We believe that a true and comprehensive
understanding of Islam would not be possible without careful recognition of the
Prophetic Tradition and the Prophet's Household. And Allah is the Source of Strength.
Tribulations of Life
" Allah has tried his chosen ones, his prophets and imams in methods only his wisdom could draft. Ibrahim (AS) had to slaughter his son and was thrown in the fire, Nuh (AS) was joked of being a mad man making a boat in the desert, Yahya (AS) was martyred, Ayub (AS) was sick in most parts of his life, Muhammad (SAW) was orphaned and had to leave his hometown, the list goes on.
The truth is that we will be tested and tried, as the Quran states in [2:155], that Allah will most certainly try us with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits;.....
Therefore irrespective of our gender, social class, geographical and demographical classification, we will be tried. Yes, the nature of the test and trial shall differ from a person to person. Some of us will be tested physically (disability or defect or so attractive to resist desires), financially (poverty or so rich to be tested on spending of wealth on appropriate means and charity), spiritually and emotionally (unstable relationships, loss of loved ones).
We cannot escape the trial. How can we be exempted when the prophets and Imams (AS) were not. Therefore the prayer should not be to save us from trials and tribulations, but to make us survive them, make us successful in them, and make us satisfied on the decisions of Allah.
The tip to success as Allah states in the same ayat, is patience. As 2:155 at the end states, to give good news to the patient.
Some of us will be tested with fear, some with hunger and thirst, some with loss of property and some with loss of lives. But it was only Hussain Ibn Ali (AS), who was tested with fear, hunger, thirst, loss of property, loss of loved ones and loss of life. And his (AS) patience was mirrored in his 6 month old son Ali Asghar (AS), who as some orator said, was too young to realize if he had to cry upon being hit by an arrow, or if he (AS) had to smile, for he (AS) smiled. "
[ Back to top ]
Feel free to email your comments/replies to this article at author@sdol.org or post a message at our Forum, no registration Required.