Page 42 - The Secret Behind Our Trials

THE SECRET BEHIND OUR TRIALS
tiredness, hunger, weakness, and so on. This is all very natural.
However, Allah says that Muslims can be chosen to suffer trials that
are much harder than these as a test. The moral character revealed
by believers and unbelievers in these situations is quite different.
For example, such frustration leads unbelievers to rebel, be in-
timidated, become aggressive, and lose hope and integrity. Since
they do not believe in an afterlife, they think that everything they do
is relevant only for this world:
They say: "There is nothing but our existence in this world.
We die and we live, and nothing destroys us except for
time." They have no knowledge of that. They are only con-
jecturing. (Surat al-Jathiyya, 24)
According to them, everything will end when the world comes
to an end. Therefore, they want to experience comfort, peace of
mind, reward for their labors, and all other good things in this
world. This desire makes difficulties and frustration very painful for
them. They are neither patient nor trusting, cannot forgive or give of
themselves, cannot treat others humanely, or have any sense of com-
passion or mercy. Believing that there is no reward or profit in such
things, they fall into the hopelessness of thinking that difficulties
bring only loss.
But such ideas are totally wrong, because a person's real and
eternal life begins only after death. On the Day of Judgment, every-
one will account totally for what they have done and will receive
their just reward. Those who have exhibited good moral qualities
will not suffer loss; on the contrary, their gain will be great. In fact,
they will receive the reward for every good word they have spoken,
every pious deed they have done, and each instance of self-sacrifice,
faithfulness, loyalty, and humanity they have shown. Indeed, be-
lievers remember our Prophet's (saas) hadith: "Bad conduct destroys

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