Harm has afflicted me...

One of the most amazing examples given in the Qur'an is the story of Ayyub (AS).  More importantly, the manner in which he made dua to Allah when he was tested.  Prophet Ayyub (AS), like other Prophets, was tested.  Allah (swt) gave him wealth, children and health.  Then, one by one, he lost his wealth, his children were taken away from him and his health deteriorated.  The only person to stand by his side was his wife.

Yet, he bore all of this with patience.  He did not start whining or complaining like many of us would.  He did not turn to Allah and say: "O Allah why me? Haven’t I been worshiping you for so many years and you reward me with this?!”.  No, rather, he was patient through it all and his emaan did not shake.  Allah (swt) says about Ayyub (AS) in the Qur’an:

“Truly! We found him patient. How excellent a slave” - 38:44

When the shaytaan reminded his wife of the good times with wealth, children and health and she asked Ayyub (AS) how long they will remain in this state, look how beautiful his reply was: He asked her how long they’d had blessings for? She responded with: 80 years.  He then asked her for how long had they faced adversity? She replied with a number much less than that. It is reported that he then said:

"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.” 

Ayyub (AS) did eventually turn to Allah and ask from Him, however, it was the manner in which he asked which should be a lesson to us all.  In the Qur’an, Allah (swt) says:

وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

And Ayub, when he cried to his Lord, (saying): "Harm has afflicted me, and Thou art the most Merciful of the merciful." - 21:83

Notice how he did not says: O Allah you have tested me with hardship… How simple and profound were his words: "Harm has afflicted me, and Thou art the most Merciful of the merciful."  In the next ayaah, Allah answers his call:

فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ فَكَشَفْنَا مَا بِهِ مِن ضُرٍّ ۖ وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَابِدِينَ

So We answered his call, and We removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his family to him (that he had lost) and the like thereof along with them as a mercy from Ourselves and a Reminder for all those who worship Us. - 21:84

Brothers and sisters, if we were to look at our life, not many of us can claim to have gone through tests that Ayyub (AS) went through, yet, when we do go through a minor trial, how many of us turn to Allah in the beautiful manner Ayyub (AS) did?  Or is it that at the first stroke of hardship, we start wailing and crying and complaining about Allah instead of complaining TO him?  Something for us all to think about…