The Man Who Lost Everything

Bismillah.

There once lived a man who was very handsome. He had a loving wife and many wonderful children. He was blessed with a blooming business and so wealth in his household was plenty. They all lived a healthy and happy life together. Alas! The merry times did not last. One day calamity struck his household. His business was destroyed and all his family died except his wife. He contracted a terrible disease and his health started deteriorating. The people of his town considered his disease contagious and a bad omen so they turned him out of the village. He started living in the outskirts where he could neither work nor move. Day by day, his health and money reduced. His wife had to go and serve people to earn an honest bite. But the people did not like his wife to be near them either in case she was infected. In this sorrowful situation, eighteen years passed. And people started to talk. They said the way all his blessings were taken away shows that he did some wrong in his life that is not being forgiven. He is reaping the fruit of his actions.

This story is not very strange or out of place. Happy people’s lives are often turned upside down. And usually it is thought that it is the result of their own wrongdoings. But are we too quick to judge? Yes, we are! The above story is the story of Prophet Ayyub AS (Job). He was a prophet and so the best of people. Prophets don’t commit sins like normal people. His sufferings were a test in reality. And tests happen to, well, test a person. Prophets happen to pass those tests with flying colours because they are awesome. Prophet Ayyub AS never complained or become hopeless or stopped trusting Allah. He always remembered Allah and prayed to Him.

Similarly, we don’t know why a person has been put into difficulties. How do you know if it was a result of his actions or he is being elevated in his rank by this test in his life? You don’t really know. So give them a break. Make dua for the people who suffer, empathize and help them. Help them not only physically but also emotionally and spiritually. And if a person is actually not very good, then who knows how good your kind and sincere words can prove to be to an already broken heart? Stop interfering into the lives of others just to spread gossip and discuss their sufferings. We are no one to judge, seriously.

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Part of the perfection of one’s Islam is his leaving that which does not concern him.” A hasan (good) hadeeth which was related by at-Tirmidhi and others in this fashion.

Here’s the end of the story:
Imagine how hurt you would be if you were ill and then people talked bad about you. Prophet Ayyub AS made dua to Allah about his suffering. Allah accepted his dua and cured him. His wealth and family was returned to him with a great increase. His health was restored. He once again became the handsome man he once was.

Sahih Bukhari, 3391:
 
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “While Job was naked, taking a bath, a swarm of gold locusts fell on him and he started collecting them in his garment. His Lord called him, ‘O Job! Have I not made you rich enough to need what you see? He said, ‘Yes, O Lord! But I cannot dispense with your Blessing.”‘

It is said that he had two fields, one of wheat and one of barley. The wheat field was rained with gold and the barley field was rained with silver. Think of that!

This shows the attitude of a true believer. He is not greedy or materialistic. Yet he uses Allah’s blessings and enjoys them to the full. He thanks Allah for them and remembers Him always. His blessings do not make him heedless of the One who bestowed him with these pleasures. What a balanced life we can lead if we follow this simple principle. :)

Secrets of Salah – 9

Salam,
Bismillah.

Page 10..

Allah created Man especially Himself, and He created everything else for Man’s sake.

 

As Allah swt says (as reported in narrations from Bani Israel): O son of Adam, I created you for Myself and I created everything for you. It is my right that you should not be distracted from the purpose (of creation) by that which I created for you.”

 

And another narration states, “O son of Adam, I created you for Myself, so do not play. I have guaranteed your provision, so do not exhaust yourself. O son of Adam, seek Me, you will find Me. If you find Me, you have found everything. And if you lose Me, you have lost everything. And I should be more beloved to you than all things.

 

And Allah has made salaat a means of gaining His love, nearness, intimacy and conversing with Him.

 

The time between two salawat breeds heedlessness, hardness of the heart, aloofness and indifference which leads to errors and mistakes. These distance him from his Lord, and make him drift away from His nearness. Thus, he becomes as though he were a stranger to worship, and he no longer belongs to the ranks of Allah’s slaves. It is as though he has willingly handed himself over to the satanic enemy who has imprisoned him, chained him, bound him and confined him in the prison of his base self and desires. So his lot is suffocation in his heart and a host of worries, grief, sorrows and regrets without knowing why.

To be continued…

Wassalam.