مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ
No calamity befalls ˹anyone˺ except by Allah’s Will...
I came across this verse a few days ago and everything just fell into place. I suddenly understood the situation that I was in with absolute clarity. (Note: understood, not solved).
Surah at-Taghabun was one of my favourite surahs, but when I read this verse recently, it was as if I was reading it for the first time. We will always be tested - that is just an undeniable fact in life whether you're a believer or a disbeliever. No one (unfortunately) is 'blessed' enough that life is magical and easy for them.
We might look at someone else and think that their life is easy, but as my mum says "you might think that the grass is greener on the other side but once you come close, you'll realize that they've got sh-t on their grass too." Pardon my language.
But here's the thing - calamities are from Allah. They happen by Allah's will. Everything in life - good and bad - is from Allah. Allah willed it to happen, therefore it happens.
What happens, why it happens, when it happens, to whom it happens, where it happens and how it happens - it is ALL by the will and the permission of Allah.
If Allah did not will for it to happen, it would not have happened.
There is a famous saying by Imam Shafie (rahimullah), "What is meant for you, will reach you even if it is beneath two mountains. What isn't for you, won't reach you even if it is between your two lips".
When a calamity befalls on you and you think "I could have avoided it if ___" or "This would not have happened if ___" then you have not understood the concept of qadr (divine decree) which is one of the six pillars of our faith.
It has happened, and it happened purely because Allah willed it to happen.
And we have to have complete sabr (patience) and redha (acceptance) in the situation.
وَمَن يُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُۥ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۭ ١١
And whoever has faith in Allah, He will guide their hearts (through adversity).
And Allah has (perfect) knowledge of all things.
Here's a key though to unlocking the suffering in the bad that Allah tests us with: imaan (faith) and tawakkal (trust in Allah).
When Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W)'s son passed away, he was saddened. And in his moment of grief, he (S.A.W) said, “Verily the eyes shed tears and the heart grieves, and we are saddened over your departure oh Ibrahim (the son). But we will not say except that which is pleasing to our Lord."
As believers, we have complete imaan (faith) and tawakkal (trust) in Allah (S.W.T). He has knowledge of all things and although we fail to understand the situation that we are in or the wisdom behind it, we trust Allah completely and continue to have faith in Him.
This does not mean that we are not saddened by the situation that we are in. Nor does it mean that we are magically okay because we have faith and trust in Allah. It means that yes, we feel pain. And yes, we cry. And we grieve. But our lips only utter words that Allah is happy with.
When we have faith and trust Allah through adversity, Allah will guide our hearts. He will increase us in faith and trust and most importantly, bestow upon us contentment.
Isn't contentment our ultimate goal? For there are those whose lives are easy yet their hearts are not content, and those whose lives are difficult yet their hearts are content...
...and we see this verse in the Qur'an that I have just quoted manifest out of the people of Palestine. Take Khaled, the Palestinian grandfather who uttered the word "Soul of my soul." His faith in Allah and love for his granddaughter touched the whole world. He loved his granddaughter immensely. His heart grieves for her departure and the manner in which she left this world. He held her dead body in his arms, opened her eyes for one last time and said, "She is the soul of my soul". His heart was shattered by her passing, but he is content with the decree of his Lord. SubhanAllah.
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Life is difficult. It will ALWAYS be filled with tests. May Allah make us among those who - when tested, remain firm in our faith and trust in Him. And may He always guide our hearts.
Note: The verse quoted above is from Surah at-Taghabun (64:11)
