#301: Advice on Trials and Tribulations
*QUESTION*
*TRIBULATIONS THAT BEFELL ME*
“As-Salaamu Alaykum. Hmmm indeed, I have been pondering on this. May Allah forgive our shortcomings and accept our worship as an act of ibadah, Amin. I am a practicing Muslim sister, am not praising myself but the fact is I practice Islam and recite the Qur’an often. I got married but lost my two kids in the marriage after having them in a hard way. So after that, I kept wondering if its a punishment or trial because there is nothing I don’t do as a Muslim although we are sinners and Allah knows best. I was pushed out of the marriage by my in-laws because of the loss of the kids, and my husband had to marry another woman after divorce. Mainly because the kids died, till now I wonder all day if Allah can be punishing me for devoting myself firmly in the religion or He could be trying me. But I have been patient though for He is with the PATIENCE. Allah knows best……..”_
*ANSWER*
Alhamdulillāh, we ask Allāh to reward you with patience, steadfastness and the betterness of your health, condition, situation and Īmān, āmīn.
Let it be known to myself and you that we are all Servants of Allāh and He tries His Servants as He wills, we have no say in the matter. Ours is to submit to him, ask for His Mercy, and pray that He absolves us of trials that put us in discomfort.
The world in its entirety is a Fitnah for Allāh – ta’ālā – has said:
ونبلوكم بالشر والخير فتنة وإلينا ترجعون
_”And We try you with evil and with good, and to Us you shall return”_
The Ulamā have taken from this Āyah that whatever happens to us of good or evil is but a trial from Allāh, we must be careful then. Then He ta’ālā ended the verse by reminding us that we return to Him, that we may realise that the ultimate that counts is what our fate is in the Hereafter: Jannah or Nār.
Know, o beloved sister, that trials are a way by which Allāh elevates those that are His Servants whom He chooses. This was recorded by Imām At-Tirmidhī in the narration of Anas Ibn Mālik – radiyallāhu ‘anhu that the Rasūl – salallāhu alayhi wasallam – said:
: (إِنَّ عِظَمَ الْجَزَاءِ مَعَ عِظَمِ الْبَلاءِ، وإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِذَا أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا ابْتَلاهُمْ، فمَنْ رَضِيَ فَلَهُ الرِّضَا، وَمَنْ سَخِطَ فَلَهُ السَّخَطُ)
_”The greater rewards are with the greater trials. And indeed when Allāh – ‘azza wajall – loves a people, He puts them to trial. Whosoever displays he is pleased at it, he would earn pleasure (from Allāh) and whosoever displays wrath, he would earn wrath (from Allāh).”_
Of course it is bitter and difficult upon the human heart and for its reason it is called Patience. The Arab poet was right when he said:
والصبر مثل اسمه مرٌّ مذاقته *** لكن عواقبه أحلى من العسل
_”And patience, like its name, its taste is bitter; but its end is sweeter than honey.”_
I advise you to seek solace with steadfastness in the recitation of the Qur’ān, pondering over its meanings, studying the biographies of the Muslims of the Past who have undergone trials, and being in the company of the Pious whose togetherness with you remind you of Allāh and the Hereafter.
I ask Allāh to return to you whatever you have lost, with more barakāt and in manifolds, to grant you the husband that is more pious than the previous and will guide, teach and give to you the comfort and solace that you need, and the rewards of your trials and excellent deeds, āmīn.
Bārakallāhu fīkum
Jazākumullāhu Khayran
📚 *IslamNode*
