A Trial Is An Opportunity For Education

Everything is from God, the All Merciful BUT we still experience challenges. Why?

• Our understanding of challenges and events needs a revisit
• Regardless of whether we like or dislike something, EVERYTHING is from God
  • And everything is a test (both good and bad)

What we tend to do:

• When something good happens, we attribute it to God
• When something bad happens, we find other causes to attribute it to
  • We have to remind ourselves that EVERYTHING (both that which we consider good and bad) AND our inclination/dislike towards things come from Him

Just because the order in the universe is so well-established and perfect DOES not mean that we can attribute things in this world to ‘causes’

• See for yourself that everything (within the order) is coming into existence by a Conscious Will

Relationships exists within the law and order orchestrated by the Conscious Will

Analogy:

• When I breathe and the air molecules pass through my respiratory tract, they require me to inhale and exhale
  • The order requisites me to inhale and exhale
  • There is a relationship between the cause (inhale) and effect (receiving oxygen)
  • I have to realize that an order is at work
    • BUT be aware that the order has been established by the One who has created the whole universe

Don’t get lost in statements such as ‘God can create everything’ and disregard the order.

• If I don’t inhale, I will not get air
  • Air molecules cannot be the source of human life
• We exist within the order and we have to be aware that an order is at work

Example:

• When you switch the light on, you receive light (That is how the building has been engineered)
• If you don’t turn the switch on and expect light (just because you say that the building’s engineer is so powerful), there will be no light.
  • The light switch cannot be the source of the light
    • Switch cannot produce light; I can see that
    • I understand that the building has been made by someone who has engineered a certain order within the building
      • Yes, the engineer may be able to build a building where light turns on automatically without a switch
        • BUT, I am currently existing within the building
        • The engineer has established a certain order within the building that I have to follow

The maker of the universe is All Powerful and He can do anything BUT within this universe, He has willed a certain order:

• Oxygen is needed for life
• A seed has to be planted for a tree, etc

I conclude that the universe and the relationship between all the elements in the universe has been decided by a Conscious Absolute Source.

• God, then, must have Absolute qualities
• He could have created the order of the universe in another way because the order of the universe in and of itself are not necessary
  • The order demonstrates that the Creator has an Absolute Choice

Does God have to follow His rule? No.

• He is the ruler
• He can introduce any kind of order because He is Absolute
• The One that put the universe in the current order (as it is) can create anything
• He is not limited in any way because He is Absolute. But it is His very Absolute-ness that has established an order that governs how things work. He is the Order-er.

By observing this universe, I realize that I am in the center of the universe

• Everything in this universe manifests the qualities of my Creator
• I, as a human being, am given the sensors (senses) to understand all that is going on in the world
• The universe has been created for me
  • I can communicate with everything in the universe and through my communication, I can conclude that they are all coming from the Conscious Will of the Creator.

I realize that I am conscious of the wisdom created by the Creator

• Regardless of what I encounter in the universe (good OR bad), reveals Himself to me
• I am able to deduce the message presented in the universe and come to a conclusion
• That is why I can put myself at the center of the universe
  • Whoever made the universe, made it for me
    • The stars, atmosphere, other humans, plants, etc have ALL been created for me
  • We should be able to say this with conviction

We may fail to acknowledge His qualities but we are enabled to do so

• If we don’t use the abilities given to us, we become very fragile.
• We find ourselves insecure and anxious because we end up appropriating His qualities to ourselves (or to causes) but know innately that neither us nor the things in and of themselves have any power.

We don’t value our humanity! Learn to ponder on the qualities we have and use it the purpose that it has been created.

When we dislike something, we quickly start complaining because we do not see the wisdom. We are so vulnerable.

It is not because that our knowledge is limited that we do not see the wisdom BUT rather, we do not see the wisdom because we fail to recognize our true human qualities.

• If we are able to accept our reality as helpless and entirely in need of the Creator, only then can accept that the Creator is All-Powerful
• We have to see in every single being, how it is teaching me of my own reality and the qualities of their Creator.

“Test” is nothing but an opportunity to educate human beings.

We are immersed in a culture that sanctifies suffering

• Suffering is sacred, as some cultures say
• But suffering is neither sacred nor bad

In reality, there is no such thing as suffering. There is only training.

• Birth is good; Death is equally good as far as their existence is concerned
  • Through birth, I am happy and am educated
  • Through death, I am unhappy but I still am educated

The purpose of my existence in this world is to know my Lord

• All the qualities in me are given so that I may know my Creator and attach myself to Him

Through everything, my Creator is teaching me my created position and His All-Powerful position

• We are here in this world to go back to our Origin
  • Not when we die
  • But rather, in how we perceive creation every day
    • I have to refer the existence of all events back to Him
    • That is why we are here in this world

At every moment I should be connecting myself to the Creator; The One who teaches me about my reality and His reality.

Creation is entirely dependent

Creator is absolutely independent

How can I (a dependent being) establish a relationship with the self-sufficient Creator?

• The education can only take place from the Independent Creator’s side
  • I want to be young
  • I want to not work
  • I want everything that I desire
    • BUT the reality is that I cannot guarantee or create ANYTHING (human deficiency)

The sense that I don’t like to be needy is also given to me as a means of education

• I don’t own or create my need to be young and to be self-sufficient
• It is not that you want something (youth) and you are not being given it
  • We find ourselves in a state of CONFLICT; I want something and God is not giving it to me
  • Don’t fall into these inconsistencies
• Your very need is given to you by the One who created the Order of the Universe so that you may train yourself to acknowledge your neediness and hand over ALL power to the Creator

When I receive a bounty, I am being taught that He is the Source of Everything

Source of Everything (God)

Completely Powerless (Human)

When I am happy, it is from my Creator. Similarly, when I am unhappy, it is from my Creator.

• Both conditions are meant to educate me
• My Creator is being merciful because He is teaching me that I cannot create anything and that I cannot be the source of everything
  • His teaching is a way of mercy so that I may realize my complete dependency on my Creator
    • When I realize that, His mercy is with me

Even His giving me illness is a mercy because it is making me realize my reality and to know that everything in this world is provided by the Creator.

• Don’t just say that God is merciful
• Rather, observe the world and see how everything is a source of Mercy
  • Only through death can I experience that I am totally dependent on my Creator
  • Only through life can I experience that my Creator has all power

I have to refer everything back to the Creator.

The One who created this world is teaching me that nothing in this world can sustain its own existence but rather, is dependent on the Creator of the universe (in every circumstance).

While I am experiencing the conditions of this world, I should see the wisdom in everything

• Wisdom in relation to the function of its existence to mine (i.e. to educate me about my Creator)

ALWAYS REFER EVERYTHING TO THE PURPOSE OF EXISTENCE:

• To know my Creator
• Hence, everything exists to teach me who my Creator is

“Everything has been created to glorify God”

• Through my experience, I realize that it is true because:
  • Health glorifies the creator
  • Sickness also glorifies the creator

When we have something in abundance, it is to teach us that:

• Everything is created by the Creator
• My enjoyment for it is also given to me
  • I have to experience the emotions (enjoyment, excitement, etc) so that I may experientially know God
  • Otherwise, us saying ‘God creates everything’ is nothing but lip service.

Duality of belief: My emotions are given to me so that I may understand my position (as an abd) and the Creation is created so that I may acknowledge who my Lord (rabb) is.

Hence why we need to experience both the good and bad because only through ‘losing’ I realize that I cannot guarantee the existence of the bounty that I enjoy AND when I receive something I love, it makes me realize that it is created by the One who owns everything.

La ilaha illAllah

• I am NOT the source of my own existence or any of my feelings
• The food is NOT the source of enjoyment
• Oxygen is NOT the source of life
  • Only God, the One who created the whole universe is the Source of the whole universe.

Everything is given to me to fulfill the purpose of my existence (i.e. to know my Creator).

I cannot explain the existence of anything in this world by attributing it to something else in this world.

• Nothing within the order can be responsible for anything else
• Everything is put in order (in connection with one another) so that an understanding of causes and effects may be achieved
• But the Order itself is Consciously Created.

067.002

“He who has created death as well as life, that He may test you which of you is best in conduct, and [make you realize that] He alone is almighty, truly forgiving.”

N.B: Gives us the opportunity (test) to grow our potentialities in the best possible way.

We have been given the sense to prefer life over death (which is why we don’t kill ourselves) but both life and death are equally as valuable in teaching us about the Creator.

Life: No one can create life except Him

• I want life but I cannot create it
  • In desiring life, I realize my impotency

Death: No one can sustain life except Him

• I don’t want it but I cannot stay away from it
  • In disliking it, I realize my impotency

BOTH instances teach me about the All-encompassing power of the Creator.

• Everything that is happening is so that we may be trained to know our Lord better through every moment
• Every moment is an opportunity to know my Lord

Cement your belief (iman) foundation. Only when belief has been cemented can your actions (good and staying away from the bad), rituals, prayers, etc make sense.

While we are within the order, we have to follow the rule of the order

• We have to obey the rules
  • • Example: When I fall ill, I try my best not to die by taking meds and seeing the doctor. I will do this to the best of knowledge extracted from the order in the creation. While following the order, I need to be aware that I am obeying the Will of the One Who created the order.
  • But within the event itself, I have to realize that its purpose is to teach me who my Lord is.

089.015

089.016

“As for human beings, whenever his Lord tries him by His generosity and by letting him enjoy a life of ease, he says, “My Lord has been [justly] generous towards me”

“whereas, whenever He tries him by straitening his means of livelihood, he says,” My Lord has humiliated me!”

We are being guided that both good and bad are TRIALS.

• Patience in trying times does NOT mean that we should ‘wait’ while feeling that I am put to suffer. Trial is a means of education. It is not putting someone in a painful situation to check out how the person is going to tolerate the pain.
• We will be unhappy with the pain. That is how we are created. Through this unhappiness I am being educated that I cannot create and guarantee whatever I want. I am always in need of the One Who creates everything for me.
• Therefore, we should be patient in being educated.
  • The human soul is from God and is placed in the human body in order for me to return it back to its owner

Through using my free will, I have introduce my soul to its real source

• I am from God, the Lord of the universe

There must be a Creator BUT I am here to get to know my Creator

• Through my emotions (and the creation) out there

057.023

“So that you may not despair over whatever [good] has escaped you nor exult [unduly] over whatever [good] has come to you: for, God does not love any of those who, out of self-conceit, act in a boastful manner.”

NOTE: Do not have a horizontal relationship

Everything is from your Lord. Don’t get caught up in the matter itself and start thinking of it as being better/worse

• The real relationship is to acknowledge that when it is given to you (it is from your Creator) and when it is not (it is all from your Creator)

070.019

070.020

070.021

“Verily, man is born with a restless disposition:

When evil afflicts him, he is greatly grieved,

When good fortune comes to him, he withholds it.”

NOTE: He appropriates the good to himself as his own production

017.011

“Human beings [often] pray for things that are bad as if he were praying for something that is good: for man is prone to be hasty.”

Hasty: I want to fulfill the desire in this world, right now

• You have been given the desires and the desires in and of themselves are not bad
• But you want them for this life when the reality of the matter is that the purpose of your existence is not this life

075.020

075.021

“Nay, but [most of] you love this fleeting life,

And give no thought to the life to come.”

You want food.

• The order is such that you will get the food
• But the purpose of the existence (of both your desire and of the food) is not just to satiate you
  • Otherwise, you will die, then what?

Your senses are not just to fulfill your worldly desires.

• If you do that, you are wasting all your opportunities
• We have to turn every opportunity into knowing your Lord

Turn everything into an opportunity to gain the knowledge of your Lord.

Life to come: The result of the things you experience and interact with

I want food because I am hungry

• We don’t think about the conclusion of it (the result of the creation of food and hunger)
  • Ask yourself: Why are you created with the sense of hunger and for the need of food
  • If you fulfill the answers to these questions, you are in the dar-ul-akhirah as much as you are aware of it.

Hereafter (after I die): Accumulation of all the akhirahs (the result of every moment)

• Each test is cumulative and builds up to the next
• We have to pay attention to every test because the “Degree” you will get at the end of your education period, will be calculated according to the accumulated results of every test you have taken.

Always think about the result of the event (why do I feel hungry, why do I feel happy, why do I feel sad). Don’t just get lost in the event. Think of the conclusion you gathered from each event.

Tags: Practice