I am a Muslim who is a bit educated about Islam. I was born into Muslim family and grew up in the most conservative of Islamic societies i.e. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It means I do have some solid understanding of Islam.
I am having issues accepting Allah's decree. We are told that everything which happens to us in this life, it is written and willed by Allah. In other words, Allah wanted those things to happen. It means evil things which happen to us are also written. Things liek diseases, deaths of loved ones, failures, depressions. Allah wills these things. He sends these things to us, His slaves. His beloved slaves.
Then Allah tells us to ask Him for forgiveness in these evil times. How does this make sense? If everything good and evil is written by Allah, isnt then my not making dua also written? Isnt my being disconent with Him also written?
I jsut cant make sense of these things. I have stopped making dua to Allah. I was told as a child that dua is a weapon of a believer. But I dont believe that now. if Allah has written everything, dua will do nothing. If I choose to not make dua, that means Allah also willed it. Not my fault. If I decide to make dua, Allah also willed that. Do we even have a TRUE free will ....
How do you Muslims deal with these questions that arise constantly? Or these questions never arise in your brain? Am I the only weird thinking one?
Walaikum assalam.
IB Forum Anonymous Account.
Available to those who wish to be anonymous in the Advice & Support section.
Abuse of the Anonymous System will NOT be tolerated!
Allah provides for us what he wills, you are correct about this. however Allah has given us free will, he simply knows what we are going to do. (eg i know my parents will be upset if i disobey them but i havent forced them to be upset.) thats why the test in this life is fair. free will is what makes humans distinct from animals.
so likewise if you have become a sincere and righteous person and ask Allah for help he may provide for you additional provision. why should Allah reward you in this life when you havent even asked him for it? if you havent asked it means you dont really believe Allah hears you. thats why we need to pray. the sincere people are those who make dua. it also calms the soul to confide in Allah.
Also everything that happens to a believer happens for his betterment. it may be that you have comitted some sin in the past and that is why Allah is punishing you in this life with some calamity. in this situation you beg Allah to forgive whatever sin it may be you have comitted wether intentionally or unintentionally, wether you remember it or not. Allah is the most just. this calamity is actually a blessing in disguise because it means you will not recive that particular punishment in the heareafter (and the punishments of the hereafer are far worse as you must be aware.)
lastly, although Allah has written all events to come in the loay mahfooz, it can still be changed if you have love for Allah and his rasool and make sincere dua. Why would Allah write what he did if he knew he would change it? Allah hu alim, but it may be Allah wishes to make an example of you to the rest of his creation. there can be many reasons.
and your not strange for thinking these things bro, inshAllah you will come to a greater understanding of truth.
Allah loves those who directs du'a to Him. if your du'a seems like not effective, there must be something wrong with you when you are directing your du'a which is related to sincerity (ikhlas), the cleanliness of your physical body, inner and exterior, or might be He is testing your faith to Him. I am also from a conservative family like the people there in Su'udi but later I slowly get to learn about this when I keep thinking and thinking (mu7asabah).
Try not to overcomplicate things. Everything Prophet Muhammad Sallalahu Alaihe Wasalam said and advised us to do has an effect and is of value. So making dua is obviously going to be helpful since we have been told to do it. Any thought that goes contrary is to be treated as waswas and neglected. Seek refuge in Allah from it.
It means evil things which happen to us are also written. Things liek diseases, deaths of loved ones, failures, depressions. Allah wills these things. He sends these things to us, His slaves. His beloved slaves.
There is a wisdom behind everything happening. Don't forget that this world is a test and that Allah has said his beloved slaves would be tested moreso than others.
inshallah when i can, i'll post what shiekh ibn uthaymeen had written about this in one of his books...he addresses some of the questions you raised.
do remind me as i don't have access to the book atm and may forget.
alternatively you can look up the sheikhs shar7 of aqeedatul waasitiyah. the information is sort of towards the beginning of the book where he explains the 6 pillars.
Last edited by Ummu Sufyaan; 06-06-2010 at 11:10 AM.
...desperate for husnul-khitaam...
please make dua that Allah grants me a good end (to my life). please make dua that Allah guides me.
In Islam, to be hasty in du'a is said to be a cause of rejection of du'a. The concept of hastiness is described in the following hadith.
It was asked, "O Messenger of God?...What does it mean to be hasty?" Prophet Muhammad responded "A worshipper says, 'I have prayed and prayed , and I don't yet see that it will be accepted; so he gives up hope of being answered, and leaves du'a'.
I am a Muslim who is a bit educated about Islam. I was born into Muslim family and grew up in the most conservative of Islamic societies i.e. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It means I do have some solid understanding of Islam.
I am having issues accepting Allah's decree. We are told that everything which happens to us in this life, it is written and willed by Allah. In other words, Allah wanted those things to happen. It means evil things which happen to us are also written. Things liek diseases, deaths of loved ones, failures, depressions. Allah wills these things. He sends these things to us, His slaves. His beloved slaves.
Then Allah tells us to ask Him for forgiveness in these evil times. How does this make sense? If everything good and evil is written by Allah, isnt then my not making dua also written? Isnt my being disconent with Him also written?
I jsut cant make sense of these things. I have stopped making dua to Allah. I was told as a child that dua is a weapon of a believer. But I dont believe that now. if Allah has written everything, dua will do nothing. If I choose to not make dua, that means Allah also willed it. Not my fault. If I decide to make dua, Allah also willed that. Do we even have a TRUE free will ....
How do you Muslims deal with these questions that arise constantly? Or these questions never arise in your brain? Am I the only weird thinking one?
Walaikum assalam.
Asalaamu Alaikum Wr Wb, jazakallah for sharing your issue with us. Firstly we must realise that knowledge is very important for the fact that it brings clarity to all matters and without knowledge then a cloud will always remain and we will continue to be confused and therefore we wil become like a playground for shaythan.
Realise that we are created as beings of free will. Angels are only created to serve a purpose and do not have the free will to go against the commands of Allah. Iblis was not an angel for he was a jinn that is why he went against the command of Allah when Allah asked of him to prostrate in front of his firt creation Adam (As). T
he first sign that man is of free will is when Adam (As) succumbed to the temptation of shaythan. This shows he went against the command of Allah and instead decided to follow his desires. Everytime we sin we are not following the commands of Allah but that of our desire. We desire to do a particular action because we choose to. If we choose to do something then that means we are beings of free will who have been given the freedom to do what we choose to do. Therefore we are completely free willed.
A Muslim who tries his best to fulfil the commands of Allah and goes against his desires and repents often is more superiour than any angel and that is because he is worshipping Allah according to his own will but the angels are worshipping Allah because that is all they were created to do and they cannot think or know how to go against the commands of Allah.
Also you mention when "evil" things happen to us. The you must realsie that they maybe evil to us but in reality trials, hardships and pain are all a blessing in disguise for Allah tests us to se if his slaves would go further away from him oir closer to him. Would his slaves be patient or lose hope in him. Would his slaves ask of him and turn to him in dua or would they abandon dua and follow their desires.
Allah tells us that we will be tested. He also makes it clear to us what is expected from us when we undergo these trials and what our reward will be if we are successful.
Almighty Allah says: “Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods, lives and the fruits (of your toil) but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. Those who, when misfortune strikes them, say: ‘Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him is our return. Those are the ones upon whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord and it is those who are rightly guided.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 155]
Trials are the best way to get closer to Allah. They are an expiation of sin for a person who went through great trials in life and was patient may face Allah on the day of judgement without any sin. Even the prick of a thorn is the expiation of sin:
The Prophet (peace be upon him)said: "No fatigue, illness, anxiety, sorrow, harm or sadness afflicts any Muslim, even to the extent of a thorn pricking him, without Allah wiping out his sins by it." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]
In another narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “No Muslim is afflicted by harm, whether it is but the prick of a thorn or something worse, without Allah expiating his evil deeds on account of it and his sins falling away from him like leaves off a tree.'" [Sahîh al-Bukhârî]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "When Allah desires good for someone, He tries him with hardships." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî]
Therefore when a person goes through trials, harships and pain then it is Allah wanting good for them. We cannot gain high ranks in the hereafter without going through trials and hardships. The price for eternity in Jannah is not cheap or easy but it is a great reward when comparable to what we have to do in order to achieve it.
Allah wants us to be patient and steadfast through trials and harsdhips and for us to turn to him. But Allah does not give us trials and hardships more than we can possible bare:
Allah does not impose on any self any more than it can stand. (Surat al-Baqara: 286)
So realise Allah sends hardships, trials and tests to those who he wants good for. Never can a person gain a higher position in the hereafter and get as close to Allah than if they were patient and steadfast through trials, hardships and tests. So do not think of them as "evil" but they are blessings in disguise for Jannah has a price but what a low price we have to pay for ETERNITY of bliss!
70 years of our life= Eternity of Jannah
Is that equal? Then it is Allah who is given us more not us having to do more.
We must also realise that dua has the ability to change pre-destination because Allah will cause to happen in our lives according to how we live our life as well as the dua's that we made but the ultimate decision is his alone and he has the ability to change whatever he likes and dua plays a big factor in changing much of that which has been destined in our lives and Allah loveth when his slaves calleth upon him in sincere supplication.
Sheikh Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (RA) once said there is no deed equivalent to dua. He also said that it is the greatest means one can utilize to achieve something and it is a means that is almost like taqdeer (predestination). This is because dua is something requested from the One who has written our destiny. Dua is basically requesting something from the One who written taqdeer (destiny), when someone is making dua they are conversing with the Allah (swt), the One who had written our destiny. How difficult is it for Allah (swt) to grant something in someone’s destiny?
We see in the world that when someone is in a position of authority and they need to help someone under them they simply point and click on their computer and it solves the entire case for that person. When human beings are solving each other problems so easily then how difficult is it for Allah (swt) to take care of our affairs?
Dua is very near to destiny and it is the strongest means one can utilize in achieving something. Out of the means a person utilizes to achieve things, dua is the only one that does not deal with the creation but directly deals with the Creator; it is simply a matter of spreading our hands before our Creator. Allah (swt) has powers over all things, He (swt) can change His decisions anytime and no one can stop Him. Nothing can become an obstacle in the way of Allah (swt) changing His decision.
Allah loves more than any of us can ever comprehend when his salve sincerely asks of him. Anyone who abandons his dua has abandonded contact with Allah and his only means of help and guidance. It is shaythan who is running rampage with your thoughts because you lack clarity in this area but now you must realise that this is his biggest deception and that you must at once turn to Allah in dua and he will NEVER leave you empty handed!
“Verily your Lord is Generous and Shy. If His servant raises his hands to Him (in supplication) He becomes shy to return them empty” (Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi)
Allah’s love for His servants can be beautifully summarized in the following Hadith, “Verily your Lord is Generous and Shy. If His servant raises his hands to Him (in supplication) He becomes shy to return them empty (Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi)”.Another Hadith that talks about the greatness of Dua:
Abu Hurairah narrates from the Prophet (saw), “In the court of Allah, there is no greater thing than Duaa” (Ibn Majah)
There are benefits of making Dua including:-
1. The loss of arrogance - For someone that makes constant Dua, arrogance is something that is not among their characteristics because when one beseeches Allah, he is affirming his own powerlessness.-
2. The fulfillment of the Dua – Basically, you get what you wanted. For the people that sometimes see that their Duas are not being accepted, there is either the option that the Dua will be accepted later on in this life or in the Hereafter or the option that the Dua will accepted by other means as one Hadith said, Jabir narrates from the Prophet, “Whoever does duaa to Allah, Allah fulfills his seeking or in exchange averts misfortune until the duaa is not related to sin or breaking some relation.” (Tirmidhi)
3. The doors of mercy are opened – Abdullah bin Umar narrated that the Prophet said, “For whoever the door of Dua opened, for him the doors of mercy are opened...” (Tirmidhi)-
4. It has the power to change destiny (only the minor Qadr – not major ones such as the signs of the Day of Judgment) – Salman Farsi narrated that the Prophet said, “Dua turns away destiny and good deeds lengthen age (Tirmidhi).
There are certain things that one should keep in mind concerning the Dua:
1. The Prophet once said, “Dua is Ibadah” (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and Abu Dawud). Since it is a type of worship, it is something that we must always do. This is even to the extent that the Prophet said, “Allah is extremely displeased with the person who doesn’t do duaa to Allah” (Tirmidhi).
2. As mentioned before, the Dua must always be done. Nowadays, we only say our Duas when hardship befalls us and is the last resort, when all else has failed. However, this should not be the case as the Prophet (saw) said, Whosoever desires that Allah answers his Duas in unfavorable and difficult conditions, he should make plentiful dua in days of ease and comfort.”
3. Try making Dua for others because if you do so, the same thing may also occur to you too. There are certain ayahs in the Quran such as the last Ayah in Surah Nuh, the meaning of which is, “O my Lord! Forgive me, my parents, all who enter my house in Faith, and (all) believing men and believing women: and to the wrong-doers grant Thou no increase but in perdition!” - If you are to recite this verse, then you get a sin erased for every Muslim living in this world. Also, the Prophet said, ”Duaa for a person not present is accepted quickly by Allah”.
4. Have complete conviction that Allah will accept the Dua, because if you don’t, then there is a high chance it won’t be accepted. The Prophet said, “When anyone of you does Dua then don’t say “Oh Allah! Forgive me if you want“, “Have mercy on me if you want“, “Give me subsistence if you wish” rather believe completely that HE will do whatever HE wishes. Nobody can force Him.” (Bukhari)
5. The best times to make Dua is when one is in Sujood, the times between Adhan and Iqamah, as well as at other times as indicated by the following Hadith in which the Prophet said, “Three types of people’s Duas are not rejected: 1) At the time of Iftar the person who has fasted 2) Adil ruler’s Dua 3) The Dua of the oppressed. Allah raises the Dua of the oppressed on the clouds and the doors of heaven are opened for it and Allah says, “Oath of MY Majesty and Honor! I will help and aid you. Even though if the help is after few days.” (Tirmidhi) Another Hadith listed another three in which the Prophet said, Three Duas are such in which there is no doubt of their acceptance: 1) Father’s Dua 2) Traveler’s Dua 3) Dua of the oppressed”. (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
May Allah give us the ability to gain knowledge so that we may have a correct understanding of Islam and may he make us patient through trials and hardships and make them a means to get the closest to Allah. May he give us the ability to make more Duas and for us to turn to him in repentance and to ask of him for all of our needs. Ameen
Hey there! Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.
When you create an account, we remember exactly what you've read, so you always come right back where you left off. You also get notifications, here and via email, whenever new posts are made. And you can like posts and share your thoughts. Sign Up
Hide
Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks