Life is a test

[Sunshine9001]

Obviously, Allah tests us and the purpose of this life is so that Alllah can test which of us is worthy for paradise of which of us is not

18:7 That which is on earth we have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them - as to which of them are best in conduct.

20:131 Nor strain thine eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to parties of them, the splendour of the life of this world, through which We test them:

57:25
that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen, Him and His apostles:

21:35 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.

34:21 But he had no authority over them,- except that We might test the man who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it: and thy Lord doth watch over all things.

47:4
He could certainly have exacted retribution from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the Way of Allah,

47:31 And We shall try you until We test those among you who strive their utmost and persevere in patience; and We shall try your reported (mettle).

49:3 Those that lower their voices in the presence of Allah's Messenger,- their hearts has Allah tested for piety, for them is Forgiveness and a great Reward.

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

3:154
"Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death"; but (all this was) that Allah might test what is in your breasts

2:143
"and We appointed the Qibla to which thou wast used, only to test those who followed the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels (From the Faith)."

5:48
If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you:

5:94
O ye who believe! Allah doth but make a trial of you in a little matter of game well within reach of your hands and your lances, that He may test who feareth him unseen:

8:17
it was not thy act, but Allah's: in order that He might test the Believers by a gracious trial from Himself: for Allah is He Who heareth and knoweth (all things).

16:92
or take your oaths to practise deception between yourselves, lest one party should be more numerous than another: for Allah will test you by this;

18:12 Then We roused them, in order to test which of the two parties was best at calculating the term of years they had tarried

29:3 We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false.

Here is a very difficult question that I cannot answer. If Allah is all knowing, then why does Allah need to test us to see who is worthy and who is not? What will Allah find out that he doesn't already know? Isn't the purpose of a test to find out something that one is not already 100% sure of? Even a teacher that's pretty sure his student will fail a test, still needs to give the test because the teacher can't be 100% positive that the student will fail. But Allah is 100% positive as to who will pass and who will fail and he already knows who's worthy and who isn't. So why bother with the test when he already knows the results for sure?

Someone told me that the test is for our benefit so that we may see why we deserve paradise or hell. But it clearly doesn't say this in the verses that the test is for us to find something out, it clearly says that the test is for Allah to find something out. So that explanation didn't work for me. Can anybody explain this problem?

[------]

:salamext:

Someone told me that the test is for our benefit so that we may see why we deserve paradise or hell.

There is your answer. When it says Allaah will test you, that means that Allaah will put you through trials, and if you be patient during those trials and come out of those trials safe and sound, and praising Allaah, then you have succeeded. If not, then you have failed.

[Rabiya_M]

Assalamu alaykum,

Allaah is Good and accepts nothing but that which is good. So the way of Allaah with His slaves is to test them with calamities and tribulations, so that the believer may be known from the kaafir and so that the truthful may be distinguished from the liar, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: `We believe,' and will not be tested.

And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allaah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allaah knows all that before putting them to test)"

[al-`Ankaboot 29:2-3]

Victory and success cannot be achieved except after tests which will bring the good forth from the evil and tell the believer apart from the kaafir, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Allaah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will Allaah disclose to you the secrets of the Ghayb (Unseen)"

[Aal `Imraan 3:179]

Among the trials with which Allaah tests His slaves in order to distinguish the believers from the disbelievers is that which He mentions in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

"And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to AsSaabiroon (the patient).

Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: `Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.'

They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones"

[al-Baqarah 2:155-157]

So Allaah tests His slaves, and He loves those who are patient, and gives them the glad tidings of Paradise.

Allaah tests His slaves with jihaad, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allaah tests those of you who fought (in His Cause) and (also) tests those who are AsSaabiroon (the patient)?"

[Aal `Imraan 3:142]

Wealth and children are a trial by means of which Allaah tests His slaves, to know who will give thanks for them, and who will be distracted from Allaah by them:

"And know that your possessions and your children are but a trial and that surely, with Allaah is a mighty reward"

[al-Anfaal 8:28 _ interpretation of the meaning]

Allaah tests us, sometimes with calamities and sometimes with blessings, to show who will be thankful and who will be ungrateful, and who will obey and who will disobey, then He will reward or punish them on the Day of Resurrection:

"and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good. And to Us you will be returned"

[al-Anbiya' 21:35 _ interpretation of the meaning]

Testing is according to one's faith; the most severely tested among mankind are the Prophets, then the next best and the next best. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When I fall ill, my pain is equivalent to the pain of two men among you."

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5648).

Allaah tests His slaves with different kinds of trials.

Sometimes He tests them with calamities and tribulations to distinguish the believer from the disbeliever, the obedient from the disobedient, the grateful from the ungrateful.

Sometimes Allaah tests His slaves with calamities; when they commit sin, He punishes them with calamities so that they might come back to him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

"And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much"

[al-Shoora 42:30]

"And indeed We seized them with punishment, but they humbled not themselves to their Lord, nor did they invoke (Allaah) with submission to Him" [al-Mu'minoon 23:76]

Allaah is merciful to His slaves; He sends repeated tribulations upon the ummah so that they may return and repent to Him, and give up that which Allaah has forbidden, and so that Allaah might forgive them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"See they not that they are put in trial once or twice every year (with different kinds of calamities, disease, famine)? Yet, they turn not in repentance, nor do they learn a lesson (from it)"

[al-Tawbah 9:126]

It is part of the mercy of Allaah that disasters befall sinners in this world, so that their souls might be purified and they might come back to Allaah before they die:

"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 Islam)"

[al-Sajdah 32:21 _ interpretation of the meaning]

Sometimes Allaah tests His slaves with calamities in order to raise them in status and to expiate for their sins, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "No misfortune or disease befalls a Muslim, no worry or grief or harm or distress _ not even a thorn that pricks him _ but Allaah will expiate for some of his sins because of that." (Agreed upon. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5641)

taken from Islamqa.

[Sunshine9001]

:salamext:



There is your answer. When it says Allaah will test you, that means that Allaah will put you through trials, and if you be patient during those trials and come out of those trials safe and sound, and praising Allaah, then you have succeeded. If not, then you have failed.

If what you say is true then we would find the Quran saying
"18:7 That which is on earth we have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that they may test themselves - so that they may know their conduct."

But instead it's "18:7 That which is on earth we have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them - as to which of them are best in conduct.

Nowhere in the Quran does it say that they are testing themselves and everywhere it says that Allah is testing them. So i even said in my initial post why this answer doesn't work for me, and all you did was to repeat an answer that I clearly said doesn't work for me, and i didn't merely say that it doesn't work, I explained precisely why. So while your explanation makes sense, it simply isn't there in the Quran at all. So there is no basis for it.

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[Sunshine9001]

Assalamu alaykum,

Allaah is Good and accepts nothing but that which is good. So the way of Allaah with His slaves is to test them with calamities and tribulations, so that the believer may be known from the kaafir and so that the truthful may be distinguished from the liar

If Allah is an all knowing being, then doesn't he already know this without testing?

[layla is here]

Obviously, Allah tests us and the purpose of this life is so that Alllah can test which of us is worthy for paradise of which of us is not




Here is a very difficult question that I cannot answer. If Allah is all knowing, then why does Allah need to test us to see who is worthy and who is not? What will Allah find out that he doesn't already know? Isn't the purpose of a test to find out something that one is not already 100% sure of? Even a teacher that's pretty sure his student will fail a test, still needs to give the test because the teacher can't be 100% positive that the student will fail. But Allah is 100% positive as to who will pass and who will fail and he already knows who's worthy and who isn't. So why bother with the test when he already knows the results for sure?

Someone told me that the test is for our benefit so that we may see why we deserve paradise or hell. But it clearly doesn't say this in the verses that the test is for us to find something out, it clearly says that the test is for Allah to find something out. So that explanation didn't work for me. Can anybody explain this problem?

assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala knows what will happen to us and what trials we will go thru but the result of those trials is up to us and how we handle things. If we are pious and seek Allahs help continually then good things will come but if we quickly turn to haram when things are tough then obviously the result will not be so good. I suggest you read the complete idoits guide to understanding islam by yahiya emerick for more info on this idea. It should clear up any confusion.

[Rabiya_M]

If Allah is an all knowing being, then doesn't he already know this without testing?

We are not being judged on the outcome of things, we are being judged on our choices. This means that at the core of everything will always be our intentions. Whatever we intended, is what we will have the reward for. Each person will be judged according to what Allah gave them to work with, how they used it and what they intended to do with it.

He could have put everyone in their respective places from the very beginning, but the people would complain as to why they were thrown in Hell without being given a chance. This life is exactly that; a chance to prove to ourselves who we really are and what we would really do if we indeed had a free choice.

Allah Knows everything that will happen, but we don't. That is why the test is fair.

Don't you think so?

[Sunshine9001]

assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala knows what will happen to us and what trials we will go thru but the result of those trials is up to us and how we handle things.

If we are pious and seek Allahs help continually then good things will come but if we quickly turn to haram when things are tough then obviously the result will not be so good. I suggest you read the complete idoits guide to understanding islam by yahiya emerick for more info on this idea. It should clear up any confusion.

Layla, did you read what I wrote to Serene? It seems like your answer is merely a repeat of what Serene wrote and I already mentioned the problem with it. It's a nice theory, but it isn't what the Quran says. The Quran does not say:
"18:7 That which is on earth we have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that they may test themselves - so that they may know their conduct."

Instead it says:
"18:7 That which is on earth we have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them - as to which of them are best in conduct"

Can you see the difference? So according to what the Quran is actually saying, as opposed to your sensible idea, Allah is indeed testing us so the HE can find out for sure which of us is worthy of paradise and which of us is not and not testing us so that we may know why we are in paradise or in hell..

[Sunshine9001]

We are not being judged on the outcome of things, we are being judged on our choices. This means that at the core of everything will always be our intentions. Whatever we intended, is what we will have the reward for. Each person will be judged according to what Allah gave them to work with, how they used it and what they intended to do with it.

That's fine, but it doesn't explain why it says that Allah has to test us. It just says that we will be held responsible for our actions.

He could have put everyone in their respective places from the very beginning, but the people would complain as to why they were thrown in Hell without being given a chance. This life is exactly that; a chance to prove to ourselves who we really are and what we would really do if we indeed had a free choice.

Allah Knows everything that will happen, but we don't. That is why the test is fair.

Don't you think so?

I think i should give you the same answer that I gave layla and Serene

It's a nice theory, but it isn't what the Quran says. The Quran does not say:
"18:7 That which is on earth we have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that they may test themselves - so that they may know their conduct."

Instead it says:
"18:7 That which is on earth we have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them - as to which of them are best in conduct"

Can you see the difference? So according to what the Quran is actually saying, as opposed to your sensible idea, Allah is indeed testing us so the HE can find out for sure which of us is worthy of paradise and which of us is not and not testing us so that we may know why we are in paradise or in hell..