Islamic Stories,Rays of Guidance ✓

Hardships

*AT THIS VERY MOMENT, SOMEONE'S HEART IS BREAKING - SOMEONE IS STRUGGLING  WITH LOSS - SOMEONE IS DEALING WITH a TREMENDOUS PROBLEM. NO ONE IS EXEMPT FROM THE HARDSHIP AND DIFFICULTIES OF LIFE.*

There is a true story of a Muslim businessman who one day as he was leaving his home, didn’t realize his baby girl had strayed onto the driveway, and rolled over her with his van, killing her instantly.
He said in a calm composed television interview,
*“She was only meant to live for the time that she was with us.* *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* gives and Allah takes away.
Moving on will be an insurmountable challenge.”
How would you have reacted if you were in this brother’s shoes....?

*Here are 5 reminders* that will hopefully help you pull through whatever you’re going through, and remember that you are loved by your Lord:

*HARDSHIP PROVES YOUR DECLARATION OF FAITH.*
We all said that we believe that there is no God but *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* and *Muhammad ﷺ* is His Final Messenger.
But how do we know that we truly believe that without a doubt....?

When your faith is challenged by those close to you, your friends and families....?
When people insult you for the way that you dress?
When your life is threatened for being Muslim....?
Do you still say you believe or do you relent or make excuses?
That moment when in the face of adversity you feel in your heart that no matter what life throws at you, you still uphold tawheed *(oneness of Allah),* is when you realize that you truly know you believe in *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* and His *Messenger ﷺ* and are proud of your religion without question.

*HARDSHIP BUILDS CHARACTER*
This is often a bitter pill to swallow. But the truth is, if hardship and calamity don’t teach you patience, nothing will. Allah allows trials in your life to guide you to become a better version of yourself.
When you realize that no one else can help besides your Lord and you become totally reliant on Him, you become humble and helpless.

Allah is sufficient for you, and the best disposer of your affairs and nothing else will compare to the sweetness and of faith.
You feel calm during the storm and no longer pray for the storm to be over, but for *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* to give you the strength, protection, guidance and endurance to hold on until He sees fit to say *“Be”* and storm is over.
*HARDSHIP INCREASES OUR IBADAH (WORSHIP) AND REMOVES SINS*
How much more do we remember *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* and pray to Him for ease in times of difficulty, and how much better is this for us? *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* loves when we supplicate to Him, not because He needs it.
He is free of all wants; worthy of all praise. But we do!
Every act of supplication is worship and increases our good deeds.
The more we continue to submit and rely on *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل*, the more sins are removed from us.

*Ŕāsűlűllâh ﷺ*  said: “Trials will continue to befall the believing man or woman in himself, his child and his wealth until he meets *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* with no sin on him.”
*[Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2399)]*

*HARDSHIP IS A SIGN THAT ALLAH LOVES YOU*
Why are you being tested when it seems like others are better off?
When you see the hard-hearted, the unjust and the disobedient thriving in this life, don’t covet them or feel sad. Be fearful for them.
It may be that *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* has left them to misguidance because of their continued disobedience and is allowing them success for a time until their final punishment.

“He misleads many thereby and guides many thereby. And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient.” *(2:26)*

Only *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* knows the consequence of their disobedience. But the fact that you are faced with calamity as a practicing believer shows that *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* loves you enough to teach you and show you mercy through hardship. So focus on yourselves and *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* and don’t compare yourself to others and *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* will never disappoint you.

*HARDSHIP SOFTENS OUR HEARTS*
One of the sweetest things that comes out of hardship is that feeling of peace and contentment when we finally let go of pride, anger and self-pity and stop giving leverage to toxic thoughts and emotions. Instead, read what *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* says about those who believe.
Fill our hearts with hope and replace our fear with faith, our hearts are softened, even towards those who have wronged us. We feel peace and contentment.

It’s a difficult road to travel, but you will find that as soon as you learn what *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* is trying to teach you, somehow, ease comes from where you never expected!
Then you realize that Islam is never the problem, but the solution to every ordeal you experience in your life!

“Do the people think that they will be left to say, *"We believe"* and they will not be tried....?
But We have certainly tried those before them, and *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.” *(29:2-3)*