Page 35 - The Muslim Way of Speaking

The Aspects of the Muslim Way of Speaking

to right guidance than this." (Surat al-Kahf: 23-24)
In order that the importance of this reminder be grasped, Allah pre-
pares a large number of examples in a person's in daily life. For exam-
ple, one might regard it as a sure thing that a holiday, which had been
planned in advance, and for which reservations and payments have
been made, will take place. It would appear as if there could be no rea-
son whatsoever for the holiday to be cancelled. The family, in plans for
a holiday, could go to bed early the night before a flight early the next
morning, leave home taking traffic conditions into account, and check
over and over if they have their tickets with them, but they will not
make the flight if Allah has not willed it. The fulfillment of the plan may
be prevented by a sudden illness, a traffic accident, a flight delay for
whatever reason, or the emergence of some duty which would take pri-
ority over the holiday.
If the family made plans without trusting in Allah, and saying, "We
will do this if Allah wills," they will be sorely disappointed if they are
confronted with some obstacle. Since they falsely believe that tasks can
be carried out without Allah's consent, our holiday-planners will fret
and grumble because they have not gone on holiday as expected. They
do not take into account, however, that if they had, they might have suf-
fered an unexpected accident, or met with some other unforeseen
mishap, and that, on the contrary, the failure to proceed as they had
planned may have actually been a blessing in many ways. To hold on to
such error can only cause anxiety, both in this world and in the afterlife.
Muslims know that Allah created everything for a certain purpose
and good. Therefore, if the family in our example is among the faithful,
and they instead proceeded on the assumption that they would go on
holiday only if Allah willed it, they will not be in any way disappointed
by its cancellation. They experience the peace of mind and comfort of
knowing that what is best and most beneficial for them depends on the
will of Allah.

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