By Editorial Staff
It is the nature of this life to face trials and suffering for different reasons.
It is the nature of this life to face trials and suffering for different reasons.
Muslims believe that calamities and disasters are a test from God (Allah). These tests are a sign of God’s love for the believers. This what distinguishes a believer from a non-believer.
We read in the Quran what means:
Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those of you who fight in His cause and made evident those who are steadfast? (Aal `Imran3:142)
Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: I heard Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying:
“There is nothing (in the form of trouble) that comes to a believer even if it is the pricking of a thorn that there is decreed for him by Allah good or his sins are obliterated.” (Muslim)
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“On the Day of Judgement, when the people who were tried (in this world) are given their rewards, the people who were pardoned (in life), will wish that their skins had been cut off with scissors while they were in the world.” (At-Tirmidhi)
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said:
“Indeed greater reward comes with greater trial. And indeed, when Allah loves a people He subjects them to trials, so whoever is content, then for him is pleasure, and whoever is discontent, then for him is wrath.” (At-Tirmidhi)
This is a very interesting way of looking at trials we are given in this life.
Muslims believe that the trials and calamities are a sign of man’s weakness and his need for a Divine Lord to believe in and have strong faith in Him and that man cannot succeed unless he realizes his need for His Lord and starts beseeching Him and supplicating Him for guidance and help.
Muslims believe that these calamities and disasters are good for them. Because if they are not afflicted in this world, they will be punished in the Hereafter. These calamities expiate for the believers’ sins.
The Prophet is reported to have said:
“When Allah wants good for his slave, He hastens his punishment in the world. And when He wants bad for His slave, He withholds his sins from him until he appears before Him on the Day of Judgement.” (At-Tirmidhi)
The Prophet said:
“Trials will not cease afflicting the believing man and the believing woman in their self, children, and wealth, until they meet Allah without having any sin.” (At-Tirmidhi)
When the believers face these calamities and disasters with patience, they will be greatly rewarded by Allah.
The Prophet is reported to have said:
“How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him.” (Muslim)
Prophet’s Trials
We are told that the Prophets (peace be upon them all) were sorely tried.
” It was narrated from Musab bin Sad that his father, Sad bin Abu Waqqas, said:
“I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which people are most severely tested?’ He said: ‘The Prophets, then the next best and the next best. A person is tested according to his religious commitment. If he is steadfast in his religious commitment, he will be tested more severely, and if he is frail in his religious commitment, his test will be according to his commitment. Trials will continue to afflict a person until they leave him walking on the earth with no sin on him.’” (Ibn Majah)
Prophet Ayyub (Job) was tested will sickness. Prophet Yunus (Jonah) lived in the belly of a whale.
Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) was sexually assaulted and then sent to prison to cover up the crimes against him. Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was literally thrown in a fire by his own father.
Therefore, trials are part of this worldly life.
What Believers Say When They Are Afflicted?
Muslims believe that when anyone of them is afflicted with calamities, he should say: Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji`un (Verily to Allah we belong and unto Him is our return.)
We read in the Quran what means:
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient,
Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.”
Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided. (Al-Baqarah 2:155-57)
Umm Salamah reported Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying:
“If any Muslim who suffers some calamity says, what Allah has commanded him,” We belong to Allah and to Him shall we return; O Allah, reward me for my affliction and give me something better than it in exchange for it,” Allah will give him something better than it in exchange. When Abu Salamah died she said: What Muslim is better than Abu Salamah whose family was the first to emigrate to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). I then said the words, and Allah gave me God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) in exchange. She said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent Hatib ibn Abu Balta`a to deliver me the message of marriage with him. I said to him: I have a daughter (as my dependant) and I am of jealous temperament. He (the Prophet) said: So far as her daughter is concerned, we would supplicate Allah, that He may free her (of her responsibility) and I would also supplicate Allah to do away with (her) jealous (temperament).” (Muslim)
When you are faced with trials, put your trust in your Creator. Be sure that He is always there to help. He is the best Helper. If you are left alone, there is a Merciful Creator who will stand beside you. God knows every moment of your struggle. So, be sure that he will reward your greatly for that struggle.