How often do we see a practising brother or sister jolted by a single mishap or a calamity. A person who used to wake up in the middle of the night, keep voluntary fasts, give in charity, love being at the Masjid, be the first in volunteering for the sake of Allah can, in an instant, forego all of these. In one single instant.
There will come a time in our lives when we’re tested in one form or another, as Allah (swt) says:
أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ
Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested.
These instances will be a true test of our emaan. In these instances your emaan is pitted against the shaytaan. How often have some of us failed. Think about the times when something didn’t go your way. Remember how you reacted? Was your reaction that of a strong believer who understood that whatever Allah does, He does for the best, or, was your reaction that of somebody for whom it would only take one push to uproot their emaan?
Were the first words you uttered: ‘Ina lillahi wa ina ilaihi rajioon’ and ‘Alhamdulilah’, or, were they: ‘why me?’ and ‘I prayed at night, I fasted, I gave in charity, I did this and this and this and this is how Allah repays me?’
Sadly, some of us will find ourselves in the second camp. Some of us, sometimes, forget that Allah does not need our prayers, fasting or charity. It does not increase or decrease from His Kingdom one single bit. If we find ourselves in this position, did we really do all our acts of ibadah sincerely for His sake? Did we really understand His ayaahs? And did we really have emaan in the first place?
Because if we did, we’d understand that there’s wisdom behind everything Allah does. Allah (swt) says:
"Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, "When (will come) the Help of Allah?" Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allah is near! " [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 214]
We’d know for certain that Allah is testing us because He loves us:
“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.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2396) and Ibn Maajah (4031)
And when we lose something, or, something is diverted away from us, we’d be sure that it was only diverted for our own good:
'...and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.' (Surah Baqarah: 216)
The reality is that such times, as testing as they are, are a means for increasing in our ibaadah. Yes the shaytaan is going to take advantage and urge you to give everything up. Yes you’d be feeling miserable, down and depressed, but, the only way you’re going to overcome this is to do the complete opposite to what the shaytaan wants. Increase in your ibaadah, give more in charity, spend more time in the masjid and see how quickly the shaytaan stops bothering you. Try it.
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