Sh Abdullaah Al-Qaseer
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O People! Fear Allah SWT and perform righteous deeds which Allah loves and accepts; be cautious through your lives and believe that everything that occurs does so according to the decree of Allah SWT. Do not replace the guidance which Allah SWT guided you to, meaning his obedience, with disobedience otherwise, Allah SWT will change your situation to one of misery and desolation.

Allah SWT said that which translates as: “That is because Allah SWT will not change a favour which He has bestowed upon a people until they change what is within themselves. And indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.” (Al-Anfaal: 53).

He also says that which translates as: “Have you not considered those who exchanged the favour of Allah for disbelief and settled their people [in] the home of ruin? [It is] Hell, which they will [enter to] burn and wretched is the settlement.” (Ibraheem: 28-29).

O Believers! Just as your lives contain problems, afflictions and disasters, they also have great bounties and favours from Allah, who is the Most Generous. In addition Allah has blessed your lives by giving you ease through times of grief and hardships as well as and protecting you from other trials and tribulations which did not affect you. This life is the abode of hardship and ease, sorrow and joy, happiness and sadness and laughter and weeping. Things are constantly changing and the trials that we face are always different. People are tested in different ways so that the wise can learn lessons from this and the successful can take advantage of them. Through these trials, the heedless become deceived and those who are doomed will go into further destruction.

Regarding this, Allah SWT said that which translates as: “ Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as a trial; and to Us you will be returned.” (Al-Anbiyaa’: 35). He also said that which translates as: “In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful.” (Al-Hadeed: 23).

And also that which translates as: “And We will surely test you until We make evident those who strive among you [for the cause of Allah] and the patient, and We will test your affairs.” (Muhammad: 31). In addition to this, Allah has said that which translates as: “…And Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.” (Al-‘Ankaboot: 3).

Therefore, it is saddening to observe in life so many different types of people who always seem to be complaining. They complain and weep about sickness, poverty, hardship, being away from loved ones, deaths of relatives or missing out on the riches of this world. These people do not seem to have any faith, nor do they seem to believe in the Divine Decree of Allah and his Pre-Destiny.

O Muslims! Complaining about Allah to His creatures and weeping about things that one has missed out on in life is either an indication of weak faith, or something that leads it. It is also either an indication of despairing of the mercy of Allah or something that would lead to it. These are the characteristics of the worst of creatures; those who harbour false-thoughts about Allah, just as the ignorant pre-Islamic people did. This is why you see them feeling despair and fearing the worst possible outcome when any problem or trial befalls them. So you see such a person feeling constrained, losing patience and becoming nervous. Due to their stress, their sorrows seem to multiply, which leads them to stray away from the truth and become attached to someone or something that cannot benefit them in any way. They despair of the mercy of Allah and this is indeed a massive loss, both in this life and in the Hereafter, because clinging to and attaching oneself to creatures and turning away from the Lord is association with Him, as proved by the texts of the Quran:

Allah says that which translates as: “And do not invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor harms you, for if you did, then indeed you would be of the wrongdoers. And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him; and if He intends for you good, then there is no repeller of his bounty. He causes it to reach whom He wills of His servants. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. (Yoonus: 106-107).

Suhayb Ibn Sinaan RA reported that Rasulullah SAW said: “How wonderful is the case of a believer! There is goodness for him in every thing, and this is not the case with anyone except for 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 also good for him.” (Muslim).

Abu Hurayrah, RA narrated that Rasulullah SAW said: “Never is a believer stricken with a discomfort, an illness, an anxiety, a grief or mental worry, or even the pricking of a thorn except that some of his sins are expiated for him (as a consequence).” (Bukhaari and Muslim).

Rasulullah SAW also said: “If any Muslim is afflicted with any adversity, even as small as a prick of a thorn or anything greater than that, then Allah will expiate some of his sins (due to this), just as a tree sheds its leaves.” (Bukhaari and Muslim).

Servants of Allah! How many hardships carry blessings and mercy and how many adversities befall a slave of Allah, due to which he reaches an exalted rank and becomes honourable in the sight of Allah? He has said that which translates as: “…Indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing.” (Al-An’aam: 83). He also said that which translates as: “Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without limit.” (Az-Zumar: 10).

So fear Allah, May He have mercy upon and protect you all. If you have hope in Him, He will make you become steadfast. Avoid overburdening yourselves by performing too many optional deeds and perform only the deeds that you can continue performing constantly. By doing so, you will all have a pleasant consequence that you will appreciate. Do not be deceived by your current good health, wealth and comforts and don’t be weakened by hardships, adversities and calamities; the way out from Allah is coming and his mercy is ever near for the righteous and the provision of Allah will never be attained except through being obedient to him.

Allah says that which translates as: “Whatever Allah grants to people of mercy – none can withhold it; and whatever He withholds – none can release it thereafter. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (Faatir: 2).