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Duas for times of hardship
Source: abdulkarimyahya.com
Bismillah
In response to some beneficial questions regarding trials and tribulations Sayyidi Habib Umar (may Allah preserve him and spread his benefit among us) responded with the following Prophetic prescriptions:
Elizabeth Gilbert On The Ugly Truth About Following Your Passion
Source: huffingtonpost.com
When we hear stories about people who follow their passion and make their dreams come true, we often focus on the uplifting nature and beauty of the journey. Sometimes, it even appears as if the pieces simply fall into place once someone answers the call to follow their passion. The reality however, says Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert, isn’t always as idyllic.
Steps in achieving tranquility of the heart
By: Jinan Bastaki
Source: http://www.onislam.net
Sometimes it feels like it’s just too much – these fluctuations in our faith, the repeated sinning, the feeling that “I just don’t deserve Allah’s mercy.”
The tests always feel like punishments. There is a constant worry about the future: my marriage, my money, my career, my nation… And some difficulties just feel like they are too great to overcome. We know we’re not supposed to ask this, but the question at the back of our minds is: “Why me?”
We have all heard that we should never despair of God’s mercy. And on the surface, we try not to, but the Devil has a trick. We tend to despair of ourselves and our incapacity to change things, especially the inner turmoil that we feel. And the effect of this is basically the same as despairing of God’s mercy. We do not always accept that God can take us out of the situation we are in and we don’t need to ‘deserve’ the trouble; God isn’t punishing us and we don’t need to be perfect.
This doesn’t mean, however, that we shouldn’t strive, or take ourselves to account when we do mess up. The key is to develop our relationship with God during that trouble. If we know God, no situation is too hopeless. No sadness is ever permanent. We perceive trials as they are meant to be perceived – as tests of our trust in God, forcing us to put our knowledge into practice and bringing us closer to Him. These trials could potentially be a punishment too, that is if we let it affect us negatively by completely turning away from Him because of our sadness. But our awareness of our own state and our understanding of God’s mercy allows us to turn the punishment into something positive that is manifested through repentance to God, alongside increasing in good deeds in order to erase the bad ones.
The first exercise is for us to consciously realize that God knows. Whatever grief we go through, whatever hardship we endure, we must understand that we are never alone. Even if we feel abandoned by the world and those closest to us, God is there. He reminds us in the Quran: {Fear not. Indeed, I am with you [both]; I hear and I see.} (Ta-Ha 20: 46)
As long as we begin by recognizing that God is with us and He is close to us, there remains a solution to our inner worries. There are things we need to know in order to develop our relationship with God. Then there are things we need to do in order to maintain that closeness to God. And finally, there are things we need to aspire for to achieve the ideal relationship with our Lord. We pray that by the end of the series, we will all have developed a stronger relationship with God.
Meanings of the word fitnah in the Quran
By: Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid
Source: http://islamqa.info/en/22899
Praise be to Allaah.
Definition of fitnah:
1 – The word fitnah from a linguistic point of view:
Al-Azhari said: “The Arabic word fitnah includes meanings of testing and trial. The root is taken from the phrase fatantu al-fiddah wa’l-dhahab (I assayed (tested the quality of) the silver and gold), meaning I melted the metals to separate the bad from the good. Similarly, Allaah says in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): ‘(It will be) a Day when they will be tried [yuftanoona] (punished, i.e. burnt) over the Fire!’ [al-Dhaariyaat 51:13], meaning, burning them with fire.” (Tahdheeb al-Lughah, 14/196).
Ibn Faaris said: “Fa-ta-na is a sound root which indicates testing or trial.” (Maqaayees al-Lughah, 4/472). This is the basic meaning of the word fitnah in Arabic.
Ibn al-Atheer said: “Fitnah: trial or test… The word is often used to describe tests in which something disliked is eliminated. Later it was also often used in the sense of sin, kufr (disbelief), fighting, burning, removing and diverting.” (al-Nihaayah, 3/410. Ibn Hajar said something similar in al-Fath, 13/3).
Ibn al-A’raabi summed up the meanings of fitnah when he said: “Fitnah means testing, fitnah means trial, fitnah means wealth, fitnah means children, fitnah means kufr, fitnah means differences of opinion among people, fitnah means burning with fire.” (Lisaan al-‘Arab by Ibn Manzoor).
2 – Meanings of the word fitnah in the Qur’aan and Sunnah:
1- Testing and trial, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe, and will not be tested [la yuftanoon]” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:2]
i.e., that they will not be subjected to trial, as Ibn Jareer said.
2- Blocking the way and turning people away, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“but beware of them lest they turn you [yaftinooka] (O Muhammad) far away from some of that which Allaah has sent down to you” [al-Maa’idah 5:49]
Al-Qurtubi said: this means blocking your way and turning you away.
3- Persecution, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“Then, verily, your Lord for those who emigrated after they had been put to trials [futinoo] and thereafter strove hard and fought (for the Cause of Allaah) and were patient, verily, your Lord afterward is, Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful” [al-Nahl 16:110]
Put to trial means persecuted.
4- Shirk and kufr, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allaah)” [al-Baqarah 2:193]
Ibn Katheer said: this means shirk (worshipping others besides Allaah).
5- Falling into sin and hypocrisy, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“(The hypocrites) will call the believers: “Were we not with you?” The believers will reply: “Yes! But you led yourselves into temptations [fatantum anfusakum], you looked forward for our destruction; you doubted (in Faith) and you were deceived by false desires” [al-Hadeed 57:14]
Al-Baghawi said: i.e., you made yourselves fall into hypocrisy and you destroyed yourselves by means of sin and whims and desires.
6- Confusing truth with falsehood, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“And those who disbelieve are allies of one another, (and) if you (Muslims of the whole world collectively) do not do so [i.e. become allies, as one united block under one Khaleefah (a chief Muslim ruler for the whole Muslim world) to make victorious Allaah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism], there will be Fitnah (wars, battles, polytheism) and oppression on the earth, and a great mischief and corruption (appearance of polytheism)”[al-Anfaal 6:73]
What this means is that “unless believers are taken as close friends instead of disbelievers, even if they are relatives, there will be fitnah on earth, i.e., truth will be confused with falsehood.” This is how it is explained in Jaami’ al-Bayaan by Ibn Jareer.
7- Misguidance, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“And whomsoever Allaah wants to put in Al‑Fitnah (error, because of his rejecting of Faith), you can do nothing for him against Allaah” [al-Maa’idah 5:41]
The meaning of fitnah here is misguidance. Al-Bahr al-Muheet by Abu Hayaan, 4/262.
8- Killing and taking prisoners, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“if you fear that the disbelievers may put you in trial [yaftinakum] (attack you)”
[al-Nisa’ 4:101]
This refers to the kaafirs attacking the Muslims whilst they are praying and prostrating, in order to kill them or take them prisoner, as stated by Ibn Jareer.
9- Difference among people and lack of agreement, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you [yabghoonakum al-fitnah]” [al-Tawbah 9:47]
i.e., they would have stirred up differences amongst you, as it says in al-Kashshaaf, 2/277.
10-Insanity, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“Which of you is afflicted with madness (maftoon)” [al-Qalam 68:6] Here it means madness.
11-Burning with fire, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, those who put into trial [fatanoo] the believing men and believing women (by torturing them and burning them)”[al-Burooj 85:10]
Ibn Hajar said: the meaning may be understood from the context. (al-Fath 11/176)
Note:
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: With regard to the “fitnah” which Allaah attributes to Himself or which His Messenger attributes to Him, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning), ‘Thus We have tried [fatannaa] some of them with others’ [al-An’aam 6:53] and the words of Moosa, ‘It is only Your trial [fitnatuka] by which You lead astray whom You will’ [al-A’raaf 7:155 – interpretation of the meaning], that carries a different meaning, which is a test or trial from Allaah to His slaves by means of good things and bad, blessings and calamities. This is one thing; the fitnah of the mushrikeen is another thing; the fitnah or trial of the believer by means of his wealth, children and neighbour is another thing; the fitnah (tribulation, differences) that happen amongst the Muslims, like the fitnah that happened between the supporters of ‘Ali and Mu’awiyah, and between him and the people of the camel, and between Muslims when they fight one another or boycott one another, is another thing. (Zaad al-Ma’aad, vol. 3, p. 170).
OVERCOMING TRIALS – THE MESSAGE OF SURAH AL KAHF
By: Shaykh Ahsan Hanif
Source: http://muslimmatters.org
Allah, the Most High, informs us that the Qur’an is meant for reflection and contemplation. Allah states,
“A Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember.” Ṣād, 38:29.
One of the many reasons we find ourselves disconnected from the Qur’an is due to us losing this ability to ponder and reflect over the greatest of Speech. The Pagan Arabs for all their polytheistic beliefs and enmity to Islam were overwhelmed by the linguistic beauty and poetry of the Qur’an. Indeed, even the most formidable of creations such as the mountains cannot withstand its power.[2]
Hadith Regarding Relief for Sadness, Worry, Grief and Trials
Source: http://www.missionislam.com/
1. It was narrated by Ibn Sina on the authority of Abi Qutada (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah, Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:“whoever reads the verse of the Throne (ayat al-kursi) and the khawatam of Surat al-Baqara at the time of distress, Allah will help him.”
2. It was narrated by Imam Ahmad (may Allah be pleased with him) on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Ja‘far (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah , encouraged the saying of this supplication at the time of distress: “La illaha il Allah al-Haleem al-Kareem, Subhanallahi rabb al-‘Arsh al-‘Adheem wal Hamdulilahi Rabb al-‘Alameen (there is none worthy of worship except Allah, the Gentle and Generous. Glory is to Allah the Lord of the Great Throne, and all praises be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.)”
Your life is a test
A great quote to reflect on. Many people ask themselves, “why me, and what is this life, that I was given, all about”? But the purpose is that the life of any human being on this earth is a test. And when we die, we will get the result of the test that we have completed. Remember; “During exams, the teacher is always silent”. So be careful with your life choices, otherwise you won’t get your diploma! I want to end this short article with the point that “Life is good, at any given time. This life isn’t a punishment.” #peace
Daily Reminder: Don’t Lose Yourself (Video)
A short reminder by: Sh Abu Ahmad in regards to trials of life and how we escape those trials.
More reminders…
PASS THE KNOWLEDGE (LIGHT & LIFE) 