Remember when you were very young and loved to play in the kitchen with all the gadgets?
Very likely, your mother would let you play with some things but not with others. Years passed and when you got older you wanted to try different things and go many places. Perhaps your parents let you try some but disapproved of others. At such times, you would feel frustrated and even angry that you failed to get what you wanted.
Now you are facing life on your own. Your parents have done their job and raised you, protected you and taught you as much as they could. Now you are on your own – just you and your Creator.
Are you still frustrated and angry when you do not get what you want from life?
Imagine what would have happened if your parents had let you play with sharp utensils. Remember how you stomped and pouted when they took them away!
Imagine what would have happened if your parents let you mix with that gang of kids and remember how most of them later ended up in trouble with the police!
Our parents love and care for us and they took dangerous things away from us and they loved us enough not to care how angry we were with them. It is also important to keep in mind that Almighty Allah is merciful to us more than our parents are. In life He takes some things away from us because they are harmful – even if we do not understand the nature of that harm.
This is similar to when we have our immunization shots to prevent illness. In life we undergo many challenges to strengthen our inner selves so we will be prepared for whatever comes across our path.
Almighty Allah wants us to turn to Him for help, guidance, forgiveness and support. Out of His wisdom, Almighty Allah leaves us free to make decisions and explore life. Almighty Allah knows we will make mistakes and He sends us people and situations to test us and to help us learn. Sometimes, He the Almighty takes things from us but if we are patient and trust in Him, He gives us something better.
Quran mentiones in Surat Al Baqarah: {…it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing that is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.}
Al-Hasan al-Basri said: “Do not resent the calamities that come and the disasters that occur, for perhaps in something that you dislike will be your salvation, and perhaps in something that you prefer will be your doom.”
Almighty Allah tells us many times in the Qur’an that He is the most merciful. If we keep this in mind as we steer the course of our life, we will see His signs all around us.
Therefore, we must have faith in Almighty Allah and trust in Him. Even though sometimes we may not understand the reason behind certain things that happen, we should be sure that as long as we seek to obey Him, whatever happens will be for our betterment.
May be now, instead of the kitchen gadgets, we might be after a car, a house or a better job. Only Almighty Allah knows if those things are good for us. Only He knows if they will lead us on the straight path and be beneficial for us. So if He chooses not to grant us these things, we should trust in Him and say ‘Allah knows best’.
Perhaps we have to face sickness or some kind of calamity and surely this is not easy. Remember that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There is nothing that befalls a believer, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allah will record one good deed for him or will remove one bad deed from him.” (Muslim)
Can you imagine that you would leave this world without bearing any sin? Well, the Prophet said what means: “Trials will continue to befall the believing man and woman, with regard to themselves, their children and their wealth, until they be with no sin on them.”
So, our success in this life and the next depends on how we react to what happens to us. The most important thing we have to learn is to trust in Almighty Allah. And never ever object on What Allah test us with, because objecting Allah is a blasphemy, and the one who do blasphemy should say the two shahadas to return to Islam.
So trust Almighty Allah! There is great reward for those who learn to do that. Hardship can be a sign of Almighty Allah’s love for a person. Difficulty can be like medicine: even though it is bitter, in spite of its bitterness you still give it to the one whom you love. Always remember: ” The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial”
