Be Productive - Be Muslim

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How can I become a better individual, a better community member, a better Muslim?

How can a Muslim live a meaningful and productive life and at the same time strengthen faith and the bond with God?

How can we face up to life's challenges, frustrations, ups and downs without diminishing in faith?

How can we come through hard times, fight against injustices and oppression with an unshakable belief in God’s destiny?

And most importantly, what does Islam say about all these questions? And how can we work on finding the right balance?

Islam provides a well-defined comprehensive way of life in which man is not only adhering to principles but, most importantly, acting on these principles and turning them into purposeful deeds and achievements.

Moreover, Islam’s very practical teachings are a source of true happiness and spiritual comfort.

This folder is a collection ofguidelines and recommendations for a balanced Muslim lifestyle between the fundamentals of Islam and between practical measures for productive individuals and for a better society.

www.onislam.net

 

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Trusting in Allah (Tawakkul) ​

Every human being comes into this world by decree of Allah, and with him or her, carries a life journey that has been pre-ordained, written and endorsed by Allah Himself - a unique path, a journey throughout a temporary abode – one that is full of obstacles, challenges, punishments and plenty of rewards.

For Muslims la-ilaha-ill-Allah (the phrase that denotes that there is no deity, save for Allah), is more than just a saying of conviction, rather it embodies the entirety of being Muslim.

{And put your trust in Allah, if you are believers indeed.} (5:23)

When a Muslim says this first part of the shahadah, (the testimonial of faith for Muslims), he or she is submitting in totality to the will of Allah, for the simple reason, there is no deity worthy of worship, save for Allah.

This may sound simple for some: just eliminate, for example, statues of worship, or do not submit to any other religious structure. Unfortunately, the human being is easily tempted and one can sometimes perceive other forms of worship, such as a career-path, money, power, a relationship even, or the coveting of a worldly prize. When this happens, this person’s focus of worship changes into one that is geared towards worldly pleasures and instead of seeking Allah’s pleasures in life; he or she may become overly focused on his or her object of obsession.
{But sufficient is your Lord as a Guide and Helper.} (25: 31)


For a person who forgets the belief in one single God, it is easier for him or her to fall into sadness, and even clinical depression when the going gets tough. But believers are reminded that {Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us,} (9:51) and are often reminded that there will always be challenges in life that will force them to think and reflect and each challenge has actually been uniquely tailored to fit each person’s situation, surroundings, personality and physical /spiritual or mental strength.

Whether it is the short-change of a promotion, another failed IVF cycle, a difficult final year exam paper, a falling out with a friend, a horrible illness, an attack on a Masjid or the loss of a loved one, those who practice tawakkul – the complete trust in Allah – will be able to handle the situation in a more positive light, as compared to someone who did not have that trust.
There are many ways to achieve tawakkul. And even if one is certain of his or her trust in Allah, a booster shot would never hurt the heart or soul.


Spend Time to Reflect, Shed Tears if Need Be
No human being can escape sadness. But in Islam, there is a way to feel less sorrow or grief, by invoking Allah to provide strength and patience. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) described his tears over the death of his son, Ibrahim, as part of his humanness. {Verily with hardship, there is relief,} (96:6) the Qur’an reminds.


Tears that come from the eyes and the heart are from Allah, as with that come sincerity. Shedding tears allows negative emotions to be released rather than transforming into self-consuming anger or bitterness that could eventually destroy one’s tawakkul. However, crying alone is not enough if it is not accompanied with reflective wisdom. Although Allah catches every tear of a true believer, an overdose of sadness can lead to depression, which is also dangerously self-consuming.

{Remember Me, by praying, glorifying, and I will remember you,} (2:152).

Within the realm of sadness, Muslims need to remember that there are ways of remembering Allah – may it be through du’a (invocations), prayers such as istikarah (the prayer for guidance), and even zikr (constant remembrance of Allah). Allah promises: for those who are resolute, He will send down calmness and tranquillity upon them.

Although some prayers are best done during certain times of the day or night, invocations and zikr have no time limits, and one can continue strengthening his or her relationship with God while carrying out the normal errands or chores. It is said that Allah thinks about those who think about Him the most, so by constantly remembering Allah in times of difficulty, a Muslim solidifies the belief that with every adversity comes a reward.

Remember that what Allah takes away from a person, there is a plan behind it – most of the time, Allah rewards a Muslim, especially a patient one, with something better – because Allah knows best.

to be continued...

 

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Get a Grip of the Situation and Plan for the Next Step of Action

Although tawakkul denotes complete trust in Allah, every Muslim needs to plan for the next course of action when a challenge presents itself. Sitting back in anger or frustration is akin to giving up in many situations.

Allah loves those who help themselves, who better themselves and who are constantly striving to achieve their goals or overcome problems for His sake. Getting a grip of the situation allows a person to understand why he or she is facing a certain obstacle. Prophet Muhammad once said, (He who Allah wishes for good, He will firstly inflict him with hardship.) Thus a believing Muslim picks up from calamities and constructively embraces the situation in stride.

One could ask constructively: Why did this happen to me? If I have made any mistakes that may have angered Allah, how shall I repent? What could have I done to avoid this situation? What should I do now that would please Allah? What valuable lessons can I learn from this problem? How shall I make myself a better Muslim for the sake of Allah?

Repentance is an important practice by those who practice tawakkul. Repentance allows a Muslim to recognise his or her wrongdoings, weaknesses and the sheer magnitude of grace that Allah has bestowed upon him or her. Repenting cleans the heart and allows a believer to move on.
{Noah said to them: ‘Ask forgiveness from your Lord. He is Oft-Forgiving. He will send you rain in abundance, and give you increase in wealth and children; and bestow on you gardens; bestow on you rivers,} (71:10-12).

Some people find that writing their thoughts down puts the problem into perspective. They allow themselves to address their fears, their concerns and can even find solutions to their problems. Others may benefit from talking to supportive family or friends in order to overcome negative emotions and to plan for the future. In all cases, Muslims need to remember that while they plan, only Allah can determine the outcome, and that outcome is the best for the person at that given moment.
{So when you have made your decision, then put your trust in Allah,} (3:159).

Instead of asking Allah for a certain plan to work, a believing Muslim - full of tawakkul - should ask for Allah to grant him or her an outcome that is best for him or her. And even if it may seem that the reward is meagre, Allah has promised Paradise to those who are patient – and there really is nothing that can contend with the returns in Paradise.

Live for the Moment Because Each Moment Will Pass

{So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful,} (7:144). Trusting in Allah also involves taking care of one’s self. A Muslim should surround him or herself with positive company, preferably those who have a strong personal relationship with Allah.
A Muslim in search of a higher level of tawakkul should also indulge in activities that he or she enjoys the most, as long as they do not contradict the teachings of Islam. This promotes happiness and positive energy in a person, providing a healthy distraction from the problem. It also encourages one to constantly remember and appreciate the blessings of Allah, and feel thankful at all times – even if it is a glass of water, because Allah was the One who provided the same glass of water - rather than nit-pick at the imminent problems in life.

This goes back to the one of the fundamentals of the dunya (world): it is a place of passing, a journey that has a limited number of moments for each unique person. Why waste time feeling sad and depressed, when one can feel blessed, happy and positive for the sake of Allah? The problem or obstacle will eventually pass, and time and patience will help a person heal – but with the right attitude and ultimately the feeling of tawakkul in tow – even the heaviest burden becomes lightweight and even challenging in a positive light. {Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things,} (66:3).

There are many ways to live for the moment, fully believing that Allah will help a person who helps him or herself.
One could spend time giving charity and appreciate those who are less fortunate. A believing Muslim could speak to an ustadz or an ustadzah and learn how to strengthen his or her iman (faith). One could seek advice from those who have faced similar situations and learn from their mistakes. A good Muslim should smile aplenty to ward off sadness and doubt. And a believer could spend some time alone reflecting on how to become closer to Allah.

Complete Surrender to Allah

{Whoever is in the heavens and on earth begs of Him. Every day He has a matter to bring forth (such as giving honour to some, disgrace to some, life to some, death to some,} (55:29).
Every human being comes to earth by the decree of Allah with a pre-ordained plan that balances the nature of the temporary abode with good and evil, blessings and hardships, rewards and punishments and death and life.
Because this pre-ordainment is so important, tawakkul has been described as the head of human body, with the human body representing the entire religion. Without tawakkul, one does not embody the religion of Islam.
Without tawakkul, a person draws closer to committing shirk, often searching for answers elsewhere, imploring for the help of others, questioning his or her fate in anger, or subsiding into self-destructive behaviour and emotions. With tawakkul comes humility, sadness with reflection, planning with wisdom and happiness for the sake of Allah.
Those with tawakkul are often reminded of the world being a temporary abode, one that is paved path that will ultimately lead to the Hereafter. Thus how they reflect, react and respond to hardships presented by Allah will affect their goal of achieving Allah’s pleasure, and ultimately, Paradise. {“And they think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): ‘O Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You!’} (3:191).

Without tawakkul, the kalimah of la-ilaha-ill-Allah will cease to carry meaning, and that is part of the shahadah that encompasses the fundamental belief of a Muslim.

Trusting in Allah (Tawakkul) - Fate & Destiny - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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Tips for Keeping a Balance in Life ​

Are life and the Hereafter enemies? Does seeking worldly affairs affect one's destiny in the Hereafter?

Or are life and the Hereafter two faces of the same coin? Can a Muslim balance between them?

Islam is about moderation in all affairs whether religious or worldly. God created us with a purpose in this life. God created us to acknowledge His oneness and to worship Him alone. If we understand the main objective of creating human beings, we will recognize the importance of exerting every possible effort to worship God the proper way.

On the other hand, one has to work to earn his living. One has to interact with others. One has to go here and there. Then, what should one do? Should one isolate himself and live in a ghetto?

No, Islam is not against interaction. Islam does not accept the renunciation of this world. Interaction is not a crime, quite the opposite, as Islam calls for involvement, struggle and change.

A true believer should be involved in worldly affairs by commanding good, forbidding evil, and establishing justice on earth. A Muslim should be an active member in society.

We read in the Quran the story of Qarun, who was of Prophet Moses's people, that he was warned by the godly men among his people: {Seek instead, by means of what God has granted you, [the good of] the life to come, without forget­ting, your own [rightful] share in this world; and do good [unto others] as God has done good unto you; and seek not to spread corruption on earth: for, verily, God does not love the spreaders of corruption!} (Al-Qasas 28: 77)

This is exactly what is required from a Muslim; i.e. to strike a balance between his religious and worldly affairs. The question is how to strike this balance?
Managing time is the key for success. If you manage your time correctly, you can do everything you want. You first have to set your list of priorities, starting with the most important, then the less important. You should make the best use of every second in your life. On your way to work or on your way back home, you can turn good deeds into acts of worship. For example, you can read the Quran, remember God, seek His forgiveness while you are on the bus or the train.

We have a good example in the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Lady Aisha was once asked: "What did the Prophet use to do in his house?" She replied: "He used to keep himself busy serving his family, and when it was time for prayer he would go out for it." (Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet used to help his wives with the housework; this is a worldly affair. However, when the time of prayer came he left everything and went to the mosque to offer the prayer.

Indulging in worldly affairs without paying heed to religious obligations is not recommended in Islam. God says about those people what means: {… whereas they who are bent on denying the truth shall have - even though they may enjoy their life [in this world] and eat as cattle eat - the fire [of the hereafter] for their abode.} (Muhammad 47: 12)


New Muslims might think that in their transition period they should abandon everything in this life and focus only on strengthening their relation with God. They are right in seeking a strong connection with God. However, they are not right in rejecting this life. The following hadith explains the course of action that the Prophet adopted.

Narrated Anas bin Malik: A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet asking how the Prophet worshipped (Allah), and when they were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient and said, "Where are we from the Prophet as his past and future sins have been forgiven." Then one of them said, "I will offer the prayer throughout the night forever." The other said, "I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast." The third said, "I will keep away from women and will never marry."

Allah's Apostle came to them and said, "Are you the same people who said so-and-so? By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry women. So he who does not follow my tradition in religion, is not from me (not one of my followers)." (Al-Bukhari) This is the moderate approach that should be followed by Muslims whether they are new or born Muslims. Extremism and negligence are rejected in Islam.

There are many Quranic verses that make it clear that a Muslim should not burden himself with what he cannot do: {God does not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear.} (Al-Baqarah 2: 286)

{Remain, then, conscious of God as best you can, and listen [to Him], and pay heed.} (At-Taghabun 64: 16)

The Prophet is reported to have said: "... if I forbid you to do something, then keep away from it. And if I order you to do something, then do of it as much as you can." (Al-Bukhari & Muslim)

Lady Aisha said: "Once the Prophet came while a woman was sitting with me. He said: "Who is she?" I replied: "She is so and so," and told him about her (excessive) praying. He said disapprovingly: "Do (good) deeds which is within your capacity (without overtaxing yourself) as Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) but (surely) you will get tired; the best deed (act of Worship) in the sight of Allah is that which is done regularly." (Ahmad)

These are the guidelines that should be followed. A mid-ground approach will help us grow in faith in this world in a sustained way, and lead to great rewards in the Hereafter.


http://onislam.net/english/reading-islam/living-islam/growing-in-faith/450325-tips-for-keeping-balance-in-life.html

 

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Self- Development: Prayers As Productive Habit
Seven Steps to Follow​

You should aim to develop the following seven spiritually productive activities into habits so that you can hopefully continue benefiting from them throughout your life. I consider these activities as the spiritual ‘bread and butter’ of any productive Muslim. To develop them as habits is the essence of embarking on your journey towards the love of Allah and constantly increasing in your faith:

1) Keep the Sunnah Prayers:
I know it’s easier to just pray the obligatory prayers and rush out of the mosque! However, when we realize the rewards we’re missing from not praying these Sunnah prayers, we won’t leave them. Over the years I have learnt there’s only ONE way of getting yourself to pray these Sunnah prayers constantly: Get into the habit of praying them! They’ll soon become part and parcel of your prayers.

2) Remembrance of Allah After Prayers:
Again, it’s easy to rush out after prayers due to your busy lives, though if we are honest, how long does it take to recite the supplications after prayers? (The Answer: 5-7 minutes!). If you’re not sure what I’m referring to, you may find the supplications at MakeDua.com.

Nowadays you’ll find pocket notebooks/or phone applications with these supplications. Get into the habit of reciting them daily after each prayer to enrich your spiritual experience.

3) Morning/Evening Remembrance of Allah:
Step 2 is also included in this habit. There exists a beautiful set of duas/remembrances from the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) which he used to say before sunrise and after sunset. They are true stress relievers and energy boosters which never fail to make my days and evenings feel blessed.


4) Night Prayer:
During Ramadan we have the wonderful Taraweeh prayers to attend. However, outside of Ramadan there are many opportunities to still obtain the reward of the night prayer. If you’re new to night prayer or you don’t pray it constantly during the year, make sure you try to attend prayers each and every night in congregation at the mosque (particularly brothers), and give yourself a ‘no-excuse’ policy. Develop a habit of praying Tahajjudand continuing to pray them for an entire 30 days; this will set you on better footing to continue with the Night Prayer for the rest of the year.

5) Duha Prayer:
Here’s a Productive Muslim’s top secret to a productive day: Two rak’ahs known as the Duha prayer, which you may pray at anytime between after sunrise and before the sun reaches its zenith (around 30 minutes before Dhuhr). The reward of this prayer is similar to giving charity on behalf of every bone in your body, and the energy and buzz you feel during the day is amazing.

6) Supplications Before You Sleep:
You’ve just had a long day and you’re super tired. You climb into bed and you want to hit the sack… but wait! Before you do, can you give yourself just 10 more minutes to recite the supplications before sleeping? That’s all. Try them and let yourself experience the most beautiful sleep ever and waking up for Fajr easily. For more information on waking up for Fajr, constantly, everyday, without fail Read How to Wake up for Fajr.

7) Recitiation of the Qur’an Each Day:
Reciting the Qur’an each day and not one juz’ or one Surah. The amount of Qur’an you read is not as important as the quality of your understanding. If you spend one hour reciting one verse but understand it fully, that’s more important and beneficial then reciting lots of Qur’an at break-neck speed yet not understanding a word.

So there you go, seven spiritually productive habits you can develop throughout the year starting from TODAY!

Self- Development: Prayers As Productive Habit - Self Development - Family - OnIslam.net

 

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Muslim Minority: Integration or Isolation?
Abdul Hakim Murad on Strength in Character ​

Today’s da`wah (call to Allah) requires believers who don’t just say la illah illa Allah (There’s no God but Allah) but who have it deeply engraved upon their hearts.

Because if you say la illah illa Allah and it’s deeply there in your heart, then everything you do has a different meaning and usually what you do is different. Because if you say la illah illa Allah, you say He alone is Lord of history. He alone is in charge. Everything is in His hands and they are good hands.

Hasbuna allah wanema al-wakeel “He is enough for us and an excellent guardian”. Those who don’t panic, in the Quran, that’s what they say. If you have that tawheed (monotheism) deeply in your heart, you won’t freak out, panic or fret. You will be in a state of toma’nina (calmness). And when you have that strength of character, when you are a proper Muslim, then you won’t look at everybody else as a potential threat or someone you secretly envy. You won’t be full of complexes. Instead you will sincerely see them as people who need help.

Is this our attitudes? At the moment I think it’s not. So what we need really is to take a decision: Is it going to be the hedgehog option? Islam as a political party, “them and us”, mutually exclusive world views and interests? Or is it going to be a sense that everybody has a soul; white, black, Muslim, Kafir, mentally handicapped, baby, old lady in the retirement home who nobody visits. They all have souls. They will be accountable to their Lord. And the responsibility of anybody who thinks that they mean it when they say la illah illa Allah is towards all of those people without exception.

Those that are ummat al-da`wah and ummat al-ijabah (people who were summoned and people who have responded), humanity falls into those two categories. Some of our own people have not properly responded, or have only partially responded. Some of the others have responded very well even though the reality of la illah illa Allah hasn’t been fully presented to them. Many of them may be better people than many of our own people. Once we can acknowledge that then we can claim that la illah illa Allah has actually been percolated somewhere into our hearts.

But if we just sit around in the mosques watching the headlines and just say “kuffar, kuffar” things will not get better. The world will not respect us any more. The current polarization is likely to become more and more acute until there’s some unimaginable showdown. And if we are the ones who precipitated that all we are is a political party, a bunch of misfits, then the outcome may not necessarily go in our favor.

But if we bring the weapon which is insuperable, which can never be defeated which is truth, and all that goes with truth, which means submission to Allah’s decree, knowledge that history is in His good hands, real tawheed (monotheism), tawakul (relying on and trusting Allah) and reda (satisfaction). If we are people of relaxation and calm amidst all this increasing craziness of the modern world, then people will come to us. We won’t have to knock on their doors or lean over their fences. They will say “What have you got that we haven’t got, give us some of it. We need medicine as well if there’s enough to go around”, and we will say “Alhamdulellah, there’s plenty because Allah’s rahma (mercy) encompasses everything in His creation”.

So we ask Allah Almighty to give us the strength that goes with real tawheed and with the reality of la illah illa Allah and make us the kind of Muslim minority that good people in this country deserve, and not the kind of Muslim minority that the bad people in this country want us to be.


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Strength in Character - Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murad - YouTube

Muslim Minority: Integration or Isolation? - Society - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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Hardships: Path to The Most Merciful (Part 1) ​

The topic today is about Hardship and the Path to the Most Merciful.
And the reason why I like that topic title is because a lot of times we connect hardship to punishment, we connect hardship to a wrathful or punishing type person or thing.


We think of hardship always as a negative thing. We are programmed to think that way. We are programmed to think that ease is a good thing, and hardship is by definition a bad thing.

But the reason why I like the statement ‘Hardship and the Path to the Most Merciful’, because in fact Allah, exalted is He, is the Most Merciful, and yet He does send us hardship. Right?

Every single human being on earth will go through hardship. So the question we have to ask ourselves is why do we go through hardship? And what is the mercy behind hardship?

Allah (SWT) tells us in the Quran:

“Or do you think that you shall enter the Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: "When (will come) the help of Allah?" Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!” (Al-Baqarah 2; 214)

This ayah (verse) is so powerful... Allah ends this ayah giving us hope saying that “Indeed, verily, the help of Allah, exalted is He, is near”. So the beginning of this ayah is making us realize that we are notthe first people to ever be tested, we are not the first people to ever suffer.

No One Escapes Hardship
Sometimes when you are going through something difficult you feel like you are the only person in the world who feels that way; you feel that you are the only one in the world who is going through what you are going through. And although everyone experiences things differently, but are we the only ones in the world who suffer?


What happens sometimes by feeling that way is we become isolated because we feel that I’m alone in my pain, or I'm alone in my hardship. But this is not true.
First of all, we are not the first to be tested, to suffer, and we are not the last. And while we are going through our hardship, others are also going through hardships. And this is something Allah (SWT) talks about also in Surat Al-‘Imran. ... It’s not unique what we are going through, but even before us there were people who were so tested, and they were so shaken, that even the messengers and those who believed with the messengers cried out in the same way we sometimes cry out when things are really hard asking when is the help of Allah coming. And then Allah here is answering that question: “Indeed, verily, the
help of Allah is near”

So this not only comforts us because it tells us that we are not alone, we are not the first and we are not the last to go through hardship, but it also comforts us because it assures us that Allah’s help is near.
There’s something amazing about this life- and it's actually this truth, this reality of this life that causes us pain sometimes, but it is also the same that gives us comfort. It is the reality that nothing lasts. Nothing in this life lasts. Everything passes away.
So sometimes this reality causes us pain. We have something we love and then it goes away. It passes away and ends. So we get sad. But that same reality is also a comfort because when you are going through hardship that also doesn’t last forever, that nothing lasts forever, neither pleasure nor pain.
Similarly, Allah (SWT) tells us: “Verily, with every difficulty there is ease.” (Al-Sharh 94; 6)
Concerning this ayah, since we were kids- I don’t know why, we used to translate and understand it incorrectly. Usually if I ask someone to translate this ayah for me most of the time they would say ‘after hardship comes ease’. But this is incorrect. That’s not what the ayah says nor is that the reality. It says with, not after, hardship is ease. It is at the same time.

So never think that when you are going through your hardship, no matter how hard it is, you still have ease. You still have something that Allah, exalted is He, has given you from His mercy to help you.

Keep the Right Focus
Just think for a moment of a time in your life when you were going through a hardship. And when you think about that time, probably when you were in it or maybe even looking back, you think of it as all bad. But the truth is, if you really examine it, it was not really all bad.

There was some ease even within that hardship. For example, you may have had some trouble in one aspect of your life, but there was another aspect in your life that was good, i.e. you were healthy, maybe your family was healthy, you had a roof over your head. You still had some ease to give you help in that hardship, you still had your belief in Allah, you still had Iman (faith) perhaps. And if you still have the belief ‘there’s no God but God’, you actually have everything.

Our problem is that when we are going through a hardship, it is very difficult for us to see that. And what we do is we focus on the problem itself. And this is one of the main mistakes that we make when we go through a hardship. When we encounter something that’s difficult, the first thing that usually happens is now we have to brace ourselves, and think oh man, how am I going to do this? Or sometimes we think oh boy, I’m going to have to take this on ...
All of a sudden we start to feel anxiety, start to feel worry; how am I going to deal with that? Then we start to preoccupy ourselves with figuring out how to solve the problem, how I am going to get through it. Should I do this? Should I do that? And at the end what is happening is that we start to focus on the problem itself becoming preoccupied and obsessed with the problem itself. Soon enough we are even thinking about the problem in every Salah (prayer).
So now instead of looking to the One who can solve our problem and seeking Him to help us, we are trying to solve the problem ourselves. So what we have done here is we have shifted our focus from the One Who solves all problems, from the One that can mend anything that is broken to that which is broken itself. We start to shift.

So this is the problem. We have a problem, we have a difficulty. Now instead of my heart focus on Allah; seeking His help, putting my trust in Him, I instead shift the focus of my heart on the issue itself, and soon enough it actually takes over my mind and my heart. And this is what causes anxiety, causes us to feel overwhelmed.

And I have a secret for you. You know when a professor gives you an exam? We have to learn from the way we think about tests. Allah tells us in the Qur’an He will test us. We know that. So as soon as something hits us, even if we are good believers, we say Ok, I’m being tested. I’ve got to be strong now.
Right?

http://www.onislam.net/english/read...rdships-path-to-the-most-merciful-part-1.html

(... to be continued In-Shaa-Allah ...)

 

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Hardship: An Open Book Test (Part 2)​

When a professor gives you an exam, he hands you the exam and then he steps back and watches. He steps back to see are you going to fail, are you going to pass, and maybe he even wants you to fail.

Now let me ask you this, when you’re in an examination with a professor are you allowed to raise your hand and ask for help?
That’s called cheating. And that's how we think about Allah, exalted is He. We think when we are given the examination ‘Oh, I have got to do this myself! Allah is testing me, He is watching me, and He is going to see how I can do. So, I got to depend on me; on me or on something else of the creation.’ And that is our mistake. We think we cannot raise our hand and ask for help. And that's actually the purpose of the test.

See the difference?

Allah (SWT) is not a professor who gives you a test and then steps back, and sees how are you are going to do.

To Turn Back to Him
In fact the test itself is given to you at times in order for you to raise your hand and ask for help; in order for you to go back to Him. Allah (SWT) tells us in the Qur’an many ayahs about hardships, why are hardships given to people. And one of the reasons Allah (SWT) says is so that they will come back to Him:

“And We have sundered them in the earth as (separate) nations. Some of them are righteous, and some far from that. And We have tried them with good things and evil things that haply they might return.” (Al-A’raf 7; 168)

Allah is actually giving the test so people will come back to Him and raise their hands and ask for help.

In another ayah Allah (SWT) says another reason for hardships, tadaru', which is a very strong concept that could be translated as: humility or humbling yourself:

“We have sent already unto peoples that were before thee, and We visited them with tribulation and adversity, in order that they might grow humble.” (Al-An ‘am 6; 42)

But that’s not enough. To really understand the intensity of the meaning, we have to really understand the intensity, the intense need and humility involved in this state. Imagine a person in the middle of an ocean on a boat. And you seem like you're safe, you think you are safe, and all of a sudden a storm hits. How many people have had storms hit in their life? And I’m not talking about literal storms, but when the hardship hits...

So when the storm hits in the middle of this ocean, the person begins taking immediate reaction. First thing he does is he seeks the creation, he seeks the means for protection. It means, in this case, he is going to call for help, call the coast guard. But only when that doesn’t work, he looks for the next means; now they are going to look for the life boat. But all the life boats are damaged. Now they are going to look for the life jacket. But all the life jackets are also lost! Now they have exhausted every single means, every single avenue of the creation, now what do they do when nothing else will work? They will call "Oh, Allah!"

This is what we do. As soon as we are hit with a hardship, where do we turn first? That's a very important question to ask ourselves: where do we go first? This doesn’t mean we don’t seek the means. This is like saying I’m sick but I’m not going to the doctor, but it means where do I turn first, where is my dependence. Who do I really think is going to save me from that storm? Do I really think that a doctor can cure me? Do I really believe that the medicine is curing me? Because if I do, I have been fooled, I have been deceived by the means.

Those things are just tools. The medicine is just a tool. The doctor is just a tool. The One who cures, the One who saves is God, exalted is He.

Depending on Allah

So, when I am in that storm and I'm in that boat, at that point when I don’t have any where else to turn to and the illusion of all the rest of tools has been taken away from my eyes, only then I ask Allah. What type of state I will be in? It’s not just humility. It’s absolute desperation, as finally realizing your need for Allah.
So, it’s not just raising your hand and asking for help. It is getting down on your hands and knees and begging for help. And that’s actually the point.

When Allah sends you a hardship, the reason it feels heavy is because we are trying to carry it ourselves. We don’t depend on Allah when we have a hardship. We might say that we depend on Allah but the truth is we try every other means; we call our friends, we call the doctor, we go to our bank account, we go to our house, we try to depend on everything else to solve our problem, but not Allah, exalted is He.

And sometimes Allah, out of His mercy, does something amazing. You have a problem and you go to your friend, but your friend hangs up the phone in your face, or your friend is not there; he lets you down. Then you go to a doctor, and go to this and to that. And every single place that you try to go for help or for refuge the door gets slammed in your face. The door closes, and another door closes, and another. And every time you seek those other means the door closes in your face.

Has that ever happened to you when you are at the hardest time in your life, when there was no one there for you? No one was there when you needed them the most. For some reason this is like a rule of life. When you really need that life jacket that's when it’s not working. When you really need that life boat that's when it was broken. When you really needed that friend, that person or that doctor to pick up, they were not there for you. When you really need something to work that is when it does not. Did you ever wonder why that happens?

One of the reasons why this happens, Allah only knows, is that Allah in this way directs you towards Him. It’s because we are trying to put our dependence in the wrong place. We are seeking help from the wrong things, we are not asking Allah, exalted is He, for help, and instead we seek other things for help.

The Only Refuge
Now do you ever realize, maybe you have experienced this, that you may have at first tried to seek help from other things; seek other things to depend on to get you out of that problem, and when it didn’t work you find that you end up turning to Allah in a way that you would never do otherwise, and you find that your closeness to Allah (SWT) is most during those hardest times of your life. Do you know why this happens?

It’s because of this concept of tadaru'; at this place, in that state of need is when we are closest to Allah. So if Allah wants to bring us close, what does He do? It’s when the only way for you or I, because we are so engrossed in the illusions of the creation, is to turn to Him because everything else is closed, that's what He does. It is not a punishment if we respond correctly. In fact it's a mercy, because had that storm never come we would have never tasted that closeness to Allah.

Perhaps some people may not but most people get very deceived by ease. Allah tells us this in the Quran when the storm hits in the middle of the ocean and the waves are like mountains surrounding them that’s when people call on to Allah (SWT) in a state of tawheed (monotheism). Now the tawheed happens. Allah brings us to tawheed in that situation when we are no longer asking help from anyone else, that no one else but Him can help us. It’s only when no one else can help us when we are able to ask Allah, and Allah alone. Then we really realize there is no change in state, no power or strength except by Allah, exalted is He.

And sometimes it takes a storm to realize that.

But then Allah tells us that as soon as that person is saved and he goes to the shore; when things are easy again what does he do? Just think about yourself. What do you do, once Allah has saved you from that hardship? Are you still asking Him in the same desperate humble way?

No, in fact we begin to turn away from Allah (SWT); and we become again distracted with our other many distractions. That is the way we are.

So it is within the hardship itself that we are directed to Allah (SWT). But what we have to do with this: even in the ease we need to not be deceived. A lot of people think that tests only come in the form of hardships. But do you know that an even greater test perhaps than hardships, is the test of ease.

Why is that?

Because it’s when we are on shore farther from Allah, it’s when we are given ease it’s even harder...
Watch Part 2 of Sister Yasmine's Talk
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Yasmin Mogahed - Hardships, Path to the Most Merciful-2 - YouTube

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