Why hardship?

[Flos]

As I've read many comments here and there regarding hardships and wrong perspective over that, example: - "why am I going through this" and/or "What did I do to deserve this" or the worst "Why is Allah doing this to me."

Some even start offending Allah by saying things that are against Qur'an and Sunnah... And most of people think it's a punishment for something they did.

Our problem is lack of understanding and lack of reflection, thinking, logic...

Have you ever wondered why our Prophet saws went through all those hardships? His own family rejected him, he was tortured, humiliated, hurt, lost his children, beloved wife and uncle, prosecuted, hungry most of the time, poor... Do you think it was punishment? Subhanallah! Do you think Allah didn't love him or loved to torture him? Do you think he alayhissalam ever said: Ya Allah, why are you doing this to me?

We all know very well that Allah has a power to do whatever He wants. He could turn Mecca to believing city overnight or to kill mushriks and let few Muslims live. No... first Muslims were prosecuted and had to leave their city, own family, friends, neighbors, all of their possessions. They all went through wars, hunger, loss during that time in Madinnah. Why?

Would Islam be what it has been all this time if all of that didn't happen? If Allah turned all Mecca into believing city over night? Would you be the same if all of that didn't happen? NO!

First of all, our Prophet saws turned to Mecca as a big victor with thousands and thousands followers and so powerful. And then the worst enemies of Islam took Islam in the end. Second of all, how would we understand Quran without seerah and sunnah? How would we reflect on anything in our lives without life experiences of first Muslims ever and our Prophet saws? Have you ever heard them complaining? Not even while they were under siege and had nothing to eat for years. Imagine 23 years of severe hardship and yet, it was the greatest calamity ever when our Prophet saws died. Imagine! - All sahabis went through most severe hardships because they followed our Prophet saws firmly and then never stopped crying for him when he died.

No, they were happy, although having nothing, almost nothing material, living far away from their homes, families (imagine - some of them fought with their family members) and no, they're not big sinners! They are the best generation ever. And they didn't have washing machines, vacuum cleaners, electricity, air condition, car, iphone, laptop, TV, and some of them regular clothes.

And we complain over 1 dua not being responded the way we wanted it.

And don't forget - we deserve nothing. Everything we have and receive from Allah is from His Mercy alone. There's no struggle done by us that we could actually claim, just like blessings. If you think you deserved it cause you're reciting Quran a lot, giving sadaqah a lot, standing all night in prayer... then ask yourself who gave you tongue to recite? Who has given you power to stand in prayer? Who's given you rizq and ability for sadaqa? Who guided you to Islam? None of it would be done without Allah's will and Mercy.


And in the end, if you still have wrong perception of Allah and hardships:

“Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship.” (Qur’an, 2:185)

[Flos]

You read surah Al-Kahf every Friday. But, do you reflect at all?

Imagine that poor family whose boat was the only mean to survive and gain goods, after Khidir a.s. broke the boat? Put your self in their shoes. It's very possible they had a comment like " why is Allah doing this to me? What have I done to deserve this, etc"
But, what Allah did was protecting their boat from greedy king. If the king stole the boat, then the family would be left out of means to live. However, the next day they were able to fix it and continue with fishing...

And what about you? Is something like this happening to you? You made a dua, asking Allah to give you peace in life and suddenly you get hardship? And the hardship lasts for few days and ends in good condition? What if you were supposed to go through 7 years of hardship but your dua changed the course?