]

“When a slave’s child dies, Allah the Most High asks His angels, ‘Have you taken out the life of the child of My slave?” They reply in the affirmative. He then asks, ‘Have you taken the fruit of his heart?’ They reply in the affirmative. Thereupon he asks, ‘What has My slave said?’ They say: ‘He has praised You and said: Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un (We belong to Allah and to Him we shall be returned). Allah says: ‘Build a house for My slave in Jannah and name it as Bait-ul-Hamd (the House of Praise).”‘ [Tirmidhi]

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, “My faithful servant’s reward from Me, if I have taken to Me his best friend from amongst the inhabitants of the world and he has then borne it patiently for My sake, shall be nothing less than Paradise.” [Hadith Qudsi]

Therefore our efforts should be not to avoid the test, but rather to succeed through it and earn the pleasure of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). Being tested is part of the plan rather than an anomaly.

 

تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِ ٱلۡمُلۡكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ (١) ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ وَٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ أَيُّكُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ عَمَلاً۬‌ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡغَفُورُ(٢)

“Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent – [He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed – and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving.” [Qur’an; 67:1-2]

 

وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ‌ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ (١٥٥) ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ۬ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٲجِعُونَ (١٥٦) أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ صَلَوَٲتٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٌ۬‌ۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ (١٥٧)

“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.” Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.” [Qur’an; 2:155-157]

 

أَمۡ حَسِبۡتُمۡ أَن تَدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأۡتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوۡاْ مِن قَبۡلِكُم‌ۖ مَّسَّتۡہُمُ ٱلۡبَأۡسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلۡزِلُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُ ۥ مَتَىٰ نَصۡرُ ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصۡرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ۬ (٢١٤)

“Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, “When is the help of Allah?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.” [Qur’an; 2:214]

 

لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ (٤)

“We have certainly created man into hardship.” [Qur’an; 90:4]

There is no need to find people or sources to blame. Even in the face of oppression–be it small or great–we must remember not to allow our suffering to trigger us into committing further acts of injustice or oppression.

“Whoever has wronged his brother, should ask for his pardon (before his death), as (in the Hereafter) there will be neither a Dinar nor a Dirham. (He should secure pardon in this life) before some of his good deeds are taken and paid to his brother, or if he has done no good deeds, some of the bad deeds of his brother are taken to be loaded on him (in the Hereafter).” [Bukhari]

 

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّٲمِينَ لِلَّهِ شُہَدَآءَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ‌ۖ وَلَا يَجۡرِمَنَّڪُمۡ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوۡمٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُواْ‌ۚ ٱعۡدِلُواْ هُوَ أَقۡرَبُ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰ‌ۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ (٨)

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.” [Qur’an; 5:8]

As the saying goes, if you are only good to those who are good to you, then what good are you?

Very few things in life are attained without some sort of test and research. Be it buying a car, or seeking knowledge, there has to be some effort coupled with trial and error. These not only test our sincerity in attaining the objective but also help us appreciate the end goal more once we have attained it, because there was some striving involved.

A bigger reflection, however, is that we are limited in our abilities and need Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) to take care of our affairs, to help us, to forgive us, and have mercy on us.

The Age of Instant Gratification

“How wonderful is the case of a believer; there 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 better for him”. [Muslim]

Willpower and patience are muscles that can be trained to push known limits, yet we find they have atrophied from lack of exercise instead. A headache is instantly cured with a pill. Information is at our fingertips whenever we want it. We can seemingly reach anyone anywhere at any time and expect to hear back from them almost immediately. Education (or rather a certificate) can be attained via the fast track. It seems one does not have to work a lifetime to be wealthy but can attain wealth instantly through a “miracle formula”.

It may be that what appears to be a form of misfortune has actually come about as mercy from Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) in that it forewarns us to check ourselves and take corrective measures so that we do not fall into more serious trouble either in this world or in the hereafter. It may also be that an apparent misfortune actually prevents us from real misfortune. A simple example of this is missing a flight that was destined to crash, but what about calamities that we never see for ourselves but only Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) knows about? Thus we have to trust His Infinite Wisdom.

 

وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تَكۡرَهُواْ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَهُوَ خَيۡرٌ۬ لَّڪُمۡ‌ۖ وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ۬ لَّكُمۡ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (٢١٦)

“…But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.” [Qur’an; 2:216]

Tawakkul

A believer must develop reliance on Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). This is known as tawakkul. It is to put one’s trust in Allah completely and believe that He alone can ward off harm and He alone can bring benefit. Equipped with tawakkul, a believer is able to accept various turns of events without becoming engulfed in anxiety or sorrow.

 

وَيَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَحۡتَسِبُ‌ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهُ ۥۤ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَـٰلِغُ أَمۡرِهِۦ‌ۚ قَدۡ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدۡرً۬ا (٣)

“And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.” [Qur’an; 65:3]

 

Tawakkul is not an excuse for inaction. Rather, it is about striving with one’s best effort while relying on Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) to take care of one’s affairs and leaving the outcome to Him. There is no worry or anxiety in the process of striving.

A daughter of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent a message to him that her son was at his last breath, and requested him to come to her. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent back the informer saying, “To Allah belongs what He takes and what He gives, and everything has a limited period (in this world). So ask her to endure patiently, and expect the reward of Allah.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

We have become accustomed to instant gratification and thereby patience is in limited supply. Life, on the other hand, does not always serve our need for instant gratification. It does not always go according to plan. Are we equipped to hustle and struggle? Are we willing to endure until we see the light at the end of the tunnel, or the view after the climb? Do we have tawakkul and persevere or do we complain, blame, and feel like victims? That is a test.

 …وَإِنَّآ إِذَآ أَذَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ مِنَّا رَحۡمَةً۬ فَرِحَ بِہَا‌ۖ وَإِن تُصِبۡہُمۡ سَيِّئَةُۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ فَإِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ كَفُورٌ۬ (٤٨)

“…And indeed, when We let man taste mercy from us, he rejoices in it; but if evil afflicts him for what his hands have put forth, then indeed, man is ungrateful.” [Qur’an; 42:48]

فَأَمَّا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ إِذَا مَا ٱبۡتَلَٮٰهُ رَبُّهُ ۥ فَأَكۡرَمَهُ ۥ وَنَعَّمَهُ ۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّىٓ أَكۡرَمَنِ (١٥) وَأَمَّآ إِذَا مَا ٱبۡتَلَٮٰهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيۡهِ رِزۡقَهُ ۥ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّىٓ أَهَـٰنَنِ (١٦)

“And as for man, when his Lord tries him and [thus] is generous to him and favors him, he says, “My Lord has honored me.” But when He tries him and restricts his provision, he says, “My Lord has humiliated me.” [Qur’an; 89:15-16]

Such is the nature of the human being. Alternating between ease and hardship is in itself a means of turning back to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) time and time again.

Suffering, Anguish, Misery

At some point, one may start to wonder why there is so much suffering in the world. At the same time, there are elements out there who try to make people second-guess their faith and ask questions along the lines of, “Would an All-Merciful and All-Powerful God allow suffering and evil?” This results in youngsters, especially, having their faith shaken as they have not yet attained the maturity or guidance to deal with such elements.

It is noteworthy that the angels themselves asked Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) about placing mankind on Earth:

وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ خَلِيفَةً۬‌ۖ قَالُوٓاْ أَتَجۡعَلُ فِيہَا مَن يُفۡسِدُ فِيہَا وَيَسۡفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحۡنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمۡدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ‌ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعۡلَمُ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (٣٠)

And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority.” They said, “Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?” Allah said, “Indeed, I know that which you do not know.” [Qur’an; 2:30]

The response was not a deep, rational, philosophical rebuttal on every point, but rather a profound statement requiring one to trust Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) in His infinite knowledge and wisdom behind what He decrees because He knows and we do not.

لَا يُسۡـَٔلُ عَمَّا يَفۡعَلُ وَهُمۡ يُسۡـَٔلُونَ (٢٣)

“He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.” [Qur’an; 21:23]

The irony is that those who mock religion or God (may Allah safeguard us), have not solved any problem but have rather created a new problem. They do not have answers to questions about where mankind came from, what the purpose of life is, how we are supposed to live on Earth, etc. Yet we do have some clarification on the benefits of trials and tribulations.

Regardless, it is important to understand that this present life is not meant to be the abode of peace; it is the testing ground and abode of trials (Dar-ul-Bala’). The real abode of peace (Dar-us-Salam) is to be found in the Hereafter, by the name of Jannah. Therefore rather than seeking perpetual happiness in this life, we need to focus our efforts on abiding by the commands of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and seeking out Jannah. Thus one of the wisdoms of having pain and suffering in this world is to allow us to pass those tests and be rewarded by responding to them with goodness and morality. We use the pain and suffering to earn the mercy of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and eternal well-being.

We can simplify this issue by understanding that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) is The Most Just. Therefore whatever He decrees has wisdom in it even if we do not perceive it. For example, a caring and loving doctor and father may be forced to amputate the leg of his son. There is no doubt that this father loves his son and that his action was for good reason, although it may seem cruel to those who do not understand the circumstances. Whereas the love of a human being is limited, Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) is infinite in His mercy and compassion.

Further Resources

Trials and Tribulations: Wisdom and Benefits; al-Imam al-‘Izz bin ‘Abdus-Salam

The Story of Prophet Ayyub

Attributes for Success

Happiness and Success

Stress Management and Success

Patience (Attribute)

Beautiful Patience (Four Essentials)

Incident relating to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)

Test and Suffering

[Video] Why is There Suffering in the World?

[Video] How to Respond to Tests and Trials

[Video] The first story revealed in the Qur’an – Surah Al-Qalam by Dr. Yasir Qadhi

The Believer’s Trials and Tribulations

Love of the World

The Delayed Dua Syndrome

Dealing With Tribulations: A Comprehensive Reader

The Ideology of Life

July 17, 2018 | khuluq

Success Through Guidance

Islam is a complete way of life, so much so that even the manner of making day-to-day decisions is covered by the religion. This guidance applies to any decision that is made with a good intention, whether something as major as deciding on a job offer, or as simple as which pair of pants to purchase.

Istishara

Whether the situation requires making a choice between multiple options or a simple “yes or no”, the first advisable step is to seek the counsel of those qualified. Qualified people are those who have experience and/or knowledge about what you are attempting.

For instance in deciding what car to buy, in addition to considering the opinion of family and friends and salespeople, involving an auto-mechanic in the decision will enable you to understand what you can get out of the car in the long term, potential pitfalls and maintenance problems, and how well it will suit your budget and needs.

The Choice

After taking into consideration the advice received, one would weigh the pros and cons and arrive at a decision. In other words, seeking guidance on decisions is not seeking a magic spell. One is actually required to do all the leg work beforehand, tie the camel, then trust in Allah (Tawakkul).

Istikhara

Once we have sought the counsel of people and made our choice, we seek the counsel of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He). We ultimately need His guidance and blessing in all matters. How is this done?

Salatul istikhara is a prayer consisting of two raka’at followed by a supplication taught to us by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). This is not as complicated as it sounds when we start applying it. Soon enough, we will see the blessings of istikhara so much that we will not be able to resist performing it before any decision.

The supplication of istikhara:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِه

Allâhumma inni astakhiruka bi ilmika wa astaqdiruka biqudratika wa as’aluka min fadlikal-azimi, fa innaka taqdiru walâ aqdiru wa ta’lamu walâ a’lamu wa anta allamul ghuyubi. Allâhumma in kunta ta’lamu anna hâdhal amra khayrun li fi dini wa ma-ashi wa aqibati amri faqdir-hu li wa yassir-hu li thumma barik li fihi wa in kunta ta’lamu anna hâdhal amra sharrun li fi dini wa maâshi wa aqibati amri fasrifhu anni wasrifni anhu waqdir liyal-khayra haythu kâna thumma ardini bih.

“O Allah, verily I seek the better [of either choice] from You, by Your knowledge, and I seek ability from You, by Your power, and I ask You from Your immense bounty. For indeed You have power, and I am powerless; You have knowledge and I know not; You are the Knower of the unseen realms. O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me with regard to my religion, my livelihood and the end of my affair then decree it for me, facilitate it for me, and grant me blessing in it. And if You know that this matter is not good for me with regard to my religion, my livelihood and the end of my affair then turn it away from me and me from it; and decree for me better than it, wherever it may be, and make me content with it.”

 

The Difference is Palpable

What’s the point of applying istikhara to every little decision in life? The difference is barakah.

Barakah is the Divine attachment to a thing that brings about enhancement and increase. So for instance, when you buy your laptop with istikhara, it can be expected to serve you longer and with fewer problems and, when there are problems, those will not be a source of hassle. Those awkward coffee tables or bed posts you tend to stub your toes on too often? They probably will not happen when you do istikhara before your purchase of furniture. Your job will serve you better, your income will go a longer way, your work will have a wider reach–all because of barakah.

These are simple examples to explain the concept of barakah and why we strive to seek it. It is a way of working smart to increase success.

Hidayah (Guidance)

The above was regarding believers seeking guidance in their affairs. When speaking of guidance at a higher level, however, we use the term hidayah. The word hadiyyah (gift) shares the same root letters as hidayah. Religious guidance is the greatest gift that a person may be bestowed with. It is a mercy from Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and is not something we can control.

إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿٥٦﴾

“Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.” [Qur’an; 28:56]

Regardless, we should not stop striving in seeking the pleasure of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and receiving His guidance. It is incumbent upon us to make an effort to seek the truth and apply it and also to share it with others, regardless of whether the benefit of this effort becomes immediately apparent or not.

وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ ﴿٣٩﴾

“And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives.” [Qur’an; 53:39]

Further Information:

A Reader on the Prayer for Seeking Guidance

Video: Prayer for Seeking Guidance; Why and How?

Concept of Guidance in Islam

April 30, 2017 | khuluq

Optimism

The Quran

“So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers.” [Qur’an; 3:139]

”For those whose hopes are in the meeting with Allah (in the Hereafter, let them strive); for the term (appointed) by Allah is surely coming and He hears and knows (all things).” [Qur’an; 29:5]

“…And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.” [Qur’an; 65:2-3]

“…Allah does not charge a soul except [according to] what He has given it. Allah will bring about, after hardship, ease.” [Qur’an; 65:7]

“For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship]. And to your Lord direct [your] longing.” [Qur’an; 94:5-8]

“…O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” [Qur’an; 39:53]

“Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, “When is the help of Allah?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.” [Qur’an; 2:214]

“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often. And when the believers saw the companies, they said, “This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth.” And it increased them only in faith and acceptance.” [Qur’an; 33:21-22]

“We have given you good tidings in truth, so do not be of the despairing.”….. “And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord except for those astray?” [Quran; 15:55-56]

“Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one’s] hope.” [Qur’an; 18:46]

Hadith

It was narrated that Jabir said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: ‘No one of you should die except thinking positively of Allah.’” [Ibn Majah]

Anas bin Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Allah, Blessed is He and Most High, said: ‘O son of Adam! Verily as long as you called upon Me and hoped in Me, I forgave you, despite whatever may have occurred from you, and I did not mind. O son of Adam! Were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky, then you sought forgiveness from Me, I would forgive you, and I would not mind. So son of Adam! If you came to me with sins nearly as great as the earth, and then you met Me not associating anything with Me, I would come to you with forgiveness nearly as great as it.’” [Tirmidhi]

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Allah says, ‘If My slave intends to do a bad deed then (O Angels) do not write it unless he does it; if he does it, then write it as it is, but if he refrains from doing it for My Sake, then write it as a good deed (in his account). (On the other hand) if he intends to do a good deed, but does not do it, then write a good deed (in his account), and if he does it, then write it for him (in his account) as ten good deeds up to seven-hundred times.'” [Bukhari]

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Allah said, ‘I am to my slave as he thinks of Me, (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I can do for him). (See Hadith No. 502) [Bukhari]

Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Make things easy for the people, and do not make it difficult for them, and make them calm (with glad tidings) and do not repulse (them). [Sahih Bukhari]

“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]

It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed Al Khudri said, “Shall I not tell you what I heard directly from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)? I heard it and memorized it: ‘A man killed ninety-nine people, then the idea of repentance occurred to him. He asked who was the most knowledgeable of people on earth, and he was told of a man so he went to him and said: “I have killed ninety-nine people. Can I repent?” He said: “After ninety-nine people?!” He said: ‘So he drew his sword and killed him, thus completing one hundred. Then the idea of repentance occurred to him (again), so he asked who was the most knowledgeable of people, and he was told of a man (so he went to him) and said: “I have killed one hundred people. Can I repent?” He said: “Woe to you, what is stopping you from repenting? Leave the evil town where you are living and go to a good town, such and such town and worship your Lord there.” So he went out, heading for the good town, but death came to him on the road. The angels of mercy and angels of punishment argued over him. Iblis (Satan) said: “I have more right to him, for he never disobeyed me for a moment.” But the angels of mercy said: “He went out repenting.” (One of the narrators) Hammam said: “Humaid At-Tawil narrated to me from Bakr bin Abdullah that Abu Rafi said: ‘So Allah (SWT) sent an angel to whom they referred (the case). He said: “Look and see which of the two towns was he closer, and put him with its people.” (One of the narrators) Qatadah said: “Hasan narrated to us: ‘When death came to him he strove and drew closer to the good town, and farther away from the evil town, so they put him with the people of the good town.” [Ibn Majah]

Narrated Ali (may Allah be pleased with her): Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her) complained of what she suffered from the hand mill and from grinding, when she got the news that some slave girls of the booty had been brought to Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). She went to him to ask for a maid-servant, but she could not find him, and told `Aisha of her need. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came, Aisha informed him of that. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to our house when we had gone to our beds. (On seeing the Prophet) we were going to get up, but he said, ‘Keep at your places,’ I felt the coolness of the Prophet’s feet on my chest. Then he said, “Shall I tell you a thing which is better than what you asked me for? When you go to your beds, say: ‘Allahu Akbar (i.e. Allah is Greater)’ for 34 times, and ‘Al hamdu Li llah (i.e. all the praises are for Allah)’ for 33 times, and Subhan Allah (i.e. Glorified be Allah) for 33 times. This is better for you than what you have requested.” [Bukhari]

 

Fear and hope are like two wings of a bird. By maintaining a balance between these two states, one can avoid falling into the extreme of despair or the extreme of audaciousness.

We do not hope to enter Paradise through our good deeds alone, but we hope to enter through Allah’s mercy. And for this, we work hard to do good and steer clear of evil.

Yahya ibn Mu’adh is reported to have said, “To me that person is a more a fool who hopes for forgiveness while remaining engrossed in sins without doing virtuous acts, who hopes for the fruit of Paradise after sowing the seeds of Hell, who hopes for the rank of the pious by doing sinful acts.”

It is reported that Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “A learned man is he who does not prevent people from the mercy of Allah and does not guarantee them the wrath of Allah.”

Medicine is required for two types of patients in this regard. Despair is strong for patients of the first type that they give up worship. Fear is so strong for patients of the second type that they strive hard in worship and thereby they destroy themselves and their family members. These two types of people are far away from the middle path and go to one of the two extremes. So medicine is necessary for them in order that they may walk along the middle course. Whoever entertains false hope and commits sins, believing in the mercy of Allah and turning away from worship, the medicine of hope for him is as destructive as poison, which is sweet to him like honey.

A results-driven and positive attitude goes a long way towards achievement in this life and in the hereafter. Optimism depends on one’s level of faith and reliance (tawakkul) on Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He).

Narrated Abu Bakr, “I was in the company of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the cave, and on seeing the traces of the pagans, I said, “O Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) if one of them (pagans) should lift up his foot, he will see us.” He said, “What do you think of two, the third of whom is Allah?” [Bukhari]

Even secular studies indicate that a positive thinker tends to have a better quality of life in terms of overall physical and emotional health in addition to being more resilient during difficult times. Positive people attract the goodwill of others, whereas negativity naturally drives others away. Thus optimism and positivity in day-to-day dealings enable the development of a support network that one can turn to in times of need.

Tips for Developing Optimism

  1. Tawakkul (trust in Allah)
  2. Daily connection with the Qur’an (reciting and pondering over it)
  3. Focus on solutions rather than problems
  4. Keep your eye on the bigger picture instead of being overcome by specific stumbling blocks
  5. Engage in regular physical exercise
  6. Smile more–it’s also charity!
  7. Limit exposure to media and current affairs

 

Further Resources

What Does Tawakkul Mean?

April 19, 2017 | khuluq

Patience

The Qur’an

“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” [Qur’an 2:153]

“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah , and indeed to Him we will return.” Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.” [Qur’an 2:155-157]

“Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity…” [Qur’an; 2:286]

“O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.” [Qur’an 3:200]

“…And the good word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because of what they had patiently endured…” [Qur’an 7:137]

“Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” [Qur’an 8:46]

“Except for those who are patient and do righteous deeds; those will have forgiveness and great reward.” [Quran 11:11]

“…And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying], “Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home.” [Qur’an 13:23-24]

“…And We will surely give those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do.” [Qur’an 16:96]

“…And We have made some of you [people] as trial for others – will you have patience? And ever is your Lord, Seeing.” [Qur’an 25:20]

“Those will be given their reward twice for what they patiently endured and [because] they avert evil through good, and from what We have provided them they spend.” [Qur’an 28:54]

“And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs.” [Qur’an 32:24]

“…Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.” [Qur’an 39:10]

“And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend. But none is granted it except those who are patient, and none is granted it except one having a great portion [of good].” [Qur’an 42:34-35]

Hadith

Narrated Anas: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The real patience is at the first stroke of a calamity.” [Sahih Bukhari]

Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “When a man’s child dies, Allah, the Exalted, asks His angels, ‘Have you taken out the life of the child of My slave?’ and they reply in the affirmative. He (Subhanahu wa Ta’aala) then asks, ‘Have you taken the fruit of his heart?’ and they reply in the affirmative. Thereupon He asks, ‘What did my slave say?’ They say: ‘He praised You and said: Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un (We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return).’ Allah says: ‘Build a house for my slave in Jannah and name it Baitul-Hamd (the House of Praise).”‘ [Tirmidhi]

“And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and hardship with ease.” [40 Hadith Nawawi]

“Every son of Adam commits sin, and the best of those who commit sin are those who repent.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]

 

Sayings from the Companions and Early Muslims

“Be patient. Know that patience is of two kinds, one of which is better than the other. It is good to have patience with disasters, but better than this is to protect oneself from the unlawful. And know that patience is the gist of faith, as the greatest religious act is the fear of Allah, which is gained by patience.” [Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)]

“Faith is built on four: certainty, patience, jihad and good judgement.” “Patience is to faith as head is to body. Whoever has no head has no body. Similarly, whoever has no patience has no faith.” [Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)]

“To remain patient with commands and to remain satisfied with fate is the best rank of faith.” [Abu al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him)]

 

 

Patience is an attribute of man only: angels, birds and beasts have no such attribute.

Giving up sin and doing good deeds are not possible without patience. Patience is to act on the inclination to do good deeds after suppressing evil propensities. From this perspective, patience is half of faith.

The first kind of patience is patience with physical pain, such as patience with difficult good deeds, and with sudden accidents and dangers. If patience is observed according to the dictates of religion, it is praiseworthy.

The second kind is patience with inclinations to evil and desire. To have patience with the desire of the stomach and genitals is self-control; with battles–bravery; with anger–forbearance; with turns of fortune–the opening of the heart; with happiness and pleasures–renunciation; and with present possessions–satisfaction.

Patience must be exercised with regard to strength and weakness, in relation to hardship and ease, as well as in relation to laws. To keep patient with the unlawful is obligatory. For instance, it requires patience to perform wudu (washing up before prayer) during cold weather, or to fast long hours in hot weather. It takes patience to maintain concentration in prayer and pray on time, rather than letting myriad tasks distract us because we cannot be patient to finish the prayer first before attending to the tasks.

There are two kinds of things which a man has to face in this world and patience is necessary with both:

A. things which accord with his desire: such as physical health, safety, wealth, name and fame, a large number of followers and helpers. To keep patient with these worldly things is necessary, as whoever enjoys these things without control keeps himself busy with sins.

“Oh you who believe, let not your wealth or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah.” [Quran; 63:9]

Whoever can keep patient with pleasures and happiness is a real man; which entails not being addicted to these things. Such a man thinks of everything given to him as a trust and soon he will have to return it. He does not let himself be swayed by happiness, nor does he keep engaged in diversions.

B. things which oppose his desire: this can be divided into three:

  • matters in which man has a choice: e.g. goods deeds and giving up sin.
  • matters in which man has no choice: e.g. natural disasters, dangers and difficulties.
  • matters in which man has a choice but which he is free to eliminate: e.g. elimination of a harmful person by way of revenge.

If a person gives trouble to another by word or deed, patience–not retaliation–is sometimes obligatory, and sometimes it is regarded as an additional virtuous act.

“And be patient over what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance.” [Quran; 73:10]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “The person who perfectly maintains the ties of kinship is not the one who does it because he gets recompensed by his relatives (for being kind and good to them), but the one who truly maintains the bonds of kinship is the one who persists in doing so even though the latter has severed the ties of kinship with him”. [Bukhari]

Just as there is patience of different types, the methods for developing the required patience also varies. One must understand the root cause of not having the required patience in each situation and then identify the ways to eliminate that cause.

As promised in the Qur’an (2:153 and 8:46), Allah is with the patient. By virtue of this Divine companionship, those who are patient stand to gain in this life and in the next, gaining both apparent and hidden blessings.

Practising Patience (Sabr)

The ideal that we must train ourselves towards is to make patience the instantaneous and natural reaction.

“The real patience is at the first stroke of a calamity.” [Bukhari]

If you were to lose your phone, what would be the first words you utter? Would they be words of contentment with the turn of events and tawakkul, or would they be words of frustration, despair, and perhaps even vulgarity?

Developing patience takes effort. It does not come automatically. This may be more difficult for some people than others, depending on their temperament. However, Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) sees our efforts and rewards us accordingly. The struggle matters as much as, or perhaps more than, the outcome.

“…And whoever remains patient, Allah will make him patient. Nobody can be given a blessing better and more encompassing than patience.” [Tirmidhi]

Patience is essential for going through life. One cannot erupt and be frazzled by every imperfection or inconvenience. A healthy dose of patience makes for far smoother sailing.

Anger management is a key point of consideration when seeking to develop one’s patience. Anger does have it’s purpose and place and a correct way of being utilized, just like any other human emotion. If one does not feel anger when one sees or hears of injustice, then perhaps there is something wrong within. However, that anger needs to be directed and utilized appropriately so that it does not reign unbridled and earn the displeasure of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He).

Anger is described as a blaze of fire that resides in the heart–and most often destructive. Imam Mawlud compares it to “a swelling mass of emotion that is difficult to hold back once it is unleashed.”

To use an analogy provided by Imam Al-Ghazzali, think of your mind as a cave with a candle glimmering inside it. This candle is your intellect. When anger occurs, it as though a fire has started inside the cave. Soon, the cave fills with heat and smoke which nearly extinguishes the candle. In other words, anger clouds your intellect and ability to think clearly.

Thus it needs containing in order to prevent damage, humiliation, and other negative consequences.

It was narrated from Ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There is no gulp that brings greater reward with Allah than a gulp of anger that a man swallows (suppresses), seeking thereby the Face of Allah.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]

Narrated Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “The strong is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength, but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger.” [Sahih Bukhari]

Abu Hurairah narrated that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, “Teach me something that is not too much for me so that, perhaps, I may abide by it.” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Do not get angry.” He repeated that (the request) a number of times, each time he replied: ‘Do not get angry.” [Tirmidhi]

Excessive anger is harmful and prevails over good qualities. A man with excessive anger first loses his intellect, religion and worship; then his sense of right and wrong and the power of right and good thinking, then his power of freedom. Finally he becomes a man afflicted with danger.

There are three causes of not getting angry: being more engaged in more necessary things, being immersed in Allah’s Oneness and knowing that Allah does not love anger, and so more love for Him extinguishes the fire of anger. This is possible when love of the world is ousted from the heart.

The causes which grow anger are self-conceit, self-praise, jest and ridicule, argumentation, treachery, too much greed for too much wealth and name and fame. If these evils are united in a person, his conduct becomes bad and he cannot escape anger. So these things should be removed by their opposites. Self-praise is to be removed by modestly; pride by knowing one’s own origin and birth; greed by remaining satisfied with necessary things; and miserliness by charity.

Medicines for Anger

Medicine based on knowledge:

  • To ponder over the rewards and punishments of appeasing anger that have been mentioned in the Qur’an and hadith
  • To fear the punishment of Allah and to know that Allah’s punishment of you is greater than your punishment of another.
  • To take precautions of the punishment of enmity and revenge on yourself.
  • To think about the ugly face of the angry person.
  • To imagine Satan goading you to be angry and refusing to allow him that influence over you.
  • To think of the reason why you are angry and remember that what Allah has wished has occurred.

Medicine based on action

  • Saying, “I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan.”
  • To sit down if you are standing, to lie down if you are sitting and bring yourself close to the ground, as you have been created of earth. Thus, make yourself clam like the earth. “When one of you becomes angry while standing, he should sit down. If the anger leaves him, well and good; otherwise he should lie down.” [Abu Dawud]
  • To perform wudhu or take a cold shower
  • To be silent until the anger subsides.

It is important to remain calm and think through things rather than rushing and acting on impulse. Reflect on what lead to the situation that is causing your anger. Perhaps it is our own mistake that brought about the situation and therefore it is not worth projecting that anger on someone else.

Even in the case of someone else who is making us angry, we must remind ourselves that it is not worth our expending our anger on most issues. An incident is related regarding Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) where someone accused him of not dealing with justice. However, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was reminded about the following:

خُذِ ٱلۡعَفۡوَ وَأۡمُرۡ بِٱلۡعُرۡفِ وَأَعۡرِضۡ عَنِ ٱلۡجَـٰهِلِينَ (١٩٩)

“Hold to forgiveness; command what is right; but turn away from the ignorant.” [Qur’an; 7:199]

Some situations cannot be attributed to one’s own actions or the actions of another person but they need to be accepted as the Divine Decree of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) who ordains things by His Infinite Wisdom and we are not able to comprehend the full breadth and depth of His arrangements for us. We remind ourselves that we are His slaves and we give priority to accepting His decree over having our own desires met exactly as we prefer. It could be a test that takes us closer to Him (Glorified and Exalted be He) or it could be an arrangement that is for our own good. He is the All-Knowing.

وَسَارِعُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ مَغۡفِرَةٍ۬ مِّن رَّبِّڪُمۡ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرۡضُهَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ أُعِدَّتۡ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ (١٣٣) ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِى ٱلسَّرَّآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَٱلۡڪَـٰظِمِينَ ٱلۡغَيۡظَ وَٱلۡعَافِينَ عَنِ ٱلنَّاسِ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ (١٣٤) وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُواْ فَـٰحِشَةً أَوۡ ظَلَمُوٓاْ أَنفُسَہُمۡ ذَكَرُواْ ٱللَّهَ فَٱسۡتَغۡفَرُواْ لِذُنُوبِهِمۡ وَمَن يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَلَمۡ يُصِرُّواْ عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُواْ وَهُمۡ يَعۡلَمُونَ (١٣٥) أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ جَزَآؤُهُم مَّغۡفِرَةٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَجَنَّـٰتٌ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡہَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَا‌ۚ وَنِعۡمَ أَجۡرُ ٱلۡعَـٰمِلِينَ (١٣٦)

“And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous. Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people – and Allah loves the doers of good; And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins – and who can forgive sins except Allah? – and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know. Those – their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers.” [Qur’an; 3:133-136]

The above verse mentions restraining anger (وَٱلۡڪَـٰظِمِينَ ٱلۡغَيۡظَ). We must keep it contained and not let it overflow and become apparent in our words and actions. Restraining anger is an act that disappoints Satan while giving into anger is an act that pleases him. We need to bear in mind that giving into anger makes us ugly even in appearance and more often than not causes us to feel remorse and shame later.

صِلْ مَنْ قَطَعَكَ وَأَعْطِ مَنْ حَرَمَكَ وَاعْفُ عَمَّنْ ظَلَمَكَ

“Reconcile with whoever cuts you off, give to whoever deprives you, and forgive whoever wrongs you.” [Musnad Aḥmad]

It is narrated that once when Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was once insulted by a man, he offered the man an expensive garment and 1000 Dirhams as a gift in return. In other words, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) chose to respond in a higher way. At this the man responded, “I bear witness that you are from the descendants of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).”

It is also narrated regarding Umar ibn Abdul Aziz that once when he was in the position of the Caliph, he was walking through the masjid when he happened to trip over another person. The other person became upset and asked Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) if he was crazy. Although the Caliph’s guards tried to take action against the man for asking such a question, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would not let them. Instead he simply answered the man’s question with, “No, I am not crazy,” and continued on his way.

These are examples of remaining sensible and collected even when faced with disturbing situations and dealing with them in a reasonable way.

“The strong-man is not one who wrestles well but the strong man is one who controls himself when he is in a fit of rage.” [Sahih Muslim]

 

Further Reading

Anger Management in Islam

Treaty of Hudaibiyah

Perseverance

Trials and Tribulations

Stories of the Prophets

[Book] Al-Fawa’id; pg 371

[Video] Patience – the Ultimate Weapon

[Video] How to Have Patience During Hardship

[Video] How to be Patient

The Story of Prophet Ayyub 

April 12, 2017 | khuluq

Formula for Success

IMFS(D&A) = 7(S + T)

D&A = for Dunya (this life) and Akhirah (eternal life)

S =

Salah (prayer) – As Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says in the Qur’an:

ٱتۡلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيۡكَ مِنَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ‌ۖ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ تَنۡهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنكَرِ‌ۗ وَلَذِكۡرُ ٱللَّهِ أَڪۡبَرُ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تَصۡنَعُونَ

“Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do.” [Qur’an; 29:45]

 

Siyam (fasting)

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيۡڪُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِڪُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ

“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.” [Qur’an; 2:183]

 

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (peace be upon him said) said, “(Allah said), ‘Every good deed of Adam’s son is for him except fasting; it is for Me. and I shall reward (the fasting person) for it.’ Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.” [Sahih Bukhari]

 

Sabr (patience) – This can be translated as patience, persistence, perseverance, commitment, consistence, contentment, countenance and endurance. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) tells us in the Qur’an:

وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ‌ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ / لَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ۬ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٲجِعُونَ / أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ صَلَوَٲتٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٌ۬‌ۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ

“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah , and indeed to Him we will return.” Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.” [Qur’an; 2:155-157]

وَٱسۡتَعِينُواْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ‌ۚ وَإِنَّہَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلۡخَـٰشِعِينَ

“And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah]” [Qur’an; 2:45]

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya stated in Al-Fawaa’id (page 139) that, “Patience in resisting desires is easier than patience in dealing with the consequences that result from going along with desires, because it either leads to pain and punishment or it prevents a more complete pleasure, . . . or it deprives one of a blessing, having which is more pleasurable and better than fulfilling desires, or it cuts off an oncoming blessing, or it has a negative impact on one’s character that will remain, because deeds have a great impact on one’s character and behavior.”

 

Shukr (gratitude)

وَمَا ڪَانَ لِنَفۡسٍ أَن تَمُوتَ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ كِتَـٰبً۬ا مُّؤَجَّلاً۬‌ۗ وَمَن يُرِدۡ ثَوَابَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا نُؤۡتِهِۦ مِنۡہَا وَمَن يُرِدۡ ثَوَابَ ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ نُؤۡتِهِۦ مِنۡہَا‌ۚ وَسَنَجۡزِى ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَ

“And it is not [possible] for one to die except by permission of Allah at a decree determined. And whoever desires the reward of this world – We will give him thereof; and whoever desires the reward of the Hereafter – We will give him thereof. And we will reward the grateful.” [Qur’an; 3:145]

وَقَلِيلٌ۬ مِّنۡ عِبَادِىَ ٱلشَّكُورُ

“…And few of My servants are grateful.” [Qur’an; 34:13]

 

مَّا يَفۡعَلُ ٱللَّهُ بِعَذَابِڪُمۡ إِن شَكَرۡتُمۡ وَءَامَنتُمۡ‌ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ شَاڪِرًا عَلِيمً۬ا

“What would Allah do with your punishment if you are grateful and believe? And ever is Allah Appreciative and Knowing.” [Qur’an; 4:147]

 

وَڪَذَٲلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعۡضَہُم بِبَعۡضٍ۬ لِّيَقُولُوٓاْ أَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِم مِّنۢ بَيۡنِنَآ‌ۗ أَلَيۡسَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَعۡلَمَ بِٱلشَّـٰڪِرِينَ

“And thus We have tried some of them through others that the disbelievers might say, “Is it these whom Allah has favored among us?” Is not Allah most knowing of those who are grateful?” [Quran; 6:53]

 

إِنَّا هَدَيۡنَـٰهُ ٱلسَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرً۬ا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا

“Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful.” [Qur’an; 76:3]

 

Sadaqah (charity) – Sadaqah encompasses all forms of giving, including zakah (obligatory giving for the purification of your own soul [not wealth]). As Muslims we believe that, “Every good deed is charity.” [Al-Bukhari].

We also learn from the hadith that, “Wealth is not diminished by giving (in charity). Allah augments the honour of one who forgives; and one who displays humility towards another seeking the Pleasure of Allah, Allah exalts him in ranks.” [Muslim]

“If you want to really live, you have to give – giving is living. The life of the prophets was all about giving. Martyrs (shuhada) give their life so they can live forever. That is why the prophets live until today–because they gave everything. Those who love selflessly give. Having more is giving more because when you give you live.”

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said, “Who among you considers the wealth of his heirs dearer to him than his own wealth?” They replied, “O Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)! There is none among us but loves his own wealth more.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “So his wealth is whatever he spends (in Allah’s cause) during his life (on good deeds) while the wealth of his heirs is whatever he leaves after his death.” [Sahih Bukhari]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said, “Giving in charity is an obligation upon every Muslim”. It was said (to him), “What about one who does not find (the means) to do so?” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Let him work with his hands, thus doing benefit to himself and give in charity.” It was said to him, “What if he does not have (the means) to do so?” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Then let him assist the needy, the aggrieved.” It was said, “What about if he cannot even do this?” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Then he should enjoin good.” He was asked, “What if he cannot do that?” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “He should then abstain from evil for verily, that is a charity from him”. [Bukhari and Muslim]

“Everyone of you will speak to his Rubb without an interpreter between them. He will look to his right side and will see only the deeds he had previously done; he will look to his left and will see only the deeds he had previously done, and he will look in front of him and will see nothing but Fire (of Hell) before his face. So protect yourselves from Fire (of Hell), even by giving half a date- fruit (in charity)”. [Bukhari and Muslim]

Shariah (Islamic law) – This refers to moral code and religious law – Islamic Law which deals with several topics including: crime, politics and economics, as well as personal matters such as sexual intercourse, hygiene, diet, prayer, everyday etiquette and fasting.

 

Sunnah – The sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) includes his specific words, habits, practices, and silent approvals. It addresses ways of life when dealing with friends, family and government. The sunnah is a source of Islamic law, second only to the Qur’an.

إِنَّ أَوۡلَى ٱلنَّاسِ بِإِبۡرَٲهِيمَ لَلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ وَهَـٰذَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ

“Indeed, the most worthy of Abraham among the people are those who followed him [in submission to Allah] and this prophet, and those who believe [in his message]. And Allah is the ally of the believers.” [Qur’an; 3:68]

 

T =

Tawheed (belief in the oneness of God) – Tawhid meaning doctrine of “the oneness” of God; also transliterated as Tawheed and Tauheed) is the concept monotheism in Islam. It is the religion’s most fundamental concept and holds that God (Allah) is One (Al-ʾAḥad) and Single (Al-Wāḥid).

 

قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ / ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ / لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ / وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُ ۥ ڪُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

“Say, ‘He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent.'” [Qur’an; 112:1-4]

The classical definition of tawhid was limited to declaring or preferring belief in one God and the unity of God. Although the monotheistic definition has persisted into modern Arabic, it is now more generally used to connote “unification, union, combination, fusion; standardization, regularization; consolidation, amalgamation, merger;”

The Qu’ran asserts the existence of a single and absolute truth that transcends the world; a unique, independent and indivisible being, who is independent of the entire creation. God, according to Islam, is a universal God, rather than a local, tribal, or parochial one—God is an absolute, who integrates all affirmative values and brooks no evil.

Tawhid constitutes the foremost article of the Muslim profession. The first part of the Shahada is the declaration of belief in the Oneness of God. To attribute divinity to a created entity, known as shirk, is an unpardonable sin according to the Qur’an. Muslims believe that the entirety of the Islamic teaching rests on the principle of Tawheed. There is an uncompromising monotheism at the heart of the Islamic beliefs, which is seen as distinguishing Islam from other major religions.

 

Tazkiya (purification of the soul, limbs and senses) – Evidences for the importance of this include the following:

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى بَعَثَ فِى ٱلۡأُمِّيِّـۧنَ رَسُولاً۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ يَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡہِمۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيہِمۡ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَإِن كَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلُ لَفِى ضَلَـٰلٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ۬

“It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom – although they were before in clear error” [Qur’an; 62:2]

 

وَٱلشَّمۡسِ وَضُحَٮٰهَا / وَٱلۡقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَٮٰهَا / وَٱلنَّہَارِ إِذَا جَلَّٮٰهَا / وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا يَغۡشَٮٰهَا / وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا بَنَٮٰهَا / وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا طَحَٮٰهَا / وَنَفۡسٍ۬ وَمَا سَوَّٮٰهَا / فَأَلۡهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقۡوَٮٰهَا / قَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ مَن زَكَّٮٰهَا / وَقَدۡ خَابَ مَن دَسَّٮٰهَا

“By the sun and its brightness, and [by] the moon when it follows it, and [by] the day when it displays it, and [by] the night when it covers it, and [by] the sky and He who constructed it, and [by] the earth and He who spread it, and [by] the soul and He who proportioned it, and inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness, He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who instills it [with corruption].” [Qur’an; 91:1-10]

 

قُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ يَغُضُّواْ مِنۡ أَبۡصَـٰرِهِمۡ وَيَحۡفَظُواْ فُرُوجَهُمۡ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ أَزۡكَىٰ لَهُمۡ‌ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا يَصۡنَعُونَ

“Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do.” [Qur’an; 24:30]

 

“Beware, in the body there is a piece of flesh; if it is sound, the whole body is sound and if it is corrupt the whole body is corrupt, and hearken it is the heart.” [Sahih Muslim]

One of the keys to tazkiya is lowering the gaze (ghadd al-basr), which means restraining the gaze and not allowing it to wander or dwell upon anything. This includes refraining from looking at people’s ‘awrahs, which includes the beauty of a non-mahram woman.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (15/414): Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, has enjoined us in His Book to lower the gaze, which is of two types: refraining from looking at ‘awrahs and refraining from looking at the site of desire. The former refers to a man refraining from looking at the ‘awrah of another person. The second refers to looking at uncovered parts of a non-mahram woman.

Just as lowering the gaze includes not looking at the ‘awrahs of other people and other haraam things, it also includes refraining from looking into people’s houses. A man’s house conceals his body just as his garments conceal him. Allaah has mentioned lowering the gaze and guarding one’s private parts after the verse about asking for permission to enter, because the house covers a person just as the clothes on his body do. Haraam kinds of looking include looking at ‘awrahs, which is of two types: the ‘awrah behind a garment and the ‘awrah behind doors.

Another form of restraining the gaze is refraining from looking at what people have of wealth, wives, children, worldly goods and so on.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said, “He who believes in Allah and the Last Day must either speak good or remain silent.” [Muslim]

It was narrated that Abu Musa said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, whose Islam is most virtuous?’ He said: ‘The one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe.'” [Sunan an-Nasa’i]

 

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱجۡتَنِبُواْ كَثِيرً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعۡضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثۡمٌ۬‌ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُواْ وَلَا يَغۡتَب بَّعۡضُكُم بَعۡضًا‌ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُڪُمۡ أَن يَأۡڪُلَ لَحۡمَ أَخِيهِ مَيۡتً۬ا فَكَرِهۡتُمُوهُ‌ۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬

“O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.” [Qur’an; 49:12]

 

Tawbah (repentance)

وَتُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ

“And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.” [Qur’an; 24:31]

وَمَن لَّمۡ يَتُبۡ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ

“And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the wrongdoers.” [Qur’an; 49:11]

Narrated Anas bin Malik: Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “If Adam’s son had a valley full of gold, he would like to have two valleys, for nothing fills his mouth except dust. And Allah forgives him who repents to Him.” [Sahih Bukhari]

Abu Ayyub Ansari reported that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: If you were not to commit sins, Allah would have swept you out of existence and would have replaced you by another people who have committed sin, and then asked forgiveness from Allah, and He would have granted them pardon. [Sahih Muslim]

 

Taqwah (God-consciousness) – Abu Dharr said: “The Messenger of Allah said to me: ‘Have Taqwa of Allah wherever you are, and follow an evil deed with a good one to wipe it out, and treat the people with good behavior.” [Tirmidhi]

 

Tawakkul (trusting in God) – Perhaps one of the most comforting reminders of placing our trust in Allah can be found in the following ayah of the Quran:

مَن كَانَ يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ‌ۚ وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجۡعَل لَّهُ ۥ مَخۡرَجً۬ا / وَيَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَحۡتَسِبُ‌ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهُ ۥۤ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَـٰلِغُ أَمۡرِهِ

“And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out, and will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose.” [Qur’an; 65:2-3]

Umar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “If you were to rely upon Allah with the required reliance, then He would provide for you just as a bird is provided for, it goes out in the morning empty, and returns full.” [Tirmidhi]

Tasbih (extolling God) – Tasbih is a form of dhikr (remembrance) that involves the repetitive utterances of short sentences glorifying God, in Islam.

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ ذِكۡرً۬ا كَثِيرً۬ا

“O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance” [Qur’an; 33:41]

 

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) passed by him when he was planting a plant, and said: “O Abu Hurairah, what are you planting?” I said: “A plant for me.” He said: “Shall I not tell you of a plant that is better than this?” He said: “Of course, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “Say: ‘Subhan-Allah, wal-hamdu-lillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wa Allahu Akbar (Glory is to Allah, praise is to Allah, none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and Allah is the Most Great.)’ For each one a tree will be planted for you in Paradise.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]

Similarly, there are various remembrances that are easy on the tongue and high in virtue. These can be easily incorporated into one’s day so that reward is being reaped throughout day-to-day activities.

 

Tilawat (recitation of Qur’an)

وَٱتۡلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيۡكَ مِن ڪِتَابِ رَبِّكَ‌ۖ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ وَلَن تَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلۡتَحَدً۬ا

“And recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord. There is no changer of His words, and never will you find in other than Him a refuge.” [Qur’an; 18:27]

 

Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:  I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) saying. “Read the Qur’an, for it will come as an intercessor for its reciters on the Day of Resurrection.” [Muslim]

 

Further Resources

The Blessings and Benefits of Fajr Prayer in Islam

Various recitations (qira’ats) of the Qur’an: Shaykh Dr. Yasir Qadhi

August 16, 2016 | khuluq