A2Youth.com - The Youth's Islamic Resource

Our Trials and Tribulations

A2Youth Inhouse

category: Coping with Adversity

source: A2Youth.com

reads: 23289

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In Suratul Inshirah Allah says "(O Prophet!) Have We not expanded your breast for you and relieved you from the burden which weighed down your back, and exalted your fame? Surely, with every difficulty there is relief. Surely, with every difficulty there is relief. Therefore, when you are free from your daily tasks, devote your time to the labor of worship and turn all your attention towards your Lord."

Like the verse before, this Surah is talking to the Prophet (Salla Allahu 'Alayhee wa Sallam) but does not mean it does not apply to us. Has not Allah expanded our breast with guidance of Islam? Has he not relieved burdens from our backs? And has he not in one way or another exalted us in fame, whether it be having people respect us or look up to us? Allah continues saying with every difficulty there is relief, and he repeats this. This is the truth from Allah, and if we look into our lives we will see this to be true. Allah mentions this after talking about the blessings which he has given us to show us the examples of how he truly does give relief to difficulty. This is solid proof, that which we cannot deny and that which is evident in our own lives. And Allah ends the Surah telling us to devote our attention to worship when we are done doing our daily tasks. After analyzing this Surah we will see that the layout of it is something very important. First Allah talks to us showing how he has given us his blessings. Then he tells us that these blessing were because of tribulations he placed upon us, and we were successful in being patient with them. Then he tells us to praise and worship Allah when we have the time, for this is what we owe for all the good he has given us.

Sometimes we wonder why our problems keep coming back and why they are never solved. If we analyze ourselves we will realize we were the people Allah mentions in Suratul Fajr, Verses 15 and 16. "And as for man, when his Lord tries him, then treats him with honor and makes him lead an easy life, he says: My Lord honors me. But when He tries him (differently), then straitens to him his means of subsistence, he says: My Lord has disgraced me." This is the only reason for constant problems and suffering with no happiness to relieve us. It was already mention that Allah promises us to give us good after affliction if we are patient and steadfast. This also means if we are not, then we should not even expect any lenience from Allah when it comes to his trials.

Indeed there is not a day that does by that a believer is not tested. Sometimes these tests truly are hard upon us but if we do our best to be patient with them then Allah will give us what we desire. We should not think of these afflictions as something bad and even if their outcome is something bad we should remember that all is Allah's will and that there is wisdom behind everything that he does. Through the understanding of Islam we will be able to deal with our trials in better manners.

Indeed Allah the exalted has said "It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East and the West, but righteousness is this that one should believe in Allah and the last day and the angels and the Book and the prophets... and the patient in distress and affliction and in time of conflicts-- these are they who are true (to themselves) and these are they who guard (against evil)." [Suratul Baqarah, Verse 177]

This is true righteousness, to be patient in distress and affliction and in times of conflict. Is not our goal in life to be pious Muslims and to be the ones whom Allah loves? If this is our true intentions then we should take the advice of the one who we seek his help and love. We should strive to be patient and strive to understand that all is in Allah's hands and everything Allah does there is a reason for it, even if we do not understand it. Our troubles and problems may lead to something glorious for us later in our lives, something that we would have never had a chance to get unless we went through these tests. Surely it is hard and truly it is a test from your Lord, but without patience and understanding there will be no resolution.

And I end by quoting from Allah. Quoting something we should memorize and something we should implement in our lives. Something that, if we truly believe then we will always be content with what Allah does, even if it is hard upon us. Allah the most Just and Merciful says in Suratul Baqarah, Verses 285 and 286, "The messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers; they all believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers; They say 'We do not discriminate between any of His messengers' and they say: 'We hear and obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, O our Lord; to You we shall return.' Allah does not burden any human being with more than he can bear. Everyone will enjoy the credit of his deeds and suffer the debits of his wrongdoings. The believers say: 'Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord! Do not place on us a burden as You placed on those before us. Our Lord! Lay not on us the kind of burden that we have no strength to bear. Pardon us, Forgive us, Have mercy upon us. You are our Protector, help us against the unbelievers.'"

Oh Lord, Grant us the good in this life and the good in the hereafter and save us from the hellfire. Teach us to be humble and help us in the trials you put on us. Keep us away from that which will harm us and unite us with those who will help us.

By the time through the ages! Surely, mankind is in loss, except those who believe and do good deeds; exhort one another to the truth and exhort one another to patience.