Salaam!

September 8th: Chapter 11 - The Wisdom Behind A Delayed Response continued

Recap of previous part

5. The Matter Might Bring Evil

Following up from the last point (Allah is the most wise), it is possible that Allah knows that a certain matter, although apparently might appear to bring good, in reality will lead to evil consequences. So a person might desire to have money, and in his heart he feels that he will spend this money for the sake of Allah, and yet Allah knows that if this person were to be given money, he would spend it in haram way, and that would ruin his iman.

So he would become like the one that is mentioned in the Quran: "And of them are some who made a promise to Allah (saying) : if He bestowed on us out of His Blessings, then we will of a surety give charity, and we will be amongst the righteous! Then, when He gave them of His Blessings, they became miserly (in spending for the sake of Allah), and turned away, averse (out of arrogance).

So because of this He punished them by putting hypocrisy in their hearts, until the Day when they shall meet Him, because they broke (that) which they promised Allah, and because they used to lie (to Allah)!"

So beware, of getting angry, or complaining against Allah's Decree, for it is possible that the matter that you so desire might be the very cause of your destruction!

Note that a believer does not ask for problems and trials, but when they occur, the true believer relishes them more than he would an apparent blessing, because he realises and expects the great reward that he will obtain through his patience and perseverance.

6. Allah's Choice is Better than the Choice of the Servant

This is a great concept that very few people appreciate or implement in their lives. For verily, Allah is more Merciful to His servant than a mother is to her child, and He will only Decree for them what is best for their needs in this world and the Hereafter.

So even when a trial or tribulation afflicts a muslim, this is better for him than it not having happened.

So, servant of Allah, next time your du'as are not answered, ask yourself "Is it not possible that Allah knows that this matter which I am asking for is not for my benefit? And is He not the Most Merciful of all that have Mercy? So, in this prevention of my du'a being answered, there might be a great good for me!"

Just like a parent must not fulfil all the desires of his child since some of them are harmful for him, so too - and to Allah belongs the greatest example - must a person realise that not all of his du'as are really for his benefit. And once a person truly and fully realises this, that Allah cares for him more than he cares for himself, then he has gone a long way towards perfecting his iman.

Sufyan al-Thawri said: "Verily, when He witholds, He actually gives, because He did not withold on account of miserliness or stinginess, but rather He looked at the benefit of the servant. So the fact that He witheld is actually His choice for the servant and His excellent decision."

7. Man Does not Know the Result of His Du'a

Ponder over the story of the youth that was killed by Khadir, Musa's teacher(surah Kahf- see tafsir). Without a doubt, the youth's parents must have suffered greatly at his death. Yet Allah knew that, had the boy lived, he would have caused great distress and hardship to his parents.

Therefore it was Allah's Mercy that the youth was not allowed to grow up to harm his parents, for had he done so, and turned to disbelief, the grief caused to such pious parents would have been worse than the grief of an innocent death. Allah says in the Quran "And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and We feared lest he should oppress them by rebellion and disbelief".

Therefore, it can be seen that a person's knowledge of good and evil is relative, whereas Allah's knowledge is infinite.

8. Trials Bring One Closer to Allah

The prophet(saw) said: The greatness of reward is based on the severity of the trial. And if Allah loves a person, He tests him, so whoever is pleased (with Allah), then he will have the Pleasure (of Allah), but whoever is angry, then he will receive the Anger (of Allah).

So the fact that a person's du'a is not responded to is a trial from Allah, and this should make a person optimistic that he is from amongst those that Allah loves. Such a test should make him increase in his patience and draw him closer to Allah.

9. Something Hated Sometimes Brings Good

When a person's iman is strong, then he will realise that everything that Allah has decreed for him is good, even if he does not see the wisdome behind the Decree. So when an affliction befalls him, he will know and realise that hidden in it is great good and benefit for him for Allah says "For it is possible that you hate something, yet Allah places in it a lot of good (for you)." Similarly about jihad: "Jihad is ordained for you (muslims) though you dislike it. And it may be that you dislike a thing even though it is for your good, or that you like a thing even though it is for your evil. And Allah knows, whereas you do not know."

Sufyan ibn 'Uyaynah stated "What the slave detests is better for him than what he loves! This is because what he destest will cause him to increase in his du'a, whereas what he loves will distract him (from worshipping Allah)."

10. It Causes the Believer to Reflect on Himself

When a person's du'a is apparently not answered, it causes him to contemplate his life, the good and the bad. It causes him to examine his du'a, and why he is making it. It causes him to examine his life, and what he wants with it. It causes him to examine his money, how he earns it and how hes spends it. It causes him to examine his good deeds and and how few they actually are. It causes him to examine his evil deeds and how numerous they are. It causes him to turn to Allah in repentance, and change his lifestyle and these effects only occur to the true believer.

So this delay in response is actually a cleansing experience and a purification for the muslim, for it forces him to re-examine his relationship with Allah and try to strengthen it. Had this du'a been responded to immediately, then this examination would not have occured, nor would any extra good come out of it, but in this delay a person, as it were, finds himself and this in itself is great blessing from Allah.