28. BE PREPARED FOR DIFFICULT TIMES
I fear for those whose heart is content with Allah during times of ease only to fail the test and misbehave during times of difficulty. This is when the real test takes place. Allah gives and takes away. He builds and destroys; hence the acceptance and contentment of a person with His decree shows during both, the good and bad times. As for him who continues to bask in grace and receives continuous bounties, he is only happy while they exist. Then when he is afflicted with a calamity then his steadfastness is lacking.
Al-Hasan al-Basri said, “They were all the same during good times, yet during calamines they would differ.” That being the case, an intelligent person is one who is well prepared to confront the war against calamines, which is inevitable. Even if no calamity befalls a person all his life, he should be prepared lest it befalls him on his deathbed. Because if a calamity befalls you and finds you without knowledge that equips you with contentment and patience, then during the moment of death it might take you into disbelief.
I heard a person whom I used to think was pious saying during his final nights (on earth), “My Lord is being unjust to me!” Since then, I have been worried and keen on acquiring enough ammunition to pass that inevitable day. And how would I not be like that when it was reported that at the moment of death, the devil tells his companions, “focus on [deviating] this (dying) man for after he passes away, you will not then have power over him!”
What heart would hold firmly when breath will be stripped away and when the soul will be pulled out of the body knowing that you will depart your loved ones to an unknown destination; from which all what you can see is just the grave and perishing
I ask Allah that He grants us a belief that would protect us from the evils of that day, so we may be patient and accepting of His destiny. We ask the Giver that He grants us from His excess bounties that He bestowed on those whom He loves so that meeting Him would be more beloved to us than staying in this life, and that surrendering to His predestined decree would become more desirable to us over what we choose.
I seek refuge with Allah from assuming that we have perfect administration of our deeds as this will cause us to resent the destiny whenever things are not going our way.
Truly, this is pure ignorance.
May Allah protect us from it!
(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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