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Ramadhan 2020 -The tests and trials to make us stronger
4-22-2020
The entire world is gripped and lockdown in Covid19 pandemic. Our lives have been turned upside down and inside out. It is a global event which no one had ever predicted or imagined. An event like none other. Neither us, nor our parents have ever experienced in their lifetime. We all hope and pray that Inshaa Allah when this is all over, sooner rather than later, we will have a closer relationship with Allah, with nature, and with everyone around us.
This global event has halted our world as we once knew it. It has an element of fear, anxiousness. It also has an element of hope. Knowing that nothing happens without the will of Allah, and if Allah has placed us all in this situation. It is Allah and Allah alone who can get us all out of it. If we turn to Allah with all sincerity and seek forgiveness from Allah for our shortcomings by allowing ourselves to indulge in the worldly rat race where vast majority of us had little or no time left to remember Allah.
Thus, Allah has availed us a golden opportunity to reconnect with him and re-establish our relationship with Allah. It is our only way out of this calamity. Look at it from a positive prism and thank Allah for the golden and amazing opportunity he has created for us during the blessed month of Ramadan. Where we will have all the time at our avail without having to worry about the rat race and devote our undivided attention to re-establishing our relationship with Allah.
We must have faith in Allah that he will guide us and protect us from all harm Inshaa Allah. There is no better time.
We must make an effort to learn and understand the message of Allah and find solace in his words in the Holy Quran.
Allah says in the Quran, Surah Mulk, Verse 2, “He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.”
Life in itself is a composition of tests and trials.
Therefore, we should not allow ourselves to get engaged in meaningless activities that would take our time away from Allah. We should also not allow ourselves to be drawn into a debate whether this is a punishment from Allah. Shaytan will place doubts in our minds to confuse us by redirecting our attention elsewhere, by such distracting thoughts.
We as humans should not question the will and plan of Allah by conjectures, and perpetuations of multiple theories. We should accept the fact that whatever befalls upon us It is by the will of Allah.
We must understand that, Allah tests individuals to re-affirm their faith and bring them back towards the realm of Islam. He puts His believers in various situations, difficulty and comfort alike, in order to assess their dedication to Islam. He tries them so that they may turn to Him and seek His help above all else. These trials are a mean to strengthen one’s faith in Allah (SWT) and submitting to His Divine will. The Prophet (PBUH) is known to have said: “If Allah loves a people, He tries them, and whoever has patience will have patience, and whoever is anxious will be anxious.”
Therefore, we must try our best and endure hardships and difficulties with patience.
Rather than being worried, or complaining we should be grateful to Allah for being worthy of his test. Allah also tests His servants and afflicts them with troubles in order to raise their ranks in Paradise. The degree and extent of the trial depends on how committed the believer is to Islam. These trials then become a means through which their status is elevated and their rewards are doubled. The best examples are all the messengers and Prophets of Allah. They were afflicted with the highest order of sufferings and tribulations during their lifetimes so they would reach the highest levels of Paradise in the hereafter. In the words of the Prophet (PBUH): “The extent of the reward will be in accordance with the extent of the trial. If Allah loves a people, He tries them, and whoever is content will have contentment, and whoever is angry will have anger.”
These trials are aimed at removing an individual’s sins and evil deeds during the course of this lifetime. These trials may come in the form of loss, sorrow, injuries, and all sorts of calamities which are Allah’s way of cleaning a believer’s slate of his/her sins. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that."
John F Kennedy once said, "When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters — one represents danger, and the other represents opportunity.
We must look at this as an opportunity to be able to do what the Allah has created us for, “to worship him.” We should look at it as an opportunity to purify ourselves by seeking forgiveness from Allah for our sins of past and make a commitment to Allah not to repeat those mistake again. We should utilize this golden opportunity to strengthen our faith (Eamaan) in Allah, by being patience, engaging in remembrance (Dhikr) of Allah, by expressing our gratitude to Allah for all the blessing he had showered upon us, by assisting others who are facing difficulties may it be moral or financial.
We must use this opportunity to help struggling Muslim businesses, many of whom are facing financial difficulties to remain afloat. We must support local Muslim businesses as much, and whenever possible.
At AlAmeen Post, we are providing our advertisers, advertisement at no charge in this Ramadan Issue. Its our way if supporting and promoting local businesses.
Remember nothing in this life lasts forever, so the test will have an end inshaAllah: Allah promises in Quran, “verily with every hardship comes ease” (94:5-6).
We must remember that Allah is not going to test us beyond what we could bear, as Allah says in the Quran, “Allah does not burden any soul beyond what it can bear (2:286); Allah has confidence in us, so we too need to have confidence in our ability to get through the test.”
Take one day at a time, have faith in Allah.
Ramadan Mubarak to all our readers, advertisers, our contributors from all of us at AlAmeen Post.
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