Do mankind think that it’s sufficient for him to just say that they are believers and then God will not test them?
Allah says:
Does man think we’re not going to test him? We will definitely test him just like we tested those before him in order to distinguish who has passed the test, who was truthful, and who was not truthful. (29:2)
Allah Will Test You – How Would You React?
You say you believe, okay, we’re going to test you. Do you still believe? Has it humbled you? Has it brought you closer to God? If it has, Alhamdulillah, it’s good for you, nothing was decreased from the kingdom of Allah.
In one hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) says:
If everybody had to ask Allah whatever they wanted from the beginning of mankind to the end of mankind; and Allah was to give every single person every single thing they asked for, it would not displace from the kingdom of Allah except that which a pin displaces when it is thrown into the ocean.
That’s Allah. So, what did Allah lose?
Nothing.
What did Allah gain?
Nothing.
It’s you and I who are gaining or losing.
Tested With Fear
Similarly, you need to know another thing. Allah says:
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient. (2:155)
If you look at the wording of that verse in chapter Al-Baqarah, they are indeed very stressed. I mean Allah has actually said it in a very strong way; he has given it great significance.
He says:
We will definitely test you.
With what?
The test of fear.
What type of fear?
Not necessarily one type of fear, all types of fear. You’re worried about your health, you’re worried about your food, you’re worried about your drink, you’re worried about your safety, you’re worried about security, you’re worried about the enemy, you’re worried about animals, electricity, water, eco-cash… You’re worried about everything else.
It’s a worry, it’s a concern. It’s definitely a worry in this country; we are going through difficulty. But I want to let you know it’s not the only country, the most developed countries at this juncture are going through great challenges of a different nature Subhan Allah!
Allah says:
We will test you with fear.
Someone asks you:
“What’s your greatest fear?”
You have a long list of things to say.
How long have you been worried for? I promise you, the last 20-30 years, right?
Who carried you along? Allah.
I promise you, you are in a better condition today than you were in the past. And we are still worried Subhan Allah! When we had nothing, we were worried. Now we’ve got something, we’re more worried!
Why?
Because the reliance is now on what we have, no longer on Allah, that’s where the problem is.
Growing in Faith through Life’s Trials
We all face periods of anxiety, hardship, and letdowns. At its worst points, it feels as though the entire world has been setup specifically to make sure that you aren’t happy.
As Muslims, how are we to view these moments of our lives? From one perspective, we could understand hardship as punishment for not being good enough. We haven’t fulfilled everything that we are supposed to or are not as strong in our faith as we should be.
This is incorrect. Historically, those who have suffered the most in their lives were the Prophets. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself faced inhuman periods of hunger during the Makkan trade boycott against the Muslims.
Even after fleeing the city, establishing a home in Madinah, and wining battles against the Makkan non-believers, the lives of the Prophet and the Muslims were filled with anxiety, insecurity, and their very existence threatened on a regular basis.
Instead of focusing on hardship as punishment, we can use the verses of the Quran to develop a different perspective: that hardship is God’s method through which we are tested in our faith and given the opportunity to grow.
No Faith without Trial
From the outset that sounds like a pretty intense – not to mention slightly sadistic – way to look at hardship. Does a loving God really want His worshipers to go through stress and pain? Absolutely, but for a good reason:
Do the people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe’ and that they will not be tried? But We have certainly tried those before them; and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars. (Quran 29:2-3)
Simply having faith in God and Islam is not sufficient. When you take lessons on Theology (Aqidah) 101, the standard definition you are given is that faith is “belief with the heart, and outward performance of actions with the body.” One cannot go without the other, and faith needs action to support it.
Additionally, that faith must always be tested as, through these tests, the “liars” in the verse – those who simply state that they are strong in their faith but really aren’t – are sorted out from those who are “truthful.”
At times it can be harsh but no one, not even the Prophets, were able to pass along their messages and encourage others to follow God without having their faith tested at every turn.
Your Test is Tailor-Made
Don’t feel like going through the hardship faced by the Prophets? Don’t worry, as God has got you covered:
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned… (Quran 2:286)
Every test and hardship, therefore, is exactly what you need in order to grow in faith. Nothing more, nothing less. And if, after hearing this first part of the verse, you are worried about the suffering of even your own portion will be, then this verse is coupled with one of the strongest supplications in the whole Quran:
…Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us… (2:286)
Solution: Get Out There, Persevere, and Rely Upon God
Now that we know that our faith will be tested, tailor-made to fit our particular situation and designed to help us grow stronger in our relationship with God, how are we to face it? From the Quran we learn that there is one important thing that you can’t change: your allotted sustenance (rizq).
…And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out and will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent. (65:2-3)
Whether you will live rich or poor, successful in life or a failure, has already been chosen. Let’s just sit back and watch it happen right? No. In fact, God openly encouraged us to go out into the world and try, no matter how hard it might seem:
And when the prayers has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed. (62:10)
Although this verse is specifically about stopping commerce during Friday prayers, it has the wider implication of encouraging Muslims, when not fulfilling their required prayers, to work as hard as possible to make the world a better place. When everything doesn’t go as planned, the Quran calls us to be patient:
And be patient, for indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good. (11:115)
And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah] (2:45)
Finally, no matter what we do, we must understand that all that is in the universe comes directly from God; it is to Him that we return. In all our endeavors, failures, and hardships, we must use these moments as opportunities to grow in our faith, placing our trust entirely in God:
And you will remember what I [now] say to you, and I entrust my affair to Allah. Indeed, Allah is Seeing of [His] servants. (Quran 40:44)
Understanding Tests – Why, When, and How?
When someone asks us, ‘What is your religion?’ we say ‘Islam’.
But what really makes us Muslims? What is the proof that we’re worthy of being called Muslims?
It’s the same proof that teachers use to make sure a student is worthy of being at the school – a test. That is the reason that Allah the Exalted tests me and you, as He said in the Quran:
Who has created death and life that He may test which of you is best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving. (67: 2)
Or do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah tests those of you who fought (in His Cause) and (also) tests those who are As-Sabirun (the patient)? (3: 142)
You shall certainly be tried and tested in your wealth and properties and in your personal selves. (3: 186)
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… (29: 2)
When does Allah test us?
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
The extent of the reward will be in accordance with the extent of the trial. If Allah loves a people, He tries them, and whoever is content will have contentment, and whoever is angry will have anger. (At-Tirmidhi)
Allah tests us in order to make us better and stronger Muslims. The point where you overcome a test successfully, you are not the same anymore, you are now better prepared for further challenges, you have stronger belief in Allah and more hopeful of success. Allah said:
No calamity occurs, but by the permission of Allah, and whosover believes in Allah, He guides his heart. And Allah is the All-Knower of everything. (64:11)
How Does Allah Test Us?
The tests of Allah are different for different individuals, custom-made according to their particular strengths and weaknesses. The things which seem like a trial to me may not even bother you a bit, and vice versa.
Therefore we must not look at someone depressed over something that seems trivial to us and say, ‘Look what a weak person s/he is!’ It may be just that his/her strengths are different than yours.
Allah tests some people with poverty, others with emotional distress, others with illness, and yet others with prosperity and fame.
How come prosperity is a test? When things are going well, we tend to forget about Allah and the Hereafter, and death, and as a result we may lose the most precious thing to a believer – Imaan.
Indeed, mankind was created anxious: When evil touches him, impatient, And when good touches him, withholding [of it]. (70:19-21)
What to Do When Allah Tests Us
Allah said in the Quran:
And seek help in patience and As-Salah and truly it is extremely heavy and hard except for humbly submissive [to Allah] (2:45)
The moment a trial strikes you, remember to be patient. The Prophet said:
The real patience is at the first stroke of a calamity. (Sahih Al Bukhari)
If it’s difficult to be patient, then pretend to be patient, and the pretense will soon turn real. The best way to do it is to just keep silent and pray to Allah for patience.
Our Lord, pour upon us patience and let us die as Muslims. (7:126)
Look at the beauty of this dua. When does one come to the verge of losing faith? When some disaster totally destroys a person. You will find many atheists complaining, ‘Where was God when such and such happened to me?’
So we ask Allah’s help against this ultimate disaster – loss of faith.
Allah describes those who are patient in the following verses:
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah , and indeed to Him we will return.’ Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided. (2:155-57)
So whenever something bad happens, say as the Prophet said:
Inna-lillahi wa’inna ilayhi raji’un. Allahumma-juri fi museebati wa akhlif li khairan minha
To Allah we belong, and to Him is our Return. O Allah! Take me out of my plight and replace it with something which is better. (Muslim)
And remember:
For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. (94: 5-6)
