Allah, Most High, possesses profound wisdom in all that He decrees for His creation. When observing the events unfolding in Palestine, Lebanon, Sudan, and elsewhere throughout the Muslim world, some may wonder why hardship persists and why relief appears delayed.
Yet when matters become clear, whether in this life or in the Hereafter, we will come to realise that whatever Allah has decreed is founded upon wisdom and is ultimately good. If Allah were to lift the veil from His servant and show him how He manages his affairs, and how He is more merciful to him than his own mother, the servant’s heart would melt with love and gratitude for Allah.
For this reason, the Prophets and the righteous would submit completely to Allah’s decree, knowing His wisdom and remembering His Name, Al-Hakim (The All-Wise), during times of hardship.
Did not Prophet Ya’qub (Jacob) عليه السلام say after losing three of his sons, Yusuf, his brother, and the son who remained behind because of his brother:
“So patience is most fitting. Perhaps Allah will bring them all back to me. Indeed, He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” (Qur’an 12:83)
Imam Al-Tabari explains:
“My patience regarding the loss of my sons is a beautiful patience, free from panic and complaint. Perhaps Allah will return all of them to me. Indeed, He is the All-Knowing of my loneliness, my loss, and my grief over them, and He is the All-Wise in His management of His creation.”
“Perhaps You Dislike Something While It Is Good for You”
Our Lord, the Most Truthful of all speakers, says:
“Fighting has been prescribed for you, though it is disliked by you. But perhaps you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and perhaps you love a thing while it is bad for you. Allah knows, and you do not know.” (Qur’an 2:216)
This verse establishes a general principle: acts of goodness that souls dislike because of hardship are often pure good, while acts of evil that souls desire because they appear pleasurable or easy are often harmful.
Shaykh Al-Sa’di رحمه الله explains that this verse teaches us that the servant’s perception is limited, while Allah’s knowledge encompasses all things.
True good is that whose benefit outweighs its harm, while true evil is that whose harm outweighs its benefit.
Paradise is a good containing no evil whatsoever.
Hellfire is an evil containing no good whatsoever.
As for the trials that befall the righteous, they are good, because their temporary pain in this world is insignificant compared to the immense reward awaiting in the Hereafter.
The story of Musa and Al-Khidr in Surat Al-Kahf provides some of the most striking examples of Allah’s hidden wisdom.
The separation of Yusuf عليه السلام from his father while he was still a motherless child, and his being cast into the well, ultimately became the means through which he was granted authority over Egypt:
“Indeed, my Lord is Subtle in what He wills. Indeed, He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” (Qur’an 12:100)
The departure of Musa عليه السلام from his homeland, alone and fearful, became the means of his salvation in Madyan, his marriage, and his preparation for Prophethood.
Regarding the incident of Al-Ifk (the great slander against our mother ‘A’ishah رضي الله عنها), Allah says:
“Do not think it was bad for you. Rather, it was good for you.” (Qur’an 24:11)
The goodness lay in Allah’s public vindication of the Mother of the Believers, the elevation of her rank, the honour bestowed upon the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, and the revelation of divine rulings that remain applicable until the Day of Judgement.
Allah then says:
“Allah admonishes you never to repeat the like of this if you are believers. And Allah makes the signs clear to you, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (Qur’an 24:17-18)
Perhaps He Withholds From You to Give You
Life and death, wealth and poverty, health and illness, children and childlessness, defeat and victory all occur according to profound divine wisdom.
Were a person able to spend enough time reflecting carefully upon these matters, he would come to realise that nothing could have been better than what Allah decreed.
Ibn ‘Ata’illah رحمه الله beautifully states:
“Perhaps He gives to you and thereby deprives you, and perhaps He deprives you and thereby gives to you. When Allah opens for you the door of understanding regarding deprivation, deprivation itself becomes the very essence of giving.”
Perhaps Allah withholds wealth from you but grants you contentment and satisfaction.
Do not say:
“Allah deprived me.”
Rather say:
“Allah showed kindness and mercy to me.”
Do not say:
“Allah withheld what I wanted.”
Rather say:
“Allah protected me from the harm of what I wanted so that He could grant me the goodness of what He wanted.”
For I am a servant under the decree of the All-Wise, Who does whatever He wills.
Perhaps Allah grants a person wealth but deprives him of obedience.
Perhaps He grants children but deprives him of intimacy with His remembrance.
Perhaps He grants worldly honour but withholds honour in the Hereafter.
Perhaps He grants status, influence, and wealth while depriving a person of tranquillity and true respect.
The Wisdom Hidden Behind What We Dislike
Have you not heard of someone whose journey was delayed or cancelled, only to discover later that the train or plane suffered a disaster?
Have you not seen a woman saddened by a rejected marriage proposal, only to later marry someone through whom Allah granted her happiness?
Have you not heard of a merchant dismissed by his partners who later discovered that the business collapsed and went bankrupt?
Have you not met a student disappointed at not entering his preferred field, only to excel in another discipline and become a leading expert in it?
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Allah has distributed your character traits among you just as He has distributed your provisions among you. Allah gives worldly possessions to those He loves and those He does not love, but He grants religion only to those He loves. Whoever is granted religion has indeed been loved by Allah.”
Authenticated by Al-Hakim and Al-Dhahabi.
Thus, being prevented from worldly luxuries may itself be a form of divine generosity, because Allah has protected you from distractions that would distance you from Him.
The situation resembles that of a sick person whose family prevents him from consuming certain foods and drinks. They do so not out of hatred, but out of love and concern for his recovery.
The patient experiences pain through being deprived, yet that deprivation itself becomes the means of healing.
The Prophet ﷺ alluded to this reality when he said:
“Indeed, Allah protects His believing servant while loving him, just as you prevent your sick loved one from certain food and drink out of concern for him.”
Narrated by Ahmad and authenticated by Al-Albani.
Some of the Wisdom Behind Trials
Allah says:
“And We test you with evil and with good as a trial.” (Qur’an 21:35)
Meaning: We test you sometimes through hardship and sometimes through blessings, to see who is grateful and who is ungrateful, who remains patient and who despairs.
Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما explained:
“We test you through hardship and ease, health and sickness, wealth and poverty, lawful and unlawful matters, obedience and disobedience, guidance and misguidance.”
Trials contain many wisdoms.
Among them is the manifestation of Allah’s attributes of power, forgiveness, patience, mercy, and concealment of faults.
Among them is the manifestation of His Names Al-Hakim (The All-Wise) and Al-Khabir (The All-Aware).
He places everything exactly where it belongs and deals with every matter according to His perfect knowledge, wisdom, and awareness.
He knows best where to place His messages, whom He chooses for guidance, and who is worthy of receiving His favours and showing gratitude for them.
Had the causes that we dislike not existed, many tremendous wisdoms would never become apparent and countless benefits would be lost.
Likewise, if these causes were removed because of the harm they contain, then even greater benefits would also disappear.
This is similar to the sun, rain, and wind. Each may occasionally bring harm, yet their benefits vastly outweigh any harm associated with them.
The Shari’ah Is Entirely Wisdom
Just as Allah’s wisdom governs His creation, His wisdom also governs His commands.
The Islamic Shari’ah is founded entirely upon wisdom and the welfare of people in both this life and the next.
It is all justice.
It is all mercy.
It is all benefit.
It is all wisdom.
As Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:
“Every matter that departs from justice to oppression, from mercy to its opposite, from benefit to corruption, and from wisdom to futility is not from the Shari’ah, even if someone attempts to include it through interpretation.”
The Shari’ah is the delight of the eyes, the life of the hearts, and the nourishment of the souls.
It is life, sustenance, healing, light, protection, and guidance.
Every good found in existence is derived from it, and every deficiency arises through neglecting it.
One practical example is found in Allah’s statement concerning marriage:
“Live with them honourably. If you dislike them, perhaps you dislike something while Allah places within it abundant good.” (Qur’an 4:19)
Shaykh Al-Sa’di رحمه الله explains that a husband may dislike certain aspects of his wife, yet by treating her with kindness, patience, and good character, Allah may place within that marriage tremendous goodness.
That goodness may come through obedience to Allah, the blessing of righteous children, increased affection, self-discipline, refined character, or the eventual transformation of dislike into love.
Thus, the believer remains certain that behind every decree of Allah lies wisdom, even when that wisdom remains hidden from him.
For indeed, Allah is Al-‘Alim, Al-Hakim — the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
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