Through These Test In Life – Maybe Allaah تعالى Wants To Give You Something Better Than What You Are Expecting!

 بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

You will - without a doubt - be afflicted with a calamity, as it is mentioned in the Qur’aan, repeatedly. And sometimes, this calamity is extended for a long period of time.

While a person is in the midst of the first calamity, he is struck with another one. Sometimes, Allaah تعالى tests a person with two calamities at the same time. A person finds himself in a dilemma. A person is afflicted with a calamity, and he prays and supplicates - supplications after supplications, and supplications after supplications, and all of a sudden, another calamity befalls him, or the same calamity intensifies and becomes more severe. This happens sometimes, this is the test from Allaah.

But after the second calamity wait for relief from Allaah, for the relief is not far after this.

See what happened with Prophet Sulaimaan عليه السلام and how he was tested.

Sulaimaan عليه السلام used to love horses, and he was put to a great test due to these horses. He went out one afternoon, and the horses of fine breeding were presented to him, these were bred for the purpose of Jihaad in Allaah’s cause. Sulaimaan عليه السلام became so absorbed in stroking and admiring them that he - unintentionally - missed out on the `Asr prayer, the time had passed, and the sun had set. Allaah تعالى mentioned this in the Qur’aan:

وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُودَ سُلَيْمَانَ ۚ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ ‎*‏ إِذْ عُرِضَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْعَشِيِّ الصَّافِنَاتُ الْجِيَادُ ‎* فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ حُبَّ الْخَيْرِ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِّي حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتْ بِالْحِجَابِ ‎*‏ رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّ ۖ فَطَفِقَ مَسْحًا بِالسُّوقِ وَالْأَعْنَاقِ

{And to Dawood (عليه السلام) We gave Sulaimaan. How excellent a slave! Verily, he was ever oft-returning in repentance (to Us)! When there were displayed before him, in the afternoon, well trained horses of the highest breed. And he said: "Alas! I preferred the love of the good (these horses) instead of remembering my Lord (in my `Asr prayer)" till the time was over, and (the sun) had hidden in the veil (of night). Then he said: "Bring them (horses) back to me." Then he began to pass his hand over their legs and their necks}
📚[Surah Saad (38): 30-33]

Contemplate on the statement of Sulaimaan عليه السلام: {And he said: "Alas! I preferred the love of the good (these horses) instead of remembering my Lord (in my `Asr prayer)"}

See how much time we spend on our phones, on social media, or playing games on play station, X-box, etc., and if we are invited to a party or wedding, and especially, if the person is a bride or the groom and the members of their families, they spend the whole day getting ready. If the wedding is at night, you find these people will not be praying the Maghrib and Ishaa prayers with the congregation (and sometimes missing the prayers completely). The females sitting in the beauty parlors for hours, waiting for their turn to get ready, thinking that if they move from their place for the prayers, they will miss out on their turn. And men in the barber shops, getting a haircut and shaving their beards while ignoring the call for prayers. And their excuse: “O we are getting ready for the wedding!” or “we are expecting guests!”

Horses were presented in front of Sulaimaan عليه السلام to prepare them for Jihaad, and he used to love the horses. But he got so absorbed that he by accident missed the `Asr prayer and the sun had set.

{…till the time was over, and (the sun) had hidden in the veil (of the night)}

When there is something that prevents or delays a person from fulfilling the obligatory duties to Allaah, then he should train his Nafs (self) to let go of those things which become an obstacle in fulfilling the duties to Allaah.

The Prophet ﷺ said: ❝You will not leave a thing for the sake of Allaah, except that Allaah will replace it for you with something better.❞
📚[Musnad Ahmad (20739, 2076, 23074) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Dha`eefah (1/62) In another narration, the wording is: ❝You will not leave a thing out of the fear of Allaah, except that Allaah will give you something better than it.❞]

Then Sulaimaan عليه السلام said: {Bring them (horses) back to me, and then he began to pass his hand over their legs and their necks}

📑[The scholars differed in the explanation of this Aayah. Some scholars like al-Haafidh al-Tabaree in his Tafseer and Imaam al-Bukhaaree preferred the opinion that Sulaimaan عليه السلام passed his hands over their legs and necks. Others like al-Haafidh Ibn Katheer, Shaikh al-Sa`dee, and Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen preferred the opinion that he slaughtered the horses by striking their legs and their necks]

It is like he is saying: “O Allaah! My love for the horses made me become preoccupied and that kept me away from offering the prayer, fulfilling the obligations, and from Your remembrance. So, I don’t want them. O Allaah! I abandon them for Your sake.”

Then what happened??!

💢💢💢

Then Allaah تعالى put Sulaimaan عليه السلام in another test:

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا سُلَيْمَانَ وَأَلْقَيْنَا عَلَىٰ كُرْسِيِّهِ جَسَدًا ثُمَّ أَنَابَ

{And, indeed We did try Sulaimaan and We placed on his throne a Jasad (a body), but he (Sulaimaan) turned to Allaah with obedience and in repentance.}
📚[Surah Saad (38): 34]

Allaah تعالى tested Sulaimaan عليه السلام with a half-deformed body of a boy, and that is the body mentioned in the Aayah, and this is the opinion which many of the Mufassireen had adopted.

The Prophet ﷺ said: ❝(The Prophet) Sulaimaan once said: “Tonight I will sleep with ninety wives, each of whom will bring forth a (would-be) cavalier who will fight in Allaah’s Cause.” On this, his companion said to him: “Say: ‘Allaah willing!’” But he did not say Allaah willing. Sulaimaan then slept with all the women, but none of them became pregnant except one woman who later delivered a half (body) boy (deformed). By Him in Whose Hand Muhammad’s soul is, if he (Sulaimaan) had said: “Allaah willing” (all his wives would have brought forth boys) and they would have fought in Allaah’s cause as cavaliers.”❞
📚[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3424, 6639, 6720) and Saheeh Muslim (1654)]

📑[In regard to the narrations which mention how the Shaitaan got hold of Sulaimaan’s عليه السلام ring and took possession of his kingdom, then this is from Israailiyyaat as mentioned by al-Haafidh Ibn Katheer, and therefore cannot be relied or used as evidence]

Sulaimaan عليه السلام waited for his ninety wives to bear him sons, but none of them conceived except for one, and she delivered a deformed child with just the body (with no hands and feet). So, the thing that Sulaimaan عليه السلام wanted did not happen and he realized that he has been put to trial by His Lord, he immediately: {turned to Allaah (with obedience and) in repentance.}

And before him, when Dawood عليه السلام was tested by Allaah,  he:

ظَنَّ دَاوُودُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًا وَأَنَابَ

{And Dawood became certain that We had tried him, and he asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing [in prostration] and turned in repentance [to Allaah].}
📚[Surah Saad (38): 24]

Both father and son, Dawoon and Sulaimaan عليهم السلام turned to Allaah in repentance when faced with trials.

So, when the calamities increase or the sorrows become severe, or the anxieties intensify, this is the time to increase in seeking Allaah’s forgiveness, as Allaah تعالى mentioned about Sulaimaan عليه السلام: {(he) turned to Allaah in repentance}.

When faced with trials and calamities, repel them with Istighfaar. No one faces a calamity and seeks Allaah’s help through obedience and Istighfaar, except that soon Allaah will send relief for him.

Then Sulaimaan عليه السلام supplicated:

قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَّا يَنبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِّن بَعْدِي ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ

{He (Sulaimaan) said: "My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower.”}
📚[Surah Saad (38): 35]

So, Allaah answered his call. Allaah تعالى said:

فَسَخَّرْنَا لَهُ الرِّيحَ تَجْرِي بِأَمْرِهِ رُخَاءً حَيْثُ أَصَابَ

{So We subjected to him the wind blowing by his command, gently, wherever he directed,}
📚[Surah Saad (38): 36]

Why did the first thing that Allaah تعالى mention was the wind?

Because Sulaimaan عليه السلام left the horses for Allaah’s sake, which could have been used as a means of transport. So, Allaah تعالى replaced these horses and compensated him with the wind which was a much better replacement. Instead of horses, Allaah تعالى provided him with the wind which would carry him to far of places, and much faster, and Allaah gave Sulaimaan عليه السلام the control over the wind, and it would carry him gently, a pleasant ride with no bumps, or turbulences, or sudden drops or ascends. The wind would carry him to whichever direction he pointed.

Allaah تعالى mentioned the speed of this wind in another place:

وَلِسُلَيْمَانَ الرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ

{And to Solomon (We subjected) the wind, its morning (stride from sunrise till mid-noon) was a month's (journey), and its afternoon (stride from the midday decline of the sun to sunset) was a month's (journey i.e., in one day he could travel two months' journey)}
📚[Surah Saba (34): 12]

The distance which would take a month for a fast horse to reach, Sulaimaan عليه السلام could reach it in half a day. From morning till afternoon, he could cover one month’s journey, and from afternoon till evening, we could return by covering another month’s journey.

As the compensation for the second trial, Allaah تعالى provided him with:

وَالشَّيَاطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّاءٍ وَغَوَّاصٍ * وَآخَرِينَ مُقَرَّنِينَ فِي الْأَصْفَادِ

{And also the Shayateen (devils) from the Jinn (including) every kind of builder and diver, And also others bound in fetters.}
📚[Surah Saad (38): 37-38]

And Shayaateen from the Jinn were under his command. Some of these Shayaateen were builders, who would build for Sulaimaan عليه السلام whatever he commanded them. And others were divers, and would dive deep into the sea and get for him pearls and other things. And as for the disobedient ones, they were shackled. And these from the favors and blessing of Allaah upon him in this life, as Allaah تعالى said:

هَٰذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ *‏ وَإِنَّ لَهُ عِندَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ

{[We said]: “This is Our gift, so grant or withhold without account.” And indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return.}
📚[Surah Saad (38): 39-40]

And in the Hereafter, he عليه السلام will be closer to Allaah in Jannah, which is the ultimate objective.

🌸 🌸 🌸

🌺So, irrespective of how big the calamity is, and how much one is suffering, and how much difficult one’s affairs have become, one should always have good thoughts about Allaah. He should have faith and trust in Allaah’s plan and be content with Allaah’s decision. For Allaah will never abandon a person when he beseeches Him and calls upon him, and when he puts his trust in Allaah, He تعالى will never betray him, and when he is content with His decision, He تعالى will enrich him, and when he fears Him, He تعالى will provide for him from sources he never could have imagined.