Difficulties is True Character of the World
By Dr. Jasser Auda
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the
Most Merciful;
All the praise and Thanks is due to Allāh, the
Lord of al-`ālameen. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except
Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam, is His Messenger
In his well-known book entitled:
“Al-Hikam
(Words of Wisdom)”, Sheikh Ahmad Ibn `Ataa`illah As-Sakandari
(rahimahullah) says:
“Do not be surprised when
difficulties happen in this worldly abode. It is only revealing its true
character and identity.”
Sheikh Ibn `Ataa`illah (rahimahullah) was indicating that should the
servant of Allah repents to Him, relies on Him, purifies his intention to Him,
reflects on Him, and seizes the time, the light of faith will shine in his
heart and his journey will draw closer to Allah Almighty.
In any case, as Sheikh Ibn `Ataa (rahimahullah) had said, "There is
no real distance between you and Him so that you embark upon a journey. And the
connection between you and Him is not cut so that you seek to mend it".
In Hadith Qudsi, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) state
that Allah Almighty said:
"My servant continues to
draw near to Me with additional work until I love him. When I love him, I am
his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with
which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. If he asks me, I will give
him, and if he seeks my refuge, I will grant it to him." (Al-Bukhari) and "And if he draws near to Me a hand's
span, I draw near to him an arm's length. And if he draws near to Me an arm's
length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I
go to him at speed" (Al-Bukhari and Muslim.).
However, it is one of Allah's consistent and universal laws that
when Allah loves someone, He will test him with trials in this world.
Allah says: “Do people think that on their mere claiming, “We have
attained to faith”, they will be left to themselves, and will not be put to a
test?” (Al-`Ankabut, 29:2).
A claim of belief has to be put to test.
Allah says: “And most certainly We shall try you all, so that We
might mark out those of you who strive hard in Our cause and are patient in
adversity: for We shall put to a test the truth of all your assertions.”
(Muhammad,47:31)
Trials vary but the expected reaction is the same; patience and
piety.
Allah says:
“And most certainly shall We try
you by means of danger, and hunger, and loss of worldly goods, of lives and of
labor's fruits. But give glad tidings unto those who are patient in adversity” (Al-Baqarah, 2:155).
“You shall most certainly be
tried in your possessions and in your persons; and indeed you shall hear many
hurtful things from those to whom revelation was granted before your time, as
well as from those who have come to ascribe divinity to other beings beside
God. But if you remain patient in adversity and pious - this, behold, is
something to set one's heart upon” (Aal-`Imran, 3:186).
The Worldly matters worth Very Little to Allah
Allah announces that this worldly life is worth very little. So, if
He deprives a person of this worldly life or part of it and guides him to
repentance and bestows on him His mercy and paradise instead, then what a great
deal! Therefore, the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:
"The most severely tested
people are the prophets, then the next best, then the next best. A man will be
tested in accordance with his level of commitment to God" (Ibn Hibban).
For this reason, if life is full of difficulties and challenges,
one should not be surprised or asks why. It is as if Ibn `Ataa (rahimahullah) is
asking us: What
is the name of this world? The answer in Arabic is `ad-dunya’,
which literally means the lower life. Therefore, it is not surprising if bad
conditions, unpleasant manners, and fatal consequences reveal themselves,
because these things are derived from the very character and nature of this
lower worldly life.
Accepting this nature of worldly life helps the servant acquire a
basic virtue and cross a very important stop in his journey to Allah. It is
patience with tests. Patience is a characteristic that gets the servant into
God's Presence, as mentioned before: “O you who have believed, seek help through patience and
prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:153).
The category of Patience
There are three categories of patience that the servant of Allah
required to consistantly adhere to draw closer to Allah, namely: “Patience in doing good deeds”, “Patience in avoiding
evil”, and: “Patience with tests”.
1. “Patience in doing good deeds” refers that the believer should
always be active, without placing hardship on oneself. Allah says:
“God has laid no hardship on you
in anything that pertains to religion” (Al-Hajj, 22:78).
The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) saw an old man walking,
supported by his two sons, and asked about him. The people informed him that he
had vowed to travel on foot to the Ka`bah. The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi
wasallam) said:
“Allah is not in need of this old man's torturing himself”; and ordered him to
get a ride to the Ka`bah. (An-Nasa`ie) It is not considered as a ‘patience’
to cause torture, hardship or harm upon oneself.
2. As for “Patience in avoiding evil”, it means that a believer
should stay away from committing what Allah Almighty has forbidden. For one
example, we read in the Qur'an about Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) and one of the
tests he was put to.
Allah Says: “And it so happened that she in whose house he was living
conceived a passion for him and sought to make him yield himself unto her; and
she bolted the doors and said, ‘Come you unto me!’ Joseph answered: ‘May God
preserve me!’” (Yusuf, 12:23).
There is a great reward for this type of patience. The Prophet
(Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) says that one of the seven persons whom Allah
would give protection with His Shade on the Day when there would be no shade
but that of Him is "A man whom a beautiful woman of high rank seduces
for adultery, but he rejects by saying: ‘I fear God’."
(Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
3. “Patience with Allah's tests” is at different levels, all of
which bear the meaning of refraining from something. The most basic level of
patience with Allah’s tests is to refrain from the
act of complaining about the test, but to repent and surrender to Allah's
Decree. Then, a higher level is to refrain from
complaining by your tongue. Finally, the highest level of patience is to
refrain even from complaining in your heart.
Refraining from committing sins is a condition for purifying one's
heart. Allah says about the hypocrites: “Indeed, We tested them through suffering, but they did
surrender to their Sustainer; and they will never humble themselves”
(Al-Mu’minun, 23:76).
When a person faces some problems, then he or she is at a
cross-road; either to repent and surrender to Allah, or to fall into sins,
which means failing the test.
At a higher level, patience with Allah's tests requires one to
refrain from even complaining about the test. This is called ‘beautiful
patience’, as Allah tells us about the story of Prophet Jacob (‘alayhis
salam), when he said: “I will only show beautiful patience” (Yusuf,
12:18), and “It
is only to Allah that I complain of my deep grief and my sorrow” (Yusuf,
12:86). Prophet Jacob (`alayhis salam) complained only to his Lord
and refused to complain to anyone else.
Being patient with Allah's Decree on the level of the heart is the
best type of patience. The believer attains this degree when he or she not only
refrains from speaking about the difficulty, but also refrains from agonizing
about it in his heart. The soul is always at peace, even at the peak of crisis.
The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) said:"Genuine patience is at the first stroke of a calamity" (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) said:"Genuine patience is at the first stroke of a calamity" (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
If the believer is patient at the face of tests, he or she will
advance in the way of Allah.
“Consider the flight of time!
Verily, a human is bound to lose himself, unless he be of those who attain to
faith, and do good works, and enjoin upon one another the keeping to truth, and
enjoin upon one another patience in adversity” (Al-`Asr, 103:1-3).
And in any case, adversity does not last forever.
“And, behold, with every
hardship comes ease: verily, with every hardship comes ease!” (Al-Inshirah 94:4-5).
The Supplication of the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam)
`Abdullah Ibn `Umar (radiyallāhu`anhu) said: We counted Messenger's saying a hundred times during one
single sitting: ‘Rabb ighfir li wa tubb `alayya innaka
antat-tawwābul-raheem’ (O Allāh, forgive
me and accept my repentance, for You are the Accepter of Repentance, Most
Merciful). According to another report: ‘Rabb
ighfir li wa tubb `alayya Innaka antat-tawābul-ghafūr” (O Allāh, forgive me
and accept my repentance, for You are the Acceptor of Repentance,
Oft-Forgiving). [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidzi]
`Aishah (radiyallāhu`anha) also
reported, who said: The Prophet
(Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) used also to recite frequently in his Ruku’ and Sujud: “Subhānakallāhumma Rabbanā, Wabihamdika,
Allāhummaghfirli (Glory is to You, O Allāh! Our Lord,
And all the Praise be to You. O Allāh! Forgive me.” Implementing (the order of)
the Qur’an: "Fasabbih bihamdi rabbika wastaghfirhu innahu kana tawwaba (Then glorify with the Praises of your Lord, and seek
His Forgiveness, for He is Oft-Returning.)" (Nasr, 110:3).
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Ibn `Abbas (radiyallahu`anhu) narrated:
The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) used to say ‘between the two Sujud’:“Rabbighfirli, Warhamni,
[Wajburni], Warfa’ni, Warzuqni, Wahdini,
Wa`afini [Wa’fu‘anni](O my Lord!
Forgive me, and Have Mercy on me, [and Strengthen
me, and Raise my rank] and Grants me
sustenance, and Guide me, and Grant me healthiness, [and Pardon me.])” three times. [Recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidzi, Ibn Majah and Hākim, who declared it sahih and Dhahabi
agreed]
Thawban
ibn Bajdad (radiyallāhu‘anhu) reported: Whenever Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi
wasallam) finished his Solat (prayer), he would beg forgiveness three times [by
saying, 'Astaghfirullah' (3 times)] and then
he would say: "Allāhumma
Antas-Salāmu, wa minkas-Salamu, tabarakta ya Dzal-Jalali wal-Ikram.
(O Allāh! You are the Bestower of security and security comes from You; Blessed
are You. O Possessor of glory and honour)." Imām Al-Awza'ie (one of the
subnarrators) of this Hadith was asked: "How forgiveness should be
sought?" He replied: "I say: Astaghfirullah!, Astaghfirullah!, Astaghfirullah!
(I seek forgiveness O Allāh!. I seek forgiveness O Allāh!. I seek forgiveness O
Allāh!)."[Muslim]
In another narration : “Allāhumma
antas-Salām wa minkas-Salām wa ilai kaya`udus-Salām,
Fahaiyina-Rabbana-bis-Salam Wa ad-khilnal-Jannata Dārus-Salām tabārakta Rabbana wa ta`a laita, Ya Dzal-Jalali wal-Ikram” (O Allāh, You are the One Who is free from all defects and
deficiencies, from Thou come well-being, to Thou shalt return the well-being; Thus bless us with
peace and Jannah, the Abode of Peace, shower us your blessing O Allāh, Our Lord, the Most High; O Allāh, our Lord Possessor of majesty and honour.)
This Du`a was a Sunnah of Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi
wasallam), and it is highly recommended to recite it after Solat.
Muslim ibn al-Harith
reported that his father said, “The Allāh`s Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi
wasallam) said to me: ‘When you performed Solah
Fajar, before you talk to anyone, say: ‘Allāhumma ajirni minannar (O Allāh, I seek your protection from the Hell-fire)” seven times. If
you should die on that day, Allāh will record for you protection from the
Hell-fire. When you performed the Solāh
Maghrib, say, before you speak to anyone: “Allāhumma inni as`aluka al-jannah, Allāhumma ajirni minannar (O Allāh, I
ask Paradise of You. O Allāh, I seek Your protection from the Hell-fire)” seven times. If you die during that
night, Allāh will record for you protection from the Hell-fire.” (Related by
Ahmad and Abu Dawud.)
Ibn Mas`ud (radiyallahu`anhu) reported: “The Prophet
(Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) used to say: ‘Allahumma inni as'alukal-huda wat-tuqa
wal-‘afafa wal-ghina (O Allah! I ask You
for guidance, piety, chastity and self-sufficiency)’.” [Muslim].
This Hadith contains four words, the meanings and
implications of which constitute its essence. These words are guidance, piety
(fear of Allah), chastity and sufficiency. Al-Huda (Guidance) here means
guidance at every turn of life and steadfastness on the path of truth. Al-Taqwa (Fear
of Allah) is the greatest means of piety and strongest defense
against sins. Al-`afafa
(Chastity) is the state of being free from what is unlawful. Al-ghina (Self-sufficiency)
is the antonym of poverty and here it means the self-contentment. What it
implies is that one should not care for what people possess. In view of all
these qualities, the prayer of the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam)
mentioned in this Hadith is very comprehensive and valuable.
Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir Al-Tabari (rahimahullah)
recorded that Umm Salamah (radiyallāhu`anha), reported that the Prophet
(Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) used to supplicate: ‘Ya Muqallibal-qulubi, thabbit qalbi `ala deenik (O Controller of the hearts makes my heart
steadfast in Your religion and to Your obedience).” Rasulullah (Sallallāhu
`alayhi wasallam) then recited: Rabbana la tuzia’qulubana ba’ daiz hadaitana wahab Lana
min laduñ karahmah; Iñnaka an tal Wahhāb.
(Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after Thou have
guided us, and grant us mercy from Thou. Truly, Thou are the Bestower.)
(Al-’Imran, 3:8) [This is recorded by Muslim and At-Tirmidzi]
Anas Ibn Mālik (radiyallāhu`anhu) who said: “The supplication most
often recited by Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam): Rabbana-ātina-fid-dunya hasanah, Wa fil-ākhirati-hasanah,
Wa-qina-`ādzabānnār (O Lord! Bestow upon
us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good,
and save us from the punishment of the Fire).’” (Al-Baqārah 2:201) [This is
recorded by Al-Bukhāri, Muslim, and Tarmidzi]. Tarmidzi (rahimullāh) said:
“Hasanah is very comprehensive and includes in all kinds of good and benefits
of this world and of the Hereafter. Good health, wealth and satisfaction of the
world and good status in Jannah, forgiveness from sins and Allāh’s bounties and
favours in both worlds are included in this duā’” [ At-Tarmidzi].
And Allāh Almighty Knows best.
[Excerpted
from “Ibn `Atta’ Words of Wisdom (8):
Difficulties: True Character of the World”, a commentary by Dr. Jasser Auda, Thursday, 29 September 2011
via On Islam]
