For those who are feeling like they are going through a difficult time in life..there is hope that Allah is bringing them closer to him..as RasullulAllah (sallalalahu alayhi wasalam) has mentioned:
Anas (radiallaahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said: "When Allah wills good for a servant of His, He expedites his punishment in this life; and when He wills retribution for a servant of His, He holds his sins for Him to judge him by them on the Day of Resurrection."
[Tirmithee]
Abu Hurayrah (radiallaahu 'anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said: " Hardships continue to befall a believing man and woman's body, family, and property, until they meet Allah (swt) burdened with no sins." [ Tirmithee ]
Abu Sa'eed al-Khudree (radiallaahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said: " A muslim is not afflicted by hardship, sickness, sadness, worry, harm, or depression - even if pricked by a thorn, but Allah expiates his sins because of that. " [Bukharee and Muslim]
But what if you feel like you're never being tested..does that mean you're not close to Allah?
Last edited by Reflections; 04-19-2011 at 10:40 PM.
Abu Sa'eed al-Khudree (radiallaahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said: " A muslim is not afflicted by hardship, sickness, sadness, worry, harm, or depression - even if pricked by a thorn, but Allah expiates his sins because of that. " [Bukharee and Muslim]
What other religion is more beautiful than this? SubhanAllah. I love being Muslim Alhamdillah.
Do not think of minor sins as insignificant,
for mountains are made out of pebbles...
Sister, the test of prosperity is often a harder test than the test of calamity.
format_quote Originally Posted by Bint Abi
Care to explain that one sister?
I was really hoping you wouldn't ask that. lol.
Calamities and hardships bring us back to reality and make us aware of our helplessness, our neediness and complete dependence on Allah. One moment a man may be rich and wealthy, possessing everything and the next moment a calamity strikes and he loses it all. One may not consider such a calamity to be bad at all. It's a blessing in disguise. It's a blessing if it causes the man to realize his true standing before Allah. It's a blessing if the calamity makes him realize that nothing belongs to him and that all power is in Allah's hands. What a blessing indeed if a man turns to Allah in repentance!
Prosperity on the other hand has the opposite effect. It causes people to forget their Creator, to take things for granted, to become complacent, to consider themselves self-sufficient and be neglectful of their duties and responsibilities. People begin to take things easy and become proud of their accomplishments. They become victims of the glitter of this worldly life, running after ease, comfort, wealth and worldly pleasures. On the Day of Judgment, the wealthy will have more things to give account for as well.
So considering what's involved, you would need to have strong faith indeed to get through the trial of prosperity.
It is pointless to watch other people's houses crumbling when our own house is in need of repair and attention.
here is another way to look at it.....
All that we have is from God, our blessings---such as our wealth, come from God. But with blessings also comes responsibility. The more wealth we have, the more responsibility we have towards those who are less fortunate. This responsiblity is the test that God provides for those who have been given extra blessings. Those who suffer the burden of trials are given extra blessings, either in this life or the next. In this way, God balances things so that we are all equal. His Justice, Compassion and Mercy extends to all.
but if a person iman goes to lowest level due to such hardships, maybe sometime one think in mind that it is punishment from Allah SWT for some sins. its a dificult situation indeed.
......the test of prosperity is often a harder test than the test of calamity.
A hadith warns about the dangers.......(something to think about.....)
Allah's Messenger (saw) said "Beware of leading a life of ease and comfort for verily the real slaves of Allah are not those who live in ease and comfort" (Ahmad, Abu Nu'aym in al-Hilyah)
It is pointless to watch other people's houses crumbling when our own house is in need of repair and attention.
Sister, the test of prosperity is often a harder test than the test of calamity.
Very true. Unless you have constant, strong eeman, it's very easy to remember Allah and akheerah when you have everything in this world. Not many pass the prosperity and worldly successes tests.
I only have to look at my life to verify this.
I remember I started to stray off from Islam when I already started getting successes at a young age. And I was wandering in the paths to hell for years and would have stayed there had I not started experiencing misfortunes and calamities that brought me back to Islam and the straight path. Alhamdulillah.
I am praying all the time that Allah keep guiding me even when I'm having worldly successes because I shudder to think what would have happened and its afterlife consequences.
Prosperity on the other hand has the opposite effect. It causes people to forget their Creator, to take things for granted, to become complacent, to consider themselves self-sufficient and be neglectful of their duties and responsibilities. People begin to take things easy and become proud of their accomplishments. They become victims of the glitter of this worldly life, running after ease, comfort, wealth and worldly pleasures. On the Day of Judgment, the wealthy will have more things to give account for as well.
I disagree. prosperity can cause you to be closer to Allah...just like a trial can take you away from Allah.
a person who has a job and wealth can be grateful to Allah. a person who has lost their health can be ungrateful to Allah.
...desperate for husnul-khitaam...
please make dua that Allah grants me a good end (to my life). please make dua that Allah guides me.
I disagree. prosperity can cause you to be closer to Allah...just like a trial can take you away from Allah.
a person who has a job and wealth can be grateful to Allah. a person who has lost their health can be ungrateful to Allah.
ground realities are exactly opposite to ur opinion. i never see a poor person but mostly they say alhumdullaih and when got in this fitna of money and luxury, forgot someone is their creator and always unsatisfied and wishing for more.
i agree prosperity may lead away from Allah... you are lost in enjoying the luxuries ease and comfort of money..
that is why your children and wealth is said to be your exam in this world
ground realities are exactly opposite to ur opinion. i never see a poor person but mostly they say alhumdullaih and when got in this fitna of money and luxury, forgot someone is their creator and always unsatisfied and wishing for more.
that cant be true for everyone though. there are people who are wealthy and give their money and means to those less fortunate then them.
...desperate for husnul-khitaam...
please make dua that Allah grants me a good end (to my life). please make dua that Allah guides me.
a person who has a job and wealth can be grateful to Allah. a person who has lost their health can be ungrateful to Allah.
This is also true. The test of hardship many times reveals the ungrateful ones.
Here's an article regarding that....note the last sentence:
The Perfect Believer
Imam Ibn ul Jawzee
Translated from Sayd ul-Khatir, p. 364
Publ. by Dar Al Yaqeen
The believer is not one who performs the ordained religious duties superficially and avoids what is forbidden only, but he is one whose faith is absolute, with no objection whatsoever arising in his heart and no obsession dwelling in his soul. The more hardships he faces, the more his faith grows and the more his submission strengthens.
He could pray and not see a trace of an answer to his prayers, yet he does not change because he knows that he is owned by One who deals with him in whatever way He chooses. For if an objection was to arise in his heart, he then forsakes the role of the slave and takes on the role of a protester such as that of Iblees (the devil).
A strong faith unveils itself in strong hardships.
A believer sees in Yahya, son of Zakariyya, a fine example. He was killed by a tyrant who confronted him, yet He (subhanahu wa ta`ala), who made him a prophet, did not intervene nor defend him.
Similarly all the tyranny that befell the prophets and the believers was not held back from them. If one goes to think that Divinity cannot answer for them then one is an unbeliever. However if one believes that Divinity can answer for them but chooses not to, and that God (subhanahu wa ta`ala) can make the believers go hungry while infidels are full and inflict the believers with sickness and grant the infidels health, then one is only left with submission to the Owner even when tormented or scorched.
Jacob cried for eighty years when Joseph son of Jacob (peace be upon him) was gone, he never gave up; all he said when his other son was gone too is “May God bring all of them back to me”.
Moses (peace be upon him) prayed against Pharaoh, who killed children and crucified magicians and cut their hands, for 40 years before he was answered.
In such submission the intense of one’s strong faith is manifested not in mere rak`at (bowings in prayer).
So many of those who glorify Qadar were afflicted with tribulations and this did not increase them except in submission and pleasure (with their Lord), and there lies an explanation of the meaning of His words, "Allah is pleased with them" (Qur'an, 5:119 and elsewhere).
Al-Hasan Al-Basree said: people are the same in health but when hardship befalls they show distinction.
-------------
It is pointless to watch other people's houses crumbling when our own house is in need of repair and attention.
For some the test of adversity and hardship brings about their downfall, for others it's the test of prosperity. Overall, the test of prosperity is harder and greater.
Here's a story that highlights the point that hardship is better for us than prosperity.
Ali radhiyAllaahu anhu said:"I went out one cold morning from my house and i was hungry,craving and the cold had much weakened me, so i took a cut skin which we had with us and wrapped it round me like a jacket and then drew it upto my neck and secured it to my chest in order to warm myself. By Allaah,there was nothing to eat in my house and if there had been anything in the house of the Prophet salAllaahu alaihi wa aalihi wa sallam, he would have sent me some.
I went out to one of the outlying parts of Medina and i saw a man in his garden through a hole in his wall. He said:"O Arab, what about a date for every bucket?" I replied,'yes', so he opened the wall for me to come in and i did so. Then i drew up the bucket and he would give me a date until I had filled my palm. i then said:"I've had enough from you," and then i ate them and drank some water.
Then i came to the Rasoolullahi salAllaahu alaihi wa aalihi wa sallam and sat down beside him in the mosque. He was amongst a group of companions and Mus'ab Ibn Umayr radhiyAllaahu anhu also came upto this, wearing a patched cloak. When Rasoolullahi salAllaahu alaihi wa aalihi wa sallam caught sight of Mus'ab, he mentioned what a blessing was to be found in it and when he saw his condition, his eyes filled with tears and he wept saying,
"How would you like to be able to go out in the morning wearing one garment and go out in the evening in another and for your houses to be just as protected as the Ka'bah?"
We replied:"That day we would be in a good state.Our provision would be sufficient and we would be able to devote ourselves entirely to worship."
He said:"Today your state is better than that day."
[Al-Kanz Vol.3.,pg.321]
It is pointless to watch other people's houses crumbling when our own house is in need of repair and attention.
nearly every family i know that has undergone hardship in supporting itself has been destroyed, i know myself that if it were not for falling back onto my parents my own family would have had no hope whatsoever.
..it does not make for happy parents.
..the mrs n baby are another problem that should have been a blessing.
He could pray and not see a trace of an answer to his prayers, yet he does not change because he knows that he is owned by One who deals with him in whatever way He chooses.
in my opinion, this is probably the hardest way of life. i mean, constantly praying with no answer from Allah? I don't know how the Prophets did this, but you have to have a lot of faith and patience. So, i was wondering, if anyone has any articles about ways of increasing faith and/or patience? Jazakallah Khair.
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