CLASS 6
TESTS & RESULTS FROM ALLAH
WHEN WILL VICTORY AND THE HELP OF ALLAH COME?
The Prophet ﷺ said, “…know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship”. (Tirmidhi & 40 Hadeeth Nawawi)
So for us to be victorious, we need to do our part and be patient throught the tests and trails that come our way as an individual or as an Ummah.
Al-Hamdulillaah (all praise is due to Allaah), the Most High, the One who said (translation of the meaning): And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient ones. Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: “Truly! To Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.”They are those on whom are the Salawat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones. Surah al-Baqarah (2:155-157)
TESTS & TRIALS FROM ALLAH
The tests are of two types:
i. A type which the creation has no control over, such as sickness and other kinds of God-sent afflictions; such matters facilitate one’s patience as he is able to witness in them the decree of Allah and fate and that people have no ability to alter them. Thereby, a slave of Allah bears patiently whether he is compelled or given a choice.
ii. A type which reaches him at the hands of the people with respect to his wealth, honour or self.
This type is very difficult to bear with patience because the soul feels the pain, it dislikes being overpowered and so it seeks revenge. No one is able to bear this type of affliction with patience except the Prophets and the truthful. When our Prophet ﷺ was harmed, he would say: “May Allah have mercy on Musa! He was afflicted with greater harms than this but bore it with patience!” (Bukhari & Muslim)
The end result of this type of patience is victory, honour, happiness, safety and power.
Calamities inflicted on man:
Hunger.
Loss of wealth
Loss of Lives
Loss of fruits (loss in business)
Fear (from enemy)
It is clear that this life is filled with calamities, tests, and trials and that every believer will be subjected to many of these. Sometimes these trials are within himself, sometimes with his wealth and sometimes with his loved ones. These preordained trials and calamities, from the One who is All-Wise, will touch the believer in various ways and manners; if the believer does not have the correct view regarding the matter of testing, then he may err seriously, especially since some of the calamities are painful and profound.
Many people are negligent about the wisdoms behind trials and testing; they may not understand that Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى) does not test us as a punishment, but rather as a mercy. The believer should look at the matter of ibtilaa’ (testing and trials) through the textual proofs in the Qur’aan and authentic Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ so that he can stand on a firm ground regarding these matters.
Yes, life is a test and a trial; we are tested everyday in this life. Our wealth is a test; the spouse is a test; the children are tests; poverty and wealth are tests, and likewise health and illnesses are tests. We are tested in everything we possess and in that which we encounter in this life until we meet Allaah, the Most High.
Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى) said (in the translation of the meaning):
Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good, and to Us you will be returned. (Surah al-Anbiyaa 21:35)
Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: “We believe,” and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allaah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allaah knows all that before putting them to test). – Surah al-‘Ankabut (29:2-3)
RESPONSE OF THE BELIEVER TO TESTS AND TRIALS
al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad (rahimahullaah) said: “As long as people are in a state of good welfare, then once they are tested, they will return to their reality. The believer will go to his faith, and the hypocrite will go to his hypocrisy.”
Calamities are good for the believer in the sense that reward is stored up for him the Hereafter thereby; how can it be otherwise when he is raised in status thereby and his bad deeds are expiated? The Prophet ﷺ said: “When Allaah wills good for His slave, He hastens the punishment for him in this world, and when Allaah wills ill for His slave, he withholds the punishment for his sins from him until he comes with all his sins on the Day of Resurrection.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2396).
Al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Do not resent the calamities that come and the disasters that occur, for perhaps in something that you dislike will be your salvation, and perhaps in something that you prefer will be your doom.”
Through calamity the believer seeks reward, and there is no way to attain it but patience, and there is no way to be patient except with resolute faith and strong will.
So if calamity befalls a Muslim, he must say Inna Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon (Verily to Allah we belong and unto Him is our return), and say the du’aa’s that have been narrated from the Prophet ﷺ.
The Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said: “There is no Muslim who is stricken with a calamity and says what Allaah has enjoined - (the below dua) – but Allaah will compensate him with something better.”
انا لله وانا اليه راجعون؛ اللهم آجرني في مصيبتي، واخلف لي خيرا منها
Inna lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Raji’un. Allahumma ajurni fi musibati wakhluf li khayran minha.
"Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return. O Allah! Reward me for my calamity, and replace it for me that which is better."
Umm Salamah said: When Abu Salamah died, I said: Who among the Muslims is better than Abu Salamah, the first household to migrate to join the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ? Then I said it (the above dua), and Allaah compensated me with the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ
Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: A calamity that makes you turn to Allaah is better for you than a blessing which makes you forget the remembrance of Allaah.”
Please join our free online certificate course “RELATION WITH ALLAH”, to learn more about His, Rights, what Allah loves in us and what He dislikes, His promises & ways yo get closer to Him. https://learn-islam.org/relationship-with-allah (available online now, register and learn).
Note this is not part of the ongoing course, it is an independent course that can be done at your own pace and at your own convenience.
Examples of Beautiful Patience & their Rewards
THE PROPHET ﷺ ON HIS SON (IBRAHEEM) PASSING AWAY
Anas bin Malik reported that: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered the room and we accompanied him... And Ibrahim breathed his last. The eyes of Allah's Messenger ﷺ were filled with tears. Abdur Rehman Ibne Auf said: 'you are weeping, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ '. He ﷺ replied: "Ibne Auf, This is mercy". Then he ﷺ said:
"Our eyes shed tears and our hearts are filled with grief, but we do not say anything except that by which Allah is pleased. O, Ibrahim we are sorrowful due to your separation." (Agreed upon).
THE AMAZING PATIENCE OF PROPHET AYOUB A.S.
Allah's Praises of Ayoob A.S. Allah the Almighty praised His worshipper Ayoob in His Glorious Quran: "Truly! We found him patient. How excellent a slave! Verily, he was ever oft returning in repentance to Us!" (Ch 38:44)
The Prophet Ayub (peace be upon him) was a prosperous man with firm faith in Allah. He possessed vast farms, enormous wealth, many cattle and valuable property but these things did not make him arrogant. His wealth provided him with a medium by means of which he sought Allah's grace.
Allah (Glory be to Him) tested him with poverty and diseases until he reached a bad state of sickness, poverty and isolation. Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) provided great example of unbelievable situations in infinite patience and immense satisfaction of Allah’s destination.
When the test went for long his wife said to him: "How long are you going to bear this torture from our Lord? Are we to remain without wealth, children or friends forever? Why don't you call upon Allah to remove this suffering?"
Ayoob A.S. sighed, and in a soft voice replied "Iblis must have whispered to you and made you dissatisfied. Tell me how long did I enjoy good health and riches?" She replied: "eighty years."
Then Ayoob replied: "How long am I suffering like this?" She said: "seven years."Ayoob then told her: "In that case I am ashamed to call on my Lord to remove the hardship, for I have not suffered longer than the years of good health and plenty. It seems your faith has weakened and you are dissatisfied with the fate of Allah.
Ayoob A.S. was repentant, remembering Allah with thankfulness, patience, and steadfastness. This was the cause of his rescue and the secret of Allah's praising him.
URWAH BIN ZUBAIR ON LOSING HIS LEG AND A SON
Urwah Ibn Zubair, a well known from the Taabaeen had a problem with his foot. So the doctors decided that they had to cut it off, cut the foot off. When the doctors cut it off he didn’t say anything except these words: ‘O Allaah, for you are Full praise. For if you have taken some, you have left some. And if you have tested, and put through difficulty you have also put in good condition. If you have tested and tried and put through difficulty you have also put good health, good circumstances and good conditions.
’The next day his son was riding a horse or mule and fell off of it and died. So they came to Urwah with the information of the death of his son, he didn’t say anything except : ‘O Allaah, for you is full praise. For if you have taken some, you have left some. And if you have tested and tried you have also placed us in good situations and good condition.’ So when he was asked about this he said: ‘I had 4 limbs (meaning 2 arms and 2 legs) and Allaah took some and left some. ‘I had 4 limbs 2 arms and 2 legs Allaah took one and left me three. I had 7 sons, Allaah (tabrak wa tala) took one and left six. And he gave me good condition, or good situation my whole life up until this time. Then he tested me. Should I not praise Allaah for that? Should I not praise Allaah for that?’
LESSONS FROM THE STORIES
Allah will test a man with the things that are dearest to him. His wealth, health and children. We must remember that Allah has given us all of that and to him it belongs. He can take it away whenever he wants.
Do not despair and lose hope in Allah. Indeed everything he takes away from us will bring us closer to Jannah if we accept his decree, are patient & thankful.
Our sincerity and worship of Allah should not be dependent upon His blessings on us.
Rewards associated with TEsts & Trials
Sins are Removed
The Prophet ﷺ 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 Allaah expiates some of his sins for that.” (al-Bukhaari)
“… for no Muslim is afflicted with any harm but that Allaah will remove his sins as the leaves of a tree fall down.’” (al-Bukhaari).
Raise one to a higher degree in Paradise
The Prophet ﷺ said:
· “No Muslim is hurt by a thorn or something greater than a thorn except that Allaah elevates him in rank or effaces his sins because of that.” (Muslim)
· “Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى) says to His angels when they take the soul of a person’s child, ‘You took the fruit of his heart.’ They (the angels) say, ‘Yes.’ So Allaah says, ‘What did My slave say (upon that)?’
They say, ‘He praised you and made istirjaa’ (meaning he said, Innaa lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon’ – verily to Allaah we belong and to Him we shall return).
So Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى) says, ‘Build for My slave a house in Paradise and name it the house of praise.’” (Imaam Ahmad).
It is a sign of Love of Allah
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allaah loves a people, He tests them. Whoever accepts that wins His pleasure, but whoever is discontent with that earns His wrath.” (at-Tirmidhi & ibn Maajah).
Saved from the Punishment in the Hereafter
The Prophet ﷺ said: “When Allaah wills good for His slave, He hastens the punishment for him in this world, and when Allaah wills ill for His slave, he withholds the punishment for his sins from him until he comes with all his sins on the Day of Resurrection.” (at-Tirmidhi 2396)
Lessons of the Tests and Trials
Beneficial to one’s Tawheed
The tests unravel the reality of this life.
We are reminded of Allah’s favour upon us
Puts a Check on our behaviour
Gives one a chance to Repent
Learns Patience.
We ask Allaah (سبحانه و تعالى) to make us from those who when afflicted with a calamity, truly remember and manifest the saying of Allaah, “Innaa lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon,” asking Him to help us with the calamities, testing, and trials, to persevere patiently, to overcome, to ask Him for reward, to anticipate the reward from Him (سبحانه و تعالى), and to compensate us with that which is better.
HOPE AND GLAD TIDINGS
With all the oppression and weaknesses, it is still not all doom and gloom for the Ummah today, amongst us are the Strangers and the Brothers the Prophet ﷺ spoke about. Amongst us live those who have rewards of 50 men from those times, amongst are those who strive to do good and help others for His Sake.
To conclude this course we share a few words from the greatest of leader this world has seen, our beloved Prophet ﷺ. It motivates us to do good and get back up.
THE PROPHET ﷺ CALLS THEM BROTHERS
The Prophetﷺ said: “Would that I had seen our brothers.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, are we not your brothers?” He ﷺ said: “Rather, you are my Companions. My brothers are those who have not yet come. And I will reach the lake before them.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, how will you know those of your Ummah who come after you?” He ﷺ said: “Don’t you think that if a man has a horse with a white blaze and white feet among horses that are completely black, he will recognise his horse?” They said: “Of course.” He ﷺ said: “They will come on the Day of Resurrection with glittering white faces, glittering white hands and feet because of ablution, and I will reach the Lake (Hawd) before them.” (Sahih Muslim)
The people who hold on to the truth in times of hardship are the allies and beloved ones of Allah and his Messenger ﷺ in this life and the next. They are the ones whom Allah will aid and make victorious.
GOOD NEWS FOR THE STRANGERS
The Messenger ﷺ stated: “Islam began as something as something strange and it will return to being strange just as it began so glad tiding [of Paradise] is for the Strangers.” (Sahih Muslim)
The Prophet ﷺ was asked: “O Allah’s Messenger! Who are the Strangers?” He responded (multiple narrations):
“Those who rectify when the people are corrupted.” (Tirmidhi)
“They are a small group of people among a large evil population. Those who oppose them are more than those who follow them” (Ahmad, graded as sahih by Al-Albani).
Imām Mālik Ibn Anas said: “The latter part of this Ummah will never be rectified except by that which rectified its first part. So, whatever was not religion that day cannot be considered as religion today.”
It is the Ghurabā (the Strangers) who bring about rectification by correcting what the people have corrupted of the Religion. They call them to return to the Book and Sunnah. So when the people respond to the call, and then cultivate themselves upon the pure Religion, Allah will bring them success, safety and honour.
PROMISE OF OUR LORD
Allah’s help to the Muslims against their disbelieving enemies who wage war on them is something real and true. Allah, may He be exalted, has promised that to the believers, and has told them that it is near, and that He only delays it for certain significant reasons. The one who has strong faith and true certainty will realise that it is indeed near as the Lord, may He be exalted, has told us.
The help of Allah that is near is not for everyone who claims to believe or claims to be a Muslim; rather it is only for those who truly believe in their hearts and carry out their duties as enjoined by Islam.
When will the Victory and Help of Allah come?
“Allah has promised those among you who believe and perform righteous deeds that He will certainly grant them succession (and authority) in the earth just as He granted it to those before them. And He will establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them. And He will surely give them safety and security after they had lived in fear. This is so long as they worship Me, and they do not associate anything alongside Me in worship. But whoever disbelieves after this, they are the disobedient wrongdoers.” (An-Nūr: 55)
This is the precise and true Methodology established by Allah that will lead to the rectification of the affairs of the Muslims. If the Muslims wish to be successful, then they must:
Establish the belief (the ‘Aqīdah) as it was in the era of Prophet ﷺ and his Companions. Associate none in worship alongside Allah.
Work righteous deeds in accordance with the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ.
Sincerity to Allah alone.
Supporting the religion of Allah.
Putting one’s trust in Allah whilst taking appropriate measures.
Mutual consultation among those in authority to strengthen and face the enemies.
Standing firm when meeting the enemy.
Courage and self-sacrifice
Du ‘a and Dhikr a great deal
Being united and not differing
Patience and steadfastness
Longing for that which is with Allah, may He be glorified and exalted
Click here if you wish to read detail explanation and references for the points made above.
Based upon this, Allah will:
a) Establish the Muslims on the earth and give them victory.
b) Remove their fear and give them safety and security from their enemies.
The Way to Paradise is Very Hard
Paradise is very high, and ascending lofty places takes a great deal of effort. The way to Paradise is filled with things that go against human wishes and inclinations. This needs strong determination and willpower. In a hadith narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (RA) the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said, "Hell has been veiled with desires, and Paradise has been veiled with [surrounded by] hardships."
an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhi, and Abu Dawud report from Abu Hurayrah (R.A.) that the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said, "When Allaah created Paradise, He told Jibreel, "Go look at it". So he went and looked at it, then he came back and said, "By Your Glory, no-one will hear of it but he will enter it". So He surrounded it with hardships and said, "Go and look at it". So he went and looked at it, then came back and said, "By Your Glory, I fear that no-one will enter it"". [Jaami al-Usool, 10/520, 8068]
an-Nawawi commented on the first hadith: "This is an example of the beautiful, eloquent and concise speech which the Prophet ﷺ was capable, in which he gives a beautiful analogy. It means that nothing will help you to reach Paradise except going through hardships, and nothing will lead you to Hell, but whims and desires. Both are veiled as described, and whoever tears down the veil will reach what was hidden behind it. The veil of Paradise is torn down by going through hardships and the veil of Hell is torn down by giving in to whims and desires. Hardship including striving consistently and patiently in worship, restraining one's anger, forgiving, being patient, giving in charity, being kind to those who mistreat you, resisting physical desires, etc" [Sharh an-Nawawi 'ala Muslim, 17/165]
We ask Allah to grant us the hidayah to worship Him, and obey Him as He deserves – we ask Him to forgive us and show us His mercy, grant us strength and success over the oppressors.
Those of us who Allah has blessed with wealth & health, May He also give us the Hidayah to put them to good use, to use them in His way and help the oppressed Ummah around the world.
And all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. And may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Messenger, his family, his Companions and followers.
May Allah by His Mercy make us all amongst the people of Paradise.
With this we conclude the course, please remember us and the whole Ummah in your prayers
SUPPORT LEARN ISLAM
If you benefit from courses by LEARN ISLAM and want to support us, please do so by buying the book FORGOTTEN SUNNAHS written by Abu Sahl Al Ansari (the founder and admin of LEARN ISLAM).
FORGOTTEN SUNNAHS : https://learn-islam.org/forgotten-sunnahs-book
TIPS FOR THE TEST
Do not have to memorize the Ayahs & ahadeeth word for word but get a good understanding about what it means and the message in it.
ATTENDANCE/ASSIGNMENT
Please do this assignment before taking the test, there will be a question asked about the Assignment worth 10 marks in the test: -
I. Invite atleast 15 people to the course (can invite via WhatsApp, Facebook, Email, telegram or word of mouth) 3 Marks. (check the note below for exceptions)
Note:
Those who have already invited whether on Whatsapp, Email or FB, do not need to invite again.
It does not matter, whether people join or not, our job is to invite.
II. Talk to 5 people (friends or family) about any three topics below mentioned below: - (5 Marks)
i. What weakens the Ummah
ii. Sunan that strengthens Unity
iii. How our sins effect the Ummah.
III. Make Dua for the Muslims that are being oppressed around the world and also for those who are not to get their acts right and start helping the Ummah. (2 Marks)
Please take this assignment as a motivation to start talking about Islam and make it part of your regular day (even if you do not know too much, spread the little that you know, as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said “Convey from me, even if it is one verse”, most of us are too shy to talk about Islam but are ok to talk about anything under the sky.
May Allah make us all amongst those who call others to good by spreading the Deen of Allah and help us in this noble path.
SUPPORT LEARN ISLAM
If you benefit from courses by LEARN ISLAM and want to support us, please do so by buying the book FORGOTTEN SUNNAHS written by Abu Sahl Al Ansari (the founder and admin of LEARN ISLAM).
FORGOTTEN SUNNAHS : https://learn-islam.org/forgotten-sunnahs-book