Yahya ibn Mu’adh was once asked, ‘When does a slave reach the ranks of Ridha (being pleased with Allah)?’
He said:
“When he acts upon 4 principles with which he deals with his Lord:
That he says: ‘(O Allah), if You give me, I shall accept and if You prevent me, then I shall be content. If You were to leave me, I shall still worship You, and were to call me I shall indeed answer.” [Hilyat al-Awliya’]
Being pleased with Allah `azza wa jall no matter what happens is from the greatest signs that a believer is a sincere and strong believer. It shows caliber, truthfulness and integrity in one’s practise of Islam. As human beings, we’re bound to go through ups and downs in life, we’re tested with many things – sometimes the test is easy but sometimes it’s difficult and will knock you down unsuspectingly – but this is not the key issue in our lives. Trials & tribulations, ups & downs, good & bad times etc, are all from the Sunan of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala that every living thing will experience in their lifespan. But the crucial matter at hand is how we deal and cope with these issues.
It might be the case that a few years ago, you used to be a very strong Muslim, steadfast in your faith, consistent in your ‘Ibadah (worship in all its forms) and being very active in general. Throughout the years however, you notice that things are not the same anymore, you’re slacking, you no longer have that zeal to learn, to develop and progress in your Deen, and your worship is minimal at it’s best – no Sunnah prayers, no extra fasts, no Qiyam and definitely no sadaqah, what with all the credit crunch crunching right through your pocket!. When bad times hit you, you fall into some type of depression, unable to lift your chin, breathe in the air and say with a smile and fresh contentment, ‘Alhamdulillah `ala kulli hal’ (praising Allah for every circumstance).
Why? What’s changed?
It could be many reasons; it could be a personal thing for you. But at its root, undeniably, it’s to do with tarbiyyah – were you built up enough to endure those years? Were you strong enough from the beginning such that any problem you faced only made you stronger? Did you have the right self-tarbiyyah in the first place?
What Yahya ibn Mu’adh described above is a person who has trained themselves upon the principles of Islam… someone who has gone through effective tarbiyyah and who has really benefited from their knowledge and practise of Islam. It has penetrated them such that no matter what happens, they see beyond that matter and focus on Allah `azza wa jall Himself, since He is the Controller of all things, the Sustainer, the One to Who they’re returning to – and this is an incredible source of strength for the ‘Abd: when he turns to his Master and Keeper.
So, let us try to understand our affairs and be happy regardless of what situations we find ourselves in. If it’s good, then be thankful and if it’s not what you expected, then be patient and still be thankful because at the end of the day, it’s not about the issues you face… rather what’s being recorded in your book is how you deal with them and the deeds you subsequently do.
Assalaaamu alaykum wa rahmatu Allaahi wa barakaatuh,
I could not agree more with all that has been said here. Ma sha Allaah. Qaddar Allaah ma shaa fa’al wal Hamdu lillaaah ‘alaa kulli haal.
What you have said is very beneficial. It doesn’t need my 2 pence worth. Please forgive me for adding something though which I felt might help people insha Allaah. Just to support what you’ve already said:
We need to trust Allaah more and be pleased with His decrees. When we experience any calamity, we must remember that we are all slaves of Allaah and He does with us as He wills and also that everything He does is with the greatest of wisdom and with our best interests at heart. Saying the words, Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raahji’oon” helps to remind ourselves of that.
Also If we try to remember that Verily He is more merciful to His slaves than a mother is to her child then if will be easier to bear any calamaties and seek His help in understanding and overcoming them.
As much as we dson’t like experiencing them, scholars and learned people both have said that trials and calamities actually develop a persons character and make a person stronger after they experience it. They then are able to take on greater challenges in life and help other people understand the trials that they experienced, better.
We must have good expectations from Allaah, increase in du’aa and sabr and seek knowledge to understand some of the events that we that are difficult to understand at first. The answers are there. However, we must seek the help of Allaah Most High and make effort to find them.
Jazaaki Allaah khayr for this very beneficial article. May Allaah increase us in wisdom and generosity and grant us all the best of this World and The Aakirah. Ameen.
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatu Allaah.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
بارك الله فيك و جزاك الله خيرا for such a beneficial post. Indeed the reminders benefit the believers!
مهاجرة
And for each Allaah has decreed a station…..Below is an anecdote depicting the various grades of a believer – all are good but some are of a higher level than the other – without a flinch of doubt, the trophy is finally taken by a woman…..and she is no oridnary woman. Read through….May Allaah bring us close to them.
Hasan said, “None is sincere is his claim to love God, unless he patiently endures the blows of his Lord”
Rabi’a said, “This talk stinks of egoism.”
Shaqiq attempting to elevate the answer and defintion said, “None is sincere is his claim to love God unless he is not grateful for the blows of his master.”
Rabi’a said, “We need something better than this.”
Malik Dinar said, “None is sincere in his claim to love God unless he does not delight in the blows of his master.”
Rabi’a said, “We need something better than this.”
They said, “Now you speak.”
Rabi’a said, “No one is sincere in his claim to love God, unless he forgets the blows in beholding his lord from enduring, to giving thanks, to delighting, to forgetting the tribulation in your love for Allah.”
What more can be added….May Allaah be well pleased with her.
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah! hope you’re well inshaAllah 🙂 i wonder if you can give some advice on the right way of going through self-tarbiyyah? how exactly should we go about getting rid of bad traits and including good ones? take care and jazakillaah khayr. Uhibbik fillaah xxxx