ICNA-MAS Convention
Mohammad Elshinawy – No Exceptions You will be Tested!
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AI: Transcript ©
Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim in the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the grantor of every mercy, all praise and glory belongs to Allah, Lord of the Worlds indeed Allah has deserving of the best of thanks. And the most beautiful phrases, those that we see and far above and beyond anything we can say about him. And we testify that no one is worthy of our worship, our dedication, our devotion, our lives, our love, our obedience, but Allah and Allah alone, the true supreme king without any partners, and we bear witness the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu, alayhi, WA Earley who are selling me the peace and blessings and salutations of Allah be upon him, that he was certainly his prophet and
his servant and His Messenger, whom Allah has sent as a mercy to the worlds.
So the subject they wanted me to share a few thoughts about was, you will be tested no exceptions.
And although some people overuse that line of life just to test, just be patient, to promote apathy to promote indifference, to promote inaction, just accept what is going on except your condition. Even though some people do use and abuse this concept, we still cannot let that undermine that reality in our lives. Because that would mean we are forgetting the wisdom for which Allah created us. That would mean we are suffering from an amnesia of purpose. Yes, we are to try our best. Yes, we must seek medicine. Yes, we must mobilize for good causes. But none of that can replace our belief that Allah created us, above and before all to test us. And parts of the test is dealing with
challenges dealing with dead ends, dealing with a life that was created not as a utopia, life that was created to disappoint you. Not every medicine will lead to a cure. Every single reunion will be followed up with a separation, every joy is preceded by is preceded or followed up by moments of sadness, every power crumbles, every richness gets transformed into poverty, that is just the nature of the life that you live in. And so when a person commits that to himself, he realizes this life is not made to serve Me. In the sense, my wants, my passions, my appetites, my ambitions. Here, this life is made to drive me to Allah, to drive me to the source of pleasure, the source of peace, the
source of security, the source of happiness.
And Allah azza wa jal, he asks this question many times in the Quran, and he says to you, * Et Al Insana, Hainault, Mina Derrida, Mia Cohen, che MF Cora,
has there come a time over the human being when he was something that was never mentioned? It didn't exist, nor was an idea of his parents or a dream of his grandparents. In Kalapana, insane, I mean, no prophetic Jamshedji. Inevitably, for Jana who sent me an basura, we created the human being from this mixed fluid, and we gave him the faculties of hearing and sight why, so that we may test him.
And he says, subhanho wa taala, in Jalna, mallala of the Xena tundla, her Lena Bella, whom are you whom I sent, we made whatever is on the earth, anything and everything as an adornment, a decoration for meaning it's plastic. It's a trial use it's disposable, as an adornment for it, to test them who will be the best of them in deeds. And so what I wish to do is just summarize my talk in two main points, the first of them, before we talk about difficulties and those kinds of trials and tests, we want to widen our conceptualization of tests, and realize that yes, you will be tested. And even if you are not being tested, then you're still being tested. Right? Even when you don't realize you're
being tested. That's still part of the tests. Because so long as you're on this earth has been decorated for you. You're still in the examination room, you know, the exam, when you feel like you're in an exam. When you're pressed for time. By the time you finish the first challenge the first question, you're not even circling one of those four answers yet in the multiple choice, your eyes already running to the next one. So the next challenge starts before the first one is over. That is the examination room of this world.
So even when you're not being tested, know that you're being tested and that
So Allah to conceptualize them can be divided into two categories. They are the challenges the tests that Allah destines subhanho, wa taala. And these could be sweet. These could be sour, meaning these could be to your tastes to your liking. And these could be quite bitter and painful. As for those that are sweet, then the response the correct answer to that test is what
gratitude thinks. And when it is sour, the correct response to that answer is what
that question is what is patience. So Allah will Deston you with good and with evil, meaning things you perceive as good and evil things you like and don't like when a blue can be shared with evil Heidi Pfitzner Allah says, We will test you with evil and good, all of us just the trial. Those are the things that Allah test sweet and sour, gratitude and patience. The second type of tests are that matters that Allah legislates his rules.
So there are certain facts he sends down for you knowledge, you have to believe in it. And you have to fight off the doubts that challenge it. That's your that's a test. And then there's the knowledge Allah sends down about instructions about actions. So the test of knowledge and actions, the test of actions that must govern your behavior, and you have to fight off not the doubts now not the confusions regarding the facts, but now you got to fight off the desires that impede you from acting on what you know is right. That these are the things that Allah subhanho wa Taala distance. So why didn't that conceptualization of yours every event is a test. Every time a woman walks by, that's a
test. Every time money comes my way to test. Every time money slips out from under me, that's a test all of it, whether destined, whether legislated whether sweet and sour, whether it's knowledge or its actions, that's your entire life. Of course, a person can be thinking, Man, this is really tough. This is like traumatic, every single second, I gotta be vigilant, and I gotta be alert and I got to watch myself. That's my second subject. The main subject because they did want me to speak to like, speak about life is strife and the challenges, the dilemmas that we go through in our lives, the difficulties, the hardships, even though this may at face value appear overwhelming.
The second tip is the shortcut to passing all of these tests, the super shortcut, and that is you developing a connection with Allah.
You know, there's many ideas about this and you know them, but just hear these two ayat. And let me explain to you the difference between those who really internalize them and those who didn't. Allah azza wa jal says, What's up Allah, wa Allah.
And Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah metalcon And be mindful of Allah be conscious of Allah, at heart and in your behavior, be conscious of Allah and know that Allah is with those that are conscious of him.
So to the degree of your consciousness of Allah,
is the degree of Allah being with you, aiding you?
The next is says, Allah is Allah Who be caffeine Abijah even though there are dozens of these at once again, is Allah not enough for his slave?
So meanings, of course, he is the to the degree that you are his slave, to the degree that you are his servant, to the degree of your servitude to Allah, Allah who will be enough for you will suffice you proportionately.
And so that begs the question, we all have hardships in our life, we all have problems. If Allah is enough for His servants, Allah is with those that are conscious of him. Weren't there prophets that got killed?
Yes or no?
They carry Alehissalaam Yeah, Alehissalaam weren't there prophets that were trapped in prison.
Yusuf Ali Salam, our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in the renewable toilet. So what happened to the IRS then what is how are we supposed to understand them? The reality which I want everyone to go home with, that Allah being enough for you, Allah being with you, in your problems, in your challenges in your tests, in reality, above and before all, this is an internal matter. This is a matter of the heart, meaning Allah will keep you firm. It means Allah will keep you steadfast, he will give you inner peace, irrespective of the circumstances. That's why the Prophets had the toughest tests, but they had the happiest lives. That's how you understand it. And those that are
disconnected from Allah goes to the complete opposite example.
They are pricked by a thorn and they are more distressed than someone that's struck by a sword. Why is it like that? Why are the faithless so desperate?
Why is it that someone gets pricked by a thorn and he loses his lid? And this is a bad day and bad luck? And oh my goodness, why does someone lose a bit of money? Forget a thorn and they're ready to commit suicide? Why does a person lose a bit of health? And they're asking the chef permission to pull the plug on him because that's what he wants. That's his requests. Allah being enough for you is a matter that is internal matter that you enjoy when you are close to Allah only. And it's not just the prophets. Can you imagine Oh, Mr. Lehmann of the Allahu anha. And this hadith is as authentic, arguably as authentic as the Quran, it is in Bukhari and Muslim is the highest caliber
authenticity. This woman does not have a miscarriage. She has the baby sees the baby builds that relationship with the baby, the day the baby dies, she's able to bury him and hide that from her husband till she gives him dinner. And he sleeps with her and she tells him Listen, she doesn't she's not even firm. She's keeping others firm. She's telling him Listen, I have a question.
If somebody were to lend somebody something,
and then ask for it back, does the second party have the right to keep it to withhold it? He said never that's not right. She said then anticipate the reward for your baby. Allah has called backwards he lent you
How does somebody pull that off and 24 hours How does a mother do that?
You know, Abdullah and Mr. Woodall the ALLAH and he said I would rather eat a burning coal that burns wood it burns and spares what it spares mean I don't care if it does every all the damage to me then say about something Allah had happened I wish it didn't happen or something that Allah prevented from happening I wish it would have taken place. Abdullah and Mr. Wood continues to say in another narration, you know, a person makes a decision. He explains why he's a person makes a decision of business or otherwise I'm gonna get into this investment I'm gonna marry this person.
And then Allah azza wa jal says to the angels gets in the way between my slave and this person, because if I facilitated for him, if I let him have it,
it will admit him into the fire. He'll fall apart, he'll unravel he'll forget to me.
And so he wakes up in the morning having been now blockaded from his wishes, swearing he got struck by the evil eye swearing bad luck and it is nothing much Ruth says but the bounty of Allah over him.
In you know, Abdullah had not best a third companion. He says, When my father the uncle of the Prophet SAW Selim, best when my father died, nothing soothe me.
Like the statement of a Bedouin man who came to me and said, Well, hey, you don't mean Allah, Bessie educate about Idaho. Walla who Hi, you don't mean kalila Betsy,
better than your father, for you, is your reward for him the reward for putting up with the loss of your father. And Allah is better for your father than you are.
That's beautiful, and we all know it and we believe it as Muslims that Allah chooses what's better for the believer, but who can lock his hearts on this you can't do it on your own. This is a gift from Allah for those that are conscious of him. For those that live in servitude to him, you know I'm running the Hussein are the Allahu Allah Anhu. A fourth companion in hudgell says it's been confirmed that I'm running the Hussein spent the last 30 years of his life in bed, not able to stand or even sit up, you know, that does to a person, physically of the sores psychologically of depression. He says they even had to cut a hole in his bed under him, meaning to relieve himself.
And this is a noble companion.
This is the same companion who narrated the Hadith understandably, when the message is all Salam said pray standing if you can't and sitting and if you can't get on your side, and I'm wrong as the one that narrated it, it applies to him. And whoever is like him matar riff and Allah Allah to great scholars of the early Muslims. They said we entered when we saw when we saw Imran Hussain, may Allah be pleased with him. We began to cry and he told us why are you crying? They said like we feel bad for you like long time then
we feel bad for your condition. He said I will tell you something, but don't disclose it to anyone so long as I'm alive.
The angels come to me and they greet me and they reassure me and I could hear their greetings.
And so I knew because so much good came out of my distress that this was in fact good for me. It made me realize that it locked me on that. And so whatever is dear to him is dear to me.
You can't fake these things, right?
I leave you with the very last one or two of Mr. Badal, the Allahu Taala and who before I conclude,
or witnesses obeyed Radi Allahu Han was the son of his Aveda, right, the defender of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
And his aunt was Aisha and he used to recite the Quran every four days. And he fasted the last 24 years of his life, and he narrated the Hadith to the world. The Deen received we received it through majorly our large part what was our liveness debate on the Allahu Anhu when he travelled to Damascus, gangrene began eating and spreading in his body, and they had to cut off one of his limbs.
And so they gave him some intoxicant, so he wouldn't feel the pain.
And he said, I will never seek aid.
In what Allah destiny is on me, using what Allah forbid for me, the Prophet sallallahu sallam said wine is not medicine. He said, Just cut.
So they brought the saw and they put it on his left knee and they cut, the narrator says and he said nothing but has has like
that was it. He just kept saying that and the Khalifa I really do not know Malik said Mao or aid to us. But I mean, how the CHE I've never seen someone with the endurance of this old man.
His son Hashem ignore Ottawa says after my father came out of that ordeal, before he heads back home,
a man came to him giving him condolences. His leg has just been cut off, they put it in a basin to bury it. And he says to his leg, you know, you will know that I never used you to walk to the disobedience of Allah. Look, what a mindset. And then this man comes to give them condolences in that moment.
And he says to him, Listen, if you're coming to feel sorry for me, I'm already awaiting the reward for this from Allah. mean, don't mess with my head, leave me alone. Don't feel bad for me. I don't feel bad.
Say something good or keep silent. He said, I'm not coming about your leg. I'm coming about your son 100.
He said, What about him? He said he fell into the stable, your stable at home, or where your horses were. And the story of the horse is trampled on him and they killed him.
And he said, Oh Allah, you've given me four limbs, and only taken away one. And you've given me seven children or nine children. And you've only taken away one. You know that, that the day you have problems, you have so many more days when things were going your way. And at the fact that we only remember the day of our problems is a skewed perspective, that means that the heart was polluted. It's not the reality. who's able to fix that for you though he fixed it for us zubaid was able to get him to look with that kind of perspective. It was his commitment to Allah, the nearness of his heart to Allah. That is the only thing that can make you unbreakable. That is the only thing
that can make you uncorruptible
and so he returned home to Medina, one of the greatest scholars, Muhammad vindman, Kedah, Rahim Allah, he asked him, How was your trip? He recited the verse where Musa alayhis salam said LaPadula Tina FISA Farina had an Asaba. And that was it. He just said, we have certainly seen much exhaustion in his journey of ours. That's it.
And so after seeing all of that, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he told us Mejuri de la hooby Hiren Usili Berman, who I will use all the men who in another narration. So be patient and seek your patients through Allah. And know that when Allah Who wishes well for a person, he afflicts him, and he allows others meaning he gives people access to you, people are going to betray you disappoint you get the upper hand at times on you, or something beyond people and a natural occurrence, as they call it nowadays, right? These things will continue to happen whenever Allah loves the person. You know why? Because the person is either going to have his levels raised because
of this.
Or he will have his sins forgiven because of this. And those are both good.
A question could be posed and many times it's posed, what about the people that have like traumatic experiences in their lives? And they don't handle their tests and they lose faith? They stop practicing. They regress considerably.
How is that good for them? We say that
This person that fell back, he was not there to begin with. It was an illusion that he was at that level of commitment. Understood. And so this difficulty he had in his life, this calamity, this hardship he went through.
It peeled off the facade, so he won't be tricking himself. He won't be tricking people. It brought him to where he really is. That's why he couldn't handle it. Because think about it, why would you progress in reality towards Allah, and then Allah throws rocks your way to stumble you, Allah throws rocks your way that you can handle. So you pick them up and you like you build your glory with them. That's what Allah does. You know, life's a rocky road, but if you stay with Allah, He will not throw you off the road, and so on. Someone is perceived as having fallen off the road. That means that degree that he felt was not really there to begin with.
And that's why the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, You tell him more, or Allah Kadri Dini, a person is tested to the degree of his religion, not more than he can handle. And so perhaps the amount that he couldn't handle, it was because it wasn't for the sake of Allah, or something to that effect. And so Allah removed with the difficulty wasn't what wasn't really for his sake. So they remained who he really was, even if it was little, but for the sake of Allah, and in that case, it's still better for you when Allah wishes well for you, he does what he was what is better for you.
And we end by saying, now that you understand this, take it home, show this loving God who does that for you for your own good, show him toughness from you show him Oh Allah, I trust you and why you're doing this to me.
I'm going to show you that I will endure because part of it is not just perspective, it's willpower. And the poet he says it's literally Cooley mostly but in waterjet lady Wollombi unelma aviral Mukalla d
be patient with every difficulty and show toughness and know that a person does not live forever. I just hold on show Allah goodness from yourself. And it's not going to be forever. Either your problems going to end or you're going to end and you're going to leave your problem behind that's gonna be it
was Bill sobre el Cyramza in na no Boonton gooble Yo Ma to Keisha fulfill hottie and show the patience of the nobles like the Sahaba in the tub your own because these are just transient temporary pinches that bite you today and let go tomorrow, where either the Carrollton was mercy button one Musa who first called Musa Baca been OBE Mohammadi, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and if you want to think of a real problem, and the affliction that caused Think of how hard you were afflicted, by losing the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, because if our heads are in the right place, imagine, imagine what it's like if he would have just been here today, solving all
of our problems for us. That was the greatest calamity ever. And so the worst is over. If you keep that in mind, the hardest hardship is beyond us. It's in the rearview mirror. As the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, men will see baby mostly but in failure, the court will see better who will be fair enough of them will Messiah whomever is stricken with a calamity, then lets him remember his calamity regarding me regarding my mortality, the fact that I will die the fact that I died for that is the greatest of calamities.
May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us of those that see the highest he sends our way and show endurance in the difficulties that he destined for our own good. May Allah azza wa jal grant us life so long as life is good for us and put us to death whenever he knows that death is better for us, teach us that which will benefit us benefit us with that which has taught us bring our hearts together, bring the Muslims together and raise the flag of la ilaha illa Allah for the betterment of the human humanity Allahumma Amin just like Aloha salaam aleikum