The prophet (salla
Allahu alaihi wa sallam) once said that the people most afflicted, and effected
by trials, tribulations and calamities are the prophets (peace be upon them),
after them are those who are lesser than them in virtue and righteousness.
The prophet (salla
Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said a person would be tested by Allah azza wa jal
depending on the level of his Imaan. If a person’s Imaan were strong, Allah
would increase testing over him and if a person’s Imaan were weak Allah would
lessen his testing.
In this hadith the
prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) tells us that without a doubt trials
and tribulations from Allah azza wa jal would continually test a believer; and
in another hadith he (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) says that Allah tests the
people He loves with trials and calamities. Therefore in this life on earth
there is no escape for us, we will be tested.
Imam Ahmed (may Allah
have mercy on his soul) was asked, “When does a servant of Allah find the taste
of comfort?” He said, “When he lays his foot in paradise.” When you put your
first foot in paradise there will be no more trial, no more calamities and no
hardships at all. Unfortunately this life cannot be like that, you will be
tested in this life.
People often ask if what
they are facing is a calamity, or a test from Allah, or if it is a punishment
from Allah, and if it is elevating and raising our status in paradise? We do
not have an answer to these questions. However, we know for sure that whatever
tasks the prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) faced, whatever trials and
calamities he (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) went through, they raised and
elevated his status by the side of Allah azza wa jal.
But when it comes to us,
our hardships and tests may be raising and elevating our levels, but most
likely they are a punishment for the things that we did or the sins that we
committed or for the mandatory and obligatory things that we missed and did not
fulfil.
Therefore, no matter
what happens in this world you have to know that this happened because Allah
the Almighty has decreed it. and once you have this content and satisfaction
that whatever happens to you is by the decree of Allah azza wa jal, then things
would turn to be much better than you expect and that would, by the grace of
Allah azza wa jal, make you go through these trials and calamities with a happy
heart and Allah azza wa jal knows best.
