Desires and calamities
A Sahih hadith reported by At-Tirmidhi
narrates on the authority of Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Messenger of
Allah (SAWS) said: "When Allah created Paradise, He sent Jibreel to
it and said, 'Look at it and the pleasures I have prepared for its
inhabitants.' So Jibreel came to Paradise and looked at what Allah
had prepared for its inhabitants. He then returned to Allah and
said, 'I swear by Your Grandeur that not a single person will hear
of it except that he will enter it (i.e he will do anything to enter
it).' Then Allah ordered Paradise to be surrounded by adversities,
calamities and detestable things and He said to Jibreel, 'Go back
and look at it and what I have prepared for its inhabitants.'
Jibreel went back to Paradise and found that it had been surrounded
by adversities, calamities and detestable things, so he returned to
Allah and said, 'I swear by Your Grandeur that I fear that no one
will enter it (i.e he will do anything to avoid it).'
Then Allah said to Jibreel, 'Go to Hell and look at it and the
punishments that I have prepared for its inhabitants.' Jibreel
looked at Hell and found it extremely horrible, so he said to Allah,
'I swear by Your Grandeur that not a single person will hear of it
except that he will avoid entering it.' Then Allah ordered Hell to
be surrounded by desires and luxuries and said to Jibreel, 'Go back
to it.' Jibreel returned to Hell and then said, 'I swear by Your
Grandeur that no one will be able to escape from it.'"
An indicator of whether your life is leading you towards Paradise or
Hell is to consider the circumstances of your life. If you are
worshipping Allah and your life is full of hardships and detestable
things, then this is a positive sign. What are the things that a
person detests in life? Fear, hunger, poverty, thirst, lack of
security, lack of shelter, imprisonment, bereavement, being
estranged from loved ones, loneliness, uncertainty, etc., etc., to
name but a few. Yet these are also some of the things that Paradise
is surrounded by; these are the things that indicate whether or not
a believer is on the path to Paradise.
Then consider, what are the things that a person desires or loves in
life? Wealth, children, spacious dwelling, safety, security,
plentiful food and drink, expensive clothing, being with loved ones,
etc., etc., to name but a few. Yet these are also some of the things
that Hell is surrounded by; these are the things that indicate to a
believer whether or not he is going towards his eternal destruction.
For this reason, many of the wealthy Sahabah used to weep
uncontrollably whilst repeating the verse in Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:20):
"And the Day, those who disbelieved are exposed to the Fire, it will
be said, 'You exhausted your pleasures during your worldly life and
enjoyed them, so this Day you will be awarded the punishment of
extreme humiliation because you were arrogant upon the earth without
right and because you were defiantly disobedient.'" Umar bin Al-Khattab,
Abdur-Rahman bin Awf and others, may Allah be pleased with them all,
would frequently mention this verse, when they even experienced
pleasures as small as a wholesome meal.
Following your desires leads to the Hell Fire. That is why many of
the Pious Predecessors used to say, "If you want to obey Allah,
disobey your nafs (soul, desires, etc)." Likewise, it is reported in
a poem from Imam Ash-Shafi (Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak is also said to
have mentioned it): "The best thing for your nafs (soul) is to
disobey it." Therefore, if you want to obey Allah, consult your
heart and do the opposite of what your soul orders you to do. If
your soul orders you to sleep instead of praying, get up and pray.
If your soul orders you to only spend out of your unwanted
possessions, then spend out of the things you love most, for Allah
says in Surah Ale-Imran (3:92): "Never shall you attain true piety
unless you spend from that which you love." If your soul orders you
to pray at home, go and pray in the masjid. If your soul orders you
to relax at home instead of visiting your sick, fellow Muslim, get
up and go visit your sick, fellow Muslim for you will find Allah
with him.
Therefore, consider your life and be your own judge. If Allah is
pouring upon you luxury upon luxury, wealth upon wealth, comfort
upon comfort, then that is a sign that something is wrong and it is
something to worry about. Moreover, if this is happening whilst you
are disobedient to Allah or neglectful of His Commands, then it is a
sign of your imminent destruction. Luxuries and comforts make a
person forget Allah and become heedless in their duties.
On the other hand, if you are trying your best to worship Allah and
be mindful of His Commands, and yet your life is fraught with
adversities, hardships and detestable things, then rejoice for this
is a good indication that you are on the path to Paradise.
Adversities and hardships make a believer remember Allah more and
turn to Him with sincerity. A well-known saying says: "Hardship is
as beneficial to the soul as it is unwelcome in life. And comfort is
as harmful to the soul as it is welcome in life."
So O prisoner in the Path of Allah, do not be sad when you are given
miserable food, when you are given ragged clothes, when you are
estranged from your family and loved ones and when you see others
surpass you in wealth and children. Rather, rejoice and be happy as
these are all signs that you are on the path towards Paradise, which
is surrounded by so many detestable things that even the Angel
Jibreel feared no one would be able to enter it because of these
adversities.
The 13th Century scholar Al-Izz bin Abdus-Salam said, "The state of
tribulation and affliction drives man closer to Almighty Allah,
whereas the state of health and blessing drives him away from Allah,
as He says in the Quran, 'And when harm touches man, he invokes Us,
lying down on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We have
removed his harm from him, he passes on his way as if he has never
invoked Us for a harm that touched him!...' (Quran 10:12)"
Hasan Al-Basri said, "Do not detest the misfortunes that befall you,
for what you detest may be the cause of your salvation and what you
like may be the cause of your ruin."
Finally, Ali bin Abi Talib is reported to have said, may Allah be
pleased with him, "O son of Adam, do not be happy with richness and
do not despair of poverty. Do not feel sad during affliction and do
not rejoice over prosperity, for just as gold is tried by fire, the
pious are tried by affliction. You will not attain what you want
except by giving up what you desire, and you will not attain what
you aspire to except by enduring patiently what you hate, and
exerting yourself in implementing that which has been made
compulsory upon you (by Allah)." |
