ENEMIES OF THE DIVINE WAY
As I was reading material written by proponents of atheism, it became clear to me that those writers blatantly showed enmity toward the principles of the true Religion. From what I read from those writers, and from what I perceived in terms of their ill manners and lack of humility. I feel shy even to relate what they said and wrote.
Suffice it to say I realized that a person who does not have principles and who does not attribute a correct meaning to life becomes transformed into an animal possessing only the shape and appearance of a man.
(Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle; — nay, they are even farther astray from the Path [i.e. even worse than cattle].) (Qur’an 25: 44)
I asked myself how is it possible for them to be happy despite their having turned away from Allah, Who owns happiness and gives it to whomsoever He pleases. How could they be happy after having severed the rope between them and Him and after having shut the doors of Allah’s vast mercy upon their own weak selves? How could they find happiness and comfort after having earned His anger and after having waged war upon Him?
I grasped that the first punishment they receive is one that is inflicted upon them in this life as an introduction or prelude to the greater punishment (that is, if they fail to repent) of the Hereafter.
This harbinger of punishment includes misery, general apathy, a feeling of being constricted, and a sense of hopelessness.
(‘But whosoever turns away from My Reminder [i.e. neither believes in this Qur’an nor acts 0n its orders, etc.] verily, for him is a lane of hardship”. (Quran 20: 124)
Many people who are from this category wish that their life would end. Some common factors between atheists of old and present-day atheists are: a lack of appropriate manners with Allah, an arbitrary approach to deciding upon values and principles, and a lack of knowledge —or a feigned lack of knowledge — of the evil end- results of their actions. In addition they share a general lack of care for what they say, do, or write.
(Is it then he, who laid the foundation of his building on piety to Allah and His Good Pleasure, better; or he who laid the foundation of his building on an undetermined brink of a precipice ready to crumble down, so that it crumbled to pieces with him into the Fire of Hell. And Allah guides not the people who are the Zaalimoon (cruel, violent, proud, polytheist and wrongdoer).) (Qur’an 9: 109)
The only solution available to these staunch atheists if they wish to depart from their worries and problems is — if they don’t repent and follow true guidance — to commit suicide and thus end their bitter and lowly existence.
(Say ‘Perish in your rage.) (Qur’an 3: 119)
(…and kill yourselves, that will be better for you…) (Qur’an 2: 54)
THE REALITY OF THIS LIFE
One will be happy to the degree that one remembers Allah and recites His Book. And after considering this principle, one may estimate his worth in this world and in the Hereafter.
(And were it not that all mankind would have become of one community [all disbelievers, desiring worldly life only], We would have provided for those who disbelieve in the Most Beneficent [Allah], silver roofs for their houses, and elevators [and stair-ways, etc. of silver] whereby they ascend. And for their houses, doors (of silver), and thrones [of silver] on which they could recline, and adornments of gold. Yet all this [i.e. the roofs, doors, stairs, elevators, thrones etc. of their houses] would have been nothing but an enjoyment of this world. And the Hereafter with your Lord is only for the pious and righteous persons who fear Allah much.) (Qur’an 43: 33-35)
These verses proclaim in clear terms the temporary, therefore insignificant, worth of material possessions and social status.
We should realize that this life is not the yardstick of success when we see that the disbeliever often lives a life of opulence while the believer is often precluded from many worldly pleasures, a phenomenon that merely indicates the paltry value of this world.
While giving a sermon on a Friday, ‘Utbah ibn Ghazwan (may Allah be pleased with him), a well-known Companion of the Prophet (bpuh), was reminiscing out loud about what the days were like when he lived with the Prophet (bpuh). ‘Utbah would fight with him in the way of Allah, and to avoid starvation, he would eat with him the leaves of a tree. Yet he remembered those days to be the happiest of his life. Then he recalled how he departed from the Prophet (bpuh), becoming a governor of a province. And despite this rise in worldly status, he felt wonder at how much lower the true quality of life became after the death of the Prophet (bpuh).
After the death of the Prophet (bpuh), Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allah be pleased with him) felt bewildered and confused when he became governor of Kufah. During the Prophet’s lifetime, he too would eat tree leaves or the skin of a carcass. He could not bear the castles of his new life after having tasted the pleasure of his old one in the company of the Prophet (bpuh).
(And indeed the Hereafter is better for you than the present (life of this world).) (Qur’an 93: 4)
Therefore there is a secret to guide you in this life —- and that is to know the triviality of this world.
(Do they think that we enlarge them in wealth and children, We hasten unto them with good things [in this worldly life so that they will have no share of good things in the Hereafter]? Nay, but they perceive not) (Qur’an 23: 55-56)
When he entered the house of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him), ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw marks on the Prophet’s side, which resulted from always lying down on straw, and he also noticed the bareness of the room. His eyes swelled with tears after seeing such a moving sight. The Messenger of Allah (bpuh), the example and leader of all, in such a situation! It was too much for him.
And they say: ‘Why does this Messenger (Muhammad) eat food, and walk about in the markets [like ourselves].) (Qur’an 25: 7)
He said, ‘You know, O’ Messenger of Allah, of the lifestyle of Khosrau and Caesar? The Prophet (bpuh) replied:
“O’ son of Khattab, are you in doubt. Are you not pleased that for us is the Hereafter and for them is this world.”
lt is a just balance and a fair distribution. So let them find their happiness in dollars, gold, silver, mansions, and cars if they can. Verily, by Allah, they will never find it in those things.
Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter; to them we shall pay in full [the wages of] their deeds therein, and they will have no diminution therein. They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but Fire; and vain are the deeds they did therein. And of no effect is that which they used to doll (Qur’an 11: 15-16)
THE KEY TO HAPPINESS
lf you know Allah and worship Him, you will have found happiness and peace, even if you are living in a hut made of mud.
But if you deviate from the true path, your life will truly be wretched, even if you are living a life of luxury and comfort in a large mansion. If this latter case applies to you, then you do not have with you the key to happiness.
And we gave him of the treasures, that of which the keys would have been a burden to a body of strong men. (Qur’an 28: 76)
PAUSE TO REFLECT
(Truly, Allah defends those who believe.) (Qur’an 22: 38)
In other words, He protects them from evil, both in this world and in the Hereafter. In this verse, Allah enlightens us, warns us, and gives us glad tidings. He repels evil from the believers in proportion to their faith. The evil of the disbelievers, the evil whispers of the Devil, the evil in their own selves, and the evil of their deeds — all of these does Allah ward off from the true believers. When calamity falls, its burden will be lightened from them. Every believer has a share in this divine protection. Yet it varies according to one’s level of faith: some will receive less, others more.
Among the fruits of faith is that it gives solace to the believer in times of hardship.
(….and whosoever believes in Allah, He guides his hearth…) (Qur’an 64: 11)
This refers to the believer who is afflicted with hardship, who knows that it is from Allah and that it was written for him. He is satisfied and submits his will to what has been predestined for him.
Thus, the fatal blow of hardship will lose its effect on him because he knows that it came from Allah and that he will be rewarded for his patience.
HOW THEY USED TO LIVE
Let us go back and take a glimpse at how one of the Prophet’s Companions would spend his day. ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), who was married to Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him), woke up early one morning with his wife and searched for food. But there was nothing in their humble home to be found.
This occurred on a bitter cold day of winter, so ‘Ali put on some warm clothes and left. He searched through all of the precincts of the city and finally he remembered a Jew who owned a garden. When ‘Ali reached the garden, the Jew said, “O’ Arab, come and harvest the dates for me and for each large bucket that you till, I will give you a single date. ” And so he toiled for a period of time until his hands hurt and his body ached. He took the paltry number of dates that he earned and went to the Prophet (bpuh) to share them with him. With whatever was left over, he and Faatimah sustained themselves for the rest of the day.
This was their life. Yet what may seem to be a contradiction to the material minded person is that their homes were replete with illumination and happiness.
Their hearts were filled with the noble principles that were revealed to the Prophet (bpuh). Through the spiritual illumination of their hearts, they perceived the truth and accepted it, while they recognized falsehood and rejected it. They worked in the path of the former and they steered far away from the latter. They came to realize and grasp the true value and worth of things.
Where is the happiness of a man like Haamaan; he is still cursed for his wrongdoing.
(As the likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up and you see it turning yellow; then it becomes straw.) (Quran 57: 20)
True happiness is with Bilal, Salmaan and ‘Ammar; Bilal was a caller to the truth, Salmaan was truthful, and ‘Ammar was faithful in fulfilling his obligations.
WHAT THE WISE SAY ABOUT PATIENCE
The following words are ascribed to Anusherwan:
“Calamity in this life is of two kinds. The first kind allows for a way out: worrying is its remedy. The second kind permits for no solution or way out: patience is its cure.”
It is also said that, “Whoever follows patience, success will follow him.”
It has also been said:
“Strive to remain alive by seeking out death. For how many have remained because they sought out death and how many have perished who preferred to stay! And safety most often comes after treading the path of uncertainty.”
The Arabs would say:
“Verily, even in evil, there are degrees of better and worse.’ Abu ‘Ubaydah explained the meaning of this expression, saying, “lf you are afflicted with a hardship, know that you could have been hit with far worse. If you have such an outlook, you will be better able to deal with the hardship.”
A way out of difficulty most often comes when hope is lost:
(They are those from whom we shall accept the best of their deeds and overlook their evil deeds. [They shall be] among the dwellers of Paradise, a promise of truth, which their have been promised.) (Qur’an 46: 16)
(They were reprieved] until, when the Messengers gave up hope and thought that they were denied [by their people], then came to them Our Helps…) (Qur’an 12: 110)
(Truly! Allah is with the patient ones.) (Qur’an 2: 153)
(Only those who are patient shall receive their rewards in full, without reckoning) (Qur’an 39: 10)
Sometimes Allah brings success and relief when hope is lost and all seems dark. This is in order to encourage us to turn our hopes to Him, to trust completely in Him, and to never lose hope of His help at any time. Also, when afflicted, one should be satisfied with the knowledge that he was afflicted with something minor and was saved from what could have been worse.
lshaaq said,
“Perhaps Allah tests a slave with a calamity but then saves him from destruction. Thus, the calamity is really a great blessing (in disguise)?
It has been said that whoever forbears a hardship, and is content with Allah’s decree by being patient, then some hidden benefit or blessing will come about for him through that experience.
It has been related from some Christians that one of their prophets said:
“Calamities are a disciplining from Allah; disciplining is not something that is continuous. So glad tidings to whoever is patient when disciplined. Such a person should be crowned with the crown that symbolizes both overcoming and victory — the victory that Allah promised to the ones who love Him and obey Him.”
lshaaq also said:
“Beware of complaining if you are caught in the sharp claws of a hardship, for the way to safety is a difficult path to tread.”
THE IMPORTANCE OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
A writer justly said:
“Verily, hope encourages and steers one towards patience; hope arises from having a good opinion of Allah; hope in Allah precludes the possibility of failure. But why should we be so confident that hope in Allah precludes the possibility of failure? If we were to study the characteristics of generous people, we would find that they take special care of those who think well enough of them to turn to them for help. They will also tend to eschew those who think ill of them. What is important here is that they refrain from hurting the hopes of those who single them out for help. Then what will be the case regarding the Most Generous One, Whose kingdom is not decreased in the least when He gives even more than what the hopeful ones expected from Him in the first place!”
A person who finds no way out of a difficult situation illustrates the most poignant example of Allah’s generosity and guidance for one of His slaves. After losing all hope in everyone that he turned to for help, he is forced to remember that there is one door that remains open and that he should hope in no one save in Allah, the Exalted. At that point, he feels the chastisement for not having hoped from Allah in the first place, and at that point, aid and relief arrive.
(Verily those whom you call upon besides Allah are slaves like you. So call upon them and let them answer you if you are truthful.) (Qur’an 7: 194)
A FEW WORDS ON PATIENCE
lbn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him) is related to have said:
“Relief and aid are from faith and contentment. Anxiety and grief are from doubt and anger.”
He also used to say:
“The patient one achieves the best of aims.”
Abban ibn Taghlab said:
“l heard a Desert Arab say, ‘One of the noblest of characteristics becomes manifest when one is afflicted by a trial and then uses patience to overcome that trial. His patience and hope affect him positively; it is as if he constantly visualizes himself being saved from his problem; his state of mind is positive to such a high degree because of his trust in Allah and his good opinion of Him. Whenever one possesses these characteristics, he will never have to wait long for Allah to fulfill his needs and remove hardship from his life. He will be saved, and his religion and honor will remain safe.”’
Al-Asma’ee related that a Desert Arab said:
“Fear evil when you find yourself to be in a good situation; hope for good when you are in an evil situation. Many have lived who have sought after death and many have died who have sought after life. And safely comes most often for a person after he has followed the path of fear.”
Some of the wise would say:
“The wise person, when afflicted by hardship, consoles himself in two ways. The first is to be contented. The second is in hoping for a way out of the difficulties that have befallen him. The ignorant person is shaken and nervous in situations of hardship in two ways. The first is in the number of people from whom he seeks aid. The second is in his constant fears and apprehensions about that which is worse than what has already befallen him.”
And as I mentioned earlier, it has been said that Allah, the Exalted, disciplines us through trials, a form of education that opens hearts, ears, and eyes.
Al-Hasan ibn Sahl described trials as being a wake-up call for the forgetful ones, a means of achieving reward for the patient ones, and a reminder of blessings for everyone. And the decree of Allah is always better, especially for those who, through their bravery, appear to be seeking out death — who are searching for a life of remembrance, and who are unlike those that are described in the following verse:
([They are] the ones who said about their killed brethren while they themselves sat [at home]: U only they had listened to us, they would not have been killed.’ Say: ‘Avert death from your ownselves, if you speak the truth.) (Qur’an 3: 168)
PAUSE TO REFLECT
(If you are suffering [hardships] then surely, they [too] are suffering [hardships] as you are suffering, but you have a hope from Allah [for the reward, i.e. Paradise] that for which they hope not…)
(Qur’an 4: l04)
For the reason mentioned in this verse, the true believer has a high level of tolerance when he is afflicted with calamity. Patience, steadfastness, serenity, and a sincere desire to fulfill one’s duty as a slave of Allah — these are qualities that you can find in a true believer. Ma’qil ibn Yasaar (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet (bpuh) said:
“Your Lord, Most Blessed and Most High, says: O’ son of Adam, Dedicate your time to my worship and I will fill your heart with wealth and your hands with sustenance. O’ son of Adam, don’t distance yourself from Me or I will fill your heart with poverty and your hands with problems that will preoccupy you.”
DON’T GRIEVE YOU ARE POOR, FOR YOUR TRUE VALUE IS NOT DETERMINED BY YOUR BANK BALANCE
‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“The (true) value of every person is weighed according to the good that he does.”
Therefore the value of a scholar is based on his knowledge, on whether it is limited or vast, and on the degree to which he disseminates his knowledge. Similarly, the poet is appraised based on the quality of his poems. And so it goes for every person of every occupation: his worth with people is measured by his excellence in what he does. In terms not of occupation but of religion and life in general, everyone should strive to increase their value and worth by performing good deeds, by increasing their knowledge and level of wisdom, by cultivating and polishing their mind, and by developing noble traits in their personality.
Source: Islam Basics By Aaidh ibn Abdullah Al-Qarnee
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