Yearn for Piety, Embrace Contentment in Allah’s Decree

Bismillaahir Rah’maanir Rah’eem. All praise to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon our beloved unlettered Prophet, his family, and his noble companions. I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan, and I begin in the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Earnestly Crave for Good Deeds

My esteemed Muslim elders, dear brothers, and the revered mothers and sisters of the Islamic Ummah, Allah ﷻ, the Lord of honor, has blessed us with the few breaths of life, and within them, Allah ﷻ desires that we strive for goodness, and eagerly seek opportunities to perform righteous deeds. The Prophet ﷺ once said to the people, ‘Desire for that which benefits you (in the hereafter) and seek help from Allah, and do not lose heart’. Generally, it is not favored to have excessive desire for material things, like desiring wealth, seeking honor, longing for riches, or pursuing a big business. Desiring anything related to this world is not encouraged. However, when it comes to matters of religion, having a desire (hirs) is considered an act of worship. If Allah ﷻ has granted someone this gift to desire matters related to faith, then indeed He ﷻ has bestowed him with a great blessing. If you hear about someone performing a righteous deed, then have the desire to engage in that same good deed.

Seek Allah’s Help to Compete with the Righteous

When you see the good deeds of a very pious person, the thought that comes to your heart is that ‘I cannot do this; I am a worldly oriented person, and this is a pious person of Allah ﷻ. How can I be like him?’ So, the easy way to tackle this is to think that even if you cannot do it, Allah ﷻ can make you do it, right? Seek help from Allah ﷻ. What may be difficult for you is not difficult for Allah ﷻ. He will make it easy for you. Do not consider yourself helpless. Do not be hesitant in seeking help. If you sincerely ask Allah ﷻ from the depths of your heart, Allah ﷻ will grant it to you. Even if He doesn’t give it due to any wisdom, He ﷻ will not deprive you of rewards. In a hadith, it is mentioned that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, ‘When a person sees a martyr, he desires and wishes, ‘I wish I were also granted martyrdom.’ This is the longing and aspiration of his heart: a true longing, a true aspiration, and a true desire. Because of this sincere yearning despite dying on the bed, on the Day of Judgment, Allah ﷻ will raise him among the martyrs as well.

O honorable ones!  Whatever we could do, we should do so with all our ability and seek Allah’s help for what we cannot do. So, desiring worldly things is a flaw, but desiring progress in matters of religion is an act of worship; it is a blessing from Allah ﷻ. Therefore, it is advised to be ambitious in religious matters. When you see someone performing a good deed, supplicate and say, ‘O Allah, grant me the ability to do the same; make me capable of doing such good deeds too.

The Exceptional Race of the Prophet’s Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)

The Sahabah had a remarkable and unique disposition. They possessed a strange and extraordinary sense of ambition. Once, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Today, I will surpass Abu Bakr in performing good deeds.” They were always striving to excel in every field. However, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) never gave him the opportunity to surpass him. During the Battle of Tabuk, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I have more wealth than Abu Bakr, and I will present half of my entire belongings before the Prophet ﷺ, and today I will surpass him.”

Now, what was the matter with Abu Bakr Siddique (may Allah be pleased with him)? He brought all his wealth and presented it before the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ asked Umar, “O Umar, what have you brought?” Umar replied, “I have brought half of my wealth.” Then the Prophet ﷺ turned to Abu Bakr and said, “O Abu Bakr, what did you bring?” He humbly responded, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I have brought everything I possess.”

Upon hearing this, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) realized that he can never surpass Abu Bakr in righteousness. He can never outdo him. The Prophet ﷺ used to say that he had repaid the favor of everyone in this world, but he could not repay the favor of Abu Bakr Siddique (may Allah be pleased with him). Therefore, he supplicated to Allah ﷻ, “O Allah, only you can recompense Abu Bakr.”

Once, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ graced the courtyard with his ﷺ presence. When he looked towards the sky, he ﷺ saw numerous stars shining brightly. Our mother Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was also present with him ﷺ. She asked, “O Prophet of Allah ﷺ, is there any person whose good deeds will be as abundant as the stars in the sky?” He ﷺ replied, “Yes, the good deeds of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) are as numerous as the stars in the sky.” Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) fell silent, thinking that the Prophet ﷺ would mention her father’s name. The Prophet ﷺ then said to her, “Aisha, why are you silent? The entire deeds of Umar in his whole lifetime are equal to the deeds of your father, Abu Bakr in that one night, the night of Hijrah he spent with me”.  For this reason, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) often says with longing, ‘O Siddique, give me the good deeds of that one night, and you take all the good deeds of my entire life’.

The Yearning of the Poor Companions of the Prophet ﷺ

There was also a sense of ambition among the poor and needy companions who came to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. They observed the wealthy companions and said, “O the Prophet of Allah ﷺ, the affluent companions enjoy so much comfort and luxury.” Look at their ambition. We too desire to have what the rich possess – if they have a car, we wish to have one; if they have a mansion, we wish to have one; if they have immense wealth, we wish to have it too. Such desires arise within us, and we feel envy in our hearts. The rich are angering Allah ﷻ by squandering wealth, and we wish to have the wealth so we too can squander and anger Allah ﷻ. If the rich are defying Allah’s ﷻ command with their wealth, we too yearn to do the same.

These are the longings that emerge in our hearts, but SubhanAllah, those who possess the vision of the heart, the poor companions came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “O the Prophet of Allah ﷺ, the wealthy companions enjoy both the world and the hereafter. They spend money for good causes by giving charity and paying zakat, help the needy, support the affairs of the religion, and free slaves. Despite our efforts, we cannot be like them. We cannot go beyond their level of goodness.” Look at their ambition! Why are they striving? For good deeds. So, why not strive for something that will benefit you tomorrow? Find a way to cultivate the same qualities within yourself. This righteous ambition is of great value in the sight of Allah ﷻ, I swear by God.

The Story of a Blacksmith

There is an incident related by scholars, about Abdullah ibn Mubarak (RA). When he departed from this world, a man saw him in a dream and asked, ‘What did Allah ﷻ do with you?’ Abdullah ibn Mubarak replied, ‘Allah ﷻ has blessed me greatly, but there was a blacksmith who used to live near my house, and his affair is even more astonishing”.

After the dream, this man woke up early in the morning and headed to the vicinity of Abdullah ibn Mubarak’s house and inquired from the neighbors about the person who recently passed away. They told him about the recent passing away of a blacksmith who used to work all day long, forging iron. Hearing this he reached his family and asked the widow of the blacksmith what unique deed the deceased had performed that granted him such an elevated status from Allah ﷻ.

His widow said, ‘There wasn’t any extraordinary deed my husband did. But there were two strange things in his heart. One was that whenever he was hammering the iron and had taken his hammer to his shoulder, at that very moment, when he would hear the call to prayer saying Allahu Akbar, the greatness of Allah ﷻ was so deeply ingrained in his heart that he would put down the hammer behind his shoulders but would never hit the iron. After hearing Allahu Akbar, he would promptly head towards the Mosque. And the other deed was that a venerable person used to live in front of our house, Abdullah ibn Mubarak (RA). He would worship Allah ﷻ during the night, and he stood in prolonged prayer, resembling a rod anchored in its place. He would recite the verses of Allah ﷻ all night long, and witnessing this, my husband’s heart would yearn for ease in his sustenance, wishing to perform righteous deeds like Abdullah ibn Mubarak’. Hearing this the man understood that indeed, the yearning for good deeds has made him worthy of envy in the hereafter. This is the righteousness that springs from inner ambition, and there is a genuine longing for Allah ﷻ to grant me the ability to perform such deeds as well. Therefore, in the pursuit of performing good deeds, having a strong ambition and desire is essential.

Keep Competing

And the Prophet ﷺ gave such beautiful advice to seek help from Allah ﷻ. It’s inspiring to witness someone praying Tahajjud regularly. Alhamdulillah, it has become their routine. As for me, I tend to stay up late at night, and I am unable to offer Tahajjud. However, if this yearning is genuine, I should start asking Allah ﷻ to grant me the ability to perform Tahajjud as well. I should say, “O Allah ﷻ, bestow upon me the opportunity to pray Tahajjud.”

Take initiative from your end, and if you still find it challenging, then, InshaaAllah, you will still receive the reward of Tahajjud. If a person is seeking, putting in their best effort, and even if they are unable to achieve it, they will still receive the reward. Indeed, we should not hesitate to ask Allah ﷻ, “O Allah, so-and-so is performing such a great deed. So-and-so is Your beloved servant. Make me also a beloved servant like them.” This is something we can undoubtedly ask for.

Just as we seek various things while observing the people of this world, saying, “O Allah, grant me this and that,” and we never fail to make supplications for worldly matters, sometimes, we should also ask Allah ﷻ to grant us the good deeds of His ﷻ beloved servants and to give us the ability to perform the same righteous actions as them. Be fervent in seeking righteousness and never feel helpless in making supplications. Do make duaa (supplication). This is what Allah calls “fastabiqul khayraat”. Race with one another fervently in doing good deeds. Keep moving forward, competing with one another. This is the place for racing. Encourage each other. This is the field for earnest endeavors. Try your best to advance forward in this matter.

Never Say “If Only” during Times of Difficulty

Another thing the Prophet ﷺ said was, “If someone faces any difficulty, affliction, hardship, or trial, do not say, ‘If only I had done this, this difficulty would not have happened to me.’ Instead, say, ‘Whatever Allah has willed has happened.’ He further said that by saying, ‘if only’, ‘if only’, ‘If it had been this way, then it would not have happened’, you have opened the door to Satan. If you say this, then the events that are destined to happen will indeed occur, but your life of sorrow will prolong. Your worries will increase further. Your restlessness will intensify. Whatever is meant to happen has already happened. This “if only” increases your grief. In fact, you cannot even say this because you have embraced faith in Allah ﷻ, and you have faith in His ﷻ decree that whatever happens is from Allah’s ﷻ side, and without Allah’s ﷻ will, no one can do anything. The Prophet ﷺ said, “The whole world may come together to benefit you, but they cannot bring you any benefit that Allah ﷻ has not written for you. The whole world may conspire to harm you, but they cannot harm you in any way beyond what Allah ﷻ has decreed.” It has already been written. Then Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “If something has reached you, it was never meant to miss you. And if something missed you, it was never meant to reach you”. No matter what you may have done, it would not have come to you.

A believer Never Complaints

This is the belief in destiny. And it is such a beautiful remedy that it shortens the duration of sorrows. There is a natural sorrow and trauma that happens, but it is not contrary to the belief in destiny. Its example is like this: when a person undergoes surgery, he cries with tears in his eyes, feels the pain and discomfort, but after the operation, he pays the doctor, thanks him for the favor, and expresses gratitude. These are two different things. Similarly, if any difficulty arises, there is a moment of sadness, but inside a believer, there is also the realization that it is his Allah ﷻ who decreed this and is his Well-Wisher. Therefore, he also has inner contentment. There is sadness, but it does not reach the level of distress. The trouble does not grieve him. While experiencing the pain and suffering, the believer does not carry that pain in constant sorrow or restlessness. There is sorrow, there is pain, and even tears flow from his eyes due to the difficulty, but his heart does not express displeasure with Allah’s ﷻ decree. He does not complain or express grievances. He does not say, “If only I had done this, then it would not have happened this way.” A believer does not engage in such thoughts. Instead, a believer says, “QaddarAllahu maasha” which means, “Allah ﷻ has decreed what He willed”. And I am a wretched and insignificant person. How can I know what is best for me and what is not? Only Allah ﷻ, who is the All-Wise and All-Knowing, knows better than me’.

So, the Prophet ﷺ is advising, “Look, whatever Allah, the Lord of Honor, has decreed for your life has indeed happened. Therefore, accept it without saying, ‘If only I had done this, then this wouldn’t have happened.” This is the difference between a believer and a disbeliever: When both patients of a believer and disbeliever go to the doctor and eventually pass away, what does the Muslim say? The Muslim says, “Even if he had gone to any other doctor, his remaining days were already determined.” The disbeliever says, “If he had gone to a certain doctor, things would have been different.” If “if only” comes from a person, it will increase his anxiety and restlessness in life.  I got robbed, and I keep thinking that if I had acted differently, it wouldn’t have happened this way. This ‘If only’ intensified my grief and added to my worries and anxieties. Now, there’s this thought that even if I had done anything differently, it might have still happened. This makes a difference.

Know the Difference between Action and Destiny

But remember, having faith in destiny does not mean that you should not take measures. There is a difference. People often misunderstand destiny to mean that they shouldn’t take any action or measures. No, it’s not like that. Once, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was heading to Syria. During the journey, he received news that there was an outbreak of a contagious disease in Syria. Abdur Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that the Prophet ﷺ had advised, “If an outbreak occurs in a place, do not go there, and if you are already present there, do not leave.” Upon hearing this, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) decided to return from his journey. Ubaid bin Jarraah (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote a letter to Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asking, “Did you terminate your journey because there was an outbreak there? Are you trying to escape from Allah’s decree?”

Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote a reply letter saying, “Yes, we are fleeing to Allah’s decree by Allah’s decree.” The essence of his response is that it does not mean that we should not take measures. Take measures, but if, even after taking all the necessary precautions, something is happening against your wishes, then understand that there was goodness in it. Be content with it. Surely, take measures. It is indeed a command to take measures. You are treating an illness, closing the room of your house, locking your car, taking complete care of your belongings, ensuring the protection of your life, wealth, and honor, but even after all these measures, if a loss still occurs, then understand that it was destined to happen, and it happened for a reason. Now, do not say, “If I had done it differently, it would have been different.” If you say so, then the night of grief will become lengthy. The time of sorrow will prolong.

Contentment Ends the Grief

And the truth is that for us, there is no other way except to be content with destiny. We cannot erase the impending loss. We cannot reverse the forthcoming hardships. We cannot eliminate the inevitable sorrows. They will happen. So, be content with Allah’s decree, with which the grief will end, and rewards too will be attained. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned that when Allah, the Lord of Honor, makes decision regarding any servant, He ﷻ prefers that His slave wholeheartedly accepts that decision and is pleased with it. He wholeheartedly accepts that this indeed is the best for him. Such acceptance is known as being content with Allah’s decrees.

What is it that causes this illness, like depression, tension, and staying restless all night? The reason behind it is that a person creates a plan in his mind, forms a perception of life, and constructs a complex storyline from his own perspective. Now, when the situation does not unfold as expected, he becomes so disheartened, so devastated, that his spirit is crushed. His mind and intellect cease to function. What is this? This is the weakness in faith in destiny. And whatever happened in my favor was indeed better for me. The grief will end, and the troubles will come to an end. The Prophet ﷺ advised us in his guidance not to complain about destiny. You do not know what is better for you. It is mentioned in a Hadith that when Allah ﷻ decides something good for a person, He puts them to trials quickly. And when Allah ﷻ decides something bad for a person, He prevents them from the punishments of sins in this world, only to give them the punishment suddenly in the Hereafter.

Embrace Allah’s Destiny with Trust

When circumstances go against my temperament, should I not be content? There must be some benefit in it for me. There is goodness in this situation. Therefore, I humbly request you to embrace the most profound source of tranquility, as advised by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): Do not complain about destiny. Do not utter, ‘If only I had done this, then this wouldn’t have happened.’ What has transpired, has transpired. Accept it wholeheartedly, and the distress will subside, while rewards will be bestowed upon you. In a Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) conveys the words of Allah ﷻ, “If a person is displeased with the trials, I send to test him, the illnesses and weaknesses I bestow upon him, then let him seek another Lord. When someone acknowledges me as their Lord, it signifies that I am the one who nurtures and cares for them’. This is analogous to how a mother nurtures a child, and a father looks after his child.

A mother and father do not fulfill every wish of their child; otherwise, the child’s upbringing will not be right. Then he cannot reach the destination. Sometimes parents accept, and sometimes they do not. Sometimes they give, and sometimes they do not give. Sometimes they love, and sometimes they discipline. Sometimes they put their children to sleep, and sometimes they wake them up. Sometimes they make them laugh, and sometimes they make them cry. They are nurturing their children, right? Similarly, Allah ﷻ says, “I am the one who nurtures. If you acknowledge me as your Lord, then be content with all matters wholeheartedly. I have to do all these things as I have to nurture you.” The system of Allah ﷻ is such that He ﷻ attracts people towards Himself by continuously bestowing His ﷻ blessings upon them. When a person does not turn towards Allah ﷻ despite His continuous blessings, then through the chains of trials and tests, Allah ﷻ gently pulls them towards Himself.

Merge Your Desires with Allah’s Will

This is also an indication of His ﷻ love. This is also an indication of His ﷻ nurturing. He ﷻ is directing His ﷻ attention towards me. He ﷻ did it from one direction, now He ﷻ is doing it from the other direction. He ﷻ is the Rabb (Lord). Whatever state He ﷻ keeps me in, that state is indeed better for me. He ﷻ gives me as much as is best for me. The way He ﷻ gives is also better for me. This is what is better for me. If I am not content with this, restlessness will increase. The poor soul will keep pondering. You see, when people fall sick due to their thoughts, they keep on thinking. They are not content with Allah’s ﷻ destiny. They say, “If only I had done this, then this would have happened.” The poor soul keeps on pondering why things didn’t happen the way he wanted. This is a chronic ailment, a disease of our society, arising from a lack of trust in Allah’s providence and weakened faith. If you ask someone, they are always lost in sorrowful thoughts, saying, “It should have happened this way.” Oh no! We are not meant to lead our lives according to our desires, but in accordance with the will of the One who governs us.

A person once asked a wise elder how he was doing. The elder replied, “I am doing very well.” The person inquired, “How come?” The elder replied, “I am experiencing this world exactly what I desire.” The person asked, “What do you mean by ‘experiencing what you desire’?” The elder explained, “In this world, whatever Allah ﷻ desires for me is happening, and I have merged my desires into Allah’s ﷻ will. Just as He ﷻ wishes, I also wish the same. I am also content. Whatever state He ﷻ keeps me in, I am pleased”.

Accept Destiny with Diligent Effort

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ advised us to be content with destiny. And this does not mean that one should not make any effort. For example, people often say, “If Allah ﷻ wills, we will pray. If Allah ﷻ wills, we will keep a beard. If Allah ﷻ wills, we will perform Hajj.” But they never say, “If Allah ﷻ wills, we will eat our meals,” and they immediately start eating. Isn’t that, right? They never say, ‘If Allah ﷻ wills, the money will surely reach my home, and I will stay at home today and not go to the shop.’ Instead, they exhibit great intelligence in such matters and put in efforts. He says, ‘I will do my part of opening the shop, and if Allah ﷻ wills, He ﷻ will send someone (customer); if not, then He ﷻ won’t.’ Believing in destiny doesn’t mean you should refrain from making efforts. Brother, Allah’s ﷻ will be there, but taking efforts is also necessary. Head towards the mosque, and you will only reach the mosque; no other path will be given to you. Allah ﷻ will guide you to the mosque. Taking effort is a required condition; take effort. So, the meaning of belief in destiny is certainly not to abstain from action. Don’t just sit with your hands out, asking for everything. That’s not it. Make plans and then be content with Allah’s ﷻ decrees.

Please Allah and Be Pleased

A person once asked Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) about the meaning of destiny (taqdeer). Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, “Stand up on one foot.” The person did so. Then he said, “Now stand on the other foot as well.” The person replied that he couldn’t do it. Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “This is what it means”. Just as you have been given the ability to stand on one foot, you have also been given the limitation that you cannot stand on both feet simultaneously. Similarly, whatever control Allah ﷻ has granted us, we should not show any deficiency in following His ﷻ commands. And whatever Allah ﷻ decrees through His ﷻ divine authority, we should accept it wholeheartedly.

When such a person is about to pass away, they are given glad tidings: “Look, you remained content with the destiny ordained by Allah ﷻ in every situation and circumstance of life. Today, I ﷻ am pleased with you, as you were pleased with Me. You have never had any complaints or grievances in your heart. The decisions I made for you, you never expressed any complaint or dissatisfaction in your heart. You were content with them, knowing that they are better for you.” It is a peaceful way of life. Being content with destiny means being content with the decisions of your Supreme Master ﷻ. Understand that He ﷻ is the All-Knowing, and He ﷻ knows us better than we know ourselves. He ﷻ the All-Wise, more aware of our wisdom and interests.

Yaa ayyatuhan-nafsul-muTma’innati-rji‘i ilaa rabbiki raadiyatam-maridyyah. Fadkhulee fee ‘ibaadee wadkhulee jannati

O soul at peace! Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with Him), well-pleasing (Him), So enter among My servants, And enter into My garden. (Sūratul Fajr, No. 89, Āyāt 27 – 30)

What is the greatest good news? You have become part of My beloved servants. You now belong to Me. You have been embraced among My cherished servants. Why? In this world, you never displayed any expression of discontent or loss regarding the decisions I made for you. Even in times of distress, you remained content. In moments of sorrow, you were still content. Even during illnesses, your contentment prevailed. It is due to this exceptional virtue of yours that I have enfolded you among My special servants.

Embrace Hardships as Pathways to Eternal Comfort

A Sahabi, Imran bin Hussein (may Allah be pleased with him), remained bedridden for thirty-three years. He couldn’t turn to the right or left on his bed. In this state, he performed his prayers, engaged in acts of worship, fulfilled his essential needs, and managed his life’s necessities. Thirty-three years! But whoever saw his face witnessed a radiant glow and freshness. People used to be amazed because such a countenance is not often seen even on the faces of good and healthy individuals. He (may Allah be pleased with him), used to say, “I am content with Allah’s decrees from the depths of my heart. Allah ﷻ has shown me the signs of the Hereafter that have transformed my restlessness into complete tranquility. I am content all the time.”  

This is life; in this world, no one can claim that all their wishes, desires, and needs have been entirely fulfilled. Some desires are fulfilled, while others are not. Sometimes there is ease, and sometimes there is difficulty. Sometimes there is good health, and sometimes there is illness. Sometimes there is comfort, and sometimes there is sorrow. All these experiences are part of life and are bestowed even upon Allah’s righteous servants. The Prophet ﷺ said, “The Prophets hold the highest ranks among the righteous servants, and they endure the greatest trials. Similarly, those whose lives resemble the lives of Prophets closely face greater trials accordingly.” Therefore, trials also befall the righteous servants. However, they view these hardships as opportunities to attain comfort in the Hereafter. Conversely, the difficulties faced by others are confined to this world and deprive them of the rewards in the Hereafter.

Submit to Allah ﷻ Completely

Hardships befall everyone—both the righteous and the wicked. Those who are content with destiny and Allah’s decisions also face trials, and those who are not content with destiny also face trials. The world has been created in such a way that some desires will be fulfilled, while others will remain unfulfilled. Some things will happen according to one’s wishes, while others will be contrary to one’s desires. However, those who remain content with Allah’s trials and decrees lighten their burden of grief, shorten the path of hardships, and amass treasures from Allah’s bounties, storing them for the Hereafter. They accumulate rewards for the afterlife. On the other hand, those deprived of these virtues not only bear worldly hardships but are also deprived of rewards. Their grief becomes prolonged, and they keep wondering why things turned out that way.

One may lose a loved one and express, “Inna Lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un” (Verily, we belong to Allah, and to Him, we shall return). They say, “O Allah ﷻ, we are Yours. You ﷻ have every right to treat us as You ﷻ wish. Our children belong to You ﷻ, our wealth belongs to You ﷻ, and we also belong to You ﷻ. You ﷻ have the right over us and treated us as You ﷻ desired. We are Yours ﷻ. And Your promise is that those who remain content with Your destiny, You ﷻ bestow abundantly upon them, and I will come to You ﷻ and take the reward for my patience. We will come to You ﷻ to receive the reward for being pleased with Your divine decree.” While this is one aspect of facing trials, the other aspect is that people spend their entire life grieving over sorrow—constantly in grief, always troubled.

When the son of the Prophet ﷺ passed away, tears were seen flowing from his eyes as he held the child in his arms. He was asked, “O Messenger of Allah, are these tears flowing from you?” He replied, “Yes, these are tears of love, tears of affection.” Feeling the grief of separation from a child is not contrary to being content with Allah’s destiny. However, voicing complaints, grievances, and saying, “If only it had been this way or that way,” can lead to being deprived of rewards and blessings.

Yearn for Good Deeds and Embrace Allah’s Destiny

Therefore, my friends, the Noble Prophet ﷺ imparted two vital lessons through his teachings. Firstly, he advised us to be ambitious and strive for matters related to the Hereafter, to progress and excel in good deeds. Even if you cannot fulfill something due to circumstances, at least ask Allah ﷻ for His ﷻ assistance, saying, “O Allah, help me so I too can perform such good deeds.”  Secondly, he taught us that in life, when any situation goes against our desires and inclinations, and we face troubles, difficulties, and tests, we should accept it as inevitable. We should not give Satan an opportunity by saying, “If only I had done this, then this would have happened.” Then the night of grief will become prolonged. Instead, be content with Allah’s decrees from the depths of your heart. Life will become easy, and you will find success in the Hereafter. May Allah ﷻ grant us all the ability to act on what we learnt. Aameen

Sheikh Maulana Abdus Sattar (may Allah preserve him)