True Belief Requires Surrendering and Contentment

A true beliver (mu'min) is not one who merely performs ritualistic worship ('ibadat) and avoids prohibitions (mazhurat).

Rather he is one who has perfected his belief (kamil al-iman). He never objects (to Allah's decree), the more hardship he undergoes the stronger his belief and submission becomes.

He might pray and his prayer is not answered, yet his belief is never affected for he realises he is owned and that his master directs him as He pleases.

If he ever objects then he exits the state of servitude (maqam al-'ubudiyya) and enters the state of debate (maqam al-munadhara), which is what happened to Iblis.

The effect of strong faith becomes clear at the time of hardship (bala).

Some people might wonder why Allah allowed for [Prophet] Yahya ('alayhi as-salam) to be slaughtered by an evil person, and for other Prophets and believers to be harmed.

It would be a form of disbelief (kufr) to assume that Allah is unable to defend the Prophets.

The only thing that can be done is to surrender to the Owner. He feeds some disbelievers (kuffar) and starves some believers (mu'minun).

He keeps wronders (fasiqun) healthy and some among the righteous (mutaqin) people ill.

[Prophet] Ya'qub ('alayhi as-salam) cried over his missing son for eighty years and never lost hope. When his second son was taken he said:

[Prophetg Musa ('alayhi as-salam) made du'a against Fir'awn but was only answered forty years later, although Fir'awn used to kill Prophets ('alayhi as-salam) and he crucified the magicians (who believed in Nusa) and severed their hands.

Many calamities strike a noble person only for him to increase his surrendering (taslim) and contentment (rida). This is when we understand the verse:

Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "People behave the same during good times ('afiya), but they differ in times of hardship (bala)."

Book Excerpt: Captured Thoughts: A collection of thought-provoking gems, persuasive eye opening wisdoms, insights about religion, ethics and relationships
Chapter: 187
Pgs: 599-600
By: Imam Ibn al-Jawzi
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