When i was younger, I was so naive. I used to think that the challenges I faced was extremely hard and trying. I used to think that decisions were very hard to make. I so wished there was a 'manual of life' that I could refer to to help me make decisions. i

For example, during the days of ignorance, whenever I had a fight with my second half, I would cry and ask myself why, why, why. I would lament and regret my choices and decisions. "Where is that manual of life?" I would scream inside.

Over the years, I have grown to realise that I dont have to act that way. There is such thing as a manual for life. It's the Quran and Rasulullah's sunnah. Why, I was so naive, and ignorant to say the least.

Many forget that we were created by Allah with fitrah. By design (fitrah), we have nafs (desires). And also by fitrah, we are never satisfied. We always want more than what we have/destined to have. And many do not realise that this weird concoction was formulated by Allah as a test to us. To see how grateful and how patient we are in dealing with things that go against our desires. It might seem unfair, some might question Allah's fairness to His creatures. Why, on the contrary! Allah is truly Al-Adl, ArRahman and ArRaheem. He sent down Al Quran and Rasulullah to guide and steer us back onto the straight path that will lead us back to Him.

I found the manual of life I longed for in my younger years. I can find everything in this manual of life.

But once in a while, challenges would show his nasty face and test my iman, Recent spite with the closest person in my life threw me off guard again. I was so saddened and dissapointed with certains things the person does or thinks. It was quite unpleasant, the confrontation. I am sure the person was dissapointed with my behaviours as I was with his. It left me feeling tired and alone, like no one to turn to and to console me.

But then, I remembered Rasulullah, and I remembered Quran. Patient when sad, grateful when happy. Respect people's differences. Respect your other half. Sadness is a way to cleanse our sins. Sadness or hardship is a kafarah etc etc. I feel better. I really do.

As if Allah intended to show me a lesson, an officemate shared with me her sad situation with her other half. She always appears to me to be happy with her other half. She told me she's jealous of my other half, because we appear to be so happy in her eyes! It struck to me that
1) nobody has a perfect life
2) people are never satisfied
3) we should be grateful with have Allah gives us. What seems good to us might be bad for us. And what seems bad might be good for us.

My conclusion is a reiteration of what Allah and His Rasulullah have been telling us in the manual of life - life is a series of tests to see how grateful we are in the face of happiness, and how patient we are in the face of sadness and hardship. Subhanallah.

Oh Allah, please provide me strength to keep on reminding myself again and again that this is just a small test from you to see how grateful I am to be given the gift of Iman. Allahuakbar.









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Grateful when happy, patient when sad.

In our lives, we experience so many things. Some are happy, some are sad. Some are enjoyable, some are painful. The pleasant ones always make us feel happy. The pleasant experiences are, to us, good.

Or are they?...

I'd like to share one of my favourite hadeeths, perhaps my most favourite hadeeth. I first read it in Makkah when I was performing my Haj in 2007. I was reading a biography of Abu Bakar As Siddiq RA when i came accross this hadeeth on a page:

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affairs are all good, and this applies to no one but the believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is good for him.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2999)

Rasulullah SAW said that everything that happens in the life of a Muslim is good, regardless it's a happy/pleasant one, or a sad/unpleasant one. What matters is not the happening itself, but rather how we react to it. A true believer is someone whose heart is pure and clean. Who appreciates that everything in his/her life is actually from Allah. Who strongly believes that Allah loves His servants very much. How can something from someone who loves us be bad?

When someone sees something through his/her pure heart, what he/she sees will not be prejudiced. When Allah gives us something, it's actually a test. It's always either a test of gratitude, or a test of patience. If we get something that we love and makes us happy, it's a test of gratitude. If we get something we dislike and makes us sad/unhappy, it's a test of patience. What matters is how we react to it. Do we react emotionally? Or does it make us think of Allah more?

Easier said than done :) True with all 'theories' in the world. But try to think of it... Let it sink. Does it make sense?

Personally, whenever I experience something that I dont like, naturally my reaction will be quite negative. But whenever I ponder on it, it does make me realise, that whatever happens to me on this life, is so insignificant compared to the life in the hereafter. What is the puny test of discomfort on this temporary world to the immortal life of akhirat? When i think that way, my problem would automatically seem irrelevant and... insignificant. So what if Allah gives me some sadness/unhappiness? It's just a test of my patience. If i pass the test. i.e. if i remember him and be patient, the reward in the hereafter is much bigger and better to anything we would every know in this mortal life of this world.

So brothers and sisters, just remember... If something good happens to you, just be thankful for that is good for you. If something bad happens to you, bear it with patience for that is good for you :)
Allah knows best...