Being tested...a blessing or punishment?
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I think the the question should be if both blessing and punishment are tests?
According to Quran then answer is yes . Both blessing and distress/punishment could be test.
So we should not be relaxed in good days and think that we are blessed by God.
Also we should not be impatient whenever we are in difficult situations in life and think that God is punishing us.
8915 As for man, if his Lord tests him and grants him much, then he says "My Lord has blessed me!"
8916 If his Lord tests him and gives him little wealth, then he says "My Lord has humiliated me!"
Peace
Abdullah
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From my general understanding we are not punished until the next life and all the harm that befalls you in this life is a test. We don't have control on the outcome of a given situation but we can control how we react to it. That part is the test, our reaction to the test. This is just how I see it...
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Peace Karimah
From my general understanding we are not punished until the next life and all the harm that befalls you in this life is a test. We don't have control on the outcome of a given situation but we can control how we react to it. That part is the test, our reaction to the test. This is just how I see it...
Punishment could be in this world also according to Quran
356 "As for those who have rejected, I will punish them severely in this world and in the Hereafter, they will have no supporters."
There are numerous examples of such worldy punishment
611 Say, "Roam the earth, then see what the punishment of the ingrates was!"
Peace
Abdullah
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Peace,
We all know that the road of life can be bumpy,
We have free will and the decisions we make have benefits or consequences.
We should learn from our mistakes, and not repeat them.
We should not be afraid to do right by ourselves even if it means making changes.
Fear, misunderstandings, greed, lust, revenge etc., should not be the well that we draw
our lifes goals from.Remember Siddartha, who sat by the river after all he went through enlightenment brought him
peace.You will certainly be tested, through your money and your lives, and you will hear from those who received the scripture, and from the idol worshipers, a lot of insult. If you steadfastly persevere and lead a righteous life, this will prove the strength of your faith.
Peace O0
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Don't be too quick to condemn shortcomings and disasters as punishments.
When i was agnostic/atheist, i was fine. When i believed, i was homeless & on the streets for like 7 times. I was wasting away.
Things did not really get any better until i asked people to pray for me out of desperation.
the other thing that helped was just going out and trying to do good deeds. Smile, donate blood, help someone etc. -
Thank you to everyone for your answers...they have really helped me get through this rough time.
I find myself trying to understand the "free will" of mankind and "will of God" very often...where does one end and the other begin? I don't think we will ever know unless Allah reveals it to us. It is quite puzzling.
Regardless, after praying and meditating on the situations, I realized that they were all a result of decisions I had made. I am not being punished...I am paying the price for not using my head or common sense.
Allah has been my refuge all of this time...placing people (including this group) in my path to help me along whether it be financially, spiritually or emotionally.
Youssef I agree with what you said. Good deeds causes us to think about others instead of focusing on our problems and trials so much, and in turn, we may be blessed for doing good.
May Allah guide us all down the straight path.
-Amina
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Peace scaredmuslimah,
I discovered in my life that this free will thing can lead us to happiness or unhappiness,
in this life as well as the next, that is how important decision making is.
Turn to Allah for your needs. ask for wisdom, guidance, patience and intercession because Allah can fix anything.
Make choices only when you are in a calm state of mind
maintain righteousness, seek counsil, help others.Peace O0
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Peace scaredmuslimah,
I discovered in my life that this free will thing can lead us to happiness or unhappiness,
in this life as well as the next, that is how important decision making is.
Turn to Allah for your needs. ask for wisdom, guidance, patience and intercession because Allah can fix anything.
Make choices only when you are in a calm state of mind
maintain righteousness, seek counsil, help others.Peace O0
Thank you and peace be upon you also.
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Perhaps instead of saying "This is a punishment" and "This is a test", I think saying "God is trying to teach me something right now" leads to contemplation of a current situation, and then action. I feel that this is a more productive and positive way of looking at things. Saying "God is trying to teach me something" is my goal for the remainder of this year, and the rest of my life (except if Allah wills, of course).
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Perhaps instead of saying "This is a punishment" and "This is a test", I think saying "God is trying to teach me something right now" leads to contemplation of a current situation, and then action. I feel that this is a more productive and positive way of looking at things. Saying "God is trying to teach me something" is my goal for the remainder of this year, and the rest of my life (except if Allah wills, of course).
bravo
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Perhaps instead of saying "This is a punishment" and "This is a test", I think saying "God is trying to teach me something right now" leads to contemplation of a current situation, and then action. I feel that this is a more productive and positive way of looking at things. Saying "God is trying to teach me something" is my goal for the remainder of this year, and the rest of my life (except if Allah wills, of course).
Excellent! I think this approach is very conductive for growth and happiness. Wise!
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Perhaps instead of saying "This is a punishment" and "This is a test", I think saying "God is trying to teach me something right now" leads to contemplation of a current situation, and then action. I feel that this is a more productive and positive way of looking at things. Saying "God is trying to teach me something" is my goal for the remainder of this year, and the rest of my life (except if Allah wills, of course).
Easier said than done.
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Easier said than done.
The level of easiness or difficulty depends on how imprisoned/controlled one is by one's own mind, and how much one identifies oneself with outer creation (as opposed to realizing that one's real essence/being is beyond those fleeting and temporary things of the outer world such as body, age, beauty, success, IQ, race, creed, gender etc...). Identification with form creates suffering.
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The level of easiness or difficulty depends on how imprisoned/controlled one is by one's own mind, and how much one identifies oneself with outer creation (as opposed to realizing that one's real essence/being is beyond those fleeting and temporary things of the outer world such as body, age, beauty, success, IQ, race, creed, gender etc...). Identification with form creates suffering.
Agreed.
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Perhaps instead of saying "This is a punishment" and "This is a test", I think saying "God is trying to teach me something right now" leads to contemplation of a current situation, and then action. I feel that this is a more productive and positive way of looking at things. Saying "God is trying to teach me something" is my goal for the remainder of this year, and the rest of my life (except if Allah wills, of course).
I think this is a great and wonderful way of thinking because it is constructive!
Even when we try to be noble, pious and mature (often through sugar coated denial), by saying that we are being "tested", it is still just a way to cope with the situation without being able to make any sense out of it. What would the purpose of a test be? To see whether or not we increase in faith through hardship? Does this make sense? Is it to see whether or not we are "loyal" to God? Whether or not we are strong? Whether or not we can take hardship without complaining? This sounds almost sadistic and definitely useless. God doesn't test people for fun. God gives people wake-up calls for their own good. God gives people opportunities to learn deeper meanings, to evolve. That's not a test, that's an opportunity to realize the truth about reality and get out of our deluded minds and suffering-inducing and suffering-ridden fantasy worlds.Peace and cheers
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119 If We give the human being a taste of mercy from Us, then We withdraw it from him; he becomes despairing, rejecting.
1110 If We give him the taste of a blessing after hardship had afflicted him, he will say, "Evil has gone from me!" he becomes happy, boastful;
1111 Except for those who are patient and do good work; these will have a pardon, and a great reward.