The Seventeen Benefits of Tribulation
The First Benefit
Is that you realize the power of Lordship over you – you realize Allah (subhana wa t’ala) is Rabb (Lord) and you are marbu (slave). When tribulations come over you “La Hawla wa Quwwatta [illa billah]…” I can control certain things in [my] environment – Allah (subhana wa t’ala) has given me that but He can take that away. People see the reality – illusion – I am free, I can do whatever I want. Delusion. When the calamity comes -suddenly that delusion is taken away.
There was a Republican Head of Election Committee who destroyed Dukakis who ran for Democratic Party. Wrote a confessional before he died young handsome wealthy – Machiavellian politician who basically destroyed people’s l[lives]. Based his life on Machiavellian’s “The Prince”. At 39, he got a tumor and wanted to ask forgiveness from all the people he destroyed. That is what it takes for some people to learn that lesson. Learning that Allah (subhana wa t’ala) is Lord.
* The Second Benefit
You realize your abject servanthood and your complete state of resignation and brokenness in front of Allah (subhana wa t’ala). Those who went into infliction, they say “surely to God we belong, and to Him we return” (from Qur’an). If I take something, I take it and I owned it and I throw it out – I can do that – property means the one who owns it does what he wills with it. Dunya (the world or this life) is not our property so we cannot do everything we want with it. God can do whatever He wants with it. I burn a book – [you say: I] can’t do that – maybe I shouldn’t but I can and you can’t stop me. [You ask:] Why did you burn the book? – [because] there [are] mistakes in it. You cannot make a judgement on a thing unless you know the entirety of that thing. A principle in logic. A judge has to know all the facts. If you prejudge – it is called prejudice. We cannot prejudge Allah (subhana wa t’ala)!!!
I was talking to a physician in the car and they were talking to another anatomy professor and they do not really understand why they urinate. I responded by telling him that Imam al Ghazzali was asked where is God and he responded by a poem that says you do not even know how you drink water….
Arrogant people are often completely oblivious to their own arrogance. To see themselves as better is a delusion itself because they do not know. Maybe they are but they do not know. He has hidden his Awliya (close friends [of Allah]) amongst his servants. The frightening thing might be that they are hidden amongst the non-Muslims. Because Imam Al Qurtubi said Sayyidina Umar was beloved to God when he was prostrating to idols. What he said was “you now know the truth and no excuse for any ignorance”. We believe people with no [prophetic] message will be forgiven.
* The Third Benefit
Sincerity to Allah (subhana wa t’ala). No place of return – in defense – except to Him. If you realize you have no other place of refuge except to Him. One of the Ulema (scholars) said, “A moment of ikhlas (sincerity) in this world is enough to save a person.” There is no source to remove that calamity except Allah (subhana wa t’ala). When they get on a boat and turbulence and they call on Allah (subhana wa t’ala) they call on Allah (subhana wa t’ala) sincerely. How many times has a calamity afflicted you and it has led you to that state.
* The Fourth Benefit
Returns to Allah (subhana wa t’ala) and suddenly is fervent with desire for his Lord.
* The Fifth Benefit
It leads to humble state before God and prayers. Dentist operation analogy. Dunya (this life or world) is [like] getting [a] tooth pulled out. If you [compare] it to infinity, it is canceled out, so stop complaining. They go into a state of complete panic and then when they come back they are good. You came from God and you are going back to God. A moment where you are in a complete panic.
The Moroccans says “relax the mind and learn to swim”! We are all drowning out there. If you would just relax – you wouldn’t drown. The panic wouldn’t cause you to drown. Human beings are created in a state of anxiety. When any harm afflicts them, they panic. When good comes to them, they withhold. That trust in Allah (subhana wa t’ala) is what saves you. Who will save you from the darkness of the land and the sea?
* The Sixth Benefit
You are forbearing towards the one who has afflicted you. [Prophet] Ibrahim was somebody who had compassion for other people – halim. The Prophet [Muhammad] (peace and blessings be upon him) said “You have two qualities that Allah loves, forbearance and deliberation.” There is a difference in the rankings of forbearance based on the calamities. A forbearance shown in calamities is greater than any other.
* The Seventh Benefit
You can actually forgive them. You get one of the greatest rewards in forgiving those who have actually done wrong [to you]. Allah loves those people who forgive [others]. The one who pardons and rectifies – his reward is with Allah (subhana wa t’ala). If you have family members who cause you problems, you have to forgive them for the sake of Allah (subhana wa t’ala). The more delayed the rift, the harder. If you immediately go, you can heal it. I myself, immediately took a shower and asked forgiveness to one who HAD WRONGED ME. Pride enters the heart “Oh, I deserve an apology.” Asking forgiveness of people is a great blessing of Allah (subhana wa t’ala). Allah (subhana wa t’ala) is with patient ones. To actually just wait for an opening from Allah is actually an act of ibadah.
* The Eighth Benefit
Patience is based on understanding. You cannot call a donkey patient. They can bear things but not patience. This brings on the love of Allah (subhana wa t’ala) and also the abundant reward of Allah. He loves the patient ones. The sabeeroon [patient ones] are given their rewards without reckoning. No one was given a blessing better than or more vast than patience.
* The Ninth Benefit is to actually be happy about those benefits. Imam Ahmad relates a hadith: “They used to be as happy during tribulations as you are during times of abundance.” How wondrous those two distasteful things “death and poverty”. Imam Ali (radi Allah anhu) said, “What is halal from it is a reckoning and prohibited from it is a punishment.” People of zuhud [ascetism] – they give up [worldly] things [because] they don’t want the problems of it. The bitter cure will remove the disease – he thinks not of the bitterness in his happiness but about the benefit.
* The Tenth Benefit
To be grateful for it. Thank you so much doctor. HE JUST CUT YOUR HAND OFF. HE did you a benefit though even though he harmed you outwardly. Those with tribulations – know that Allah (subhana wa t’ala) only does stuff to benefit them.
* The Eleventh Benefit
The purification these calamities have towards their wrongs and their sins. Anything that afflicts you is from what your own hands have wrought. What you are afflicted with is much less than what you deserve. Imam an Nasafi in his tafsir [exegesis] – if you reflect on the meaning of that, then you will show gratitude. Allah (subhana wa t’ala) has pardoned so much.
* The Twelfth Benefit
The compassion Allah shows in tribulations. A scholar said: you have well being in your family but you get problems from other people (Allah will give you those problems if you do not help those). Tribulations of others is actually a blessing “DON’T COMPLAIN!” – it could get worse. One of the poets said, “the only people that really feel sorry for passionate love are those who have been in passionate love.”
* The Fourteenth Benefit
Tribulations give you knowledge of what well-being is. Allah (subhana wa t’ala) has prepared [us] for calamities with contentment based on different ranks. Patience and contentment are [different]. Patience is the lowest maqam. I missed a flight and I was relaxed. I don’t want to rush into a plane about to crash. No real delay. God’s choice is in every delay.
* The Sixteenth Benefit is tribulations prevent you from arrogance and pride and tyranny. Had Nimrod been a sickly, deaf or dumb person he would have never done that.
* The Seventeenth One
Whoever who is pleased with it is [because] he knows Paradise is better than anything in this world.
These are some of the blessings – there are many more. I want to end [on] this [note] and say these are not the worst [of] times. Read history and see how many times it has happen.
http://www.zikrcast.com/podcast/audio/SHY_ISNA06.mp3