Nothing is certain , nothing is guaranteed in life, no one really knows what tomorrow will bring, there are certain things we can speak with certainty about like the sunrise and the sunset, but we don't know if we will be alive to witness it or have the ability to see.....with so many things that we take granted for in our daily life, we only learn its worth once we loose it or is taken away from us.
"Bounties are ignored as long as they exist, but when they go they (their worth) are known.{Biharal- Anwar, v. 78, p. 115, no. 12}
If there is any certainty in life it's Death!!
I have come across a lot of people, who are going through a very difficult period in their life. One similarity I have personally found in them is that they are all strong believers, they all possess a high degree of Faith in the almighty. And if there is anything that keeps their sanity it is that belief in the inevitable, the understanding that everything that happens, happens for a reason. For some its worth looking back whereas for some it's the last thing they want.
In either case its a journey, long for some short for others.
According to Imam Ali : "Life is nothing but faith and struggle".
Why do we have so many ups and downs? Why do we have to experience grief, loss, pain, misery and agony? Why despite trying hard and struggling on a daily basis we are unable to get what we desire?
Well the reasons are pretty simple! Trials and tribulations are a part of a believer.
"Misfortunes fall like rain drops in the life of a believer"
Now some would question that, why do good people have to suffer? Why does God test people? Well my understanding is that without an exam or test we cannot proceed to the next level, we cannot really progress. How else can you bring changes within yourself, how else can you learn from your experiences? Obviously life doesn't come with an instruction manual!
It's these challenges and tribulations that teach us innumerable things, about ourselves and those around us. After all if life was a straightforward journey with no ups and downs, no challenges, then it would be quite boring and no one likes the same old routine for 365 days a year, we all want change and we all want to get somewhere in life (well most of us). Those who are living an aimless life and have n goals, no ambitions and absolutely no purpose, mostly end up with some form of depression or end up giving up on themselves or life itself. Hence we see so many people who become helpless and hopeless hence resulting in becoming Mentally unstable or develop a number of physiological or Psychological illnesses.
When water doesn't flow and becomes stagnant, it starts to smell and becomes polluted sooner or later. Same is the case with a human soul if it doesn't move forward, stops growing as a person, doesn't progress then such a person also becomes stagnant and ultimately perishes.
If we reflect on the life of our Holy Prophet and Imams alongside their Holy Companions then we can learn so many important things, their life was full of calamities, trials and tribulations, although they obeyed Allah at all times, and the soul purpose of their creation was to follow the divine law and teach the rest of the world as well. But still the way they were treated by other people or should I say "Mistreated", one wonders how come anyone be so unkind and oppressive towards such a great God Fearing and kind person. Well the answer is simple, Good and evil live side by side, there are only two kinds of people in this world the Obedient ones and the Disobedient ones. One group Obeys the commands of Allah and follows him through the teachings of the Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him and his Holy Progeny) and the ones who choose not to follow him but their own selfish desires by allowing Satan to take over.
So who are the obedient ones? Who are the true followers? Why do they submit themselves completely and what do they get out of it? What kind of a person endure such hardships and struggles on a daily basis and prepare for that hereafter which he hasn't seen or witnessed ? You want examples? There are thousands and thousands of them.
I personally know so many people who have been through a lot in life, and they are the most loving, kind and pious individuals I have come across in life, and what keeps them going is their belief in Allah and his infinite wisdom. They are fully aware of the reason behind their creation, that is to worship the Lord Almighty and they strongly believe in the existence of heaven and hell. They know that life in this world is temporary and the only thing that is going to last forever are their deeds/actions in this world. They believe in divine justice. They know that everything in this world is a test for them, relationships, wealth ,children are all a means of test, once they pass with flying colours the reward is Paradise an eternal bliss!
I have come across a lot of people who are atheist and do not believe in any higher self (God), according to them they only believe in Good or Bad. But then I wonder, where does the concept or ideology of Good and bad come from? Obviously from Divine intervention!! If it wasn't for the 124000 Prophets who were sent down by Allah to guide us towards the right path and pass on the message of Allah then we as mankind would be completely lost. or in my words seriously 'messed up'.
History of mankind is full of stories from the lifes of those great people who sacrificed their lives for the sake of preserving the message of Allah and the way they were rewarded is simply amazing. Some where given the status of Saints (Wali ullah), some where given the status of Imamate (Divine Leadership), whereas some were raised from the level of an ordinary human being to that of the members of the Holy Household.
In comparison we are nothing, what we experience in this world is far less painful then what the chosen ones endured. If we suffer a loss or ailment , we start complaining but the ones who are the true followers of the Holy Prophet don't complain, infact they Thank Allah. They never say "Why Me"? , instead they say "Alhamdolillah", cos they know there is wisdom (Hikmah) behind every loss, every suffering, every calamity. These are the people who strongly believe that, When Allah takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better!
If only we knew how much our creator loves us and he is constantly protecting us and covering up our sins and mistakes, and despite our disobedience towards him, he is still blessing us with everything on a daily basis, we would be more grateful and careful in our actions.
Whatever a Believer goes through has some form of reward in it. Behind each incident lies exquisite a wisdom that maybe you will never understand it. Therefore Never ask your creator "Why am I going through this? What did I do to deserve that? etc etc. The moment you ask Allah , Why did you do this to me? or Why out of all the people did you choose me? That's it!! all your good deeds literally go down the drain.
Imam Hasan Askari says: " Every Affliction is surrounded by a blessing."
And it has been reported on the authority of Imam Baqir (AS) : " If a believer knows what great reward afflictions have, he wishes to be cut into pieces with scissors"
So next time when you feel unwell, remember;
"Illness for a believer is as purification and mercy but for the unbeliever it is punishment and curse."
And
"Illness persists in believer till his sins cleansed. A headache of one night will remove all sins except the cardinal ones."
And the next time you start complaining remember the following hadeeth:
So now you must be thinking if we don't complain and don't question Allah, then how do we cope with it. Worrying is a natural process right? Well here are some coping strategies provided by the Holy Imams
Simple solution for Worries by Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s): " Recite Surah al Kafiroon, Surah Ikhlas, Surah Naas 3 times a day, after which recite, 'Allahumma Adfa annil balaa'
If you want tranquility and peace, recite the Quran slowly and carefully.
".in remembrance of Allah do hearts find peace". Quran.
No matter you are going through in life never forget to thank Allah for all the bounties that he has blessed you with without your even asking. Whether it may be the ability to walk, see, smell, eat, speak or breathe.
Imam Ali said: "Embrace your bounties before their departure, for they will leave and testify against their owner with respect to what he has done with them. (Aellal al-Sharaia, Page 464, no. 12)
So basically the whole idea behind our existence is to remember our creator, whether you are in a happy or an unhappy state.
"Every single hour that passes by the son of Adam, that was devoid of the remembrance of Allah will be grieved for on the day of Resurrection." {Prophet Muhammad pbuh}
And
"There are two bounties that most people are tested with: free time and health. {Prophet Muhammad , al-Khisal, p. 35, no. 7}
Sometimes we are so occupied with focusing on that we do not possess, that we completely overlook with all the other blessings that we have. If we compare ourselves with those who are less fortunate than us, and rest assure that our sustenance is fixed from Allah and that no can take it away from us then we will automatically find a lot of contentment.
Whatever has happened in the past no point in constantly thinking and lamenting over, we still have a future and we can change things around or atleast our perspective on life. In the words of Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s):
"Do not busy your hearts with that which has passed but rather prepare your minds for the future".
"Do not busy your hearts with that which has passed but rather prepare your minds for the future".
Hope the New Year will be a blessed one, full of ease and contentment !