Page 49 - The Secret Behind Our Trials

The Muslim of Difficult Times
But believers do not listen to this negative voice. They get up
every morning with eager determination to perform their prayers,
remembering that this is the way to true beauty and salvation. This
negative voice finds every excuse to make fasting appear difficult,
even though Allah has commanded that this kind of worship be per-
formed. It tries to make it appear that hunger and thirst are difficult
to endure. If they fast, this voice makes them doubt their ability to
do it. But devout Muslims fast with eager determination despite
their lower self's insistent pressure. They hope for reward from our
Lord for the hunger, thirst, and fatigue that they have endured to
gain His favor. And in this, they take great pleasure.
Similarly, in some situations where making money illegally is
considered legitimate, this inner voice makes it appear easy and
suggests that everyone is doing it. Even though they may be in great
need and when the inner voice is pressuring them the most,
Muslims would never lower themselves to do such a thing, regard-
ing such a moral flaw as reprehensible. They would never touch
money that was obtained illegally, and would never sit at a table and
eat food bought with forbidden money, no matter how hungry they
were. Even being in such a situation would make them very uncom-
fortable. They would never assert that being in need was any justifi-
cation for wrong behavior, for they know that the important thing is
always to carefully avoid what Allah has forbidden. They practice
this precept with an inner sense of well-being and eager sincerity.
The Qur'an calls those Muslims who are eager to behave in
ways that earn Allah's good pleasure "those who race each other to
the good." While striving to attain Allah's promised Paradise,
Muslims experience peace and well-being from giving whatever
and whenever they can and from being patient in every difficulty.
For example, they may have Muslim friends who are in need. So,

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