20. DESPAIR NOT OF RELIEF FROM ALLAH
One’s true faith (imari) is shown in adversity (ibtild) for he supplicates aplenty without finding an answer to his prayer. Yet his hope and faith do not change even with strong causes of despair, because he knows that Allah is the Truth and He knows what is better for a person than anyone.
Patience (sabr) and faith (man) are required of him, for Allah only subjected him to that for his heart to accept, to test his patience and entice him to prayer (du’a) and seek refuge in Him.
He who wants his prayer be heard quickly and complains if it’s not, is of weak faith (da’if al-iman) and considers himself entitled for a response as one who is receiving pay for his work.
Have you not heard the story of (Prophet] Ya’qub (‘alayhi as-salam)? He remained in adversity (bald) for eighty years without losing hope. Even when Benyamin was also taken away, he did not lose hope (aml) and he said,
“Perhaps Allah will bring them to me altogether.” [Yusuf (12):83]
Allah relayed this meaning when He said,
“Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed away before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] Messenger and those who believed with him said, ‘When is the help of Allah?’ Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.” [al-Baqarah (2): 214]
It is obvious that such words do not come out of Messengers and believers except after long adversity (tul al-bala) and near loss (qurb al-jas) of hope for a breakthrough (farj).
To this effect, the Messenger said, “The servant does not commit wrongdoing until he becomes impatient.” He was asked, “And how can he be impatient?” He replied, “He says: I supplicate to Allah but Allah did not answer me.”
Therefore, beware of complaining (tastatil) about the long adversity’ (zaman al-bala), or growing sick of continuous prayer (kathra al-du’a), because you are tried with adversity and you worship Allah through patience (sabr) and prayer (du’a’) [overcome that through]. Do not despair of Allah’s relief even if the adversity extends.
(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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