Page 70 - Perfected Faith

68
PERFECTED FAITH

of such distress, another believer may ask for his help. Under all con-
ditions, a man of perfected faith responds with an attitude that best
pleases Allah and never makes anyone who seeks assistance become
conscious of the difficulties with which he grapples. The tone of his
voice, the expression on his face or his manner conveys his willing-
ness to help.
A man of perfected faith displays all this patience and these fine
moral virtues because of his devotion to, respect for and fear of Allah
and his submission to Him.
The above example succinctly conveys the point that no matter how
dire the circumstances may be, a man of perfected faith never devi-
ates from virtuous conduct and manners. Aware that all afflictions be-
fall human beings at the will of Allah, he seeks relief and solutions
from Allah alone. This world is but a temporary abode for him; he
will remain here for a specified period of time and then depart; what
really matters is to exercise patience under all conditions, to live by
the values that please Allah and obtain His approval.
Everything in the life of this world is transitory. A man must princi-
pally keep in mind that he is being tested with these temporary
events and, based on the results of this trial, an eternal abode awaits
him in the hereafter. The real abode of man is the hereafter. Even if
one experiences the severest pain, difficulty or distress in this world,
all of these will ultimately abate or death will put an end to them.
This also holds true for the contrary. None of the blessings the indi-
vidual enjoys in this world belong to him. When death comes upon
him, he will leave them all behind. It may well be that one who led an
ostentatious life in this world will end up in the torment of hell. What
we mean here is that, the favourable quality of the life a man enjoys in
this world is by no means a criterion; such a life is but a trial. One who
has undergone difficulties in this world may well be someone who is
worthy of a blissful life in paradise. That is because in this world, he
took Allah as a friend, and exercised patience in order to earn His ap-