We believe that hardships and struggles build character, make us stronger and allow us to grow in all aspects of our lives. Learning to control our thoughts and emotions will help us understand ourselves better and be at peace with who we are.

To alleviate hardship, we must continue to remember Allah and turn to Him in submission, asking for relief from our affliction. Here are the lessons we can learn from the trials.

The Signs of Allah’s Love for His Servant

When Allah loves a person, He tests him.

عن أب هريرة -رض الله عنه- قال: قال رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم-: «من ُيرد الله به خريا ُيص ْب منه

Hadith according to Abu Hureyra, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ” He for whom Allah wishes good He tests him in his person”. [Bukhârî]

The trial is a way to purify oneself of one’s sins.

According to Aisha the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ” There is not a Muslim who is pricked by a thorn, or worse than that, without a reward being inscribed for it and a sin being wiped away.” [Muslim]

According to Abu Hureyra, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ” The trial does not cease to affect the believer and the believing woman, his person, his children and his property, until he meets Allah the Most High Purified of all His sins.” [Tirmidhi]

Increase Our Faith

Through the trial Allah reveals the truthful and the hypocrites:

​​وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلاَّ لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلاَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللّهُ وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ

And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom Allah has guided. And never would Allah have caused you to lose your faith. Indeed Allah is, to the people, Kind and Merciful.

[Al-Baqarah 2: 143]

ِإِنْ يَمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ الْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِثْلُهُ وَتِلْكَ الْأَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنْكُمْ شُهَدَاءَ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِينَ

If a wound should touch you – there has already touched the [opposing] people a wound similar to it. And these days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people so that Allah may make evident those who believe and [may] take to Himself from among you martyrs – and Allah does not like the wrongdoers.

[Al-Imran 3: 140]

Reflecting on Yourself To Become a Better Muslim

Allah sends trials so that people meditate on these trials, do not lose themselves in the pleasures of this world and return to Him:

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَمٍۢ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَـٰهُم بِٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ

And We have already sent [messengers] to nations before you, [O Muhammad]; then We seized them with poverty and hardship that perhaps they might humble themselves [to Us].

[Al An’am 6:42]

But they leave those who reject the truth and are puffed up with pride, in the benefits of this world, without testing them, so they lose themselves in these pleasures and do not question themselves, until death strikes them and they see the truth:

فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَ

So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair.

[Al An’am 6:44]

Contributed by Vincent Souleymane

Vincent Souleymane, a French imam and shariah advisor at Muslim Pro, has devoted his time to study and enrich others with the knowledge of Islamic sciences ever since he converted to the religion in 1999. During his studies at the Oussoul Eddine Institute in Saint-Denis, he became aware of the importance of devotion to Allah and decided to continue his religious studies at the daroul ouloum achrafiya of the Island La Réunion and at the IESH of Château Chinon. Since then, Vincent Souleymane devotes himself to the Almighty by teaching Islam at the Oussoul Eddine Institute, as well as being an imam at the Fontenay sous Bois Mosque.