Sabr or Shukr; The Worry Stops Here

Muhammad Alshareef
Aasiyah, the wife of Fir’own. Her Eeman in Allah thrived under the
shadow of someone that said, “I am your Lord, Most High!” When news
reached Fir’own of his wife’s Eeman he beat her and commanded his
guards to beat her. They took her out in the scalding noon heat,
tied her hands and feet and beat her perpetually. Who did she turn
to? She turned to Allah! She prayed, “My lord, build for me a home
with you in Paradise and save me from Fir’own and his deeds and save
me from the transgressive people.”

It was narrated that when she said this, the sky opened for her and
she saw her home in Paradise. She smiled. The guards watched
astonished, she’s being tortured and she smiles? Frustrated, Fir’own
commanded a boulder to be brought and dropped on Aasiyah, to crush
her to death. But Allah took her soul before the boulder was brought
and she became an example for all the believing men and women till
the end of time:

[And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe: the wife
of Fir'own (Pharaoh) - when she said, "My Lord, Build for me a home
with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir'own and his deeds, and
save me from the transgressive - disbelieving people.] -Tahreem 66/11

In the hadith of Jibreel, when he came to the Prophet (SAL ALLAHU
ALAYHI WA SALLAM) and asked him about Islam, Eeman, and Ihasan, the
Prophet SAL ALLAHU ALAYHI WA SALLAM said about Eeman, “Eeman is to
believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His Messengers, the Final
Day, and the divine decree, the good and the bad thereof.” For the
past few weeks we have been reflecting on this hadith, only
glimpses. Today we shall conclude with the last article of Eeman: to
believe in the Divine decree, the good and the bad thereof.

As you and I travel though life we find ourselves in one of two
situations. Either something good is happening in our lives and in
which case – as Muslims- our role is to thank Allah for the
blessing. Or something bad is happening to us, something we dislike
and our role here is to be patient (Sabr). This is the formula for a
happy life, a life cruising towards the pleasure of Allah. Sabr or
Shukr, the worry stops here.

The Messenger of Allah (SAL ALLAHU ALAYHI WA SALLAM) said, “Strange
is the affair of the Mu’min (the believer), verily all his affairs
are good for him. If something pleasing befalls him he thanks
(Allah) and it becomes better for him. And if something harmful
befalls him he is patient (Saabir) and it becomes better for him.
And this is only for the Mu’mmin “

Ibn Al-Jowzee said, “If this Dunya was not a station of tests it
would not be filled with sicknesses and filth. If life were not
about hardship, then the Prophets and the pious would have lived the
most comfortable of lives. Nay, Adam suffered test after test until
he left the Dunya. Nuh cried for 300 years. Ibrahim was thrown into
a pit of fire and later told to slaughter his son. Ya’qub cried
until he became
blind. Musa challenged Fir’own and was tested by his people. Eeasa
had
no provision except the morsels his disciples provided him with. And
Muhammad (Sal Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam) met poverty with patience,
his uncle – one of the most beloved relatives to him – was slain and
mutilated and his people disbelieved in him … and the list of
Prophets and the pious goes on and on.”

What happens to us happens by the will of Allah. It is an article of
our Eeman in Qada’ and Qadr that we are pleased with Allah’s choice,
Good or seemingly bad it is all the test of this Dunya. How could we
imagine that we shall not be tested when those who were better than
us suffered what they suffered. They however came away with the
pleasure of Allah, Subhaanahu wa Ta’Aala.

Al Hasan ibn Arafah narrated, “I visited Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal after
he was whipped and tortured. I said to him, “O Abu Abdillaaah, you
have reached the station of the Prophets!” He said, “Keep quiet.
Verily, I saw nothing more than people selling their Deen. And I saw
scholars that were with me sell their Faith. So I said to
myself, ‘Who am I, what am I. What am I going to say to Allah
tomorrow when I stand in front of Him and He ask me, “Did you sell
your Deen like the others did?” So I looked at the whip and the
sword and chose them. And I said, “If I die I shall return to Allah
and say: ‘I was told to say that one of Your Characteristics was
something created but I did not.’ After that, it will be up to Him -
either to punish me of be Merciful on me.”

Al-Hasan ibn Arafah then asked, “Did you feel pain when they whipped
you?” He said “Yes, I felt the pain up to 20 lashes then I lost all
feeling (They whipped him over eighty times). After it was over I
felt no pain and that day I prayed Dhuhr standing.”

Al-Hasan ibn Arafah started weeping when he heard what had happened.
Imam Ahmad questioned him, “Why are you crying? I did not lose my
Eeman. After that why should I care if I lose my life?” They were
better than us but this was how they were tested.

Let us discuss some facts about these tests of life, the good and
the bad that befalls us:

§ Much of what befalls us – the hard times – is the direct result
of
ourown sins. Allah Ta’aala says [And whatever misfortune befalls you
it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much.] -
Sura 42/30

Muhammad ibn Seereen used to say when his debts piled up and he felt
sad, “I know that the cause of this sadness is a sin I committed
over 40 years ago.”

§ People understand that when something bad happens it is a test
from Allah. But dear Brothers and Sisters, the good things that
happen to us are also a test.

Allah ta’aala says [And we tested them with good (blessings) and
evil (calamities) in order that they might turn back] – A’raf 7/168

Abd alMalik ibn Ishaq said, “There is no one that is not tested with
health and prosperity to measure how thankful he is (Shukr).”

And the Companion – AbdurRahman ibn ‘Awf (RADI ALLAHU ANHU)
said, “We were tested with hardship and were patient. And then we
were tested with prosperity and we were not patient. Because of this
Allah states:

[O ye who believe! Let not your wealth or your children divert you
from the remembrance of Allah. And whosoever does that, then they
are the losers.] – Munafiqun 63/9

§ Patience must happen from the beginning, not three days later or
one day later, at the first news of the calamity, when it first
happens. The Prophet (SAL ALLAHU ALAYHI WA SALLAM) said, “Verily
patience (is only Sabr when practiced) at the first hit (of news).”

§ There are things that contradict Sabr. Tearing ones shirt, for
example, slapping ones face, slapping hands, shaving ones head, and
cursing and wailing. Umm Salamah narrates: I heard the Messenger of
Allah (SAL ALLAHU ALAYHI WA SALLAM) say, “Any Muslim that says when
a calamity befalls him that which Allah commanded him: To Allah we
belong and to him we return. O Allah reward me in this calamity and
give me better then it – (any Muslim that says this) Allah will
grant him better than (that which he lost).” – Muslim

§ These tests and hardships wash our sins. Aisha (RADI ALLAHU
ANHA)
said, “Verily fever sheds sins like a tree sheds leaves.”

§ The hardships that befall us distinguish the believers from the
insincere. Shumayt ibn Ajlaan said, “The pious and the ungrateful
are hidden by health. Yet when calamities befall the two men are
separated (by how they react).”

Allah says in the Quran [Alif/Laam/Meem..Do people think that they
will be left alone because they say, "We believe," and will not be
tested? Indeed We tested those who (lived) before them] Al-Ankaboot
29/1-3
Part II: Towards Sabr

Ali (RADI ALLAHU ANHU) said, “Verily Sabr is to Eeman what the head
is to the body. When the head is cut off, the body falls. (He then
raised his voice) Verily there is no Eeman for he who has no Sabr
(patience).”

There are three types of Sabr that the Muslim must have:

a. Sabr in the obedience of allah. For example, One must be patient
and perform their Fajr at it’s time.

b. Sabr in not disobeying Allah. Like someone might say, “I just
have to insult him.” No, we are command by He who gave us our
tongues to not follow the whispers of Shaytaan. And we must have
Sabr in not disobeying Allah.

c. Sabr in what Allah Decrees on us. For example, if our child was
to pass away we should be patient and seek the reward of Allah in
our patience and say only that which is pleasing to Allah.

There are two keys. If we understand them we shall open the door to
Sabr
in our lives:

The First Key: know that our souls, families and wealth do not
belong to us, they belong to Allah. He gave it to us as a loan to
see what we would do with it. And when he takes it back He is taking
back what belongs to Him. We had nothing before the blessing and
we’ll have nothing after it. We did not create the blessing from
nothing, so how can we claim that it belongs to us.

The Second Key: We are on a journey and the destination is the
hereafter – Paradise or Hell. We shall be leaving the Dunya behind
us and we’ll come back to Allah by ourselves. This is what needs our
focus. And if Allah is pleased with us then no worry. If He is not
pleased with us then all worry.

Let me draw your attention to a verse. Listen carefully. Allah
revealed:

[Guard strictly the (five obligatory) prayers, especially the middle
Salah and stand before Allah in obedience.]- alBaqarah 2/238

The verses before this deal with divorce. The verses after it deal
with divorce. Why was this verse placed in the middle?

The Ulama’ have suggested, Wa Allaahu a’lam, that in the hard times
that a person goes through (especially in a divorce) they should not
forget the remembrance of Allah, the Salah. And it is that Salah
coupled with Sabr that will pull them through.

[O you who believe! Seek Help in Patience and Salah. Truly, Allah is
with those that are patient.]-Baqarah 2/153

In conclusion, Allah ta’ala wants us to give pass on the following
good news:

[And give good news to the patient who, when afflicted with calamity
say, "Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall
return."/They are those on whom the Salawat (i.e. the blessing and
forgiveness) of their Lord is upon them, and who shall receive His
Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones] -Baqarah 2/157

Allah promised anyone who wants to work on his or her patience three
things: Forgiveness, Mercy, and guidance. Who could ask for more?