Page 35 - The Secret Behind Our Trials

The Muslim of Difficult Times
sudden and, instead of love and compassion, display angry recrimi-
nation. In a moment, they can become suspicious, rebellious, and
demanding. In such instances, the strong will be separated from the
weak and corrupted morality will show itself; those whose belief is
weak will reveal themselves by becoming immersed in anxiety.
These people are just one step away from joining the unbelievers
and their anti-Muslim activities. Occasions such as these increase by
several times the value of a Muslim whose belief is sincere and
strong.
All of the difficulties and frustrations encountered in daily life
are both a test and a means to a happiness that can be compared to
the Paradise that Muslims hope to attain in the afterlife. It is a source
of great pleasure to compare the difficulties with this ease and com-
fort. And, for sincere Muslims, each of such difficulties brings an in-
crease of love, respect, and appreciation from other Muslims, and is
a blessing that deepens their belief. It is a divine blessing with abun-
dant benefits and beauties that makes believers take that person as
an example. In addition, it has a positive influence on the belief of
those around them (by Allah's grace) and makes them worthy of the
unbelievers' admiration, whether secret or open.
Someone who thinks that a particular event is outside the plan
of destiny is under Satan's strong influence, which often is the cause
of such doubts. Satan takes great pleasure in seeing people fall into
this situation. Sometimes, under his influence, people may fall into
the sickness of considering an apparently insignificant matter as
being outside the sphere of destiny or beyond Allah's mercy, knowl-
edge, and intention. Believers must be aware of and avoid this sick-
ness, and be able to cure it if they somehow succumb to it.
For example, there is good in every event in such apparently
minor things as missing a certain television program or forgetting to

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