Trials and tests- Why?

[samirziz]

Why must we go through trials and tests in our lives?

[zubair_mahamood]

Why must we go through trials and tests in our lives?

Allah can exactly tell why…. we can only assume why?

I think it’s a simple process of purification… the more one is trailed and tested he becomes stronger hence get close to Allah… It’s like stone getting carved by sculptor with his tools to give it a shape… I think even stones feel pain when they are carved, we can’t feel them but when Allah does that with us we feel n ask why? I think tails and tests make human personality stronger and stronger… some people take this as blessing some take this as punishment it depend on what level of faith they are in…!

Zubair Mahamood

[GMR]

Almighty Allah Himself says in the Holy Quran:<BR><BR><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><STRONG><EM>"Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods, lives, and the fruits of your toil. But give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. Those who say, when afflicted with calamity, 'To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return.' They are those o&shy;n whom descend blessings from their Lord, and mercy. They are the o&shy;nes who receive guidance."</EM></STRONG></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> (2:155-157)<BR><BR>As human-beings we've to face tribulations during our lives and we must thankful to our Lord and show patience, whenever we face such events.</SPAN>

[DELETED]

DELETED

[ShamsB]

As Sayyad Mohammed Shah stated so eloquently:

"Dosh Dayal Ji ko Kiyun Kardijiye, Karme Likhiya Sohi Paave".


Shams

[kinnare786]

Where is trial and test in life? Would some one explain?

[kmaherali]

There is a saying of Mowlana Rumi: "With will fire turns to sweet water, without will even water turns to fire."

There is a Prophetic saying: "Paradise is hidden in things disliked, and hell in the things liked."

Attitude is Everything

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. "Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today. So she did, and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed she had only two hairs on her head. "Hmm," she said, "I think I will part my hair in the middle today." So she did, and she had a great day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only one hair on her head. "Well," she said, "I think I'll wear my hair in a ponytail today." So she did, and she had very good day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had no hair on her head. "Yea!" she said, "I don't have to do my hair today!"

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!!!

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet has some kind of trouble.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to fate.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...

It's about learning to dance in the rain.

--

[zubair_mahamood]

Well said karim attitude is everything I do agree with you… If we think we don’t have proper shoe to wear then also think of those who don’t have foot to wear a shoe… if we think we didn’t eat proper food then also think this they are many who didn’t eat… What we get we must be thankful to god and be happy… I don’t mean to say one should always have this attitude… I mean to say when we are falling look at those who r below us and when we want to claim look at the one who is on top and find an acceptable way to be happy and thankful to Allah…….

because trial and tests are as much a part of life as joy and happiness...infact theres joy and happiness exactly because theres trial and errors,.one can not exist without the other ... there is no "REASON" behind it.

So your question is analogous to: "why is there victory and defeat in a cricket match"

the answer is one can not exist without the other.

I think there is reason for everything…. If the answer is only that one can’t exist without other then I will say one can exists but won’t have any importance… if there was no day then what would be importance of night… if there was no hate what would be importance of love… if they was no defeat then what would be importance of victory… if we go little future sometimes wining a game don’t give us happiness… now a day I think even a cricket match has become a test cause teams are not trying to win game but have some other motive in wining a game or losing a game! You know what I’m talking about (Individual interest N team interest) don’t you see it as test of ethics!

As far as reasons are concern Allah test people by three simple ways…. 1st by giving something to someone… 2nd by taking something from someone and 3rd by making someone wait for something promised… in some situations some people goes through all these types of tests at a time! I think its human nature that if we get something without any effort then it wouldn’t have any importance so trail and test are important for human to realise as it give value to something unimportant…! I would still say Allah can exactly tell why a person is tested because each test has its own level… like in school when u pass 1st class (I mean to say when we finish) then you go to 2nd class then to 3rd this is of a school test and Allah test are at his school where he is the Dean, The Teacher, The Examiner and The Student (I think so)! So Allah knows better we can only find excuses!

In any case attitude is Important and it must be to find happiness at all level of test and be thankful to Allah!

[farishtamurad]

dear readers

facing test and trials is way to become close to allah,to reassure and built faith in allah. i have gone through the most diffcult times of life,but one thing i have realised that i got back my faith in allah. he is guided me on a straight path. remember during tests and trials he opens our senses of realisation. we know people around us ,our friends, family do they lend you their hand. with my experience only my faith in allah stood by me at all times, and today i am on the road to recovery and eagerly with all happines looking forward for the life of here after.

ya ali madad

[searcher]

Any type of difficulty we face in life is due to our own bad deeds, either commited in this life or in past lives. In the Holy Quran, God affirms this idea as well. Intuitively it makes sense too. There are countless examples in farmans and ginans alluding to this idea as well.

[zubair_mahamood]

From Tales of Jalaluddin Rumi!

The man who swallowed a snake

In the following tale, the wise man can be equated with the Sufi shaykh, and the sleeping man with our unenlightened state. The beating the sleeping man receives is an allegory for the suffering that we experience as we awaken to reality.

One day a wise man was riding along the road when he came across a man who was fast asleep. As he passed by, he saw a snake sliding into the sleeping man’s mouth. The wise man dismounted quickly and tried to scare the snake away, but to no avail. Taking up his club, he struck the sleeping man with several powerful blows. Awakened abruptly from his sleep, the man fled for safety to a nearby tree. It was an apple tree, and the ground around it was covered with rotting fruit. ‘Eat them!’ ordered the wise man; stuffing the mouth of the terrified man with apples until no more would go in.

‘Why are you doing this to me?’ spluttered the man. ‘What have I done to offend you? If you have a deep seated quarrel with me, settle it with your sword! Oh, cursed was the hour that your first saw me, and blessed is the man who never sets eyes on you! No guilt, no sin, not the slightest misdemeanour-even heretics wouldn’t approve of punishment this server. Look! My mouth is pouring with blood and words! O God, I beg Thee, repay him in like manner! Yet however much the man cursed, the wise man continued to shower him with blows.

‘keep running!’ shouted the wise man, and the man kept running from his pursuer, picking himself up off the ground whenever he fell flat on his face. Stuffed with apples, his body covered in cuts and bruises, he was chased backwards and forwards by the wise man until nightfall when he was seized by a violent bout of vomiting.
EVERYTHING CAME UP, including the snake.

When he man saw the ugly black reptile, he forgot all about the beating he had received and fell on his knees at the feet of the man who had saved him. ‘Truly,’ he said, ‘You are either Gabriel or God, for you are the lord of beneficence! Oh, blessed is the hour that you first saw me, for I was dead and you have given me now life… Had I known, how could I have said such foolish things? I would have praised you, had you given me the slightest hint as to what you were really doing. Instead, you kept quiet, and carried on beating me in silence.’

‘Had I told you about the snake,’ replied the wise man, ‘you might have died of fright… You would have been so terrified that you would not have been able to eat, nor to vomit. I heard your abuse but carried on with what I had to do, repeating to myself, “O lord, make it easy!” ’

(M II: 1878-96, 1904-6, 1910, 1922-3)

[kmaherali]

From Tales of Jalaluddin Rumi!

The man who swallowed a snake

Thanks Zubair for bringing this tale to our attention. The Mathnavi is full of tales such as this one - very readable and entertaining but very profound and instructive.

[zubair_mahamood]

From Tales of Jalaluddin Rumi!

The man who swallowed a snake

Thanks Zubair for bringing this tale to our attention. The Mathnavi is full of tales such as this one - very readable and entertaining but very profound and instructive.

Ya Ali Madaad Karim,

In fact I am thankful to u karim, for your advice to me to read Mathnavi (even a friend who knows my personal life advised me two year back but I didn’t take it seriously as I was confused most of the time with office of Imamath) and I am also thankful to ismaili.net, where I have learned and expressed myself,

In another verses in which I believe Rumi is 100% right, Rumi likens the soul of the believer to the Porcupine: when you beat it, it spreads out its quills and grows bigger…!

There is an animal called the porcupine that grows big and fat when beaten with a stick.
The more you beat it, the more it thrives: it grows stout on the blows of stick.
The true believer’s soul is a porcupine, for it grows stout on the blows of suffering.
This is why the suffering of the prophets and saints is greater than that of any other creature.
(M 4: 97-100)

[samirziz]

How does one approach rumi's poetry? His poetry is too deep for me to understand, however i would like to read his masnavi..

Thanks

[kmaherali]

How does one approach rumi's poetry? His poetry is too deep for me to understand, however i would like to read his masnavi..
Thanks

If you like the Mathnavi then continue with it and you will find a great deal of wisdom and understanding of life. It highlights the key messages given in the various stories and anecdotes. In this manner once you become familiar with the teachings of Rumi, poetry will become easier to understand.

[zubair_mahamood]

How does one approach rumi's poetry? His poetry is too deep for me to understand, however i would like to read his masnavi..
Thanks

If you like the Mathnavi then continue with it and you will find a great deal of wisdom and understanding of life. It highlights the key messages given in the various stories and anecdotes. In this manner once you become familiar with the teachings of Rumi, poetry will become easier to understand.

or else you have got another option

When I went to purchase Masnavi, it was not available then I bought “The Essence of Rumi by John Boldock” (ISBN: 1841933848) which help to understand Rumi hence it was easy to understand his poetry later, you can also try it… I think if I wouldn’t have read Essence of Rumi it would have been difficult to understand his writings as well as some other religious scripts.

Zubair Mahamood