Steadfastness in Tests

[2:177] Righteousness is not turning your faces towards the east or the west. Righteous are those who believe in GOD, the Last Day, the angels, the scripture, and the prophets; and they give the money, cheerfully, to the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the traveling alien, the beggars, and to free the slaves; and they observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat); and they keep their word whenever they make a promise; and they steadfastly persevere in the face of persecution, hardship, and war. These are the truthful; these are the righteous.

The last part of the verse deals with steadfastness and persevering in the face of persecution, hardship and war. This can be handled by holding fast to the rope of God while you go through tests. (3:103)

What is the best gift from God? Guidance. What good is wealth without guidance? What good is strength, beauty, artistic and athletic ability without God’s guidance?

[2:112] Indeed, those who submit themselves absolutely to GOD alone, while leading a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

[3:186] 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.

As we learn from Quran, the proven worshipers of God ALONE start reaping the benefits of their steadfastness right in this world and their recompense in the Hereafter will be even greater.

[16:97] Anyone who works righteousness, male or female, while believing, we will surely grant them a happy life in this world, and we will surely pay them their full recompense (on the Day of Judgment) for their righteous works.

Today, if we look around we find that fear and depression are two problems spread all over the world. One can find a large collection of books prescribing methods of dealing with them. Therefore, we now have a better appreciation of the statement, “Happiness is Submission to God.”

Abraham, the prophet, who was called God’s friend, was put to an exacting test.

[2:124] Recall that Abraham was put to the test by his Lord, through certain commands, and he fulfilled them. ...

[37:105-6] “You have believed the dream.”

We thus reward the righteous. That was an exacting test indeed.

Adam and Eve were put to the test several times, and they may have lived through the loss of their righteous son. Noah lost his son twice—first he lost him as a disbeliever but still loved him, then lost him to the flood while calling on God to save him. The prophet Muhammad lost his only born son (Ibrahim) as all historical accounts mention. Muhammad spent a great deal of his life struggling with the disbelievers, going from one war to another. He was exposed to killings, wounding, and loss of friends and loved ones. Moses was tested thoroughly. Noah, Abraham, Lot, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Solomon, Jesus, John, Job, Jonah, and Muhammad were all given different and challenging tests. The believers before us were tested until they were shaken up.

[2:214] 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.

When is God’s victory? Since this is a test, we would not know when, where or what kind of test we might be given.

Cont’d on page 2