When Does a Slave Know that a Trial is a Test or a Punishment?

When Does a Slave Know that a Trial is

a Test or a Punishment?

Taken From the Fatawaa of our Shaykh, Allaama Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abdul Azeez bin Abdullaah Bin Baz

Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya [Taken from : binbaz.org.sa via Sahab.net]

Question: If a person is put to trial with a sickness or an evil affliction physically or with his wealth, how does he know that this trial is a test or Anger from Allaah?

Answer:

Allaah Azza Wa Jal tests His slaves in prosperity and adversity, in hardship and ease. He sometimes tests them with these things to raise their grade and to enhance the status of those people and to double their good deeds. Like what Allaah did for the Prophets and Messengers - alayhim as-Salat wa Sallam, as well as the righteous people from the worshippers of Allaah.

Like the Prophet - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – said: the most severely of the people to be trialed are the Prophets, then those who are next in grade, then the next.

Sometimes Allaah does this due to the sins and transgression of the people, so that the punishment can be hurried.


Like Allaah Subhanahu said:

{And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much. }

So, what is general for humans is that they are deficient, and they do not observe all the obligatory duties. Therefore, what afflicts them is due to their sins and shortcomings with regard to Allaah's commands.

For this reason, if someone from the righteous slaves of Allaah is afflicted with some disease or something similar, then this is from the type of trials for the Prophets and Messengers, raising of their grades and increase of reward, to be an example for others, in having patience and contentment.

So briefly, it could be a test to raise grades and to make the reward greater, like Allaah does for some of the righteous people. It could be expiation for evil deeds, as is mentioned in the saying of Allaah Ta'ala:

{whosoever works evil, will have the recompense thereof }


Also the saying of the Prophet - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam –: A Muslim is not afflicted with distress, nor sorrow, nor disease nor hardship, nor sadness nor any harm except that Allaah expiates from his sins even by a thorn that pricks him.

The saying of the Prophet - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – whom so ever Allaah intends good for, Allaah compels him with a trial. It could be that this is a punishment which has been hastened due to transgression by the slave and him not having hastened in repenting as is mentioned in the hadeeth of the Messenger - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – that he said: 'If Allaah intends good for His slave then He hastens his punishment in this world, and if Allaah prescribes evil for His slave, then Allaah holds back his sins until He recompenses them for him on the Day of Judgment.' [ Narrated by Tirmidhi & he declared it hasan]

All Praise belongs to Allaah, may His peace and blessings be upon our final Prophet Muhammad, his family, his Companions and all those who follow his guidance.

Al-Hamdulillaahi ‘alal Islam wa Sunnah

Al-Hamdulillaahi ‘alal Islam wa Sunnah

Shaikh Khalid Ar-Raddadee (hafidhahumullaah) remind us to reflect upon Allaah guiding us to Sunnah while many are astray

Shaikh Khalid Ar-Raddadee (hafidhahullaah) said:

Qala ba’du Salaf: La adri ayu ni’mataini ‘alaya a’dhaam, ni’matu an hadani Allaahu ‘azza wa jall min bain al-adyaan jami’ah li din il Islam aw ni’amtu an hadani Allaahu ‘azza wa jall min bayni al-madhaahib wal firaq ila Sunnah. Fahumma ni’matan ‘Adhimataan – ni’matu il Islam wa Sunnah

(Some of the Salaf said: I don’t know which of the two blessings upon me is greater, the blessing that Allaah ‘azza wa jall guided me to Islam from amongst all the religions, or the blessing that Allaah ‘azza wa jall guided me to the Sunnah from amongst all the groups, sects. They are two great blessings: the blessing of Islam and the Sunnah.

Shaikh Ar-Raddadee added that a man came to Imam Ahmad (rahimahullaah) and said: Al-Hamdulillaahi ‘alal Islam (All Praise is for Allaah, for Islam). Imam Ahmad said: Bal Qul Al-Hamdulillaahi ‘alal Islam wa Sunnah (Rather say, All Praise is for Allaah, for Islam and the Sunnah.)


Taken from: http://abdurrahmanorg.wordpress.com

Correcting the two strengths of knowledge and action

Correcting the two strengths of knowledge and action

Shaykh ul –Islaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

Taken from
‘Miftah dar as-Sa’ada’
(key to the land of happiness)

Translated by
Abbas Abu Yahya

The saying of Allaah Ta’ala :

((By Al-'Asr (the time). Verily! Man is in loss, except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth and recommend one another to patience.))


Ash-Shafiee – may Allaah be pleased with him – said: ‘If all the people
reflected over this Soorah it would be sufficient for them.’


The explanation of this is that this Soorah has four levels, and by completing
these, a person can achieve the highest goal in being complete.


The first is: Knowing the truth.


The second: his acting upon the truth.


The third: Him teaching the one who is deficient in the truth.


The fourth: Being patient in learning the truth, and acting upon it, and
teaching it.


Allaah Ta’ala mentioned these four levels in this Soorah, and Allaah
Subhanahu testified in this Soorah by al-Asr (the time) that everyone is in loss,
except those who believe and do righteous, good deeds and they are those
who knew the truth, and they testified to the truth.

So the above is a level.


They did righteous, good deeds and they are those who performed worship
with what they knew about the truth.

So this is a level.


They advise with the truth; they advise one another, teaching and guiding
each other.


So this is the third level.


They advise with patience; they were patient with the truth, and they advised
each other with patience upon the truth, and to be steadfast.


And this is the fourth level.



This is the end of completeness; indeed completeness is that a person is
complete in himself, and completes others. His completeness is by
correcting his two strengths, the strength of knowledge and the strength of
actions. Correction of the strength of knowledge is with Emaan, and
correction of the strength of actions is by doing righteous deeds, and by
completing people other than himself, and by learning this knowledge, and
being patient upon it, and his recommending with patience upon knowledge
and action.


So this Soorah, even though it is brief, is one of the most collective soorahs
of the Qur’aan for goodness from all its different angles.

Praise be to Allaah Who has made the Qur’aan sufficient for everything, a cure from every disease, a guidance to all that is good.



All Praise belongs to Allaah, may His peace and blessings be upon our final Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions and all those who follow his guidance.


‘Miftah dar as-Sa’ada’ vol.1 p.238
(key to the land of happiness)

Sparkles from the Pearls Of knowledge

Sparkles from the Pearls Of knowledge

Taken from ‘Miftah dar as-Sa’ada’
(Key to the land of happiness)

By Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya

Knowledge & Ignorance are not equal

Regarding the excellence of knowledge and the people of knowledge, Allaah – Subhana wa Ta'aala – negated equality between the people of knowledge and other than them.

Just like He negated equality between, the companions of Paradise and the companions of the Hell-fire.

Allaah Ta'aala said:

{ Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?"} [ Zumar :9 ]

He also said:

{Not equal are the dwellers of the Fire and the dwellers of the Paradise} [ Hashr :20 ]

This indicates the elevated excellence of the people of knowledge and their distinguished nobility. Vol 1 /11/221

Wisdom is knowledge

Allaah Ta'aala testifies for the one who, has been given knowledge, that He has given him lots of good.

Allaah Ta'aala said:

{ He grants Hikmah to whom He pleases, and he, to whom Hikmah is granted, is indeed granted abundant good} [ Baqarah :269 ]


Ibn Qootayba and the majority of the scholars said: Wisdom is to be on the truth and to act upon it, and that is beneficial knowledge and good actions. Vol 1/26/227

Knowledge is the Greatest Blessing

Allaah Ta'aala has given numerous blessings to His Messenger, and has given him excellence. Allaah Ta'aala has made the greatest blessing that He gave to him the Book and Hikmah (wisdom).

Allaah taught him that which he did not know. Allaah Ta'aala said:

{ Allaah has sent down to you the Book and Al-Hikmah and taught you that which you did not know. And Ever Great is the Grace of Allaah unto you } [Nisa: 113]

Vol 1 / 27 / 227

The Blessing of knowledge obligates thankfulness to Allaah

Allaah Ta'aala reminded His believing slaves with this blessing, and He commanded them to be thankful for it, and that they should remember Him, for the blessings He bestowed to them.

Allaah Ta'aala said:

{ Similarly, We have sent among you a Messenger of your own, reciting to you Our Verses and sanctifying you, and teaching you the Book and the Hikmah and teaching you that which you did not used to know. Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, and be grateful to Me and never be ungrateful to Me. } [ Baqarah : 151-152 ]

Vol 1 / 28 / 227

Knowledge is Goodness in this World

Al-Hasan said regarding "the saying of Allaah Ta'aala { “Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good!" } [ Baqarah: 201] It is knowledge and worship. And regard Allaah's saying {and in the Hereafter that which is good} [ Baqarah : 201 ] It is Paradise."


This is from the best explanations of this Ayaah indeed the greatest of the goodness of this world, is beneficial knowledge and good actions.


Vol 1/102/397


All Praise belongs to Allaah, may His peace and blessings be upon our final Prophet Muhammad, his family, his Companions and all those who follow his guidance.