Being tested...a blessing or punishment?

unknownuser

I struggle with this often, because ever since converting to Islam my life has been upside down.

In the Bible there is a scripture that goes some thing like "God tests those whom He loves."

The Qur'an has the following

2740 And one who had knowledge from the Book said "I will bring it to you before you blink." So when he saw it resting before him, he said "This is from the grace of my Lord, so that He tests me whether I am thankful or whether I reject. As for he who is thankful, he is thankful for himself, and as for he who rejects, then my Lord is Rich, Bountiful."

I am sure I am reading that out of context, but the thought crossed my mind of "How do we know if we are on the right path? What if what I think is a test from my Lord is actually punishment for something?"

If we are all tested whether we worship Allah or not, how do we know which is which?

Peace,

Amina

kgwithnob

Verses 262 and 569 from The Qur'aan, inform us that, those who believe in GOD, and the Hereafter, and follow a righteous life should not be fearful and sad/be anxious, about their final destiny.

262,

569,

Of course the short life of this world is full of ups and downs, afflictions, and tests, but those who endowed with the criteria/characteristics formulated in the above said two verses should not worry at all. We belong to GOD and we will return to Him.

2155,

And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient.

2156,

Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return."

2157,
.
Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the guided.

Peace,
Khalil

mirjamnur

Salam scaredmuslimah

I struggle with this often, because ever since converting to Islam my life has been upside down.

In the Bible there is a scripture that goes some thing like "God tests those whom He loves."

The Qur'an has the following

2740 And one who had knowledge from the Book said "I will bring it to you before you blink." So when he saw it resting before him, he said "This is from the grace of my Lord, so that He tests me whether I am thankful or whether I reject. As for he who is thankful, he is thankful for himself, and as for he who rejects, then my Lord is Rich, Bountiful."

I am sure I am reading that out of context, but the thought crossed my mind of "How do we know if we are on the right path? What if what I think is a test from my Lord is actually punishment for something?"

If we are all tested whether we worship Allah or not, how do we know which is which?

Peace,

Amina

I found an interesting article about your question
http//quransmessage.com/articles/tests%20FM3.htm

You are certainly not punished because you believe. You believe in God in the scriptures, in the Hereafter, then, why should Allah -Al Rahman - punish you ? For what?
Often our soul can only grow by sadness and heart-pain, souls, which not experience any pain, become often hard and cold - often is the result of good luck and happiness and health and money, that man forgets God. So if we are in trouble , this is always also a chance to remember the fact that this world is only the beginning and unlike this world , the Hereafter will be our eternal place. So every hardship is in the same time rahma from God.
Salam

unknownuser

Peace,

Thank you for the ayahs. What I have endured surely are not the worst situations, but I can definitely say that the last few years have been very trying for me.

I just meditated and then asked God if there was something I was missing...something I had done that caused all of these things...what was I supposed to learn from all of it.

I know that we only understand what He allows us to understand, and in His time, not ours. So for now, I will just count it as strengthening of my faith.

Oh, and I have learned that searching "tests" will yield totally different results from "test" in the Free Minds Qur'an.
-Amina

huruf

Salam scaredmuslimah
I found an interesting article about your question
http//quransmessage.com/articles/tests%20FM3.htm

You are certainly not punished because you believe. You believe in God in the scriptures, in the Hereafter, then, why should Allah -Al Rahman - punish you ? For what?
Often our soul can only grow by sadness and heart-pain, souls, which not experience any pain, become often hard and cold - often is the result of good luck and happiness and health and money, that man forgets God. So if we are in trouble , this is always also a chance to remember the fact that this world is only the beginning and unlike this world , the Hereafter will be our eternal place. So every hardship is in the same time rahma from God.
Salam )

It is like delivering a child by the mother. Is the mother being punished? According to the bible she is for Hawa's sin. But the Qur'an does not uphold such thing. Quite the opposite, it commands us in 4.1

O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And be conscious of Allah , through whom you ask one another, and of the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.

If in order to bring about something good, which is children, creatures of God, we have to suffer, is that not an aya? Is that not a sign that suffering is the mother of great benefits for us? We hate to be given too much of it, but in fact suffering is mostly accompanied by great accomplishments on the part of the sufferer. It is like when we are children and some good older person undertakes to teach us something and makes us work hard, we do not like it, we like to play, but we feel so exultant when we have attained the mastership of wht we are taught. We love the person who didn't not heed our complaints and quite the opposite, imposed on us.

Motherhood is an aya in that sense, and all persons, males or females, in that sense know motherhood, to trust that from hard times and horrible dispair can some delivery and trascend fears and distrust in our destiny.

Salaam

mirjamnur

Salam huruf

It is like delivering a child by the mother. Is the mother being punished? According to the bible she is for Hawa's sin. But the Qur'an does not uphold such thing. Quite the opposite, it commands us in 4.1

O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And be conscious of Allah , through whom you ask one another, and of the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.

If in order to bring about something good, which is children, creatures of God, we have to suffer, is that not an aya? Is that not a sign that suffering is the mother of great benefits for us? We hate to be given too much of it, but in fact suffering is mostly accompanied by great accomplishments on the part of the sufferer. It is like when we are children and some good older person undertakes to teach us something and makes us work hard, we do not like it, we like to play, but we feel so exultant when we have attained the mastership of wht we are taught. We love the person who didn't not heed our complaints and quite the opposite, imposed on us.

Motherhood is an aya in that sense, and all persons, males or females, in that sense know motherhood, to trust that from hard times and horrible dispair can some delivery and trascend fears and distrust in our destiny.

Salaam

You say what I could not expressible in English

Bigmo

Salam scaredmuslimah
I found an interesting article about your question
http//quransmessage.com/articles/tests%20FM3.htm

You are certainly not punished because you believe. You believe in God in the scriptures, in the Hereafter, then, why should Allah -Al Rahman - punish you ? For what?
Often our soul can only grow by sadness and heart-pain, souls, which not experience any pain, become often hard and cold - often is the result of good luck and happiness and health and money, that man forgets God. So if we are in trouble , this is always also a chance to remember the fact that this world is only the beginning and unlike this world , the Hereafter will be our eternal place. So every hardship is in the same time rahma from God.
Salam )

Good point.

Bigmo

It is like delivering a child by the mother. Is the mother being punished? According to the bible she is for Hawa's sin. But the Qur'an does not uphold such thing. Quite the opposite, it commands us in 4.1

O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And be conscious of Allah , through whom you ask one another, and of the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.

If in order to bring about something good, which is children, creatures of God, we have to suffer, is that not an aya? Is that not a sign that suffering is the mother of great benefits for us? We hate to be given too much of it, but in fact suffering is mostly accompanied by great accomplishments on the part of the sufferer. It is like when we are children and some good older person undertakes to teach us something and makes us work hard, we do not like it, we like to play, but we feel so exultant when we have attained the mastership of wht we are taught. We love the person who didn't not heed our complaints and quite the opposite, imposed on us.

Motherhood is an aya in that sense, and all persons, males or females, in that sense know motherhood, to trust that from hard times and horrible dispair can some delivery and trascend fears and distrust in our destiny.

Salaam

Another good point.

This is a huge subject that nobody has the proof of because its all about faith.

The Quran says that God blessings is what saves us and nothing else.

And had it not been for the grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure; but Allah purifies whomever He wishes, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing." (2421

So it is useless to try to fight tribulation on your own. Nobody can do that. In the end no matter how much you suffer you will only pass or fail depending on God's grace.

This is a very difficult subject. Many have tried to understand the pain and tribulations of this life.

Even the prophet Job did not understand his life. It is not a subject anyone can answer easily.

This is a favorite lecture of mine on this subject.

Pastor Dennis Smith

http//www.your-church.com/sermon-faith-struggle.php

Zulf

It is both simple and complicated at the same time.
We should always ask Allah for help, guidance, goodness, personal growth, increased understanding, real success, truth etc, regardless of our circumstances. Often what we consider suffering is both caused by ourselves due to resistance to and ignorance about reality. So it acts as a wake-up call and a reminded that there is growth needed in some area. But I think it is futile and useless trying to distinguish or figure out what we might see as separate situations of suffering. Surrender will solve a lot of suffering. Resistance will increase it.

It is also funny to see especially traditional characters when they explain other's suffering as punishment and their own suffering as a test for which there will be a reward/re-compensation. How arrogant, ignorant, judgmental and desperate. It's easy to be over-confident. I've seen this in traditional sunni circles.

Peace and best wishes!

youssef4342

Peace.
i'm not sure if you already read about me, but Ever since i believed i went through much trouble than before, running away, being homeless because of hostility b/c of my beliefs.

Ponder upon

We thus test the people by each other, to let them say (mockingly), "Are these the people among us who are blessed by GOD?" Is GOD not aware of the appreciative ones?

Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe," without being put to the test?

We have tested those before them, for GOD must distinguish those who are truthful, and He must expose the liars.

GOD is not to leave the believers as you are, without distinguishing the bad from the good

Do you expect to enter Paradise without being tested like those before you?They were tested with hardship and adversity, and were shaken up, until the messenger and those who believed with him said, "Where is GOD's victory?" GOD's victory is near.

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
(7129) They said, "We were persecuted before you came to us, and after you came to us." He said, "Perhaps your Lord will annihilate your enemy and establish you on earth, then He will see how you behave."
We have decreed in the Psalms, as well as in other scriptures, that the earth shall be inherited by My righteous worshipers.

(Acts 1422)
strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,"...

(Matthew 2413)
"But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved."

mmkhan

Verses 262 and 569 from The Qur'aan, inform us that, those who believe in GOD, and the Hereafter, and follow a righteous life should not be fearful and sad/be anxious, about their final destiny.

262,

569,

Of course the short life of this world is full of ups and downs, afflictions, and tests, but those who endowed with the criteria/characteristics formulated in the above said two verses should not worry at all. We belong to GOD and we will return to Him.

Salaam Khalil,

I disagree with the highlighted part above. You quoted aayaats bro, but I fail to see the words "final destiny" in those aayaats. This is a BIG misconception.

How about 238? Is it also referring to the final destiny? nope "Laa khaufun 3alaihim wa laahum yahzanoon" means "they will not fear not will they grieve" applies to here and to the Next Day.

2155,

And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient.

2156,

Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return."

2157,
.
Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the guided.

I disagree with this translation also. How Allah will test us with something without it is known to us?

Please look at 2740 , even if you take "yabluwaniyy" as test, he was tested in something which he is well known of, which he can see in front of him lying, this is how test of Allah is.

Most of us think that whenever something bad comes to them, they satisfy themselves by saying that it is a test from Allah. Allah never test you with something you don't know. You will surely know when He tests you.

BTW, "Ba Laam Waw" does not mean test, but it means "Audit", Allah audit only on our claims which is made either by heart or by tongue. Besides this, if anything is happening bad means, we have to seek Allah's forgiveness.

May Allah increase us in knowledge and guide us to His only path pr
mmKhan

Bigmo