Hardship: A Blessing In Disguise?

[Bint Al Sayed]

When calamity hits, what do you do?

Do you turn to the Qur'an after having forsaken it? or perhaps you approach sin after abstaining from it(for a while,anyway).

But more importantly, do you think that Allah puts us in difficulties in a means of drawing nearer to him and is it a blessing in disguise?

What do you all think. Share your thoughts.

[Bint Al Sayed]

Personally I think Allah makes us experience hardship in order to help us find ourselves and draw nearer to him.

Usually after someone comes out of a dilema, they usually come out a stronger better person; in most cases I believe.

[Hot hot]

I have usually faced calamities and a momin told me that when ever you feel said just look at the sky with a smiling face and say shukran Allah and have faith in Allah

Inshallah soon there will be a day you will be eager to say shukran Allah out of your happiness

[diracdeltafunc]

'Every trouble and hardship just increased us in our belief, in our treading on the right path, in submission to divine command, and in endurance of the pain of wounds'' - Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (as)

[Sapphire]

Whenever I face hardships, then I perform "Sajda"(prostrate) before Allah(SWT) and say a prayer by IMAM SAJJAD(A.S), then I feel a sense of fulfillment. I ask Allah(SWT) for guidance at that time.

[ZephyrWind]

I agree that hardships are intended to bring us closer to God. That which does not kill us makes us stronger. Often, in the midsts of the trials, people fail to see the benefit. We may not always understand God's ultimate purpose, but we must remember that he does have one and everything God does is good. When these trials come, we must remember to praise God and ask what he wants us to learn. If we find ourselves facing the same or similar trial, we haven't yet learned what God wants us to learn. One of the most difficult things to do in the midst of the trial is to accept what God has ordained for you to go through, and finding a place of complete peace and joy through the pain.

I told a friend recently that when I am going through a difficult time, the absolute best thing in the world is to be given a reminder of perseverance through hardship. Friends often hurt when we hurt, but more than any empathy, I want an encouraging reminder.

[Pascal]

Hello Bint Al Sayed, your post didn't specify Muslims and this is a topic of particular interest to me so i hope you don't think it rude for me to join the discussion.

I partially agree with you there! Allow me to elaborate...

My particular academic interest leads me to leading a lot about neurology, psychology and pharmacology. I find depression particularly interesting. Sometimes, it just inexplicably hits someone unexpectedly. If you have been unfortunate enough to suffer from it you or see someone else go through it, it does not appear to be a picnic at all. Everything just slides downhill into one black hole for these people. They enter a dark tunnel. Some people go through it for a period and come out the other end into the light. They get well, they don't only get well, a lot of these people get better, not just medically but as human beings. Sometimes less than optimal thought patterns, lifestyles or ways of viewing the world can bring about things like this. These people come out better, perhaps they realise the value of family or friends, perhaps they view the world in a very new light. Part of them was forged in the foundry of suffering.

These are the people that make it out the other end though. This is not everyone. Plenty of people enter that tunnel and never leave. A fair few people enter the tunnel and fall into a dark pit of despair. These people get worse. Everything just compounds upon itself. It gets so bleak and black for these people they decided to do something very drastic, they literally can not take wallowing in this pit of despair anymore, it exceeds their capacity. Despite our best drugs (this is more my area) and therapy, these people get worse. A fair few of these people decide to take their tragically take their own lives. Thankfully, this has not happened to anyone close to me but i have seen it in other people. It is obviously not great.

I think this is a wonderful (albeit dark) illustration of suffering. As Nietzsche said, "What does not kill me makes me stronger". All too often, we neglect what can actually kill, harm or totally destroy a person. There are crime victims, war victims, natural disaster victims that come out the other end and get stronger. Others get worse, much worse. I think it would be difficult to argue every rape victim or child victim of a landmine or bomb is better off. It would be extremely difficult and almost inhumane to argue that every rape or case of childhood leukaemia is a blessing in disguise to borrow your phrase. Same with the holocaust or Hitler, blessings in disguise? You be the judge. All the cases of famine, disease, injustice, etc. These are the things that keep me up at night.

So, i partially agree with you, suffering can make a person better but sometimes it can cause immeasurable suffering and totally destroy a human being. It is times like this i have a grimace and ask "Why?".

[Ruq]

It is my experience that hardship can bring you closer to God as you seek harder for some understanding of whats happening and why and to feel the comfort of hope. But i also witness that that doesnt seem to be everyones experience and indeed, i cant say that every pain ive felt has always drawn me closer to God, and i see that the confusion it can bring can result in a person wanting to distance themself from religious ideaologies in particular and as notions of God so often come through organised religion, rejection of a religion can lead some people to reject any notion of God completely a throwing thd baby out with the bath water as it were.

I agree that suffering is a very powerful tool for learning, but our 'instinct' to avoid pain can make that process crazily complicated, as we invent twisted ways to avoid suffering that ultimately brings us do much more. For some ppl the avoidance if suffering gives them hell on earth.

[shiaaliibrahim]

I do not believe that Allah creates hardships for us, I believe that he withholds his protection to let them happen so that we may know ourselves better. Through hardship we learn how strong or weak our faith is and how pious we are or are not. True strength and piety can develop once we know what to correct. I have been going through an extremely difficult time in the past year and this is what I have learnt for myself. Allah (SWT) is Most Merciful, Most Generous and Most Kind.

We are all truly blessed to be able to worship the Most High Lord.

[Bint Al Sayed]

Hello Bint Al Sayed, your post didn't specify Muslims and this is a topic of particular interest to me so i hope you don't think it rude for me to join the discussion.

I partially agree with you there! Allow me to elaborate...

My particular academic interest leads me to leading a lot about neurology, psychology and pharmacology. I find depression particularly interesting. Sometimes, it just inexplicably hits someone unexpectedly. If you have been unfortunate enough to suffer from it you or see someone else go through it, it does not appear to be a picnic at all. Everything just slides downhill into one black hole for these people. They enter a dark tunnel. Some people go through it for a period and come out the other end into the light. They get well, they don't only get well, a lot of these people get better, not just medically but as human beings. Sometimes less than optimal thought patterns, lifestyles or ways of viewing the world can bring about things like this. These people come out better, perhaps they realise the value of family or friends, perhaps they view the world in a very new light. Part of them was forged in the foundry of suffering.

These are the people that make it out the other end though. This is not everyone. Plenty of people enter that tunnel and never leave. A fair few people enter the tunnel and fall into a dark pit of despair. These people get worse. Everything just compounds upon itself. It gets so bleak and black for these people they decided to do something very drastic, they literally can not take wallowing in this pit of despair anymore, it exceeds their capacity. Despite our best drugs (this is more my area) and therapy, these people get worse. A fair few of these people decide to take their tragically take their own lives. Thankfully, this has not happened to anyone close to me but i have seen it in other people. It is obviously not great.

I think this is a wonderful (albeit dark) illustration of suffering. As Nietzsche said, "What does not kill me makes me stronger". All too often, we neglect what can actually kill, harm or totally destroy a person. There are crime victims, war victims, natural disaster victims that come out the other end and get stronger. Others get worse, much worse. I think it would be difficult to argue every rape victim or child victim of a landmine or bomb is better off. It would be extremely difficult and almost inhumane to argue that every rape or case of childhood leukaemia is a blessing in disguise to borrow your phrase. Same with the holocaust or Hitler, blessings in disguise? You be the judge. All the cases of famine, disease, injustice, etc. These are the things that keep me up at night.

So, i partially agree with you, suffering can make a person better but sometimes it can cause immeasurable suffering and totally destroy a human being. It is times like this i have a grimace and ask "Why?".

Hello,

I only just saw your reply now(as I wasn't following the topic and hence had not recieved any notifications concerning this thread),

Thank-you for your contribution and I couldn't agree more with the conclusion you have drawn.

Such absurdities(like rape etc) do cause me to question Why?, but at the end of day God has a reason for everything, and he is Most Just, Most High. However,you may agree that even in these extreme circumstances, people can draw closer to God, and even speak out and increase awareness upon these issues, that may have been neglegted in the community or society. But that is a personal choice, and that is why Allah bestowed on mankind the abilibty of free will; they have the choice of turning to God, or denying his very existance.

[inalotofpain]

I haven been in turmoil for a long time. And nothing you guys are saying makes any sense. It makes sense in books, comic books, children's fairy tales, etc.

But in reality all protracted calamity does is make someone hate his/her life and there are many instances where those calamaties lead us to suicide and other horrible physical diseases. And dont forget the societial implications of seeing someone in calamity and not doing anything about it!.

My father went through 5 amputations before he died, been sick for 20 years, became abusive because of it, which made me disdain him, and then became the father i wanted him to be, kind gentle. My financial and career has been in turmoil for a long time as well.

I dont know what to think, except that i am tiered of it all. And if god is as kind as you say he is. Then let him really show it! because i am sick and tiered of hearing about it in here, or in books about people who died ages ago!