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:

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 57 Surah Hadid verses 2-3: To Allah belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He Alone grants life and causes death, and has power over everything. He is the First, as well as the Last! The Manifest, as well as the Hidden! And He has knowledge of everything. Then, why there is so much voilence, hatred, terrorism and killings in the Muslim world for centuries and specially now? Why so many innocent people`s lives are taken away in the name of Islam? Why muslims fight each other? Is this what Allah wants? He has the power over every thing. Then why these sufferings? If this is a test Allah wants us to go through, then why only believers have to go through it? This is a big UNKNOWN when it comes to rationalize things. I have no answers when my children or any non-muslim ask theses questions. Help me. Thanks!  

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Answer:

Testing times for Muslims

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.

Beloved brother, indeed it may seem today that the Muslim Ummah is in turmoil, or that all the powers of the world have turned their guns and attentions in eradicating Islam! But rest assured, that everything that is happening in the Universe is in the full Knowledge and Control of Allah Subhanah; and well within His Grasp and Power. Whenever He Wills, He will bring everything to an end and recall everyone back to Him in Truth!

Allah Subhanah created both good and evil; and bestowed upon man two things which He did not give to any amongst His creation:

Intelligence and the Power of Reasoning,

A free will to choose the path one wishes to lead his life.

Allah allowed and gave permission to the good to do good, and the evil to do evil. If one, with the bestowed intelligence and of his own free will chooses to do good, he will pass the test of this transitory life; and will deserve the Mercy and Grace of Allah Subhanah on the Day of Judgment.

If one, with the bestowed intelligence and of his own free will chooses to practice evil, he will miserably fail the test of this life, and will have a severe accounting in the Presence of the Just Lord on an Inevitable Day!

When one, of his own free will, intends to do good; Allah allows and gives him permission to do so for the appointed time of his life, and is pleased with him. Similarly, when one, of his own free will, intends to do evil, Allah allows and gives him permission to do his evil for the appointed time of this life; but is displeased with him.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 13 Surah Raad verse 31: If there were a Qur'an with which mountains were moved, or the earth were cloven asunder, or the dead were made to speak (this would be the one!) But truly the Command is with Allah in all things! Do not the Believers know that had Allah (so) willed, He could have guided all mankind (to the Right)? As for the disbelievers, because of their misdeeds, one affliction or the other continues to visit them every now and then, or descends near their home until the Promise of Allah comes to pass. For verily Allah will not fail in His promise.

If Allah Subhanah allowed only the good and righteous to prevail, and controlled and abolished all evil in this world; then it could not have been a test! Even in a simple school test, the teachers test their student’s knowledge by giving some ‘true’ answers, and some ‘false’ ones, to see who best knows the subject matter! Thus, it is a condition of the test of mankind, that good and evil will co-exist side by side. The righteous, of their own free will, will choose to do the right; and the evil, of their own free will, will choose to do evil. Then everything will be called to an end, and everyone will be gathered in the Presence of their Lord on an Inevitable Day to give a full accounting of their deeds.

Besides, it is the Wisdom of Allah Subhanah, that He has Decreed that the tests for the believers be more than those of the dis-believers in the transient life of this world. The more righteous the person, the bigger and more severe his test – and when he passes, the bigger will be his reward! But to the evil, Allah Subhanah extends his ‘rope’, and gives him more wealth and more power to create as much disorder and chaos as he can, so that he may satisfy himself fully in the life of this world, and in the Hereafter he may have no excuse to offer to the Just Lord!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 29 Surah Ankabut verses 2-7:

2 Do men think that they will be left alone on saying "We believe" and that they will not be tested?

3 We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true, from those who are false.

4 Do those who practice evil think that they will get the better of us? Evil indeed is their judgment!

5 For those whose hopes are in the meeting with Allah (in the Hereafter, let them strive). For the Term (appointed) by Allah is surely coming! and He Hears and Knows (all things).

6 And if any strive, they do so for their own souls: for Allah is free of all needs from all creation.

Those who believe and work righteous deeds, from them shall We blot out all evil (that may be) in them, and We shall reward them according to the best of their deeds.

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:

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!

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."

Thus my beloved brother in Islam, whatever trials and tribulations that might be facing the Muslim Ummah and the believers today; it is our duty to remain steadfast and patient in these trials, put our full trust in the Merciful Lord Alone, and persevere and strive to do righteous good deeds in accordance with the guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws). That is the path which is Straight, and that alone is the path which will lead to success in the eternal and never-ending life of Bliss in the Hereafter.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verses 146-148:

146 How many of the Prophets fought (in Allah's way), and with them (fought) large bands of righteous men? But they never lost heart if they met with disaster in Allah's way, nor did they weaken (in will), nor gave in. And Allah loves those who are firm and steadfast.

147 All that they said was: "Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and anything we may have done that transgressed our duty; establish our feet firmly, and help us against those that resist Faith."

148 And Allah gave them a reward in this world, and the excellent reward of the Hereafter. For Allah loveth those who do good.

Beloved brother, the Messenger of Allah (saws) prophecised in an authentic narration that a time will come on the believers in the future where because of their own deeds and mentality, although they will be numerous in the world, their enemies will have no fear or awe of them, and they will treat the believers like scum and rubbish!

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4284 Narrated by Thawban

The Prophet (saws) said: “The people will soon summon one another to attack you, as people when eating invite others to share their dish.” Someone asked: “Will that be because of our small numbers at that time?” He (saws) replied: “No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be scum and rubbish like that carried down by a torrent, and Allah will take away the fear of you from the breasts of your enemy, and put ‘wahn’ (enervation) into your hearts.” Someone asked: “ What is wahn (enervation) O Messenger of Allah” The Messenger of Allah (saws) replied: “Love of the world, and the dislike of death.”

If each of us takes an account of his own, he will realize that indeed most of us have fallen in love with the transitory life of this world, and hate even the thought of death!

We close with this valuable advice of wisdom from the Noble Messenger of Allah (saws):

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 5179 Narrated by AbuMusa

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "He who loves his present life, does damage to his Hereafter; and he who loves his Hereafter, does damage to his present life! So prefer what is Lasting, to what is transitory."

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