ARE YOU SUFFERING? - Mufti Menk

By Mufti Menk | 2026-01-10T13:01:33.947165+00:00 | Topic: Iman

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ARE YOU SUFFERING? - Mufti Menk

Opening

As-salāmu 'alaykum wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh. Bismillāhir-raḥmānir-rahīm.

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Alhamdulillah.

All praise is indeed due to Allah. Was-salātu was-salāmu ῾alā ‘abdullāhi wa rasūlihi Muḥammad wa alā ālihi wa aşḥābihi ajmaʻin.

Complete blessings and salutations upon Muhammad (peace be upon him), his entire household, all his companions.

May Allah bless every single one of them and may He bless every single one of us. May Allah bless the Ummah of Islam and may Allah bless this beautiful country and nation of Malaysia as well. Ameen.

The Purpose of Our Creation

My brothers and sisters, we need to understand why Allah created us. What was the purpose? Why is it that I come to this world and 70 years down the line, if I'm still alive, I'm preparing to die? Why is it that people come to this world and they die at an early age sometimes? Why is it that some are given age up to perhaps a hundred and slightly beyond? Why is it that we haven't seen anyone in our lives live to 150 years? Why is it that Allah has chosen for us to be fit at an age where perhaps we are peaking around 30, 40 and after that there is a decline? Why is it that Allah did not keep us upon a level of fitness, a level of perhaps looks, where we are looking young and healthy throughout our lives? Why does it have to be a graph that starts off in weakness and ends in weakness as Allah says:

Ayah: It is Allah who has created you in weakness.

When you were initially born, when you came to this world, you were very weak. You were young, you depended on other human beings. Allah made you and gave you parents for a purpose. If He wanted, He could have created you in a way that you were already independent.

You did not need anyone, but you needed someone to look after you from a very early age and when you are in your peak, He wants you to look after the very people who looked after you when you were a little baby. And once again, when you grow older, He says, we grant people the peak and after the peak of strength, they become weak again and they develop grey hair. So when you are old, those whom you have now given birth to are asked to look after you.

Subhanallah. And it continues up to the end. It's the plan.

There surely is a master plan in that. And if we sit for a moment and ponder, we will realize that it's the continuity. That means it's a test.

Obedience to Parents and Culture

You will never ever perhaps agree with everything your parents do. Even if they are non-Muslim, even if they are involved in something unacceptable, it does not stop you from being kind or decent or good to them. Like Allah says:

وَإِن جَٰهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُشْرِكَ بِى مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۖ وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا

Translation: If they strive to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness.

Which means even if you have non-Muslim parents, you need to be kind to them. You need to speak with respect. You need to try and serve them in the sense that you might want to spend money on their clothing, on their food, on their accommodation.

It's not wrong, even if they're non-Muslim. What is wrong is when they tell you to do something against the instruction of Allah, that is where you draw the line. This is the same rule that applies when it comes to culture that we have over the generations.

Culture is something really good. When we say this person is cultured, do you know what we mean? We mean they have character and conduct and mannerisms that make them different from a person who just grows like wild grass. So they happen to be decent people.

But where the culture conflicts with the religion, what comes first? The answer is quite simple. That is the only time when you say, you know what, the culture is actually wrong here at this point because it's making life difficult and it's making it hard to be a person who pleases Allah.

But to just pass a blanket ruling to say, you know, whatever our forefathers have done is all by the way. We don't need it. That is wrong.

You will adopt whatever they have taught on condition that it does not contradict what Allah has asked. That's what it is. It's simple.

Take a look at the culture and the tradition that was there at the time of Rasulullah (peace be upon him). In the pre-Islamic era, you find some of what they engaged in was so good, such as Hilful Fudul. There was a treaty or the covenant that they had pledged in order to support the oppressed.

وَاللهِ لَقَدْ شَهِدْتُ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ حِلْفًا مَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِي بِهِ حُمْرُ النَّعَمِ وَلَوْ أُدْعَى بِهِ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ لَأَجَبْتُ

(Bukhari)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Wallahi, in the period of ignorance I was called to a certain covenant. If I was called to something similar again now as Islam has progressed, I will still go back and respond to that type of a call." Which means it was something good.

Life as a Test - The Uniform Analogy

So it's a test. Life is a test. We come into it and we are given a uniform.

What type of a uniform? I've always said this. Those who might be following, you would notice I've always said this because for me it's a very, very powerful example. You are the soul that is within the body.

That's called you. So this body is not me. The soul is me.

When the soul was given the body, the body is like a uniform. You're only given that body for a few years. After that, the soul departs and leaves the body. The body is buried. So I'm given a uniform as I come into my examination room. And for the first 15 years, 14 years, 12 years, up to the age of puberty, maturity, I'm just watching.

I just see. I listen. I take. I watch. And then I need to start asking questions. Why am I doing this? Why do I do this? Why do we worship the cross? For example, those who might be worshipping the cross.

Why do I have to worship a grave, for example? Why do I need to believe that this tree needs to be bowed to? And so on. I have to start asking questions. Because Allah has given me a brain and a mind of my own.

And Allah asks us to worship Him alone. Who is He? He is the maker. Whoever made you, you owe worship to him.

And Allah says, be careful. Don't drown. Don't drown in this earth.

It is like a huge ocean. You know, we are like ships that need to move through the ocean without allowing the water to get in. Besides a certain amount that you need to drink and benefit from.

But if you allow too much of the water to get in to the ship, the ship will sink. So the dunya or this world is similar to the water. And you and I are similar to ships on the water.

If you allow too much of that water to get in, you forget your aim, your purpose. You begin to sink. You won't get to your destination.

But if you just allow the right amount, perhaps for drinking, perhaps for other purposes, for washing and so on, to get into the ship, you would be able to arrive at your destination and have benefited from the water. Without the water, you won't be able to move. So Allah created you and I on this earth.

We did not choose to come on to this earth. Some of us might have said that, you know what, if I was given the choice, I would want to have been perhaps born on Pluto or perhaps on Mars. You know, when you tell little children, would you like to have been born on Mars? They think you're offering them chocolate.

Astaghfirullah. Anyway, so this is not what it is. I have had no choice.

Allah made me here. What type of life He has kept on the other planets and elsewhere, He knows. I don't even know.

وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ ٱلرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّى وَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

Translation: And you have not been given knowledge except very, very little. Very little.

So this is the knowledge I have. Allah created me and I am on this earth to serve a purpose. What is the purpose? I need to understand whoever made me is the only one whom I will put my head on the ground for.

No one else. I say:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى

Glory be to the one who made me. رَبّ means creator, nourisher, cherisher, sustainer, provider, protector, curer, the one who is in absolute control of every aspect of my existence.

That's the meaning or part of the meaning of the term رَبّ. So I'm saying glory be to my Rabb, who is the highest. الْأَعْلَى who is the highest.

When do I say that? When I'm in sujood. And the hadith says:

أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ إِلَى رَبِّهِ وَهُوَ سَاجِدٌ

(Abu Dawud)

Translation: The closest that a worshipper can be to his Rabb is when he is in the prostration of sajdah.

It's the closest you can be to Allah. سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى Take your time in sujood. Take your time in sujood.

It's the closest posture. Closest position you can ever get to Allah. So, I must worship Him alone.

I need to understand nothing is worthy of worship besides Him. So, as time passes, alhamdulillah, we get to maturity. And mashallah, we are muslimin, we are seated here.

We worship Allah. But you know what happens? Things do not go according to our plan. Every one of us, without a single exception, would have faced things in their lives that did not go according to the way they wanted it to go.

There is no exception. It's a challenge. Nobody can say, everything in my life happened exactly per my plan.

Never. Not one person. It goes to show you're weak, oh man.

You can plan. Allah has a bigger plan. Allah has a better plan.

Allah knows what's good for you. He knows what's bad for you. Sometimes, He plans for something you think is very, very bad for you.

But if you go back to the manuscript in order to know how to look at it, it will be the most positive thing that ever happened in your life. Subhanallah. I give you an example.

Examples of Tests - Loss of Job

Subhanallah. A person, really and desperately, at work, is looking for a promotion. Desperately, I want a promotion.

I want to get promoted. They're not promoted. In fact, they are fired.

For some reason, or retrenched. Or, as they say, the person now is redundant, completely. We don't want you anymore.

And you start crying. You're shocked. You have a few ways of dealing with the news.

You wanted an increment. You wanted a promotion. You needed the money.

You had to look after your family and so on. You were planning to buy a car or a house. You were planning perhaps to get married or to assist a family member in getting married.

And what happened? Not only did you not get the promotion, but your boss called you and told you, you know what, you have one month of notice and after that we don't need you anymore. And you are just like, what?

One way is to become depressed, to become sad, to go back home, to sleep and never wanting to get up again. It's one way of dealing with it.

And you are so sad, you cry every day, morning, evening and night. And you don't want to talk to anyone. You don't feel like eating and you get sick.

Is that a believer? Is that what Allah taught you? When Allah is the one, He is the planner, you tried and Allah is the one who overrules your trials and your plans. He knows what's better.

أَنتَ تُرِيدُ وَاللَّهُ يُرِيدُ وَاللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ

Translation: You want, Allah wants. And Allah is the one who does what He wants.

Subhanallah. So now you are upset.

And what happens? As a result, everything came to a standstill. Your life is at a standstill. If you are married, your marriage is about to break because you can no longer afford to look after your family members.

You begin to feel inferior because perhaps your wife might be earning more than you. You begin to become so sick that you suffer insomnia. You cannot sleep at night and so on.

One way of dealing with it. Or if you are a true believer, you say, (الحمد لله، الحمد لله - Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah) And you look at the verse where Allah says:

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ
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وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ

Translation: We will test every one of you with various tests. We have to test you.

One of them is fear. Obviously, this is part of fear. You've just been fired.

You don't know what's gonna happen. Fear is not just when you're fearing an enemy. That is part of it.

But this is also a part of it. I'm fearing. I'm scared.

I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow. Subhanallah. So, it's important for me to understand Allah's plan is He's going to test me.

I cannot enter an examination room expecting no tests. I'm just sitting there with my pen and my paper. And I'm thinking to myself, I don't want to be tested here.

Let me just cry. That's it. My tears will definitely drop onto that paper and change its shape perhaps.

And when the examiner sees it, he will give me a hundred percent because he will be sympathetic to the fact that I just cried. That's not what it's all about.

You see the most difficult question.

What did your teacher teach you? Attempt it. Try your best. That's all.

We all know. I'm sure we're all adults here. Even those who are children from amongst us.

You would know when you have an examination twice a year, thrice a year and you have to write to answer the questions. You are taught definitely that look, attempt it. Try it.

Write whatever you feel is correct. Don't leave it blank. You might just get it right.

Don't just sit back and become depressed. No. Try.

Do your best. Leave the rest inshallah in the hands of Allah. The same applies in life.

So Allah says, we will test you with fear and with hunger:

Quran 2:155 (continued):

وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْولِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرُتِ

Translation: And loss of wealth. And loss of life.

These are the tests we will test you with. You will lose money. You're a big businessman and one day you have a loss.

How much is it? A million ringgit or a million dollars or ten thousand, depending on your level. You have a huge loss. You must say alhamdulillah.

I thank Allah. There are others who are going through much more than I am. That's one of the best ways of going through difficulty is to look at those who are struggling in a bigger way.

Hadith - Sahih Muslim:

انْظُرُوا إِلَى مَن هُوَ دُونَكُمْ

(Sahih Muslim)

Translation: The Prophet (peace be upon him) says very clearly, look at those who are lower than you.

You don't have shoes. Look at those who don't even have feet. Look at those who don't have legs. They cannot walk. Subhanallah.

So the Prophet (peace be upon him) instructs us to look at those who have less than us. Today we are seated here, mashallah, beautiful, peaceful, lovely. We are breathing fresh air.

We are sitting in a lovely place, air-conditioned. Take a look at those who don't even have a roof on their heads. Take a look at those who are homeless.

They don't know where the next meal is going to come from. Wallahi, wallahi. And they are not in their thousands.

They are in their millions. You are one of the top among the brackets that Allah has kept human beings in. Trust me, if you know where you're going to eat next according to your plan, you need to thank Allah.

Because there are millions out there who don't even know where they're going to sleep tonight. Across the globe, there are people so desperate that they have to jump onto a plank hoping that they will get onto the shores of another place that might be safer than the one they are in. And they die as a result.

They end up on your shores or they end up on the shores of some of the European countries or some other countries. And that's only a small fraction of them who make it to the end of the journey. The rest of them, they died as a result of taking the risk because they were struggling, suffering.

Where are we? So one of the cornerstones to be able to worship Allah with gratitude and thankfulness is to look at those who have less than you and continue looking at them. And always thank Allah. Alhamdulillah.

Oh Allah, I'm going through a problem. I have, for example, a person who has a sickness. May Allah grant all of us cure.

Oh Allah, I have this sickness. I have a skin problem. I have this problem.

I have cancer. May Allah grant all those who have cancer cure. My knees are aching.

Your knees are aching but you have access to medication. You have access to so many other things. There are people whose knees are broken.

They have no access to anything. They are still crawling. They are still thanking Allah.

To say, oh Allah, at least we can put our head down for you. With us, we have so much.

But what happens to salah? What happens to our dress code? What happens to quitting sin? What happens to turning back to Allah?

So Allah says, we will test you with loss of wealth. Loss of wealth.

You will have to lose. It is impossible for anyone in any business to gain only without suffering some form of loss. It's a plan of Allah.

You have to. Some people, they might be billionaires and they might suffer a few million but it was still a loss. Percentage wise, it was small.

Perhaps it might not have gone down to bankruptcy but it went down. It fluctuated. It's heavy on the heart.

But understand, my brother, my sister, you are going to leave everything behind and go back to Allah without even your body. Did you know that? Without this body you have right now that you are seated with, you're going to go back to Allah.

When He resurrects you, He will resurrect you with another body. Subhanallah. That's Allah.

So don't worry. Things have to come to an end. All your difficulties have to come to an end.

Tests in Marriage and Relationships

You are suffering in your marriage. Take a look at those who are looking to get married. They don't even know where to begin.

And they're already progressing and advancing in age. They're losing hope. But they're still thanking Allah.

Oh Allah, I might not have been married. I'm already 60 years old. But Ya Allah, I thank You for giving me the opportunity to worship You while I was in this world only for six decades.

Subhanallah. Notice how I said only for six decades. It's actually so short.

Ask those who are older from amongst us, how was your life spent? They will talk to you about the 80s, the 90s, 2000, 2010. And it will seem like a few paragraphs. They have summarized their lives in a short span.

It's over. Short. They will tell you, no, I know the highlights of my life.

And it flicked through like this. They will remember the good days. They might remember a few of the bad days.

But more than anything, they know currently where they stand. A person who suffered a long time back, and today they are in ease, will definitely thank Allah for where they are today if they are thankful.

When a woman is in labor, and she gives birth, she struggles and suffers.

She comes so close to death in some instances. And after the child is born, and she hears the cry, and the child is given to her, forgotten. When I told my wife that, she said, no ways I haven't forgotten.

Allahu Akbar. May Allah grant us understanding. But what is meant by that is, she doesn't mind.

Whatever happened, happened. Today I have a baby. I have a child here.

Some women will tell you, I don't want to go through this again. Guess what? A few months later, they are expecting once again. May Allah make it easy for us all.

Because it's such a blessing. So Allah gives you a blessing in the midst of hardship. Big blessing.

But we only look at the hardship. We don't look at the blessing. That's the difficulty.

Death and Loss of Loved Ones

Then Allah says, we will test you with loss of life. People have to die. Your family members have to go at some stage.

They have to go. You have no option. If you haven't lost a close family member, wait for a few more years.

They have to lose you, or you have to lose them. Somehow, because everybody has to die at some stage. Don't you agree? So what I'm saying is not dooming, but it is actually the reality.

To say, listen, prepare. The day your wife will die, the day you might die, your husband might die. So, death is not something you look at and become depressed.

Like I said, someone passed away so close to you, your life might come to a standstill for a moment. But a true believer is taught to say:

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un:

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رُجِعُونَ

Translation: Indeed We belong to Allah. And we will all return to Allah.

That's how you go through the hardship. That's how you maintain closeness to Allah. By declaring constantly that you are all going to return to Allah, we will all return to Allah.

So I become close to Allah. And I know I have to carry on whether I like it or not. I have to make ends meet.

I know of a family, two brothers were shot in the city of Durban, may Allah grant them Jannah, a few weeks ago. And the wife of one of them, the widow, says, you know my husband told me that whatever you'd like to know about my business and everything else, if I die, there is one person who knows it and that's my brother. And the brother tells his family the same thing.

And they did not expect both of them to die together. They were both shot. May Allah grant them Jannah.

Ameen. Imagine, we make dua for them. We ask Allah to make it easy not only for them, but for everyone who's been through similar difficulty or any form of difficulty.

It's up to you to stand up, to bring the ends together, to pick up the pieces and to try and make the most of the situation you're in. Do not become depressed to the degree that you begin to question Allah. People say, why is Allah testing me? Why? He doesn't like me.

Well, if that's the case, He didn't like anyone on earth because everyone is tested. Did you hear that? Even Muhammad (peace be upon him), who's the most loved by Allah, the best of creation, the highest of all, top creature of Allah. Without a doubt, he's been through more tests than you and I. It's a sign of the love of Allah.

Tests as Signs of Allah's Love

So one might ask, how is it the sign of the love of Allah? Let me tell you. So, a young man is born into a wealthy home, he's lucky, he's powerful, he has authority, he's got everything from a young age, at school he's the big shot, he graduates, he comes up university, he passed, he got his degree, he became whatever, whatever, a big title before his name, everything top shot, everything is proper, proper. But guess what? He's never tasted hardship.

So Allah says, My worshipper, I love you too much. I need you to get close to me before you die. You need to come closer to me.

You need to cut your bad ways, your habits. You need to cut your previous life. So what I will do? I will inflict you with something really, really big.

So you go through a car crash. The car was damaged beyond repair and you were saved. Your family members were saved.

That's test number one. Nothing happened to your body, but something happened to your wealth. It's called the loss in wealth.

And you've been saved in terms of bodily harm. So you woke up and you said, Alhamdulillah, oh Allah, I thank you. You have one of two ways or a few ways of looking at it.

People say, oh, that's good. This airbag saved me. This car of mine, Rolls Royce, it was big enough, it smashed, but it was okay.

Everything is fine. It's good, I'm happy. And you go back to your bad ways.

Allah says, no, no, no. We love you enough to give you something else because you still haven't come to us. The second way of doing things is to say, Alhamdulillah, oh Allah, you rush to the masjid, you read

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two rakaat of salah, and you thank Allah to say, oh Allah, I thank you for having saved me and my family, ya Allah, my bad ways, my habits.

I quit them, I will not miss a salah from today. So Allah says, you know, subhanAllah, it's something, Allah says, I love you, my worshipper. It's not a sign of hatred.

This is why when you have a test in your life, ask yourselves, my brothers and sisters, has your life changed positively? If yes, it was not a punishment. It was just a tapping from the love of Allah. But if you become despondent, depressed, you begin to question Allah, you hate it, you become more arrogant, nothing's happened in terms of positive change in your life.

It might just be a punishment. Wait for another one. Astaghfirullah, may Allah not do that to us.

You haven't yet changed. Wait for another tapping, it will come. So the next time, you lose your son.

Astaghfirullah. Now what happens? You're stressed. Your mind is not in its place.

You start reading salah, you start asking questions, you start wondering, what happened? Allah says, look, first time you didn't turn to us, we're turning you now, and you turn. That was a gift of Allah. Your son might have got Jannah, your daughter might have got Jannah, your wife, husband might have got Jannah, your parent might have got Jannah.

You, preparing for it now as a result. This is why sometimes the death of a close family member is our ticket to paradise. Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.

It's just a wake up, it's a reality check. Allah is telling you, hang on, you are in the fast lane regarding the dunya. We want you to get on to the fast lane regarding the akhira, the hereafter.

So this is how we're going to do it. It's Allah's plan. I'm only giving you examples.

Allah is the one who chooses exactly what's going to happen in your life. It's Allah. He will choose.

Dealing with Divorce and Marriage

Someone goes through a divorce. When you got married, people were saying, match made in heaven. Subhanallah.

Then they started saying, wow, they get on like a house on fire. Have you heard that statement? When the house is on fire, it starts burning, doesn't it?

And after a while, there's no house left. Astaghfirullah.

This is why you just say, mashallah, alhamdulillah, tabarakallah, thank Allah, wallahi, thank Allah. You don't have to put everything on Facebook. Oh, I get along with my husband.

You and him hugging and kissing in public. It doesn't help, wallahi. People watch it, they see it, they are envious of it, they are jealous of it.

Perhaps you might affect yourself with an evil eye for free. For free, you did it. Why? You went to publish everything, every single thing.

For what? You don't need to show the world what's going on. Not every detail. Yes, a few things maybe perhaps you might want to.

وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ

Translation: You know, the gifts of Allah upon you, you might want to perhaps disclose some of the gifts of Allah so people can learn a lesson from it.

Or part of gratitude is sometimes to be able to live in accordance with the gift that Allah has bestowed upon you. When Allah has given you wealth, don't pretend to be a poor person.

Your clothing should show that this person, mashallah, Allah has blessed him. One day there was a sahaba who came into the company of Rasulullah (peace be upon him), and he had tatty clothing. And the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him, what do you own? He says, well, I have a lot of sheep, and I have, you know, whatever in terms of livestock.

لِيَظْهَرْ أَثَرُ نِعْمَةِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ

(Abu Dawud)

Translation: Look at his clothing. The gift of Allah should be manifest on you. People should be able to see.

We're not saying be haughty, be proud, be arrogant. No, arrogance has got nothing to do with the type of clothing, the type of car, the type of house. No, it's got to do with your attitude.

It's got to do with your character. You can be the wealthiest, the most powerful, the leader, the king, whoever else. But if you are humble, you have no pride.

And you can be a beggar, and you can still be an arrogant person who's with tatty clothing. May Allah forgive us. May He guide us.

Proper Response to Tests

So this is why when a tapping happens, when Allah tests you, the first thing you say:

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

We belong to Allah. We will all be returning to Allah. And then you say:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ

I thank Allah on all conditions.

I praise Allah. I praise Him in times of ease. I praise Him at times of difficulty.

I praise Him in the morning. I praise Him in the evenings. I praise Him at all times.

Praise Allah. Remember Him. Wallahi, the remembrance of Allah.

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ

Translation: Remember Me, I will remember you. Amazing. You want Allah to remember you? Well, remember Him.

تَعَرَّفْ إِلَى اللَّهِ فِي الرَّخَاءِ يَعْرِفْكَ فِي الشِّدَّةِ

(Tirmidhi)

Translation: Get close to Allah. Get acquainted with Allah at times of ease. And Allah will get acquainted with you at times of your difficulty.

He will come rushing to you. The problem with us, we wait for something wrong to happen in our lives before the hijab comes out, before the salah comes, before our life changes, before we stop engaging in sin. We wait for something disastrous to happen.

Diagnosed with a disease:

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ، أَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ

I have a disease, ya Allah. May Allah grant us cure.

But that's a sickness. If you have a disease and you turn to Allah, it is still a gift of Allah. The problem with us is, we wait for things to happen before we turn to Allah.

Why? Turn to Allah before that. He will make it easier for you. It doesn't mean you won't go through tests.

It is predestined. But Allah will make it easier for you to go through those tests because you are close to Him. Very close.

مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَى

Translation: When revelation stopped for a little while, Muhammad (peace be upon him) was anxious. He was a little bit concerned, worried. Allah says, no, your Lord has not forsaken you, nor is He upset with you.

Hang on, it will come. The revelation will come. Your Lord is not upset.

Don't think because something did not happen according to your liking, that Allah is angry with you. No. The same applies to everyone else.

You make dua, Oh Allah, I want to pass. You are a top student. You have had A's at O level perhaps.

Now here comes A level, and you didn't do well. Does that mean Allah doesn't like you? Not at all. You made so much dua to Allah, Oh Allah, help me to pass.

Help me to gain A's and so on. Allah says, hang on, we know what's better for you. We don't want you to get that.

Wait, you might want to repeat. We might not want you to go in a direction that you are heading. We might want you to go in another direction.

The only way to get you there is by us downsizing, downgrading, not giving you what you want, but we know what's better for you. Subhanallah. So you got to thank Allah.

Calamity happens, disaster happens. You lose someone. You lose produce.

In your business perhaps, you might lose stock. There is a big fire, a huge fire. And you know what? That fire destroyed all your stock.

And you say, Alhamdulillah, I thank Allah for whatever has happened. Oh Allah, forgive me where I've gone wrong. Do you know, it is a quality of a believer when something bad happens to you that you ask yourself, am I doing something wrong here? Important.

If you come to me and you say, look, you know what, this went wrong, that went wrong, this went wrong. What has happened? Some people say, the next door neighbors have done black magic on me. Nothing to do with black magic.

Stop depressing yourself further by hating innocent people who've done nothing to you. Not at all. You start disliking your sister-in-law.

You know that word, sister-in-law. You either love or you just hate. Astaghfirullah.

I don't know. May Allah grant us good in-laws. Well, I have brilliant in-laws, mashallah.

I have to say that. So, may Allah help us all. The truth is, and it's a reality, we become so despondent, so depressed.

Don't be. One thing goes wrong, two things, five things, you come to me, I will tell you, just turn to Allah. Don't worry, it's not a punishment.

It's a sign that you need to get closer and closer to Allah. Make dua, make ends meet as best as you can. Get up and walk again.

In a lot of cases, the people's businesses flourish in a bigger way than they were before the loss. If they get up and they work harder. You lost your spouse, you say, I'm never gonna get married again.

Fine. But you know what? Perhaps sometimes you need to consider it. Perhaps it's better for you.

Who knows, you might have a spouse that might be better than the previous one. It could be. Don't just sit back and say, no, it can be, maybe.

Hope and Action

The point I'm raising is, you need to get up and do something about your life. You need to. Until the day you die, you need to have hope.

No matter what difficulty you're in, you can be in the biggest mess today. You can be diagnosed with a terminal disease. You can be on your deathbed, a true mu'min.

Two things happen to him or her. You have hope in the mercy of Allah. Either He will cure you or He will grant you Jannah because of your sabr.

There's no third way. If I, for example, am on my deathbed, may Allah grant us a good death. A person who perhaps is diagnosed with a disease.

Let's say, for example, cancer. It's quite common. It's becoming more and more common.

May Allah grant Jannah to those who've died with it. May Allah grant sabr to those who have it in a way that they are cured or if they happen to die, they will get Jannah because of that sabr. And may Allah make it easy for the families.

And for those who are taking care of these type of people, that is also your paradise. To take care of someone who's sick and ill, that's your Jannah. It's Allah's way.

Do you know that there's a hadith which says on the day of judgment, Allah will say, I was sick and you didn't visit me. And man will say, oh Allah, how could you have been sick and you are Rabbul Alameen. And Allah will say, did you not hear of my worshipper so and so who was sick and ill? Well, had you visited him or her, you would have found me there.

You'd have gained closeness to Allah. So, when a person is now on their deathbed, they need to have hope. You must be convinced that you are going to a better place.

You must be happy. You must be smiling. You cannot cling to dear life.

You will die whether you hold fast on your bed or not. You will go. You'd rather go calm.

Say, oh Allah, you have said, ana inda dhanni abdi bi. Allahu Akbar. I will treat every worshipper of mine the way he perceives me.

So, oh Allah, I perceive you as the most merciful, the most beneficent, the most loving, the most kind, the owner of paradise, the one who's going to forgive me. You know my shortcomings. You know the sins I've committed, the major, major, major sins I've committed throughout my life.

Don't Let the Past Bog You Down

People are depressed. Do not let your past bog you down. No matter what you've done in the past, the past is the past.

Look at where you are today. Like we spoke about labor. Now you have the baby, the child has grown up.

The child is looking after you. You cannot keep on saying, you know when I gave birth to you, it was so hard, so hard. You cannot keep on saying that.

The child is now 50, you are 70. Come on, relax. Say, alhamdulillah, you made it easy for me.

I'm alive. I clocked 70. A lot of people don't clock 70.

Do you know that? You thank Allah. You cannot keep on talking about the past suffering that you had and making yourself depressed here. Leave it.

The sins you've committed in the past, they're gone. You asked Allah's forgiveness once, it was wiped out. You are encouraged to repeat repentance so that your status can be elevated.

Not because you're doubting Allah's forgiveness. Remember this. When you've committed a sin, you asked Allah's forgiveness once, it was enough.

It was more than enough. Subhanallah, that's the mercy of Allah. He tells you, you admit, you regret.

You repent, you promise not to do it again. It's wiped out, gone, completely over. I repeat my repentance again after a day, two days, five days, every day, one year.

Not because I'm doubting Allah's forgiveness. Never. Because I wanted to come closer to Allah.

And I'm saying, O Allah, I know you've forgiven me, O Allah, forgive me. O Allah, forgive me for more than that. Whatever I've done, that which I know, that which I don't know.

You want closeness to Allah. This is how you get closer to Allah. This is how you protect yourself from the path of Jahannam.

Because shaitan comes to you, makes you depressed. You, you've committed adultery 500 times in your... You've lost count. Well, today, I'm close to Allah.

I've asked Allah's forgiveness. I'm convinced in my heart I'm forgiven by Allah. I know because I regretted it.

I admitted it. I repented and I promised not to do it again. And I'm reading my salah and I'm worshipping Allah alone.

And I'm trying my best to follow the footsteps of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Why should I allow the million times I've committed a sin in the past to depress me today? Today is a new day. If sins were meant to depress you, Wallahi, we would all be depressed.

Completely. None of us is free from sin. So don't allow that to happen.

These are tests. These are challenges. Your path is to paradise.

You walked for 200 kilometers on the wrong path. But you know what? It took one flick to come back to the path. Why are you depressed? 200 kilometers I walked on the wrong path.

You are now on the right path. You have enough fuel to get you to your destination. Alhamdulillah, that's the hope in the mercy of Allah.

You are trying your best. Carry on walking. Stop lamenting about how long and how... Whatever else happened.

Allah had it that way. Look at the sahaba (radiallahu anhu). Do you know? They were mushrikeen.

They used to worship idols. And then they accepted Islam. They used to laugh about the past.

Literally. They used to say, some years back we used to do this and we used to do that. They used to mention it in order to highlight how foolish they were.

Subhanallah. Nobody must be proud about the sins they've committed. Yes, indeed.

So you don't say, I did this and I committed this sin and I committed that sin. You don't have to be proud about it. We should be ashamed, embarrassed.

But if you are mentioning something in order for others to learn a lesson, it becomes an act of worship. Say for example, I had a past. And in my past, I did a lot of bad things.

And mashallah, my life changed. I saw the light. A torch was lit for me.

So I get up and tell people how my life changed. And I want to show them the torch that was lit for me. That is an act of worship.

I'm encouraging people to see the light I saw. After the ignorance I was in, Allah's favor brought me into the light. So I want the same for all of you.

And this is why to repeat those type of stories can become an act of worship with the correct intention. May Allah help us all. My brothers and sisters, you will be tested.

Seek Help with Sabr and Salah

Have hope in the mercy of Allah. Look forth. Allah says:

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ

Translation: O you who believe, seek assistance. ٱسْتَعِينُوا means to seek help. Seek help from who? With what? Allah says, seek help with two things. Sabr and salah.

Bear patience, be forbearant. Practice restraint, that is all part of sabr. And salah.

Salah is the gift that a mu'min has. The five daily prayers, never miss them. No matter what problem you have, you need to learn to seek Allah's forgiveness and to constantly find yourself in prayer.

If your five daily prayers are on time, at the beginning of the time, and you take your time to fulfill them, Allah says, I will make all my tests for you easy to go through. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) went to Ta'if, he was tested. He lost his children one after the other.

He was tested. He went through one upon the other. People created armies in order to fight him.

He was tested. Not once was he depressed, never. He always had hope in Allah.

Why? He was regular with his link with Allah. These matters must bring you closer to Allah. This is how they are termed a gift.

Muhammad (peace be upon him) says, it is indeed when Allah loves his worshipper, that he tests him. So when I have a challenge, I get to Allah. Oh Allah, help me.

Oh Allah, assist me. Oh Allah, my heart is softened. Why is my heart softened? It used to be a hard heart.

It used to be arrogant. I was running after money, money. Money is a religion.

Do you know that? People worship it. They do anything for it. They make sure they get it.

Wallahi, apply that rule to Allah. Don't worship money, worship Allah. At loss is the one who worships the gold.

And at loss is the one who worships silver. Such a big loss that even if they were pricked by something, by a thorn, they wouldn't be able to remove it.

Allah says, you are helpless.

Why worship money? Yes, earn money. No one is saying, divorce yourself from it. That's the other extreme.

Earn it, use it to thank Allah, use it to worship Allah, use it to spend on your family members perhaps, and on yourself to do things that are permissible and so on. No problem. Everyone has to earn.

But at the same time, worship is for Allah. It must soften your heart. It brings you closer to Allah after a hard heart, problem after problem, difficulty upon difficulty, and subhanAllah. You know what happens? We just become closer to Allah.

Don't ever think because you've had 10 issues one after the other, 10 issues one after the other, that Allah hates you. No, in fact, He loves you. And the last point that I want to close with my brothers and sisters, sabr.

The Example of Sabr

Sabr, I did say patience, forbearance, and restraint, but I want to give you one example of it. When you have a problem, you call out to Allah, do not be impatient, wait. Allah will give it to you after 40 years maybe, but He will give it to you when He knows it's right for you.

You have a problem, a difficult spouse, you have a difficult, you have a challenge, you have a difficult child, keep on making dua for your child. Do not lose hope. Keep on with the same enthusiasm, with the same passion, with the same belief in Allah, with the same hope.

Continue day and night making dua to Allah one year later, five years later, ten years later. Those from amongst us who don't have children, you know how it feels. May Allah bless you with offspring.

Continue making dua, even when you're older, make dua, and continue asking Allah, and do not lose hope, and continue, remain as steadfast as possible.

It is Allah who will open your doors. Wallahi, they will open one day.

And if Allah does not open those doors in this world, the fact that you continued, and had hope, and continued with patience, and forbearance, He will fling open the doors of paradise, and ask you to enter from whichever door you want. May Allah grant us all Jannah.

Closing Dua

نَشْهَدُ أَن لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ نَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ

May Allah grant us all Jannah. Ameen.