21. THE FRUIT OF GUIDANCE
I contemplated the verse,
“Whoever follows my guidance will never go astray or be in hardship.” [Taha (20): 123]
The exegetes of Qur’an (mufassirun) explained, ‘The word ‘my guidance’ refers to the Book of Allah and the Messenger of Allah.’
This explanation is something I realised to be truthful because each person who adheres to the Qur’an and Sunnah. And acts upon both of them, safeguards himself from misguidance (dalala) without doubt (shak). He reaches a high rank in the Hereafter if he dies upon it. He will also be immune against the hardships of this life and the verse,
“Whoever fears Allah, He shall make a way out for him.” [al-Talaq (65):2]
testifies to this meaning.
If you ever find such a person in a state of hardship, his certainty (‘yaqin) of Allah’s reward will change the bitter to sweet honey and yet, he will be content with all his life conditions.
It often happens however that if he is trialled, it is due to a slip or a deviation from the path of righteousness and piety (taqwa). The one who fears Allah constantly will be immune against all difficulties and calamities in most cases.
But if you ever find a calamity befalling a person who fears Allah it would most likely be because of a sin (dhanm) previously committed.
And if it was not because of a sin he may have committed, the trial will be akin to letting his golden patience (sabr) go into the oven of calamities so that it comes out red gold; hence he finds pain sweet because he thinks of the One who befell this calamity on him and not the calamity per se.
Al-Shibli, the pious worshipper, said, ‘[O Allah], people love You because of your grace (ni’ma) upon them, and I love You because of the trials (bala) You befell upon me.’
(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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