Contemplative Muslim ponders: Do You Possess Patience and Gratitude?
In the vast tapestry of life, we are often tested in various aspects, such as health, wealth, and relationships. These trials serve as opportunities for growth and reflection.
According to Islamic teachings, it is crucial to avoid worshipping Allah only when blessings are abundant. Allah warns against this in the Quran (22:11; 11:9-11), where such an attitude is considered a manifest loss.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offered comforting words in times of calamity. He said that any Muslim who says, "To Allah we belong and to Him we return. O Allah, reward me in this calamity and give me better than it," will be granted better than what they lost (Muslim).
Calamity, it seems, is not merely a source of despair but a chance for redemption. It erases sins, provides an opportunity to attain the reward for patience, dispels negligence, reminds one of blessings at the time of health, calls one to repent, and encourages one to give charity.
The illusion of a life solely devoted to pleasure and leisure is debunked in Islamic teachings. Instead, life is seen as a journey of spiritual growth, with hardships serving as purifying agents that draw us closer to Allah and the Hereafter.
Hardships, in fact, are considered blessings. Ibn Taymiyyah asserted that a calamity that makes you turn to Allah is better for you than a blessing which makes you forget the remembrance of Allah.
The author of the article "Patience and Gratitude in Affliction," C.S. Lewis, echoes this sentiment. He emphasises the importance of patience and gratitude, not just in times of affliction, but also in times of abundance and wealth.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also taught that all affairs of the believer are good for them, and that patience in the face of harm leads to improvement. Patience in blessings, on the other hand, is abstaining from using those blessings in anything sinful and remaining consistent in good deeds after being blessed.
Umm Salamah narrates that Allah grants glad tidings of a better reward with calamities. A person who was afflicted with poverty and becomes blessed with wealth should use their wealth in what conforms to Islamic teachings and still have remembrance for Allah as they used to when they were poor and needy.
After being blessed with patience in affliction, we should aspire to reach a higher level, which is gratitude. Gratitude that Allah wants us to be purified from our sins and gratitude that Allah gives us the promise of something better than that with which we were afflicted with.
The believer who exhibits patience and gratitude in the face of calamity is blessed and will receive Allah's mercy. The Prophet Al-Fadl ibn Sahl said that there is a blessing in calamity that the wise man should not ignore.
In conclusion, life's trials and tribulations, rather than being sources of despair, are opportunities for spiritual growth. They serve as reminders of our dependence on Allah and our ultimate destiny. By embracing patience and gratitude, we can purify ourselves, draw closer to Allah, and prepare for the Hereafter.
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