Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother Burhan

RE: SUFFERING AND PAYMENT FOR YOUR SINS

One sees some people enjoying happy and contented lives even though some of them commit sins and cause large anguish / pains to others [ some of these people are religious, i.e. offer their prayers regularly, fast, are gentlemen towards their parents], whilst for some, even though GOD FEARING and believing in ALLAH [that is, in moderation] suffer continous traumas or difficulties in their lives in all ways.

Why is it so ? Is it because, they [the trouble makers] sins are being paid / compensated for by their other duty towards ALLAH and their parents.

Request for your prompt reply.

Thanks

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Why good people suffer?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran in Chapter 67 Surah Al Mulk verse 2: He (Allah) created death and life that He may test you, to see which of you is the best in deeds.

Allah Subhanah created man on this earth to test him whether he is obedient and grateful, or denies his Lord and is ungrateful. He puts man through good and/or bad conditions to see what is his reaction.

Thus, the life of this transient world is merely a testing period and a place to do deeds; only in the life of the Hereafter the real results will be declared by the One Who is All Knowing and Well-Aware of everything. Neither is this world a place for full rewards, nor is this world a place for complete punishments; but a place for doing deeds.

At times, when one does evil deeds, Allah Subhanah may, if He so Wills, warns him with a punishment in this world, so that he may realize his mistake and amend his conduct; and at times Allah Subhanah, if He so Wills, punishes a whole community so they may serve as a warning to mankind, and at times He extends the ‘rope’ of the evil-doers and does not punish them in this life at all, so that they may get a full recompense for their evil deeds only in the Hereafter.

Your Question: whilst for some, even though GOD FEARING and believing in ALLAH [that is, in moderation] suffer continous traumas or difficulties in their lives in all ways.

At times Allah Subhanah also puts hardship and trials in the path of his devout and obedient believers, so that He may test them and thus increase their reward in the Hereafter.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale-Imraan verses 185-186:

185 Every soul shall have a taste of death! And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the fire, and admitted to the Gardens will have attained the object (of life): for the life of this world is but goods, and chattels of deception.

186 Ye (O Believers) shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions, and in your selves; and ye shall certainly hear much that will grieve you from those who received the Book before you (Jews and Christians), and from the ‘mushriks’ (those who worship many gods). But if ye persevere patiently and guard against evil, then that will be a determining factor in all affairs.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale-Imraan verses 185-186:

141 Allah's object also is to purge those that are true in faith, and to deprive of blessing those that resist faith.

142 Did ye (O Believers) think that ye would enter heaven without Allah testing those of you who strove hard (in His cause) and remained steadfast?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 214: Or do ye (O Believers) think that ye shall enter the Gardens (of Bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering, and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and the believers who were with him, cried out: "When (will come) the help of Allah?" Ah! Verily the help of Allah is (always) near!

The Sunnah (or way) of Allah Subhanah is that the more pious and God-fearing the person, the more he/she is tested by Allah Subhanah! If one just simply studies the tests and tribulations that Allah Subhanah put on His Prophets like Nooh (a.s.), and Ibraheem (a.s.), and Moosa (a.s.), and Isa (a.s.), and Ayyub (a.s.), and Yunus (a.s.), etc., and above all, on Prophet Mohamed (saws), one would realize that a normal human being would absolutely break down under these conditions and the weight laid upon them as tests by Allah Subhanah! These pious and righteous slaves of Allah Subhanah were tested beyond comprehension, but under the guidance of Allah Subhanah, they always remained patient and steadfast on the Path commanded to them by their Lord!

The more pious one is, the more he is tested by Allah Subhanah; so that He may raise them in status and honor in the life of the Hereafter! Allah Subhanah Knows Who amongst His servants can bear His tests, and who cannot. Therefore one should never volunteer or challenge Allah Subhanah to test him, but rather follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) and always pray to Merciful Lord to not test him beyond his capacity, or lay upon him the severe trials and tribulations that He laid upon the people before him; but when put in a trial and affliction according to the Plan and Decree of Allah, one should pray for Mercy and patience, and stay steadfast

on the Straight Path.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.548 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1562 Narrated by Sa'd

When the Prophet (saws) was asked which people suffered the greatest affliction, he replied, "The Prophets, then those who come next to them (in Taqwa), then those who come next to them (in Taqwa). A man is afflicted in keeping his religion. If he is firm in his religion his trial is severe, but if there is weakness in his religion it is made light for him."

Ibn Mas'ud said: "I visited the Messenger of Allah (saws)while he had a fever. I exclaimed: 'O Messenger of Allah! You have a high fever! ' He (saws) said: 'My fever is as much as two amongst you [might have].' I asked: 'Is it because you have a double reward?' He (saws) replied: 'Yes, that is right. No Muslim is afflicted with any hurt, even if it is no more than the pricking of a thorn, but Allah wipes off his sins because of it, and his sins fall away from him as leaves fall from a tree'."

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan