Adversity In Life

Dear respected readers, I am writing to you during this blessed month of Ramadan. For me, this period of time has been one of reflection on myself, my past, and consequentially my future. I do not know if there is a substantial following to my writing, but I do know that there are some people who are listening, and for that I am truly grateful. This is the window to my true being, the window to what is truly inside what I believe to be my genuine heart. With that being said, I would like to address some certain things, such as social media. I used to be a firm believer in making my point come across to others via tools such as Facebook. I am still on Facebook, and I do have a relatively significant amount of people as friends. Regardless of the amount of people, I still feel that it is a rather insignificant tool to portray your true self, instead, it is a means of presenting a facade of how you want others to perceive you, myself included. Granted, there may be some benefit in Facebook, and that I will not argue since I am on the site, and I still do wish to be heard in someway or another. The problem is that there are many distractions from other people, people who may not wish to head in the same direction as you spiritually. Ultimately, it is a way to connect to people, but from your own state, you must determine whether these connections are going to be beneficial or not. Aside from that rant, I would like to continue in the direction of my last few posts, which include the idea of adversity in the face of the believer. It is a true test from Allah (swt), to be put through periods of adverse situations, and those situations ultimately allow the person to become a stronger believer, one with great moral akhlaq, or character. This leads to ikhlas, or sincerity, within an individual. Going through struggles is a part of life, and there are psychological ramifications for going through such periods of time. But these psychological downfalls are easily reversed through a genuine understanding of why these things are happening. When these trials are over, it is a means to grow psychologically and spiritually, as these things will eventually open one's heart towards something greater. A common saying which cannot be overstated is that, "there is light at the end of the tunnel." Whether that tunnel's end is in this world or the next, there will be an end. For the believer, it is a motivating factor, the hope that Allah (swt) will change the situation that we are in, and it is only Him who can provide the ease of living without adversity. Living without adversity is not something that we all should entirely wish for. It is stated in Hadith that a person who has a weaker iman will get tested less, and the person with greater iman, or faith, he or she may be tested more. In actuality, the hierarchy of the degree to which adversity is bestowed upon individuals goes like this; the people most close to Allah (swt), i.e. the prophets, will endure the most adversity, and according to the rank that Allah (swt) has for a person, they will endure more adversity, but less than that of the prophets, since they have the most hardship. The more nearness that Allah (swt) has towards you, the more you will be faced with adversity. Also, those who endure that hardship will have a level of rank increased in Jannah (Heaven). All individuals have there own degree of adversity, and that which someone else goes through may be more or less than what you are going through. To make things seem better for yourself, it is recommended to discover what other people who are going through more adversity than you, and realize the blessings which you have. Blessings are a source for a peace, comfort, and tranquility which otherwise you would not be able to attain. Regardless of your circumstance, there is no way that you can reject counting your blessings, if you are a true believer. Although it may be difficult to ascertain at times, due to the relative discomfort you are going through, ultimately, you should see it as a blessing for so many countless reasons. Psychologically speaking, there is the concept of reward and punishment. What is intriguing about this idea from an Islamic perspective is that the punishment is ultimately the reward, given that there is an understanding that adversity does come from Allah(swt) as a test, but also, it may be the result of our own misdeeds. It could be a combination of both, but whatever it may be, there should be the understanding that in the difficulty there is an expiation of sins, regardless of the degree of difficulty. So the punishment for doing misdeeds, is also the reward of being forgiven for performing wrong acts. It is reported in Hadith that a person will go through so much difficulty, only to return to Allah (swt) free from sin, with a clean slate. Keeping this all in mind, remember, what you are going through is simply a test from Allah (swt), and that this hardship will ultimately be a means to which you earn a significant reward in the afterlife. The reason I choose to speak on this topic so relatively frequently, is because, I myself am going through personal struggle in some way or another. Alhamdulillah, Allah (swt) has lightened the burden which I have to bear, and that lightening of the burden is a great blessing from Him. Yet, still, I do face personal struggle, and I will be honest and open about it. There are many things which have gone wrong, and whether those things should have happened or not is not up to me, rather it was the Will of Allah (swt). Therefore, I believe that I, myself, am grateful for the things I have had to go through, and I do acknowledge that everything I have been doing may not have been perfect. I accept my responsibility for straying from the path at times, although I firmly believe that my heart has remained dedicated to my Creator. These afflictions which I have become a part of ultimately have many different factors, but in my heart and soul, I know it is a means of being forgiven for my sins, a means of elevating my rank in Jannah (inshAllah), and a means to test my true faith in Allah (swt). This in turn will make me a stronger person, and a more grateful servant than ever before, and I hope and pray that I will be capable of succeeding greatly in this world in both the deen and dunya. I also pray for any brother or sister going through adversity, and that Allah (Swt) may rewards them graciously for their struggles, and I urge those going through tough times to remember that it is just a test from your Creator, and that ultimately, with proper patience, you will overcome whatever it is you are going through, by the Will of Allah (swt). Sincere regards Fouzan