Test grateful ungrateful.

Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

assalamu alaikkum,


On what basics, the life has been given to a human in earth. I can see, lot of non muslims also getting excellent life. I could see lot of good muslims suffering a lot. So what is the criteria, to have a better life in the earth?

 

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Answer:

 

Test grateful ungrateful

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran in Chapter 67 Surah Al Mulk verse 2:

He (Allah) created death and life that He may test you, to see which of you is the best in deeds.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 21 Surah Anbiyaa verse 35:

35      Every soul shall have a taste of death: and We test you by evil and by good (only) by way of trial: to Us must ye return.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale-Imraan verses 185-186:

185    Every soul shall have a taste of death!  And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense.   Only he who is saved far from the fire,  and admitted to the Gardens will have attained the object (of life):  for the life of this world is but goods,  and chattels of deception.

186    Ye (O Believers) shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions,  and in your selves;  and ye shall certainly hear much that will grieve you from those who received the Book before you (Jews and Christians),  and from the ‘mushriks’ (those who worship many gods).  But if ye persevere patiently and guard against evil,  then that will be a determining factor in all affairs.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale-Imraan verses 185-186:

141    Allah's object also is to purge those that are true in faith,  and to deprive of blessing those that resist faith.

142    Did ye (O Believers)  think that ye would enter heaven without Allah testing those of you who strove hard (in His cause) and remained steadfast?

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 214:

214    Or do ye (O Believers)  think that ye shall enter the Gardens (of Bliss) 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 the believers who were with him,  cried out: "When (will come) the help of Allah?"    Ah!  Verily the help of Allah is (always) near!

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.549         Narrated by Abdullah

Allah's Messenger, the true and truly inspired said, "(as regards your creation), every one of you is collected in the womb of his mother for the first forty days, and then he becomes a clot for another forty days, and then a piece of flesh for another forty days. Then Allah sends an Angel to write four words: He writes his deeds, time of his death, means of his livelihood, and whether he will be wretched or blessed (in religion). Then the soul is breathed into his body.”

 

Your Question: On what basics, the life has been given to a human in earth.

Every condition, good or evil, that is placed on every individual is based on the ‘Qadr’ or Decree of the Lord Most Majestic Most Supreme Alone, to test and see who amongst man is grateful for the favors bestowed upon them by their Lord and who amongst them is ungrateful. 

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 76 Surah Dhahr verses 2-6:

2        Verily We created man from a drop of mingled sperm in order to try him: so We gave him (the gifts) of hearing and sight.

3        We showed him the Way: whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on his will).

4        For the rejecters We have prepared chains yokes and a Blazing Fire.

5        As to the righteous they shall drink of a cup (of wine) mixed with ‘Kafur’

6        A fountain where the Devotees of Allah do drink making it flow in unstinted abundance.

 

Dear and beloved brother in Islam, the life of this short and transitory world is but a test and a trial from the Lord…..the real place to receive rewards and punishments is only the Hereafter.

 

The All-Knowing, All-Wise Lord bestowed two things upon His best creation (ie. mankind) which He did not bestow upon any in His Supreme Creation, and thus put mankind to a test:

  1. Intelligence or the Power of Reasoning
  2. A ‘free will’ for a limited period of one life-time to choose whatever path one wishes to live his life.

 

Whoever amongst man studies and ponders over the innumerable wonders and Signs in the various creations of the Majestic Lord, and uses his bestowed intelligence and power of reasoning to understand his mission of creation, recognize His Supreme Lord and Creator, and of his own ‘free will’ chooses to submit his will to the Will of his Creator, and chooses to live his life in accordance with the guidance of his Creator, passes the test of life and is promised the Eternal Mercy, Grace, and Rewards of Allah Subhanah.

 

And whoever amongst man uses his bestowed intelligence and power of reasoning to do everything else but does not recognize or denies his Supreme Creator, refuses to submit his will to the Will of His Creator, and of his own ‘free will’ chooses to live his life in accordance with any guidance other than that of His Supreme Creator, miserably fails the test of life and will have a severe accounting in the Presence of His All-Mighty and Majestic Lord on an Inevitable Day.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 155-157:

155    Be sure We shall test you with something of fear, and hunger, some loss in goods, or lives, or the fruits (of your toil); but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.

156    Who say when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah we belong and to Him is our return."

157    They are those on whom (descend) blessings from Allah and Mercy; and they are the ones that receive guidance.

 

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.1

Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet (saws) said: "When Allah wants to be good to someone, He tries him with some hardship."

 

Abu Hurairah reports that Allah's Messenger (saws) said: "For every misfortune, illness, anxiety, grief, or hurt that afflicts a Muslim -even the hurt caused by the pricking of a thorn - Allah removes some of his sins." 

 

Ibn Mas'ud said: "I visited the Messenger of Allah (saws) while he (saws) had a fever. I exclaimed: 'O Messenger of Allah (saws) ! You have a high fever!'  He (saws) said: 'My fever is as much as two among you [might have].'  I asked: 'Is it because you have a double reward?'  He (saws) replied: 'Yes, that is right. No Muslim is afflicted with any hurt, even if it is no more than the pricking of a thorn, but Allah wipes off his sins because of it and his sins fall away from him as leaves fall from a tree'."

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.545         Narrated by Abu Said Al Khudri and Abu Huraira

The Prophet (saws) said, "No fatigue, no disease, no sorrow, no sadness, no hurt, no 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."

 

Sahih Muslim Hadith 6244     Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah

Allah's Messenger (saws) visited Umm Sa'ib or Umm Musayyib and said: ‘Umm Musayyib, why is it that you are shivering?’  She said: ‘It is fever and may it not be blessed by Allah’, whereupon he (the Prophet (saws)) said: ‘Don't curse fever for it expiates the sin of the posterity of Adam just as furnace removes the alloy of iron.’

 

Whatever condition, good or evil, which the Lord bestows on each individual in the life of this transitory and short world is but a trial….thus this life is a place to do deeds, it is only in the Hereafter when the Lord Most High, Most Just will determine who amongst mankind did deeds that deserve His Mercy, His Grace, His Forgiveness and His Rewards….and who amongst mankind did deeds which deserve His Wrath, His Anger and His Punishments.

 

Your Question: ….I can see, lot of non muslims also getting excellent life. I could see lot of good muslims suffering a lot.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 43 Surah Zukhruf verses 33-35:

33      And were it not that (all) men might become of one (evil) way of life, We would provide for everyone that blasphemes against (Allah) Most Gracious silver roofs for their houses, and (silver) stair-ways on which to go up!

34      And (silver) doors to their houses, and thrones (of silver) on which they could recline!

35      And also adornments of gold.  But all this were nothing but conveniences of the present life: the Hereafter in the Sight of thy Lord is for the Righteous.

 

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 4.1

Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet (saws) said: "When Allah wants to be good to someone, He tries him with some hardship."

 

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1562        Narrated by Sa'd

When the Prophet (saws) was asked which people suffered the greatest affliction (on this earth), he (saws) replied, "The Prophets; then those who come next to them (in Taqwa); then those who come next to them (in Taqwa). A man is afflicted in keeping his religion. If he is firm in his religion his trial is severe, but if there is weakness in his religion, his trial is made light for him."

 

Your Question: So what is the criteria, to have a better life in the earth?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 46 Surah Ahqaaf verse 13:

13      Verily those who say "Our Lord is Allah" and remain firm (on that Path), on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 277:

277    Those who believe and do deeds of righteousness and establish regular prayers and regular charity will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verse 35:

35      O ye children of Adam! Whenever there come to you Messengers from amongst you rehearsing My Signs unto you, those who are righteous and mend (their lives), on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 48:

48      We send the Messengers only to give good news and to warn: so those who believe and mend (their lives), upon them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 41 Surah Haa Meem verses 30-32:

30      In the case of those who say "Our Lord is Allah" and further stand straight and steadfast, the Angels descend on them (from time to time): "Fear ye not!" (they suggest) "nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of the Garden (of Bliss) the which ye were promised!

31      We are your protectors in this life and in the Hereafter: therein shall ye have all that your souls shall desire; therein shall ye have all that ye ask for!

32      A hospitable gift from One Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful!"

 

The one and only way to have a ‘better life’ on this earth (leave alone the guaranteed rewards of the eternal and everlasting life of the Hereafter) is to submit oneself and one’s will completely and unconditionally to the Will of their Lord Creator.  It is only and only those who truly submit their wills to the Will of their Creator who are truly able to ‘enjoy’ their lives on this earth to its fullest…..if they are faced with afflictions, they keep their trust and faith in their Lord and know with absolute conviction that they will have an everlasting reward for their patience and their faith in the Presence of their Lord….and if they are bestowed with abundance and favors, they remain humble and are grateful unto their Lord for His Mercies….thus regardless of what condition the believer finds himself in, whether it be good or evil, if he fears His Lord and does righteous deeds, every condition he experiences is a means for him to earn extra rewards from his Lord Most Gracious, Most Bounteous.

 

Suhaib ibn Sinan narrated that the Prophet (saws) said: "How remarkable is the case of the believer! There is good for him in everything, but this is not the case for anyone except for the believer. When the believer receives any good, he is thankful to Allah, and gets a reward. And when some misfortune befalls him, he endures it patiently, for which he is (also) rewarded."

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan

 

 
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