Bismillaheer Rahmaneer Raheem – In the Name of Allah theAll-Beneficent, All-Merciful
Life is Test
As Salamu Alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
All praise be to Allah and may Allah’s peace and blessing be upon his last messenger,
Muhammad alayhe salat wa salam. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of
worship except Allah and that Muhammad (sallallahu alayhe wa salam) is his slave
and last messenger.
The topic that will be discussed is going to be about calamities and hardship and tests
facing the Muslim Ummah today. If someone is afflicted with a calamity, and that
person shows patience then it will be good for him/her in the here-after and that is
similar if Allah’s favours are bestowed to them and they are thankful and grateful for
Allah, then once again it will be good for them in the here-after and in surat Az-
Zumar Allah subhana wa Ta’ala says concerning these type of people: Say: “O My
servants who believe, have taqwa of your Lord. Good is for those who do good in this
world, and Allah’s earth is spacious! Only those who are patient shall receive their
reward in full, without reckoning.” (Surat Az-Zumar 39:10)
If a person is obedient to Allah subhana wa Ta’ala then he/she will benefit in the hereafter,
however if he/she is disobedient by committing sins till he/she meets Allah then
he/she is surely one of the losers. We have been given this life and there are a lot of
beneficial things to do to increase our eeman and deeds and instead of wasting our
time, we should be busy with the worship of Allah Azza wa Jall. Allah the Almighty
says: We have not created jinn’s and mankind except to worship Me. (Az-Zariyat
51:56)
Allah the Almighty has also ordered us that we fear Him as He should be feared and
not to die except in a state of Islam: O believers! Fear Allah [by doing all that He has
ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden] as He should be feared and
die not but as true Muslims. (Surat Alee-e-Imran 3:102)
Similarly, Allah subhana wa Ta’ala described His believing slaves as the one who
joined between fear of Allah’s punishment and sincerity in worship in their hearts:
Verily! Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord; and those who believe in the
ayat of their Lord; and those who join not anyone [in worship] as partners with Allah;
and those who give that [their charity] which they give [and also do other good deeds]
with their hearts full of fear, because they are sure to return to their Lord [for
reckoning]. It is those who race for good deeds and they are foremost in them (Surat
Al-Mu’minun 23:57-61)
Allah subhana wa Ta’ala does not put any hardship on a person in the religion of
Islam and does not burden a person beyond his scope. Allah has said in Surat Al-Hajj:
Strive in the Way of Allah as you ought to strive with sincerity and discipline; He has
chosen you and has not laid upon you any hardship in the observance of your faith…
(Surat Al-Hajj 22:78)
Allah has also said in Surat Al-Baqarah: Allah does not burden any human being with
more than he can bear. (Surat Al-Baqarah 2:286)
Islam is a simple and flexible religion. Everyone, regardless of where they live, can
easily practice the Deen of Islam. At the same time, we get tested by Allah subhana
wa Ta’ala in different situations. The main test is whether we turn to him for help or
not and be steadfast in His worship. Allah Azza wa Jall says in Surat Al-Kahf: We
have decked the earth with all kinds of ornaments to test the people and to see which
of them do the best deeds. (Surat Al-Kahf 18:07)
Similarly Allah said in Surat Al-Mulk: The One Who created death and life, so that
He may put you to test, to find out which of you is best in deeds: He is the All-
Mighty, the All-Forgiving. (Surat Al-Mulk 67:02)
and also in Surat Ad-Dahr: Indeed,
We have created man from the sperm drop containing both sexes, so that We may test
him. Therefore, We gave him the faculties of hearing and sight. (Surat Ad-Dahr
76:02)
By Allah subhana wa Ta’ala passing us through various test, he is trying us to see
who is best in deeds and who is the truthful worshipper. We should turn to Him in
repentance for indeed he is the Most Merciful.
If Allah afflicts you with a calamity there is none who can remove it but He. In Surat
Yunus Allah says: If Allah afflicts you with a calamity, none can remove it but He;
and if He intends to bestow a favor, none can withhold His bounty. He bestows it on
whomsoever of His servants He pleases; He is the Forgiving, the Merciful." (Surat
Yunus 10:107)
Allah also has mentioned that everyone shall go through a trial and be tested: Do you
think that you will enter paradise without going through the trial? Allah has not yet
tested you to see who among you strive hard for His cause and who show patience for
His sake. (Surat Alee-e-Imran 3:142)
Therefore by turning to Allah for forgiveness and being patient, by the will of Allah
that calamity will end and mercy will be shown. Allah subhana wa Ta’ala commanded
us to seek his help with patience and that He is with those who have patience. O' You
who believe! Seek My help with patience and prayer: surely, Allah is with those who
are patient. (Surat Al-Baqarah 2:153). And surely, the good news is for those who
endure with patience as Allah mentioned: We shall surely test your steadfastness with
fear and famine, with loss of property, life and produce. Give good news to those who
endure with patience; who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "We belong to Allah
and to Him we shall return." (Surat Al-Baqarah 2:155-156).
Just as I talked about Allah describing the believers as fearful Him, Allah Azza wa Jall also mentions that those who are punctual in their Salah are those who fear Allah
and we shall seek help through patience and salah: Seek Allah's help with patience
and Salah: it is indeed hard to be patient and to be punctual in offering Salah except
for those who fear Allah, who are certain in their mind that they are going to meet
their Rabb and that they are going to return to Him for final judgement. (Surat Al-
Baqarah 2:45-46).
Therefore, lets be sincere in our worship, fear Allah as He should be feared and have
patience so that we may succeed. And if we are facing a calamity, then lets seek help
through the salah and patience insha’Allah.
…O Rabb! Give us patience and cause us die as Muslims." (Surat Al-A’raf 7:126
