Everything happens for the better

Follow up on Isbah's post Sin City.

It’s sad to see the amount of violence, oppression and injustice happening on an individual level, national level and globally. Ruthless people are inflicting crimes against their fellow beings. It feels as if the sense of mercy is rapidly depreciating. I often wonder why innocent people are suffering and going through such hardy trials. It appears as if they are facing penalty of crimes committed by other people. It doesn’t seem fair. Some unfortunate ones are sunk into poverty and deprived of the basic necessities of life such as food, shelter and even adequate clothing. What’s their fault? Some are simply born into it. Who to blame in such a case? Fate?

My knowledge is too limited to see any good coming out of such apparent unfortunate happenings. Perhaps if we look into the life of each individual we’ll get better insight. Regardless, I strongly believe that (for a good person) there is good in everything i.e. everything happens for the better and if one is righteously patient and awaits God's mercy surely he will witness the good. (InshahAllah and Allahu alam)

Consider the following hadith: “The affair of the believer is amazing! The whole of his life is beneficial, and that is only in the case of the believer. When good times come to him, he is thankful and it is good for him, and when bad times befall him, he is patient and it is also good for him” (narrated by Muslim). Another version of the same hadith is “Amazing is the believer, for whatever Allah decrees for him, it is better for him! If he is tested with a bounty, he is grateful for it and this is better for him; and if he is afflicted with a hardship, he is patient with it and this is better for him.”

Being patient in hard times, and grateful in good times is the catch here.

We all get hit by misfortune, fall sick, get into accidents, and are saddened at times of despair. Everybody faces problems in life. It’s natural and humanely to feel gloomy. However, the believer easily overcomes such hardships since there is good to derive from it.

As a kid when I would fall sick my mama would console me by saying that there is good to derive from illness. She would say and that since I am in pain Allah mian will compensate it for something pleasant for me. With that thought in mind I would instantly become peaceful. As I grew up I came across this saying of The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) “When the believer is afflicted with pain, even that of a prick of a thorn or more, God forgives his sins” (narrated by Bukhari). Isn't it better that our sins get washed in this life rather than face punishment in the next? Indeed it is.

It is reported that Abu Hurayrah, the companion of the Prophet, had a favorite illness! He is reported to have said, “There is no illness that afflicts me more beloved to me than fever; it enters every part of me and [because of it] Allah the Mighty and Sublime gives every part of me its share of reward” (narrated by Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad).SubhanAllah, if only we could look at the positive side when we got sick or some misfortune occurs.

As long as we are honest and sincere in our affairs, we need not worry of the outcome. InshahAllah events will unfold for the better. Human knowledge is limited and sometimes we fail to see the potential harm and get depressed when we don't get what we want. Allah (s.w.t) says in his book “but it may happen that ye hate a thing which is good for you, and it may happen that ye love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knoweth, ye know not” (2:216). Therefore, we shouldn't lose heart, rather be optimistic and respond with shukar i.e gratefulness.

May Allah bless us with hearts that are patient and grateful in times of hardship and otherwise, and May Allah knock out any hardship that beholds us with his plentiful mercy. Ameen.