Fwd: Lessons from Tests, Trials, Calamities and Hardship

[Salafi Bookshop Cardiff]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sumayyah oum mohammed <loveth...@hotmail.co.uk>
Date: 2009/12/10
Subject: Lessons from Tests, Trials, Calamities and Hardship
To: sumayyah oum mohammed <loveth...@hotmail.co.uk>

Lessons from Tests, Trials, Calamities and Hardship

D

In Tests and Trials there are Lessons

- by Dr. Saleh as-Saleh (rahimahullah)

Tests and trials contain many lessons.

     The first lesson  From the benefit of tests and trials is

the influence it has on ones tawheed (worship of Allaah),

eemaan (faith) and tawakkul reliance upon Allaah. It makes you

examine the reality that man is a weak creation without any power or

strength, except in your Lord. Therefore you resort to Him and depend

on Him. Thereupon arrogance, false pride and negligence will be

removed and you will come to know that you are really poor and in need

of your Creator, the Almighty, the Most Perfect, and so you resort to

Him.

     The second lesson  Tests unravel the reality of this life.

It is clarified to be a temporal stay for enjoyment, and the perfect

life is the one which follows, wherein there is no toil, worry,

fatigue or disease. Allaah سبحانه وتعالى stated this in Surah

al-Ankaboot, verse 64.

    وَإِنَّ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ لَهِيَ الْحَيَوَانُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُون

    {And this life of the world is only amusement and play! Verily,

the home of the Hereafter that is the life indeed (i.e. the

eternal life that will never end), if they but knew.} [al-Ankaboot

29:64]

Even with this amusement and play there is also toil and fatigue.

This is the reality of this life one day life is smiling at

you, and the other day it is turning its back on you. This is the

nature of life, but man forgets that. The trials and tests come and

they serve to remind man of the nature of this life and that he should

not become attached to it.

     The third lesson  The tests and trials remind the person

of the favours bestowed upon him by Allaah. It is also a reminder that

this life is transitional.

     The fourth lesson  We are reminded to avoid being in a

state of joy such that we feel arrogance and likewise to avoid a state

of sadness and grief such that one feels despair. Allaah سبحانه وتعالى

sates this in Surah al-Hadeed, verses 22-23:

    مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ

إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَا إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى

اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ {22} لِكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَى مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا

تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ

فَخُورٍ

    {No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but it is

inscribed in the Book of Decrees (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfooz) before We bring

it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allaah. In order that you

may not grieve at the things over that you fail to get, nor rejoice

over that which has been given to you. And Allaah likes not every

prideful boaster.} [al-Hadeed 57:22-23]

     The fifth lesson  Trials and tests remind the person of

his shortcomings and diseases (of the heart and actions) so that he

can take preventive measures against them. Allaah سبحانه وتعالى says

in Surah an-Nisaa verse79:

    مَّا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ اللّهِ وَمَا أَصَابَكَ مِن

سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِن نَّفْسِكَ وَأَرْسَلْنَاكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُولاً وَكَفَى

بِاللّهِ شَهِيدًا

    {Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allaah, but whatever of

evil befalls you, is from yourself. And We have sent you (O Muhammad

صلى الله عليه وسلم) as a Messenger to mankind, and Allaah is

Sufficient as a Witness.} [an-Nisaa 4:79]

And Allaah سبحانه وتعالى says in Surah as-Shooraa, verse 30:

    وَمَا أَصَابَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ

وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ

    {And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what

your hands have earned. And He pardons much.} [ash-Shooraa 42:30]

There is a chance for repentance before the greater torment occurs.

Allaah سبحانه وتعالى says in Surah as-Sajdah, verse 21:

    وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَدْنَى دُونَ الْعَذَابِ

الْأَكْبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

    {And verily, We will make them taste of the near torment (i.e. the

torment in the life of this world, i.e. disasters, calamities) prior

to the supreme torment (in the Hereafter), in order that they may

(repent and) return (i.e. accept Islaam).} [as-Sajdah 32:21]

This lesser torment is in this life which is full of calamities,

disasters and hardships.

     The sixth lesson Tests and trials serve as great teaching

processes through which one learns patience. We cannot be firm upon

truth and obedience except with patience; and we cannot stay away from

falsehood and disobedience except with patience and perseverance. We

cannot walk the paths of this life except with patience regarding the

pre-ordinance of Allaah. The outcome is jannat al-qulb war-ridwaan

 the endless bliss in Paradise and the Pleasure of Allaah

سبحانه وتعالى. Allaah سبحانه وتعالى says in Surah Fussilat, verse 35:

    وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا

إِلَّا ذُو حَظٍ عَظِيمٍ

    {But none is granted it except those who are patient and

none is granted it except the owner of the great portion (of happiness

in the Hereafter, i.e., Paradise, and of a high moral character) in

this world.} [Fussilat 41:35]

 

Source :Testing, Affliction and Calamities

by Shaykh Dr. Saalih As-Saalih رحمه الله

Delivered on May 20th, 2006

albaseerah.org/forum

The messenger of Allah (salallahu 'alayhi was sallam) said, "whoever revives a sunnah from my sunnah and the people practice it will have the same reward as those who practice it without their reward diminishing..." [sunaan ibn Maajah (209)]

---

Use Hotmail to send and receive mail from your different email accounts. Find out how.

--
On the Day when the torment (hell-fire) shall cover them from above them and from underneath their feet, and it will be said: "Taste what you used to do."
( Al-Ankaboot, Chapter #29, Verse #55)