16. THE WORLDLY LIFE IS A PLACE OF TRIAL
It is ignorance (jahl) that a person remains unaware of the purpose for which he was created, for it is designed to be the opposite of his wants.
The intelligent one should be settled and content when his wants remain unfulfilled (i.e. when he invokes Allah to fulfil what he wants), he actually worships Him through invoking Him; so if he is granted his wish, he should praise Him— and if not, he should be insistent in continuing to ask for what he wants because this life was not created in order for mankind’s needs can fulfilled.
Rather, he should remind himself with the verse,
“You may dislike a matter while in fact it is good for you.” [al-Baqarah (2): 216]
In fact, it is a greater ignorance to be discontent in his heart about not having his wants fulfilled or facilitated. This is because some people may object in his heart [to what Allah has decreed] or may even say, ‘I do not find any harm in having my wants fulfilled and yet my supplication is not answered.’
The aforesaid behaviour and attitude is proof of the ignorance and lack of faith and submission of such a person to Allah’s wisdom (hikmah).
It is almost impossible to find a person whose wish was fulfilled and yet did not endure discomfort afterwards.
Our father Adam (‘alayhi as-salam) lavished in the Heavens and afterwards he was removed from it.
Nuh (‘alayhi as-salam) asked Allah to protect his son from drowning and his wish was not granted.
[Prophet] Ibrahim (‘alayhi as-salam) was trialled with being thrown in fire (ndr), and [Prophet] Isma’ll (‘alayhi as-salam) was trialled with being prepared to be slaughtered. [Prophet] Ya’qub (*alayhi as-salam) was tested with losing his children and Yusuf (‘alayhi as-salam) endured resisting desires (mujahadat al-hawa). [Prophet] Ayyub (^alayhi as-salam) was tested in sickness (hila) and [Prophet] Dawud (‘alayhi as-salam) and [Prophet] Sulayman (‘alayhi as-salam) were tested in tribulation (fitnah). All Prophets (^alayhias-salam) experienced similar tests; as for the tests of the Prophet Muhammad, the calamities of hunger (Ju’) and a hard life are readily known.
This is because life is designed to be a place for trials; therefore the intelligent one should train himself with patience (sabr) and understand that if a wish is granted then it is a grace (lutf), and what was not granted is because this is the normal thing to happen in life.
In such situations, the strength (quwa) and weakness (daf) of faith (iman) manifests. Thus, in order to overcome this sickness (marad), the believer should take the medicine (adwiyya) of submitting to the will of the Lord (taslim li’l-Malik) and accepting the Judgment (tahkim li’l-hukm) of His wisdom. To further remind himself what Allah said to the leader of creation, his Prophet
“You have nothing in your hand…” [Al- Imran (3): 128]
Then he should mitigate the effect of what he feels by knowing that Allah did not withhold his wish from being fulfilled because of miserliness (bukhl), but rather due to a benefit (maslaha) that he is unaware of.
It is partly to reward the patient, increase their status, distinguish those who submitted and were pleased from those who did not. He should understand that the time of trials is short and the sought after wants are saved for another time. Then the darkness that engulfed him will break away and the dawn of reward will shine instead.
He whose understanding advances to the level at which he becomes able to know that not being given what he wants is something that Allah, Exalted be He, purposely intended, his faith will make his wants to be according to what Allah wants and ensures his pleasure to receive whatever Allah decrees for him. This is because if he was otherwise, he would deviate from the true essence of slavery (haqiqa al-‘ubudiyya) to Allah.
In fact, this is a fundamental principle that every person should heed and apply in every case when what happens is the opposite of what he wished for.
(Source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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