In Tests and Trials, There are Lessons

It’s fiddly but ultimately, I still need to post something since my heart continuously racing and going topsy turvy when I heard about the upsetting news of my lil brother’s PMR result. He is completely demotivated, aghast and crushed upon receiving his result. Be strong brother. It’s easier said than done. Agreed. But PMR doesn’t mark the end of the world nor will it decide what comes next after an ultimate failure. Allah has told us in surah Al-Ankaboot (29:64)

“This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. Lo! The home of the Hereafter - that is Life, if they but knew.” 

This is a test. And the test will unravel the reality of this life. This world is nothing and what counts the most is our race to do good and to sincerely worshipping Allah. Life is nothing but a moving wheel that spins. There are ups and downs and so are the good time and the bad time for everyone. Truly, Allah knows better and the biggest reward is Jannah. The path to Jannah is long and windy. Many had fallen and defeated because they chose the untrodden road. Heed to Allah’s words and believe in Him--you'll be safe. The struggles will soon turn into the sweetest achievement in our lives, insya-Allah.

In life, one needs to be reminded and Allah tests us in order to teach us the virtue of patience. Nothing is stronger in human except for someone who is able to hold back his anger. There are many ayats and even hadiths that mention the importance of being patience. As such is the hadith by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

“Whoever refrains from asking from people, Allah will help him. Whoever tries to be independent, Allah will enrich him. Whoever tries to be patient, and no one is given better or vaster gift than patience.”

And the ayat Fussilat (41:35) which means “But none is granted it save those who are steadfast, and none is granted it save the owner of great happiness.”

Don’t you see how important patience is and how much it weighs for the Day of Judgment? Does PMR decide who we are in front of Allah? None at all, brother. Apparently. You see, a test will actually help us to muhasabah (reflect ourselves). You will be thinking what result such thing to happen to you; pondering. You will figure out how you’ve spent your time unwisely. Using your intellectual for nothing, how you’ve wasted the gift from Allah to ignorance. You’ll be accumulated by questions of “why” and “how”. One will end up improving oneself but the other might resort to negativity. Surely the latter is a loser. Which of these is you?

You are strong, brother. I’m not forcing you to give up on duniaa. Education is important, brother. It’s essential but Iman needs to be cultivated. The fall of the caliphs was due to the weak Iman. Iman is the very foundation that acts like a core to the moving vessel. You surely don’t want to be mechanical or a robot that follows the flow and the circle of life like everyone, don’t you? Studying, working, getting married. That's all. Your life will only be marred with boredom and you will go astray. You surely don’t want to end up like any ordinary empty vessel, don’t you? Surely, you want something different.

One thing that I’ve learnt is that Allah is the most merciful and just. Brother, have you ever heard of the story of a sincere man who ended up as one of the people in Jannah? His name was Zaid ibn Amr. He’s one of Umar ibn Al-Khattab’s closest relatives. His life revolved around the pre-Islamic era whereby Muhammad was yet to be brought as the last messenger. Zaid was unlike any of the inhabitants of Mecca who were devoted in worshipping the idols. He questioned the practice and even abhorred it. He sought for the truth and travelled to find the most knowledgeable rabbis and monks. He asked them about the religion of Ibrahim (Hanafi) but none of them had managed to satisfy him. 

Although his search only resulted in futility, in the end he met a monk who told him that the religion of Ibrahim was no longer existed. But there will be a great change for Allah will send a new prophet from the Ibrahim’s own lineage that will revive the religion of Ibrahim. The monk also told him that this particular prophet would soon appear in Mecca. Zaid was on his way to return to Mecca when he was attacked and killed by bandits. Prophet Muhammad had praised Zaid though he had died before meeting him saying that during the Day of Resurrection, Zaid, “will be raised as a nation of himself.”

What am I trying to point out here? Ikhlas. Ikhlas will surely be paid off. Zaid was sincere during his search for the truth. He never surrendered. He even crossed the scorching hot dessert for the sake of truth, which was to learn about the Ibrahim’s religion and later seek for the messenger of Allah who he bound yet to know. Brother, set your goal straight. Do it for Allah. Lillahitaala. May Allah ease everything. Amiin.