🆕 Allah Tests Us So that West Can Grow: Reframing Hardship & Trauma with Sound Islamic Beliefs
🖊️Imam Ibn Al Qayyim (d. 751 AH رحمه الله) said [in al Fawā’id]:
• إِذَا جَرَى عَلَى الْعَبْدِ مَقْدُورٌ يَكْرَهُهُ؛ فَلَهُ فِيهِ سِتَّةُ مَشَاهِدَ:
"If a servant experiences a predestined event that he dislikes, he has six perspectives regarding it:
أَحَدُهَا: مَشْهَدُ التَّوْحِيدِ، وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الَّذِي قَدَّرَهُ وَشَاءَهُ وَخَلَقَهُ، وَمَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ كَانَ، وَمَا لَمْ يَشَأْ لَمْ يَكُنْ.
1️⃣ First: The perspective of monotheism, recognizing that Allah is the one who decreed, willed, and created it. Whatever Allah wills happens, and whatever He does not will does not happen.
الثَّانِي: مَشْهَدُ الْعَدْلِ، وَأَنَّهُ مَاضٍ فِيهِ حُكْمُهُ، عَدْلٌ فِيهِ قَضَاؤُهُ.
2️⃣ Second: The perspective of justice, recognizing that His judgment is carried out in it, and His decree is just.
الثَّالِثُ: مَشْهَدُ الرَّحْمَةِ، وَأَنَّ رَحْمَتَهُ فِي هَذَا الْمَقْدُورِ غَالِبَةٌ لِغَضَبِهِ وَانْتِقَامِهِ، وَرَحْمَتُهُ حَشْوُهُ.
3️⃣ Third: The perspective of mercy, recognizing that His mercy in this predestined event outweighs His wrath and vengeance, and His mercy permeates it.
الرَّابِعُ: مَشْهَدُ الْحِكْمَةِ، وَأَنَّ حِكْمَتَهُ سُبْحَانَهُ اقْتَضَتْ ذَلِكَ، لَمْ يُقَدِّرْهُ سُدًى وَلَا قَضَاهُ عَبَثًا.
4️⃣Fourth: The perspective of wisdom, recognizing that His wisdom, Glorified be He, necessitated this. He did not decree it in vain, nor did He judge it arbitrarily.
الْخَامِسُ: مَشْهَدُ الْحَمْدِ، وَأَنَّ لَهُ سُبْحَانَهُ الْحَمْدَ التَّامَّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ مِنْ جَمِيعِ وُجُوهِهِ.
5️⃣Fifth: The perspective of praise, recognizing that He, Glorified be He, deserves complete praise for it from all aspects.
السَّادِسُ: مَشْهَدُ الْعُبُودِيَّةِ، وَأَنَّهُ عَبْدٌ مَحْضٌ مِنْ كُلِّ وَجْهٍ، تَجْرِي عَلَيْهِ أَحْكَامُ سَيِّدِهِ وَأَقْضِيَتُهُ بِحُكْمِ كَوْنِهِ مِلْكَهُ وَعَبْدَهُ،
6️⃣ Sixth: The perspective of servitude, recognizing that he is purely a servant in every respect, subjected to the judgments and decrees of his Master due to his status as His property and servant.
فَيُصَرِّفُهُ تَحْتَ أَحْكَامِهِ الْقَدَرِيَّةِ كَمَا يُصَرِّفُهُ تَحْتَ أَحْكَامِهِ الدِّينِيَّةِ؛ فَهُوَ مَحَلٌّ لِجَرَيَانِ هَذِهِ الْأَحْكَامِ عَلَيْهِ.
He is directed under His (universal) decrees (of predestination) as he is directed under His religious commands; he is a locus for the operation of these judgments upon him."