Trials and Tribulations
The imam began this week’s reminder with ayat 140 from Sura Imran which is translated to say:
If a wound should touch you – there has already touched the [opposing] people a wound similar to it. And these days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people so that Allah may make evident those who believe and [may] take to Himself from among you martyrs – and Allah does not like the wrongdoers
Dear brothers and sisters, it is the decree of Allah SWT that He will test his subjects to difficulties and tests. He will do so with all types of tests and this is to ensure that those who are honest and truthful come out as successful in the next life.
If we look around the world, we can see powers that have never been seen before, being used for destruction, and that no one person or groups can do anything about them. What is worse, there are people or groups who will side with the afflicter of these trials just so that they themselves are spared.
Allah SWT warns us against doing this act of cowardice. The imam referenced this by reminding us of ayat 52 of sura Al Maida in which it says:
So you see those in whose hearts is disease hastening into [association with] them, saying, “We are afraid a misfortune may strike us.”
Dear brothers and sisters, we need to be of those people who speak out against injustices with our actions, our words or our duas to our Lord.
We live in a time and a place where this is needed more than ever. Due to the information age, we all have full visual and auditory access to events happening all over the world, often in real time. We are able to see the atrocities taking place and the trials that are on groups and nations all over the world and like never before.
We need to be of the group who believe in Allah SWT and Judgement Day, who have firm belief, and belief in what their Lord and His Messenger has promised them. We need to be of the people who would follow the guidance that they have been given, and act accordingly, and be patient until the victory comes from their Lord.
Dear brothers and sisters, we need to be mindful of this and remind ourselves that with hardship comes ease and to be patient. A great example of this is delivered via our beloved Prophet SAWS.
Who knew, that at a time when the prophet peace and blessings be upon him was calling to the Oneness of Allah, to get rid of idolaters, andwith the harm the non muslims tried to inflict on the Muslims and their Prophet, that time would come where they would own the world in few short years!
Dear brothers and sisters, we will all go through trials and tribulations but some can be avoided and this concluding part of the reminder touches upon those in history and what lessons we can derive from them.
So, the first question is “Why does Allah SWT allow Muslims to be defeated?”
The answer to this comes as early as during the time of Prophet Muhammed SAWS. We need to remind ourselves that Allah SWT has a plan for everything and good comes from whatever Allah SWT decrees. The defeat in the battle of Uhud due to some Muslims disobeying the commands of the Prophet SAWS is a whole khutba on its own, but it’s lesson is summarized by Allah SWT in the glorious Quran and was referenced by the imam today in Sura Al Imran, ayat 65 which says:
How is it that when you are afflicted with a loss, after you yourselves had inflicted losses twice as heavy upon your enemy in the battle of Badr, you exclaimed: “Whose fault was that?” Say to them: “It was your own fault,” Allah has power over everything.
Dear brothers and sisters, the ayat directly deals with disobedience and its consequences. But alongside that we ought to look at the other reason and that is guarding against arrogance.
And so, this reminder concludes with 5 quick reminders on how to deal with trials and tribulations.
- To have firm belief in Allah SWT and his decree.
- To be keen on doing what is right, regardless of the situation because if it wasn’t a difficult situation then it wouldn’t be a trial.
- To have the desire to be strong in the face of tribulations and to avoid being weak and lazy
- To have conviction that losses are temporary and that they are a test from Allah SWT
- And finally, to have certainty over what Allah SWT has promised us.
Dear brothers and sisters, we need to remember that this world is a test and to treat it as such. We have to think of the bigger picture and understand that in order to achieve the higher pass marks, we may have to sit the harder tests. And by doing this we can aim to be of the people who Allah SWT speaks of in Sura Al Noor, ayat 55 which says:
Allah has promised to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds that He will of a surety grant them in the land inheritance (of power) as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state) after the fear in which they (lived) to one of security and peace: `They will worship Me (alone) and not associate anyone with Me.’ If any do reject faith after this they are rebellious and wicked.
