The ecstasy of the true believer

[MuslimCONVERT]

A scholar named Ibrahim ibn Adham once said, when referring to Muslim rituals and worship, "If the kings knew the ecstasy we were in, they would send their armies with swords to try to take it away from us."

It is a fact that the Mo'men [believer], whose heart is free from all forms of hypocrisy, reaches a state of absolute bliss, peace, contentment, and satisfaction when praying, saying litanies [dhikrullah] proscribed by the Prophet [saas], making suplication [du'a] and other acts of worship. It is related that the companions of Muhammad [saas] often lost sense of their surroundings when they prayed and worshipped, because of the intense experience they achieved.

One sahaba was even shot through the foot with an arrow while he prayed before a battle, and burst into laughter because he had a relationship with Allah [swt] and knew that Allah [swt] would reward him for that suffering either sooner or later. He was overjoyed to recieve pain in the cause of His Creator.

In the Qu'ran, Allah [swt] promises:



"Whosoever does right, whether male or female, and is a believer, We shall make them live a good life, and We shall pay them a recompense in proportion to the best of what they used to do.” [Qu'ran, Sûrah al-Nahl: 97]



This 'good life' does not mean that the Mo'men [true believer in Islam] will never be afflicted by trials. This temporary life is a crucible of trial... what it means is that the trial does not affect the believer, because he knows that the promise of Allah [swt] is true, that if he is suffering today then victory always comes with patience, relief follows difficulty, and when adversity is at it's worst, deliverance is near. The companions of Muhammad [saas] in fact were always more unnerved by good times than bad, because they knew that life is in turns, and what is good today will be bad tomorrow. Yet when times were bad they were in bliss because they knew that Allah [swt] brings about good after evil and affliction, and that the supplication of those in severe difficulty is always answered by Allah [swt] either sooner or later. This reminds us of the saying of Muhammad [saas], who commented, “How amazing are the believer’s affairs; all his affairs are good for him. If good befalls him, he is grateful and that is good for him, and if he is afflicted by calamity he is patient and that is also good for him. This is only for the believer.” [Sahîh Muslim]

But yet, if this is the case of the Mo'men, what is the case of the disbeliever, or the hypocrit Muslim? Allah [swt] tells us:



“But he who turns away from remembrance of Me, his will be a narrow life, and I shall bring him blind to the assembly on the Day of Resurrection.” [Sûrah TâHâ: 124]



This 'narrow life' likewise does not mean that their life will be complete misery. Allah [swt] allows His Mercy to descend on believer and disbeliever alike while in this world. We are all inhabitants of the dunya and the same pattern of life affects us all. But what it means is that, while times are good, the disbeliever/hypocrit is deceived by this goodness, thinking that it means they are special, smart, or esteemed by God, while in fact they are being tested and lured into arrogance and a false sense of security before their Creator, i.e. they are thankless and increase in sins during times of ease, which affects their soul negatively. While in times of hardship they are mired in misery and hopeless, feeling cursed and abandoned. Both of these sinful outlooks occur because they are in a state of Ghafla [heedlessness] which only Dhikr [litanies], Salah [5 daily prayers], and du'a [supplications] can heal. As Allah [swt] says in the Qu'ran:




“Those who believe, and whose hearts find contentment in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find contentment.” [Sûrah al-Ra`d: 28]



I ask Allah [swt] to give us all Yaqeen [certainty of belief], Kushua [focus in our worship], and Tawakkul [reliance on our Creator alone, and faith in Him]. I ask Allah [swt] to save us all from diseases in our heart/souls, to save us from hypocrisy, doubt, and worst of all, Kufr [disbelief].



For Ibn Mas`ûd said: “Allah has placed ease and happiness in certainty of faith and contentment. He has placed worry and misery in discontent and doubt.”


Author: Yours truly!

 

[MuslimCONVERT]

Would like to get everyone's opinion on this inshallah.

 

[noorseeker]

It just reminds me not to complain when in difficult times and hardships.

And my hardships are so so so minor compared to others but yet i still moan as if Allah swt has been unfair to me.

May Allah swt grant mean peace and security in this world and the next.

 

[MuslimCONVERT]

:bump:

:statisfie:statisfie:statisfie

 

[Hamza Asadullah]

:bump:

:statisfie:statisfie:statisfie

Asalaamu Alaikum Wr Wb, Jazakallah for the wonderful reminder my brother.

Al-Ibtilaa' (Allah's Tests)


Al-Ibtilaa' means to be tried or tested. Allah tests us with wealth, plenty, ease and power just as He tests us with poverty, hardship and oppression. Al-Ibtilaa' is a sunnah of Allah Most High. Throughout history, Allah has tested the bearers of His messages and others among His slaves. The test of Allah can be very hard, but by means of it Allah raises the level of His prophets and erases the sins of the righteous believers. The complete defeat of the Muslims and the overrunning of their homes and property by the disbelievers is NOT one of Allah's tests which he puts on the believers. Rather, it is a sign of their having fallen out of Allah's favor through their crimes and sins.



The Prophet(sas) informed us that the presence of tests indicates the presence of iman and that a believer may continue to be tested until he has no sin remaining. Although Allah's tests can benefit us in the long run, a believer does not wish for the test of Allah - rather he always hopes for the forgiveness and mercy of Allah Most High. Allah said in the Qur'an:



{And we will surely test you with some fear, hunger and shortages of property, people and produce. But give good tidings to the steadfast. Those who, when a calamity befalls them say: "We belong to Allah and to Him we return." Upon these are prayers from their Lord and mercy and these are the rightly-guided ones.} (Al-Baqarah: 155-157)



Allah's test which we may face include:



Fear - a state of insecurity and fear from harm which may be inflicted by enemies or oppressive rulers or common criminals. This is a test currently being faced by Muslims in many parts of the world.


Hunger - local famines from natural causes or as a result of war and oppression.


Shortage of Property - caused by imbalances in the Muslim Ummah and the failure for parts of it to help other parts. There will never global poverty or famine in this Ummah because Allah has promised never to destroy the Muslims with these things.


Shortage of People - from death through diseases or jihad or the abandmonent of Islam by many of its people.



When afflicted with these kind of tests, a believer remembers Allah and that Allah created us from nothing, is in full control of all events and is the one who we will face for judgement in the hereafter. This is the consciousness of the qadr (omnipotence) of Allah Most High. This is the consciousness which gives us patience and steadfastness before whatever tests we may face from Allah.



In another verse, Allah said:



{We will surely test you in your wealth and in yourselves and you will hear many hurtful things from those who were given the book before you and from those who associate others with Allah. If you are steadfast and beware of Allah, that is the strongest position.} (Aal 'Imraan: 186)



Allah here warns us of some of the hardships we will definitely face as Muslims in this world. Wealth can be a test both when it is plentiful and when it is scarce. The Prophet (sas) stated in the hadith that he did not fear for his nation poverty, rather he feared for us the ill effects of plenty. Likewise, a shortage of 'selves' (i.e., manpower) can leave us exposed and weak before our enemies while military strength while large numbers of forces could tempt some among us to transgress beyond the bounds of jihad and engage in oppression, exploitation and imperialism or to form alliances with unislamic elements hoping for "victory".



Allah also prepares us for the abuse that we will definitely hear from non-Muslims, both "those who were given the book before you" meaning the Christians and the Jews and "those who associate others with Allah" meaning all of the disbelieving groups on this earth other than the Christians and the Jews. They will torment us with unjust statements and slander about our religion and about us as individuals and groups. This is just another test of Allah. If we are steadfast and conscious of Allah and His complete power over all things, these tests will only increase us in belief and in effort to raise the Word of Allah uppermost in this earth.



{You did not kill them, Allah killed them. And you did not throw when you threw, it was Allah who threw in order that He may test the believers a good test from Him. Surely, Allah hears and Allah knows.} (Al-Anfaal: 17)



In the verse before this, Allah commands the Muslims to face their enemy with courage and never to turn away from the enemy in fear. It is only allowed to turn away for the enemy for strategic maneuvers or to rejoin another section of the army to fight more effectively. Allah has warned that whoever flees from the fight in fear has earned the anger of Allah and will find hell-fire to be his abode in the hereafter.



In this verse, Allah talks about the Battle of Badr where the Muslims were uplifted by a victory against all odds. Allah reminds His Prophet (sas) and all of the Muslims that this victory was by the power of Allah, not by anyone's strength or numbers. During this battle, the Prophet (sas) went aside and prayed to Allah for His aid and victory in this important battle. When he returned to the battle, he (sas) took a handful of sand and threw it toward the enemy. Allah caused this sand to reach the eyes and noses of the entire disbelieving army. This broke their will and turned the battle against them and they were defeated. So, Allah is telling us that victory is not by any strength which we possess, rather it is from Allah alone.



{...that He may test the believers a good test from Him} Allah reminds us that He of course is capable of defeating our enemies without us fighting jihad. But Allah wishes to test us with the physical fighting and to raise the believers to a highter level and grant them a generous reward.



{Every soul will taste death. And we test you with bad and with good as a trial. And unto us you will return.} (Al-Anbiyaa: 35)



Ibn Abbas said about this verse: "We will test you with hardship and with ease, with good health and with sickness, with wealth and with poverty, with the halaal and with the haraam, with obedience and with disobedience and with right guidance and with misguidance - in order that we may establish how you have shown gratitude (for the "good" tests) and how you have remained steadfast (in the face of the "bad" tests)." And unto us you will return - so that Allah will reward each and every soul according to their actions.



The Prophet (sas) said:



"There is no hardship which afflicts a Muslim but that Allah expiates with it some sin of his - even a thorn which pricks him."
(Muslim and Bukhari)



"How amazing is the affair of the believer! Everything which happens is good for him. And that is for no one except the believer. When he encounters good times and ease, he gives thanks and that is good for him and if he encounters hardship he is steadfast and that is good for him." (Muslim)



"The analogy of the believer is like the grain crops - the wind continually beats it back and forth. And a believer continues to be afflicted with trials. And, the analogy of the munaafiq (hypocrite) is like the cedar tree - it stands firm with no motion until it is cut down."
(Muslim and At-Tirmidhi)



Al-Fudhail ibn 'Iyaadhh said: "Whoever complains about a calamity which comes his way it is as if he has complained against his Lord."

It has been said: "Four things of the treasures of paradise: concealing a calamity, concealing the giving of charity, concealing your need and concealing pain."



Shuraih once heard a friend complaining about some difficulty which has come his way. He took him by the hand and said: "Beware of taking your troubles to other than Allah. For the one to whom you confide can only be either a friend or an enemy. If he is a friend, then you will make him sad for you and he cannot benefit you anyway. If he is an enemy, he will be pleased and take some advantage over you. Look at this eye of mine. By Allah, I have not seen any person or the way to go with it for fifteen years and I have never told anyone about it until this moment. Have you not heard the statement of the righteous slave (Ya'qoob): "I only raise my distress and my grief to Allah". So, make Allah the one to whom you take your troubles and your grief when anything bad happens to you. He is the most gracious of those who are asked and the closest of those who are called."



Anas reports: "I went with the Prophet (sas) and his son Ibrahim was brough to him and he was in the pains of death. The Prophet (sas) held him while he was in that condition, tears were in his eyes (sas) and he said:



"We belong to Allah to to Allah we return. The eye tears and the heart is sad and do not say except that which is pleasing to our Lord and we are saddened to part from you, O Ibrahim."



O Allah! Grant us you mercy before your trials. Make us among those who give thanks for all that you give and render what is due upon them for Your sake. Make us among those who remain steadfast in the face of Your trials and forgive us our sins. Our Lord! Do not hold us responsible if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord! Do not place upon us burdens like those you placed on those who came before us. Our Lord! Do not place upon us that which is beyond our ability. And pardon us. And forgive us. And have mercy on us. You are our Protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people."



Source: http://members.cox.net/arshad/allahtest.html[/QUOTE]