Calisha Bennett – Facing and Overcoming Trials and Tribulations

			The reasons behind we are tested and trialed are three. Okay, the first one is called 10. Thea.
Okay, so it
		

			means filtering, or sorting bit of a tricky word to pronounce 10, the 10 Thea filtering, it's
filtering and sorting of what is filtering and sorting the true believers from the untrue believers.
Yeah, or the true believers from the hypocritical believers or the doubtful believers. It's a way to
sort the who you are. So when a test comes you are you feel in yourself, you're going to make a
choice, I'm going to rise above this test and get closer to Allah. Or I might sink from this test
and draw away from Allah which we're actually seeing more and more amongst our Muslim communities,
people who were once then solid starting to drift away, may Allah protect us all. So reason behind a
		

			trial and tribulation coming your way. It's to filter you in and it's to question Allah tala does
question us in the front, he says, Do you think you'll be left to say we believe and you won't be
tested? And what kind of challenges do you think you're just gonna say? Yeah, oh, yeah. A lot
believe I was gonna test that belief to see is it shaky? Is it just gonna fall over? Or is it like
rock solid firmly planted with a solid foundation, okay, and the tests in themselves, of course,
they're going to help build that strength of foundation.
		

			The the tunzi of the filtering and the sorting of the truthful believers from the untrue believers,
the truthful from the liars who say they believe, but they don't truly believe it's to see if you
are going to step forward and have patience, it's to see if you are going to have acceptance is to
see if you're going to be happy with the cutter of a law.
		

			So imagine a test comes and it's not nice, it's not pleasant. It's giving you turmoil. You feel
physical pain from the test your heart, you have anxiety you wake up, it's the first thing you think
of, it's the last thing you think of before you go to bed. You don't know how you're going to get
through it practically you don't know if you can sort it out. It's out a lot of it might be out of
your control. But are you happy with it? Do you really sell hamdulillah? It's from Allah, I accept
it. I know I'm gonna be okay. We'll figure this out. This is from Allah. So you can only be happy
with a test. If you have a strong tie to understanding what Qatar means. Qatar is Divine Decree,
		

			accepting the decree of Allah subhanaw taala. We know that's one of our six pillars of Eman to
believe in the Divine Decree, that Allah subhanaw taala is the one who decides what doesn't doesn't
happen to us and happen in our lives. So
		

			you can only be happy with a test if you have that concept of a strong sound concept of
understanding. Another reason why Allah subhanaw taala sends tests is to teach or to discipline.
When a test comes your way, and and you feeling the pinch of it. Ask yourself what does Allah want
me to learn from this? Even if it's when someone has wronged you? Yeah. Sometimes we just think
they're in the wrong. They've done everything they need, they need to learn a lesson. We have
lessons to learn to even when we are the victims of
		

			a really big trial lesson. Yeah, they really like consuming what's going on in life is hard. Yeah,
take a step back and be like, exactly, in the forefront the pain. But if you look through and you
ask yourself, what is my turabian is what is Allah trying to teach me? Because everything that
happens can teach us a lesson. Sometimes we can't like, can't see you what the what the lesson is.
		

			And then you have to understand why then you have to have patience until the lesson comes because I
can guarantee them the lesson will come guarantee, but you won't be see it immediately when you
want. It's when Allah says now your heart's going to see it. And that's why we have to have patience
until we get that lesson. Yeah, patience is a very important part of it. So another reason in, in
teaching is to discipline to sometimes we're getting a little bit maybe weak or a little bit
neglectful, negligent, a bit loose, in some ways, you know, spirituality or not, amen? So Allah
sends a test to shake us up. And we all know this, but look, what happened earlier this year at
		

			Christchurch, shook the oma somewhere. wishy washy if it was a way of 10 Thea is sorted them they
were always on the fence in their Deen and they were like, No, I'm with the Muslims. Yeah, they step
forward. It's sorted people. Yeah. So is a way that Allah tala can discipline us through our tests
too and sometimes is what happens when very bad calamities happen, but he wakes up a portion of
		

			You know, of the Omar who need to wake up and I was calling them to something as well. So you will
inshallah through tarbiyah become more strong, you will learn and you will inshallah be able to not
fall into becoming depressed. Okay? When you're looking for lessons and you're looking for the
wisdom, you're looking for the growth, it'll protect you from sliding down into depression and
despair. Okay, so there have been tests in my life that have come. And you know, when I look at it,
and I'm like some of it I'm like powerless to change or impact, I just have to hold space be there
for people that I care about and the tests that are happening to them, you want to just lift you
		

			want to help seeing them in that pain is a pain and a test for you in itself. But you just have to
sometimes just wait, it was teaching me a lesson through having to witness this or experience this
or be a bystander to this.
		

			She will feed off the laughter and she gets very cheeky, she needs to be alone. Alright, so the
third one
		

			is
		

			it says here, which is
		

			purification. Okay. When we go through hardships, what are the narrations that we know that when a
believer is tested? Well, they experience any kind of pain, even the prick of a thorn. It's an
expiation for them. They lose sins, when you're in pain from your tests and you feel upset, anxious,
distressed, depressed. Allah subhanaw taala. When you feel that pain is removing your sins, as your
patient with that pain, yeah, you're not saying anything displeasing to Allah, you're not
complaining about him and his decree. You're like holding like, this is such a hard test. I don't
know what's gonna happen. I don't know how to get through it. That pain and worry you're feeling
		

			even though worry alone forgive your sin. Since when, when it's no real way really to lose from a
test. Yeah, you'll only lose from the dunya material. You lose your home, you might lose your
wealth, you might lose your job, you might lose a person in your life. You might lose a
relationship, all your stuff. But with a law, you don't lose anything. always win win. That's how
kind and generous he is. pinata Allah. Okay, so key up here, vacation from sin. Also purification of
your heart. When you go through a test or an injustice, to forgive, is a journey of purification, to
not hold resentment, and bitterness to not hold hatred is a way to purify your heart. So look at all
		

			these three reasons why Allah tests us. All good fruits come from these tests. with whatever reason
we don't know why I was tested which specific reason. But these are just some of the fruits of
tests. Instead of just like tests so hard, how do we get out of it? Let's look at tests from the,
you know, the perspective of tests are a beautiful thing and a source of great traits and
purification and strengthening was a while ago now, about 10 years ago. So I was doing a lesson I
used to teach from home, just like local friends and local community members. And we used to have
lessons and programs from my house. We just read some articles and notes and from some books. And I
		

			remember one night will I was doing a lesson teaching about kazaa. And I ran through how to teach
about decree and understand the decree of a law and, you know, like, I loved the topic, because it's
always such an uplifting topic when you learn and understand my God. And
		

			and then, you know, later that night, a situation happened
		

			with someone very close to me. And I came to find out something which was really like devastating
heartbreaking within our family. And it was just absolute crisis point. In that moment that I'm like
disbelief. Oh, my God, how are we gonna get through this? What's happened? I was like, you know, you
just did a lesson on Qatar tonight. And even Allah plan that to prepare you for this. So like losing
it wasn't an option, and losing it in that moment, losing it in the days that came as this test
unfolded wasn't an option because I had an understanding of concepts to lean on. And again, this is
the power for us as Muslims of knowledge, and seeking knowledge and being reminded of who Allah is
		

			and what life is about. Knowledge is like the key that is the survival kit to truly overcome trials
and tribulations to have knowledge of understanding this is the way to deal with this nurses the way
to cope through and get through it. Very Um, so, you know, in that time, I think, I don't know if I
if I didn't have that lesson that actual night.
		

			I was like, What are the chances of this situation coming right within, within an hour and a half,
two hours after the lesson? How, again, that is the cousin of a line. And so, but it reminds you of
how Allah looks after us. You know, like if I'd had that maybe another time when I was maybe feeling
weak, and maybe I wouldn't have coped along those best when everything is meant to happen, and when
it's best for it to happen. So, again, we just have to learn the understanding of perspective, when
the tests come our way. So how can we get through hardships and trials and tribulations? So how can
we overcome them? That's what we're trying to address and ask today. One of the key important things
		

			that we often know as Muslims is that we need to be patient. Yeah. So patience is one of the most
important keys we know and we learn we'll always learn about the merits of patience, but we struggle
to practice and implements it. Yeah, being patient. We know it's one of the best virtues wisdom to
we have to truly internalize what patients mean, and that our patients is very clearly strongly
channeled to Allah subhanaw taala patience for his sake. And again, knowing the reasons why should
you be patient, what are the benefits of being patient, and in reality, the only way through tests
is to be patient. Because they sorted themselves out. Whenever we ever had a problem, that was
		

			always the same intensity, the same level of problem, and it never ended. The problems will always
flow. Finish one problem new one comes or the problem changes. Or yesterday, you felt like the end
of the world, but the next day, you had to see me woke up, it didn't feel as bad. Okay, like, and
then it Yeah, and slowly. Like they say, Time heals all wounds over time, the tests, you either
build resilience, so you get used to it, or you get over it, or they pass. Yes. So you know how we
feel like it's doom and gloom, this test, we have to put ourselves into the reality of knowing it's
not always going to feel like this and be like this. And sometimes I'm like, toward today's like,
		

			something's going really bad today. But I remind myself, you know, what, after a good night's sleep,
usually almost always guaranteed, you feel better the next day. So the intensity and the severity,
severity of the test isn't ongoing and everlasting. Yeah. And when you remind ourselves of that,
when it hits, that gives you a bit of relief, too. Because what people tend to do is they tend to
get like a magnifying glass on this situation. And you don't have this when the sun shines through a
magnifying glass, it narrows in, and then it burns. Yeah, in the moment, that's why people lose it,
you can lose your emotional mental coping capacity and capabilities. Because you're zooming in, or
		

			when in reality, what you want to do is actually zoom out and look in the bigger picture of things.
This feels so young right now, but in the big scheme of things, it's gonna pass tomorrow, it won't
feel as bad, it's gonna go up and down. But overall, you'll always be okay. No tests is to be that
it will swallow someone and you know, destroy their lives, you know, there's always a way to find
resilience. And we know there are people who have been tested way more than our tests. And you look
like how, how, people who have no physical ability, sometimes fully paralyzed. Some people have
terminal illness, some people who lost all of their family living destitute in the street, but live
		

			with gratitude every day. We know when we look at the big picture, I compared to the tests of
others, our tests are this they're painful not to you know, you know, make them like them. They're
not so bad, but our tests are sometimes painful. But in the big picture, there are a lot worse tests
that could that could happen. So again, this perspective is very, very important. So patients being
an important key with our tests, our last panel to Allah, you mentioned patients in the Quran, in 90
places.
		

			90 which means what must be very important, must be very essential for us as Muslims to have
patience Allah to Allah says in Surah Al Baqarah verse 177 was so obedient I feel that you will blow
raw he Joaquin Albert's una he can lead enough Florida who will eco moutoku and be firm and patient
in pain or suffering and adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Be firm and patient Yeah. In
suffering pain, adversity, panic. Such other people have truth that God fearing. So when you find
out something or when something's come your way, and you're shaken by it, yeah. Those are the times
to be firm and patient. ground yourself. ground yourself. So imagine now we had an earthquake. Yeah,
		

			I live in LA. Salaam Wollongong is quaking. What do we do? What do you do? How do you stand do
		

			guys just sit laying back like that. Why haven't you guys grabbing you ground yourself up firm? I
gotta hold my balance. I don't want to get hurt. I want to help others. We're like, What do I do?
This is where we should be like, when the world is shaking and quaking our lives things are
happening. Be firm, in what in your faith and conviction and consciousness of Allah. Allah, what are
you filtering through me in this phase? What are you teaching me? What disciplines Am I going to
gain? What purification Can I get from?
		

			going straight to those? Allah? Allah also says in the Quran? Yeah, you Hello, Dina Amano, spirou,
wasabi Rue
		

			de la la la Khun to flee hone. Those who show patience and constancy and work righteousness for them
is forgiveness of sins and a great reward. So elephants, Allah also says, are you who believes seek
help with patience, patience, perseverance, and prayer, for God is with those who patiently
persevere. And sometimes we feel like oh, tests are coming. It's you know, the prophet peace be upon
him even said, you know, that in one Hadith, he said, There will come a time you're sitting on the
rooftops with one or the other competitors that there will come a time and fits on trials and
tribulations will fall on these houses like the rain mentioned that. Sometimes when you look around
		

			you, like I think this is now just doesn't end it feels relentless. It feels like everyone's going
through different tests. So you might feel like that sometimes. But the important thing is when you
sort of say, oh, there's so many tests, and so many people are just like losing it letting go of
their religion 3d says, maybe I should join them shape, one will say that, just join them. There.
Hold on week, one, week two, you know, you won't be as weak as them. So these are the thoughts the
whispers that will come. But you have to have patience, perseverance, stay home, stay fascia pray,
even you have to be alone in those tests. Yeah.
		

			The Prophet peace be upon him says whoever would be patient than a lower making patient. So patients
will breed more patience. And there is no gift that is better and more comprehensive than patients.
It's one of those attributes that we should all aspire to be someone who's known. She's so patient.
Yeah, ask our kids, they'll be like my mom's very impatient.
		

			So we want to be known and have the reputation of being someone very tolerant and patient, that the
winds like these winds that we've had here, but you don't shake your like a strong pillar, not like
a flapping piece of sheet metal. Yeah. Because what happens when you have loose sheet metal, when
the winds blow, it becomes shrapnel flying through the air, and it can cause big damage to itself
and to others. And that's what will happen if we don't be patient, you can end up flying off the
handle and you're dangerous, spiritually dangerous, physically dangerous to the community to your
family, you become very toxic person.
		

			That coming up, even Malik reported the Prophet peace be upon him passed by a woman who was weeping
beside a grave. And he said to her feel a lot and be patient. She said, Go away from me, you haven't
been afflicted like a calamity of mine. And she didn't recognize that that was the Prophet
commanding her to be patient and feel love. Then she was told that it was the profits that she went
to the house of the Prophet peace be upon him. And she didn't find any guards there. So she said
straight to the Prophet. She said I didn't recognize you. And the Prophet peace be upon him said
Verily patience is at the first strike. What does that mean? When true patience is the test comes
		

			and immediately you're solid.
		

			That's what patients that's when you know, you've found patience, that a test comes and doesn't
knock you it doesn't distress you the way it may be used to. That's when you know you found that
that sweetness, a true patience that our last one to Allah talks about.
		

			So we often think that being patient means dealing with major calamities like death or illness,
disability, loss of wealth, livelihood and homelessness. So yes, patience in those situations is
extremely important. We need to remember and realize that patience is also required for many other
areas of law. So examples when you're traveling or on a journey, right holidays have to spoil
myself. I'm going on a holiday, you know, and then when we get bad service, we're like all grumpy
and we're like, you know, we become maybe disrespectful. You want to see patients at tests, go to
Hajj and see people pushing people doing tala o in the router and the Prophet's mosque were there to
		

			pray and people are stampeding over elderly people. Yeah, it's really scary. Another way time
important to be patient is when you're frustrated or angry with someone or something. Don't let that
anger or frustration get the better of you. When you've been wronged to be patient, even though
you've been treated unjustly or something's been done to you which is wrong, when you have to study
and you're inclined to
		

			slacking off, or you want to give up and you say no, I have to be patient on this path of study,
when you're waiting, no one likes waiting when making dua, or maybe you know, when you're waiting in
peak hour traffic to just be peacefully trental Yeah, and not a road rage job, trying to do eba in
the best way. You need to be patient sometimes to pray properly, easy to just pray and rush because
you just got to get back to things to be patient means all that's going on there, but my Salah I got
to give it my my maximum attention that I can that takes patience as well. So don't just think of
patients in terms of
		

			tests come in now you have to stay strong as a Muslim. It's also for bearing things that are
happening around you. Now the important part of overcoming, aside from patients that I want to touch
on the second one is tawakkol. What is tawakkol?
		

			Trust
		

			so reliance, trust, trust. Yeah, trust, acceptance,
		

			and reliance, which we've kind of touched on all throughout anyway, throughout these, but just to
make an important point about patience. And then tawakkol going alongside it. Our last panel, Darla
says in the Quran. Miyata, what callala law he for who has to go, whoever places his trust in Allah,
Allah is enough for him. So when tests come, and then you trust a law, that is when Allah subhanaw
taala will be enough for you to figure out the way through, that becomes enough, you don't need
anything from anyone. You don't need like someone to fix it or you have to fix it. You're like, I
trust Allah with this, I will do what needs to be done to get through it. But I trust along with it
		

			that initial and immediate or gradual, however, whatever it takes submission, where your heart is
like, a lot, I submit to you again, this is what being a Muslim means like submitting your will. I
want a certain outcome, I want this problem to be fixed. But I have tawakkol in Allah, or whatever
is meant to be that's what was meant to be I leave it to a lot because he and he promises us whoever
trusts puts his trust in Allah places his trust in all Yes, what can put your trust, this is your
trust. Because usually we think I'm going to do, I'm going to take care of my life III, you put your
trust and you go Allah and leave it with you that submission and that trust when you place it with
		

			Allah, Allah will be sufficient. And we're reminded while on life, Elliot, our kallu in quantum
meaning, and put your trust in Allah, if you are believers, indeed, if see this except this
exception, if you are believers, indeed,
		

			it's a key to be true believers that we put our trust in Allah subhanaw taala. In in putting our
trust in a light, it doesn't mean give up your effort. You know, some people would just let go
saying, Do we just like let go and we just trust the law and we accept his decree? Or do we still
make effort. So the scholars have said that tawakkol in reality doesn't deny actually working and
striving for provision for Allah Almighty has decreed that we should work and that it's from his
ways that he gives people when they strive, in fact, a lot of mighty ordered us to both depend on
him, and to work to take the necessary steps needed to achieve our goals. And so the act of striving
		

			for our sustenance is an act of physical worship, while
		

			trusting and depending upon Allah, is faith in him. So your trust and dependence on Allah is your
Eman. When you work towards, you know, your livelihood or fixing your trials and tribulations or
working your way through that becomes worship.
		

			Okay, so your Eman is that trust that internal relationship with Allah and you're actively making
effort is worshiping Him. So when you're trying to sort things out, you're being the better person,
you're being committed to, you know, to your goals, or trying to fix a situation or correct or
wrong, this is worship, the effort that you're making. So again, it's all win win. Yeah, there's no
way to lose out.
		

			So Allah, Allah says, instead of relying on Kabuto, seek permission, she's a corner.
		

			Down she's pulling. Now I'm just seeing her at the edge of the chair.
		

			And she's got a thongs on the runway.
		

			So Allah says, So seek permission from Allah and worship Him alone.
		

			So striving to resolve old matters in our life
		

			is is very important. So we do have the element of striving
		

			What does TOEIC will involve?
		

			So tawakkol involves
		

			that while you plan, only a law can determine the outcome, and the outcome is the best for the
person in that given moment.
		

			So when we're making efforts, again, we're not even supposed to attach yourself to a set outcome. So
you're like, if I study hard, I'm gonna get a good job for the last month. And then you study hard,
and you come find a job, the outcome, it's up to a lot in years to then work in that industry and
start your studies all over again, the outcome is up to Allah, what happens is when we attach to our
desired outcome, is we then experience unnecessary grief from it. And it's almost self induced,
because we're like, I want my outcome, the outcome is with a loss, so you have to have trust in Him.
So like kids, we put in all this effort, and it's a sacrifice, then they reach the age of freewill.
		

			And they say, I choose this. I don't want to do that. But you're like, No, no, no, no, I did all
this ingredients, the outcome is perfectly baked cake. And then the child is like, I'm not gonna be
that perfect. But how do you cope with that? You have to accept that the outcome is up to Allah as
we're seeing, like the example of profit nor his son rejected, he's 950 years of effort message. So
we have to again is preparing ourselves to let go of that desired outcome that we want a loved one.
So how do we trust his decision, his decree and accept it? So when you trust in Allah,
		

			you, you realize that it involves you to take care of yourself. So sometimes people think that
trusting and allow me that I need to say, Okay, yeah, Allah will look after me, my health, whatever
is written, that's how long I live, and then they let go of themselves are important that we must
have our law, we have to look after ourselves. Look after our, yeah, physical health, mental health,
emotional well being. Yeah, it's very, very important not to let those things become unhealthy. And
we have, you know, we have so much psychology in Islam that can remedy and protect and help us you
know, with a lot of the calamities in my chat group that I've got with sisters at the moment is a
		

			massive discussion about anxiety, a lot of sisters suffer and struggle from anxiety, you know, I had
never in my life experienced anxiety, and then hit one point, and I had it for about a year. And I
was just like, what is this feeling? And it's almost like, I think you have anxiety and anxiety, how
we're going to pump understanding why and using Islamic and Quranic remedies, as well as my own
checking in with myself what's going on what is in my conscious, subconscious and unconscious mind,
that is stirring up some of these feelings that I was experiencing. So it's very important
responsibility that we have. Okay, I'll just touch on levels of tawakkol. And then we'll close with
		

			the three outcomes of when we're tested with family. So levels of tawakkol I thought this was really
good, because we often like, like, I don't know, do I have TOEIC? Or not short? tawakkol? I think I
do or what's that? What are the levels that I might be at? So if we had to describe the first level
of tawakkol, it could be tauheed, that it is the basis for tawakkol we believe that Allah is the
best sustainer he's the all knowing that all capable, and he is sufficient to rely on all things
could happen or occur only with his will and instruction. So that basic foundation, Allah is the one
who takes care. He's the old capable to take care of the decree. The second level is to believe that
		

			every matter has a cause or a means. So this is what we learn here.
		

			Some people give up utilizing these means due to the ignorance and they think that this is reliance
on a lot of mighty they wait for a lot to send down their provisions and food and take care of their
concerns and affairs while they do nothing. We should not be complacent or inactive. We should do
everything that's available for us to reach our goals. We have to believe in a law but with that we
have to do something by ourselves as well for living our lives. The third level is to remain firm in
relying on Allah alone. Indeed a person's reliance on Allah can't be fulfilled until one relies on
him alone.
		

			So we're like I do I have trust in Allah do depend on him. But then you're like, I need to talk to
someone can you help me? Like I need you feel like you need to continuously seek outside help or
support. The fourth level is to depend on the law wholeheartedly. And then feel tranquility when
doing so. To the extent that one does not feel confused about their provision. You just feel calm
your dependence and avala dependence on a law you don't have any grief or strife or an ongoing
anxiety from it.
		

			The highest level of tawakkol towards which we should all seek is to realize that the element of
reliance on Allah is to trust all matters to him voluntarily without being forced to do so. So will
you trust the law without feeling forced, you know, when a test comes in here, like have to trust in
Allah, I have to you're forcing it because it's not coming naturally. So the highest level of
tawakkul is it comes and like you're not even knocked again by the wind doesn't even sway you. You
just absorb it. You just absorb straight to trust in Allah. It's from a line that alone Allah, He
Rajon. That's, that's the goal of tawakkol. And you might be blessed some time in your life to meet
		

			people like that, when I've witnessed it, or I've heard stories of it, you just like in or you're
like, oh my goodness, how like, how and that's why these women have strong these men and women
strong trust and reliance and dependency on alesmith Oh, that that's goals, you know, going to close
inshallah three outcomes.
		

			Three outcomes that come from trusting in Allah. So when we're tested, with either major calamities
or other challenging areas of our daily lives, there's three outcomes that we get to choose from.
Number one, we have stagnancy, you're the same, you're not any better than you were before the test.
Most people, the tests just flow in and out, it just knocks them they blow wherever it flows.
		

			And they're kind of just caught up in number two, fail failure, fail the tests. That means you're in
a worse state than before the test. So some people fall into that some of us will fall into that,
after a test or during it, you kind of lose that grip on your Eman. And the third one is success,
that's when you're in a better state and you're closer to our last one to Allah than ever. And
that's very few achieved that with a closer to a lot after the test. From tests. We have a stagnancy
failure or success. And that's what we have to choose. And only we can really gauge. And that's
important for us to know keep in mind that after a test, we end up stronger because well, the tests
		

			will continue to flow in life guaranteed. But what we want to do is for them to each each test is a
stepping stone to a higher level of Eman and a stronger relationship with Allah subhanaw taala
because that's why he sent them yeah, every test is a calling back to him. A reminder that he's the
controller, a reminder that he's the one who decrees he's the one who gives them new withholds. He's
the one who gives life and takes like, he's the one who provides Yeah, he's the source of all
goodness.