Assalamu Alaikum,
I'm going through some terrible Imaan issue recently. I used to live the life of an infidel till Allah swt decided to guide me last year. Suddenly I turned towards the deen, gave up all music, fell in love with the Quran and started praying five times a day.
By His Mercy, i haven't stopped praying. but i now have a new problem. for quite a while now I've been watching a lot of political videos concerning the muslim world. I'm so disappointed with the events in Syria, Palestine, Afghanistan and Burma. I was very disappointed especially with the US pigs' backed Ethiopian invasion of somalia that had just established an islamic state. I was so pissed at the enemies of islam that the accursed devil suddenly poisened me with doubts regarding Allah. All of a sudden, I'm telling myself why is Allah letting all this happen. I shouldn't be asking these questions for Allah has promised victory to the believers but looking at Taliban and Somalia... I'm like, does Allah exist?
I know Allah exists. My brain is convinced. I know Quran is His word. but my heart is so so so sad..... Pls help me! tell me something that will soothe my heart. I know Allah is with us but I want to FEEL that He is with us.
Walaikum Ssalaam,
The only suggestion we give to a person under rehab is don't listen or go anywhere near the bad company. Similarly, Political videos should be the last thing one watches, these days. They are sensational at best. Honestly, watching political videos is like an appointment with Shaithaan. Disappointed most are, with political developments around world. Due to lack of effective leadership to handle real world problems, disappointed and hopeless masses flock to equally no-brainer entertainment, to escape reality. Is it not?
And news channels too spill out non-stop crisis. Stop watching in excess.
Rumi asked: "If you are irritated by every rub, how will you ever be polished?" . So why to seek every irritant one is allergic to? Its man-made situations, We cannot point fingers in one direction. Wrongs, are not fixed by more wrongs. A Good just action, is the solution and it results in lasting peace. And a Good Just action results from good thoughts. And good thoughts needs righteousness. And righteousness is the measure of Imaan.
Imaan is:
• Affirmation of the heart
• Speech of the tongue
• Actions of the limbs.
One cannot be a Mo’min until he possesses these three traits.
Abu Bakr al-Ismaa’elee said: "And they [Ahl us-Sunnah]say: Certainly, Imaan (faith) is speech (Qawl) and action('Amal) and acquaintance [Ma'rifah-meaning belief,knowledge]. It increases with obedience and decreases with disobedience. He whose obedience increases is more abundant in Imaan (faith) than the one who is less than him in obedience"
Brother, for now focus on Imaan. Imaan instills peace, harmony, solution framing mindset and sows a desire for good righteous deeds. Without a solution framing mindset, one cannot help change the world become a better place. Influencing the world to overcome hurdles, is only after influencing oneself.
And brother you tell me, when would you feel Allah is with you? When? The most important question is, are you with those who are just and do good OR with those who don't care and do injustice, thus spreading injustice, mischief among Allah's creation?
Please read, examine and bookmark these. Hopefully it will benefit you too:
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In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
Having doubts in Allah Almighty is natural resultant and one should avoid being too concerned about them. In fact, doubts and evil thoughts are a sign of one�s faith.
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that once a group of people came to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) and asked: �We experience such evil thoughts that it is impossible to bring them on our lips.� The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: �Do you really experience these thoughts? Yes, they replied. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: �They are clear signs of faith.� (Sahih Muslim)
Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Abbas (Allah have mercy on him) narrates that a Companion came to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) and asked: �Sometimes I experience such thoughts that I would rather be reduced to charcoal than get them on my lips� (meaning that to speak of these thoughts was worse than burning in fire, m). The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: �All praise is to Allah who restricted the devil�s designs to mere evil promptings.� (Sunan Abu Dawud)
The above two narrations cleary show that it is not unusual to have these evil thoughts neither is one more sinful or evil due to them. Even some Companions of the blessed Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) received these thoughts, as we have seen in the above narrations.
Therefore, one should not be worried on their account or feel sad and deterred, for these thoughts are signs of faith.
Some scholars have explained this by saying that a robber or thief only strikes at a place where he knows that there is wealth or money. He would not break into a place where there is no wealth. Similarly, when the devil (shaytan) whispers and puts these evil thoughts into anyone�s heart, then this shows that this person has the wealth of faith (iman) in his heart. If there was no wealth in that heart, Shaytan would have never entered it, thus one should not worry about these evil thoughts.
No sin on mere thoughts
It should also be remembered that one is not accountable for the evil thoughts that occur in the mind and heart as long as they remain thoughts.
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: �Verily Allah forgives my Ummah for the evil thoughts that occur in their hearts until they don�t say it verbally or act upon it.� (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim).
Therefore, one does not come out of the fold of Islam due to experiencing these evil thoughts, neither is there any sin., as long as one remains a believer with his heart, mouth and action.
What to do? When experiencing evil thoughts one should do the following:
1) Do not be worried about them, rather one should be happy, for the occurring of evil thoughts is a sign of faith. A saint said: �Shaytan can not tolerate a believer being happy, thus when he sees him being happy for receiving these thoughts, he stops from whispering them.�
2) When these thoughts come, one should occupy one�s self with something else. These thoughts will not disappear by simply desiring them to go, rather, one should get busy in some work or task.
3) One should seek Allah�s protection and refuge from the devil. Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: �The devil (shaytan) comes to one of you and says: �Who created this? Who created that? Until he says: �Who created your Lord?� When one experiences this, one should seek Allah�s refuge and stop the matter there�. (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim).
4) Recitation of the following verse from Surah al-mu�minun may be beneficial:
�Rabbi inni a�uzu bika min hamazat ashayatin wa a�uzu bika rabbi an yahdurun�
Trans: O my Lord! I seek your protection from the instigations of devils and I also seek your protection from that they (ever) come to me.
And Allah knows best
Muhammad ibn Adam
Darul Iftaa
Leicester , UK
Brother, may your concerns for the crisis around world regardless of the religion, drive you to become a man of good deeds and action... Ameen
)? Whatever is our collective performance is what we are getting (in results).