Thursday, April 5, 2012

Watch Out - It's a Blessing!

Bism Illah wa as salaamu alaykum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh.

I recently thought of something that spurred this post. I can easily see the blessings in tests and I write frequently about that. What I haven't written about is the tests that lie in blessings. When I first mention there being a test in a blessing, for some the first thing that springs to mind is the test of giving due thanks. That, most certainly, is one test. We must always remember that the blessing is a gift from Allah and give thanks to Him. However, we also need to look at the thing we perceive to be a blessing and see where else we are being tested by it. Here are some examples that I can think of from real life experiences.

Women are often tested with their beauty. They may be blessed with certain beautiful or attractive features, which Islam requires them to conceal them from general public view. The blessing is a test; will she guard her modesty and fight the desire for public praise and admiration? Will she take care of herself properly, mindfully maintaining the blessing Allah has given her?

The successful man, be it in financial status, work, education, or Islamic knowledge, is blessed. The blessing is a test; if he receives compliments, will he be humble and attribute all good to Allah, or will he start believing in his own self-made excellence? Will he use his success to worship Allah sincerely?

My daughter recently reflected on this subject and asked me how her doll can be a test. I told her to think about it for a moment, after which she almost instantly said that it is a test because she could spend too much time playing with it instead of doing her work. It could also be a test because she could be tempted to put a face on it and try to make it more realistic. Just a simple doll, a child's toy, but most surely a test.

Although it isn't always easy to see the test in a blessing, it is like a pulse - sometimes hard to find, but it is always there.  


May Allah, subhaana wa ta'ala, open our eyes to the tests He sends us and increase our emaan, taqwa, and tawakkal in order to pass them - ameen.

2 comments:

  1. A very nice post. As for recognizing if something is test or punishment I recently read that one can recognize it on the concequence if that matter brings you closer to Allah it is a test and if it's detaching you from Allah it is a punishment. And Allah knows best.

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  2. Assalamualaikum Mai,

    Interesting post, actually everything in this life is a test. The best test is when one is at disadvantage situation where people would always turn to Allah for help eg. sickness, poverty, tragedy...but being blessed is the most difficult test, people might forget, that it is also a test.

    Alluhu a'lam...

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