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Allah’s test does not end until we understand what we need to improve and fix it

Allah's test does not end until we understand what we need to improve and fix it
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May 13, 2023
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Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم

‏:‏ ‏ “‏ ما يزال البلاء بالمؤمن والمؤمنة في نفسه وولده ة وماله حتى يلقى الله تعالى وما عليه خطيئة‏”‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه الترمذي وقال حديث حسن صحيح‏)‏‏)‏ ‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “A Muslim, male or female, continues to remain under trial in respect of his life, property and offspring until he faces Allah, the Exalted, with no sin record.” [Tirmidhi]

In this hadith the Prophet (peace be upon him) is comparing that trials and tribulations which we face in this life are continuous until we meet Allah Almighty.

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى الْأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا

We made what is upon the earth an ornament for it, to test them as to which of them is best in conduct. [18:7]

إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا

We created man from a mixed sperm-drop, to test him; and We made him hearing and seeing. [76:2]

Tests are continuous and at all levels

Sometimes these are internal but regardless if they are internal or external they are always in motion.

When we read the Quran we see that some of the tests are on an individual basis, such as illness and others are at an Ummah level, some are related to our family, such as our spouse or children and some to our working lives and businesses.

On an Ummah level, Allah Almighty told us that previous believers were also tested, to the extent that they were shaken so severely to the extent that they questioned when Allah’s victory would come.

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ

Do you expect to enter Paradise before the example of those who came before you had reached you? Adversity and hardship had afflicted them, and they were so shaken up, that the Messenger and those who believed with him said, “When is Allah’s victory?” Indeed, Allah’s victory is near. [2:214]

Look at the bigger picture of our Ummah today in Palestine, in Baghdad, in Pakistan we are being tried.

Tests have a purpose – Allah does not want us to suffer, He wants us to become better

These tests have been sent to us for a reason. Firstly to enable us to improve ourselves, secondly to review where our gaps and mistakes are in our actions and dealings. The purpose is not to make us suffer but that Allah wants us to be better. If we did not get the message we will stay on level one. It is only when we pass the exam that we will move to level two.

Tests separate those who strive and those who do nothing

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّابِرِينَ

Or do you expect to enter Paradise, before Allah has distinguished those among you who strive, and before He has distinguished the steadfast? [3:142]

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ

Have the people supposed that they will be left alone to say, “We believe,” without being put to the test? [29:2]

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ

We have tested those before them. Allah will surely know the truthful, and He will surely know the liar. [29:3]

To pass to the test, you have to find the gaps and fill them

Allah wants us to review our actions

Allah wants us to review our actions, acknowledge our mistakes, rectify them, fill in our gaps, and reform ourselves. This will make us stronger and better at an individual level and Ummah level. Otherwise we will stay behind. Sadly this is our case. We are not assessing our mistakes. And occasionally when we see them, we dismiss them and do not do anything to improve or rectify them

Unless we acknowledge and rectify them and take steps to fix the issues, we will lag behind.

Allah Almighty when He talks about the trials of the Ummah mentioned that He wants to show those who are patient and those who are striving for His sake. We need to be active and we need positive patience – not negative patience. Negative patience is when you do nothing to improve your situation. We are required to make the effort and the take the actions.

If we do not do this, we will not be able to overcome the trials we are facing.

We ask Allah to help us to understand the nature of these trials at an individual level and at an Ummah level.

Shaykh Haytham Tamim Khutbah 12th May 2023

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Shaykh Haytham Tamim is the founder and main teacher of the Utrujj Foundation. He has provided a leading vision for Islamic learning in the UK, which has influenced the way Islamic knowledge is disseminated. He has orchestrated the design and delivery of over 200 unique courses since Utrujj started in 2001. His extensive expertise spans over 30 years across the main Islamic jurisprudence schools of thought. He has studied with some of the foremost scholars in their expertise; he holds some of the highest Ijazahs (certificates) in Quran, Hadith (the Prophetic traditions) and Fiqh (Islamic rulings). His own gift for teaching was evident when he gave his first sermon to a large audience at the age of 17 and went on to serve as a senior lecturer of Islamic transactions and comparative jurisprudence at the Islamic University of Beirut (Shariah College). He has continued to teach; travelling around the UK, Europe and wider afield, and won the 2015 BISCA award (British Imams & Scholars Contributions & Achievements Awards) for Outstanding Contribution to Education and Teaching.

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