|
Every event that happens to the Muslim has
one sort or another of goodness in it. Allah
states that even events that seem to be
unfavorable may have a lot of good in them:
[It
may well be that you dislike something in
which Allah has placed a lot of good.]
(An-Nisaa' 4:19)
[It
may be that you hate something when it is good
for you and it may be that you love something
when it is bad for you. Allah knows and you do
not know.]
(Al-Baqarah 2:216)
Aware of this secret, believers seek
goodness and beauty in every event. No
seemingly adverse incident, hardship, or
mischief ails or worries them. They maintain
their composure, whether the experience is
insignificant or a serious ordeal. Sincere
Muslims even see goodness and divine purpose
in the loss of all their hard earned
possessions. They express gratitude to Allah
for the gift of life. They have faith that
Allah may have protected them from committing
an evil act or against too much attachment for
possessions.
Accordingly, believers give their most
inner thanks to Him because no loss in this
world equals the loss in the hereafter. Loss
in the hereafter means eternal and intolerable
punishment (unless Allah wills otherwise).
Those who keep themselves occupied with the
remembrance of the hereafter view every event
as goodness and beauty leading to the
hereafter.
Those who overcome such ordeals will
recognize their weaknesses before Allah and
will reconsider how much they are in need of
Him. They will turn to Allah with much
humility through prayers and remembrance that
will bring them closer to Him. This is surely
an enormous benefit to their hereafter. These
aside, by putting absolute trust in Allah and
showing steadfastness, they will earn His
pleasure and will be rewarded with eternal
bliss.
People should seek goodness and beauty not
only in ordeals, but also in daily routines.
For example, burning the food one has
painstakingly prepared may lead one to take
numerous measures that would, by the will of
Allah, prevent a more serious accident in the
future. A young person might fail the college
admission test on which all hopes for the
future had been pinned.
People should, however, know that there is
goodness in their failure, too; they should be
able to think that Allah might have willed
them to avoid some adverse circumstances or
people and thereby feel pleased with the
result. Alternatively, by thinking that Allah
has placed in every event many other blessings
that are either obvious or beyond the
imagination, believers see the beauty of full
submission to the guidance of Allah.
People may not always see the goodness and
divine purpose behind every incident. Even if
this is the case, they know for certain that
there is goodness in all events. They offer
prayers for Allah to discover the goodness and
divine purpose hidden behind everything that
happens.
Those who are aware that everything has a
purpose in Allah's creation never use phrases
such as "I wish I had not done this"
or "I wish I had not said that" and
so on. Mistakes, defects, or seemingly
unfortunate events essentially include
blessings, and each one of them is the trial
of destiny. Allah gives important lessons and
reminders to humans in the destiny He creates
individually for each person.
For those who can evaluate with insight,
there are no mistakes or adversities, but
rather lessons, warnings, and wisdom from
Allah. For example, a Muslim whose shop burns
down will search his or her soul, and will
become even more sincere and true in his or
her faith, deeming it as a warning by Allah
against overindulgence in worldly goods and
attachments.
Consequently, no matter what one encounters
in this life, the ordeals will all eventually
end. A person who recalls a hardship will be
amazed that it is nothing more than a
reminiscence in the mind. This is also how
people recall the scenes from a film.
Accordingly, one day will come and the most
painful experience will become only a memory,
more like the image of a scene from a movie.
Only one thing will remain — the attitude a
person assumed during the time of hardship and
whether Allah is pleased with him or her.
People will not be called to account for
their experiences, but rather for their
attitudes, thoughts, and sincerity they
displayed at the time of these experiences.
Therefore, endeavoring to see the goodness and
the divine purpose Allah creates in the
situations encountered and taking a positive
attitude will bring bliss to believers both in
this world and in the hereafter. No sorrow or
fear awaits these believers who are aware of
this secret. Similarly, no one, no event can
create fear, harm, or distress in this world
or in the hereafter. Allah reveals this secret
in the Qur'an:
[Those
who follow My guidance will feel no fear and
will know no sorrow.]
(Al-Baqarah 2:38)
[Yes, the closer servants of Allah will
feel no fear nor shall they grieve: those who
believe and have done their duty, there is
good news for them in the life of the world
and in the Hereafter. There is no changing the
words of Allah. That is the great victory.]
(Yunus 10:62-64)
|
