Enduring the Trials

8 min readOct 20, 2022

In this article, I will talk about one of the most important events that we experience, the Test. I will present Allah's message to those confused during the test. The word “Test” here does not mean, only, the calamities that affect us, such as sickness or loss of bounties. I will talk about the events that we get confused by and do not understand the wisdom behind them.

The synonyms of Test in the Quran

Affliction البلاء Balaa : Expose

يوم تبلى السرائر

Fetnah الفتنة : Purify

The test is a confusing event that you might find two ways for you. Either you do something wrong to get out of the confusion, or you become patient to win the reward.

الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ

Who created life and death to test you

A test is an event that will show you something about yourself you did not know.

Either you pass the test, and you get rewarded, or it will be a deep confusion that might lead you astray.

Trials can be things you desire or hate

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ (35)

We are always in test and trials

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ (2) وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ

Do people think they will say we believe (or in one of the statuses of Iman) and they will not be tested/purified? And we tested those before them to separate those who were truthful from the liars.

We are always on tests: but we are heedless.

(lowering the gaze — you will see a seen, and you have to struggle to move your eyes away)
Looking for a wife and talking to potential spouses [Twakol]
Finding a job
Losing a job
Divorce
Death
Parents: you face many tests when talking to parents
At work
Dealing with people and relationships
Prayers on time or in a congregation

{فَأَمَّا الإِنسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِي* وَأَمَّآ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهَانَنِي* كَلاَّ

And as for man, when his Lord tries him, then treats him with honor and makes him lead an easy life, he says: My Lord honors me.

But when He trieth him, restricting his subsistence for him, then saith he (in despair), “My Lord hath humiliated me!”

Nay,

The test can happen for multiple reasons:

It is very important when you get hit by a test, calamity, or a blessing to pause and try to understand the what is wisdom behind this test and what you need to learn.

1. Sins

لَيْسَ بِأَمَانِيِّكُمْ وَلَا أَمَانِيِّ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مَنْ يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يُجْزَ بِهِ وَلَا يَجِدْ لَهُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا

“Paradise is not your wish or the wish of the people of the book. Whoever commits a mistake, will be punished for it”

وقد روي أن هذه الآية لما نزلت شق ذلك على كثير من الصحابة . أبا بكر قال : يا رسول الله ، كيف الصلاح بعد هذه الآية : ( ليس بأمانيكم ولا أماني أهل الكتاب من يعمل سوءا يجز به ) فكل سوء عملناه جزينا به ؟ فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : “ غفر الله لك يا أبا بكر ، ألست تمرض ؟ ألست تنصب ؟ ألست تحزن ؟ ألست تصيبك اللأواء ؟ “ قال : بلى . قال : “ فهو ما تجزون به “ .

The companions became anxious from this verse, and Abu Bakr asked the prophet (PBUH) “How can we survive after this verse? If every mistake we will be punished for it” The prophet (PBUH) replied, do not you get sick, sad, grief, pain? This is from the punishment.

Calamities can happen because of sins. The first thing I can try to do is repent of all my sins and change my life. From the mercy of Allah, he created multiple stations to clear our sins before hellfire. Those stations are

Repentance from the sin
Asking forgiveness
Deeds that erase sins
Times of multiplications and opportunities
Calamities and afflictions

As you can see, there are four opportunities to clean your sins before the calamities. It will be the best, if we are able to get the best out of those four opportunities to clear our sins before the calamities.

Here are some videos about erasing our sins

2. To Correct your Path or to get you awake from heedlessness

Sometimes, we lose the way and get indulged in sins, or we get too far into life and get heedless of the hereafter. From the mercy of Allah that he will guide us and correct our path to waking up from heedlessness and addictions to sins.

3. It is better for you

وعسى ان تكرهوا شيئا

“You might like something and it is harmful for you and you might hate something and it is the best for you”

Sometimes, we want something that is not the best for us, and Allah, with his knowledge, gives us what the best for us is. However, we do not know this soon enough. We need to trust Allah. Look at surat Alkahf. By looking at the three stories of Muses, you will see that they look bad, but actually they have good out of them.

4. To reveal what is inside you

We pay for people to tell us about our weaknesses and strengths. They give us some exams and questions to show us our weaknesses so that we can improve.

The test will expose those weaknesses through smaller events to fix them before they affect something more significant in our lives (losing someone because of temper,

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ حَتَّىٰ نَعْلَمَ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ مِنْكُمْ وَالصَّابِرِينَ وَنَبْلُوَ أَخْبَارَكُمْ

We will test you to show those who are truly patient and tolerant and expose your weaknesses to yourself.

This is to expose to yourself whether you are really as patient as you claim or you will surrender with the first test.

وليبتلي الله ما في صدوركم وليمحص ما في قلوبكم والله عليم بذات الصدور

Allah will expose your true self to you and purify your heart — The verse ends with “Allah knows what is in your chest,” so this is for you, not for Allah. Allah will expose your weaknesses to you so that you improve yourself.

Therefore, the test is to expose your hidden weaknesses or strengths to improve ourselves.

And Show you if you are in the state you think you are — Ibrahim

You might think you are in a high state with Allah, such as a state of love or trust. However, you are not able to get the feelings with this state because you have weaknesses. Then Allah will show you with a test where you are in this state to improve.

When Allah exposes to you your weaknesses, you can work on them by listening to lectures, attending classes, reading, worshipping, or reflecting.

Do people think they will say we believe (or in one of the statuses of Iman) and they will not be tested/purified? And we tested those before them to separate those who were truthful from the liars.

In the past, we used to go to scholars and ask them to learn relegion. When they ask us to come after Fajr, the mojority will stop. This will show to themselves if they are ready or not

The story of Ibrahim was a great example of that when he asked him to slaughter his so that he loves.

وَقَالَ إِنِّي ذَاهِبٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ (99) رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ (100) فَبَشَّرْنَاهُ بِغُلَامٍ حَلِيمٍ (101) فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَعَهُ السَّعْيَ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَىٰ ۚ قَالَ يَا أَبَتِ افْعَلْ مَا تُؤْمَرُ ۖ سَتَجِدُنِي إِن شَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصَّابِرِينَ (102)

فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ (103) وَنَادَيْنَاهُ أَن يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ (104) قَدْ صَدَّقْتَ الرُّؤْيَا ۚ إِنَّا كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ (105) إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَهُوَ الْبَلَاءُ الْمُبِينُ

The story of the River with the Jews

It Could be a test with something you desire (Dopamin effect)

Example: Yussof and the Wife of the minister

You might find yourself in a relationship with a woman that you start with a halal intention.

It could be a job you choose, and it might have something haram.

Or money that you earn and you might find an easy investment that is doubtable.

Maybe a test after a promise you made before

فَإِذَا رَكِبُوا فِي الْفُلْكِ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِكُونَ (65)

And when they are on the ship, they make sencere suplication to Allah. And when Allah saves them, they forget.

قَالَ الَّذِي عِندَهُ عِلْمٌ مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِندَهُ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ (40)

When Soliman saw the miracle of getting the thrown in front of him in a blink of an eye, he said this is a test from Allah to test me if I will be grateful or not. Whoever thanks Allah, it will be beneficial to them and whoever ignores, Allah is not in need of their gratitude.

5. Getting you stronger — understand the wisdom.

If Allah is preparing you for something big, Allah will train you for this great thing.

إِنَّا سَنُلْقِى عَلَيْكَ قَوْلًا ثَقِيلًا

إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ اللَّيْلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْئًا

Muses to invite Pharos

Youssef to lead Egypt

6. Cure from another grief

فأثابكم غما بغم لكيلا تحزنوا على ما فاتكم ولا ما أصابكم

Allah rewarded you with Distress over your Distress so that you do not grieve.

7. Better position in the hereafter — Duaa

You can make duaa to reach the highest place; for this, try to get closer to Allah by being a Walyee.

What do we need to do during the Test?