I was flicking through my notebook earlier, and came across a very short, yet significant piece of advice which a friend expressed many moons ago. Thought I’d share here as it‘s a great reminder for myself, and insha‘Allah ta’ala it may benefit other people who read this……..

“……..Every situation, good or bad, it’s a choice upon ourselves. Predicted on our intentions, whether it becomes a tool for good or for bad, the choice is yours. Either you can decide to follow it through to raise you up or you can complain about it, and send you down. That’s not theory, that’s a practise. If you practise it, you know that everything is due to God. And if you know that God acts with Hikma, with wisdom, then you know that in all occurrences, there is wisdom in that what happens to you. There is the opportunity for khayr and for goodness.

Shaykh Abdal-Qadir al-Jilani says in his Futuh al-Ghaib (Revelations of the Unseen) on how people experience events,  that there are two kinds of people:
1. Those who are blessed with good fortune
2. Those who are tried by what their Lord (Almighty and Glorious is He) has decreed.

Both kinds of people should be aware that “Lo! thy Lord is Doer of what He will.” (11:107), and that He changes and transforms, sweetens and embitters, enriches and impoverishes, exalts and abases, honours and humbles, gives life and causes death, brings forward and puts back. Why should either of them be complacent about his good fortune, why would he be deluded by it, and why would he despair of happy relief while in state of affliction?

So be a good cheer!!

If you don’t get the full thing straight away, that’s fine. We don’t always get the fullness of the thing, but we try and we strive and as a result of that, we hope Allah reveals His mercy upon us and raises us up through His mercy.

Remember, if the servant perseveres in performing the Lord’s commandments (Almighty and Glorious is He), and observing His prohibitions, and in submitting with complete trust to the course of destiny (Qadr), and if he swallows all the bitterness and bears all the burdens involved, opposing his passions and giving up his self-willed desires, Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) will reward him…….”