We are living through difficult times. Some of us are directly in difficulty. Others are watching difficult things happen to those they love. To truly understand hardship and relief, we must understand the source of both and that is Allahﷻ. Who is Allahﷻ and what does He want for us? Nobody can introduce Allahﷻ better than He introduced Himself. He said:
Baqara 2: 255 Allah! There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belong whatever is in the heavens and whatever is the earth. Who could possibly intercede with Him without His permission? He ˹fully˺ knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them, but no one can grasp any of His knowledge—except what He wills ˹to reveal˺. His Seat encompasses the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of both does not tire Him. For He is the Most High, the Greatest.
Hashr 59: 22-24 He is Allah—there is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him: Knower of the seen and unseen. He is the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful. He is Allah—there is no god except Him: the King, the Most Holy, the All-Perfect, the Source of Serenity, the Watcher ˹of all˺, the Almighty, the Supreme in Might, the Majestic. Glorified is Allah far above what they associate with Him ˹in worship˺! He is Allah: the Creator, the Inventor, the Shaper. He ˹alone˺ has the Most Beautiful Names. Whatever is in the heavens and the earth ˹constantly˺ glorifies Him. And He is the Almighty, All-Wise.
Ikhlaas 112: 1-4 Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “He is Allah—One ˹and Indivisible˺; Allah—the Sustainer ˹needed by all˺. He has never had offspring, nor was He born. (And there is none comparable to Him.”)
About what He wants for us, He said in the Ayaat related to fasting:
يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ
Baqara 2:185 Allah intends ease for you, not hardship,
So, why then are there trails and hardships in life? To understand this, we must understand that in life, appearance is deceptive. Many times, behind the apparently negative, great positivity is hidden. We know that one of the most severe if not the most severe pain that a human being can suffer is the pain of childbirth. Why then do women have children? Not only have them, but want them, pray to have them and go to all sorts of lengths for children? Because when the mother holds her baby in her arms, she forgets the pain.
The Qur’an tell us story after story of the Anbiya (Prophets) who faced not just hardships but each apparently total and terminal yet were victorious. Only when you know the whole story can you see the pattern and sequence, where the hardship and danger were signs that Allahﷻ was in control and that whatever was happening was according to His plan. Allahﷻ told us the story of Yusuf (AS) in the well and slavery and jail. Ibrahim (AS) in the catapult, Rasoolullahﷺ in Ta’aif, Musa (AS) between the sea and Pharaoh’s army and others. And we know how each of those stories ended.
The Qur’an tells us stories not for entertainment or history lessons, but as a means of interpreting the events of our own lives. So, let us see today’s scenes of apparent difficulties and disasters in this light. We’re influenced by the apparent and the immediate and don’t remember that it’s part of a sequence. It’s like the electrician cleaning the copper wire and rubbing it and scraping it so that current can flow through it properly. It’s the pain of weightlifting, or hard aerobic exercise but without that a good looking and functioning body is impossible. The lesson is that no matter what the difficulty, no matter what the apparent loss, if it takes me to Jannah, it is worth it without doubt. Because loss in this life is inevitable. But Jannah must be earned. It is not inevitable. If I give up something that I would have lost anyway, to get Jannah which is mine forever that is a bargain, and I welcome it.
Allahﷻ told us that no calamity happens without His Will and Permission but that through it, Allahﷻ supports and protects the hearts and minds of those afflicted, so that they see the reality behind it and don’t lose hope. They remain firm on their faith, while others look at them astonished. This is the real help of Allahﷻ, which comes to those who have faith and trust in Him.
مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَن يُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُۥ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
Taghabun 64:11 No calamity befalls ˹anyone˺ except by Allah’s Will. And whoever has faith in Allah, He will ˹rightly˺ guide their hearts ˹through adversity˺. And Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things.
Life is a collection of incidents. Some of those are trials. Trials are the means of getting into Jannah. We ask Allahﷻ to give us Jannah without trials. Allahﷻ told us that Jannah is not something that is so easy to attain that all that we need to do is to simply profess faith. Allahﷻ told us that people of faith have always been tested and so shall we be tested.
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ ٱللَّهِ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ
Baqara 2:214 Do you think you will be admitted into Jannah without being tested like those before you? They were afflicted with suffering and adversity and were so ˹violently˺ shaken that ˹even˺ the Messenger and the believers with him cried out, “When will Allah’s help come?” Indeed, Allah’s help is ˹always˺ near.
We forget this when we decide to turn over a new leaf and start to obey Allahﷻ. We expect the angels to walk with us and we expect to shake hands with them. The reality is different. The reality is the same as when we want to go into a higher class in school or want a promotion at work. When we announce that we are ready for the promotion by applying for the job, we are invited to a test. If we pass the test we get promoted. But we must pass the test. The same situation happens in life. When we announce to Allahﷻ that we are ready to obey Him the first thing that happens is that we are tested to see how truthful we are. The only difference is that when Allahﷻ tests, He also supports us in the test and helps us to pass as long as we remain steadfast. He even helps us to remain steadfast. Tests are an indication that we are upwardly mobile and that our levels are being raised and we are getting closer to Allahﷻ. Allahﷻ promised to test us and reward the patient.
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَٰتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُهْتَدُونَ
Baqara 2: 155-157 We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure— who, when faced with a disaster, say, “Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will ˹all˺ return.” They are the ones who will receive Allah’s blessings and mercy. And it is they who are ˹rightly˺ guided.
Let us ask ourselves, ‘What is the value of receiving Salawaat (blessings) and Mercy of Allahﷻ? Is that worth whatever difficulty that we had to endure?’ This thought will help us to put things in perspective. When Allahﷻ promised to test the believers in His Mercy, He also taught them how to deal with difficulties and how to ask for His help and said:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
Baqara 2:153 O believers! Seek help in patience and prayer. Allah is truly with those who are patient.
Sabr is to make the maximum effort, and Salah is to stand before Allahﷻ and beg for His help. The reward is that Allahﷻ said that He is with those who have Sabr. He did not say, ‘Allahﷻ will help those who have Sabr.’ He said, ‘Verily Allahﷻ is with those who have Sabr.’
There is a promise of help and a promise of the One Who Helps being with the one who needs help and between the two there is a world of difference. It is like the difference between the king saying, ‘I will help you,’ and saying, ‘I am with you.’ When the king promises help, the help is confined to whatever he gives. But when he says, ‘I am with you,’ then it encompasses all that the king owns. The king with all his authority, wealth and power is with us. Which is more valuable? That is what happens when we have Sabr and stand before Allahﷻ and ask Him alone. Allahﷻ is the Most Merciful, the Most Powerful, and knows what is good for us way better than we ever could. Like a surgeon cutting out cancer, the wound hurts and bleeds, but saves our life. In this case, that is the life in the Hereafter which is forever.
Allahﷻ then showed us what we need to do to access His treasures which is to develop Taqwa. Taqwa is the desire to please the One we love more than anyone and anything else and the fear of displeasing Him. When we choose to live our lives the way He wants us to, He promised to help us out of our difficulties and provide us from sources we cannot imagine. The secret of getting out of difficulties is clear. Develop Taqwa. Make Istighfaar and Tawba. Follow the Sunnah. Forget all your advisors and listen to Rasoolullahﷺ. Then the doors of Allahﷻ’s treasures will open for you.
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ
وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ
Talaaq 65:2-3 And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, He will be sufficient for him.
Allahﷻ told us the way to have Him on our side. He said:
إِنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَواْ وَّالَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ
Nahl 16: 128. Truly, Allah is with those who have Taqwa (fear to displease Him), and those who are Muhsinun (who do Ihsan – excellence in worship and good deeds)
The way to have Allahﷻ on our side is to develop Taqwa – develop the fear of displeasing Allahﷻ and to use the pleasure of Allahﷻ as the criterion in all decision making. The natural outcome of this focus is the development of Al-Ihsan (excellence in worship and all good deeds). How do we please Allahﷻ? By obeying Him in the best possible manner.
When we do this, the help of Allahﷻ comes in unexpected ways, from unexpected sources, and at unexpected times. When the One who is in total control is with you, hearing and seeing, and you are engaged in doing His work, then what do you have to fear? What can anyone or anything do without the permission of Allahﷻ? That is the most reassuring thing that we can hope to know. That Allahﷻ is with us. The key to the help of Allahﷻ is to obey Him in the way of Rasoolullahﷺ. That is the way to get relief from all hardships. We have the key code but remember that to open the door, the full code must be punched in, in the right sequence. That code is Islam.
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