The Evidence Must Be Established
وَرَبُّكَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُكِنُّ صُدُورُهُمْ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ
“And your Lord knows what their breasts conceal, and what they reveal.”
(Surah Al-Qasas, 28:69)
Excerpts from Tafsir Ibn Kathir about this ayah:
Allah Alone is the One Who has the Power of Creation, Knowledge and Choice
Allah tells us that He is the only One Who has the power to create and make decisions, and there is no one who can dispute with Him in that or reverse His judgment. His saying:
﴿ وَرَبُّكَ يَخۡلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَيَخۡتَارُۗ ﴾
(And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses,) means, whatever He wills, for what He wills, happens; and what He does not will, does not happen. All things, good and bad alike, are in His Hands and will return to Him.
﴿ مَا ڪَانَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡخِيَرَةُۚ ﴾
(no choice have they.) is a negation, according to the correct view. This is like the Ayah,
﴿ وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤۡمِنٍ۬ وَلَا مُؤۡمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ۥۤ أَمۡرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡخِيَرَةُ مِنۡ أَمۡرِهِمۡۗ ﴾
(It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision) (33:36). Then Allah says:
﴿ وَرَبُّكَ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تُكِنُّ صُدُورُهُمۡ وَمَا يُعۡلِنُونَ ﴾
(And your Lord knows what their breasts conceal, and what they reveal.) He knows what is hidden in their hearts, just as He knows what they do openly.
﴿ سَوَآءٌ۬ مِّنكُم مَّنۡ أَسَرَّ ٱلۡقَوۡلَ وَمَن جَهَرَ بِهِۦ وَمَنۡ هُوَ مُسۡتَخۡفِۭ بِٱلَّيۡلِ وَسَارِبُۢ بِٱلنَّہَارِ ﴾
(It is the same whether any of you conceals his speech or declares it openly, whether he be hid by night or goes forth freely by day.) (13:10).
﴿ وَهُوَ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ ﴾
(And He is Allah; La ilaha illa Huwa,) meaning, He is unique in His divinity, for none is to be worshipped besides Him, and there is no lord who can create what he wills and chooses besides Him.
﴿ لَهُ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ فِى ٱلۡأُولَىٰ وَٱلۡأَخِرَةِۖ ﴾
(His is the praise, in the first and in the last,) in all that He does, He is to be praised for His justice and wisdom.
﴿ وَلَهُ ٱلۡحُكۡمُ ﴾
(His is the decision,) that none can put back, because of His might, power, wisdom and mercy.
﴿ وَإِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ﴾
(and to Him shall you be returned.) means, all of you on the Day of Resurrection, and everyone will be rewarded or punished according to his deeds, good and evil alike, and absolutely none of their deeds will be concealed from Him.
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
In order to gain a deeper understanding, let’s look at the ayahs which come before and after the above-mentioned ayah;
وَرَبُّكَ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيَخْتَارُ ۗ مَا كَانَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ ۚ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَتَعَالَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
وَرَبُّكَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُكِنُّ صُدُورُهُمْ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ
وَهُوَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْأُولَىٰ وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَلَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
“And you Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses: no choice have they (in any matter). Glorified is Allah, an exalted above all that they associate (as partners with Him). And your Lord knows what their breast conceal, and what they reveal. And He is Allah: La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshiped but He), His are all praise and thanks (both) in the first (i.e. in this world) and in the last (i.e, in the Hereafter). And for Him is the Decision, and to Him shall you (all) be returned.”
(Surah Al-Qasas, 28:68-70)
Excerpt from Tafsir As Sa’di about these ayah:
In these verses it is stated that Allah is the Creator o f all creation, all creatures are subject to His will, and He alone chooses whomever and whatever He will of people, commands, times and places; no one has any control or choice in the matter; He is far above all that they ascribe to Him o f partners, helpers, supporters, children, spouses and so on, that the polytheists ascribe to Him; and He knows what their hearts conceal and what they disclose.
He alone is deserving of worship and praise in this world and the hereafter, for what He possesses of the attributes of majesty and beauty, and for what He bestows upon His creation o f kindness and grace. He is the One Who issues decrees in both realms, in this world by means of His universal decree, that impacts all that He creates, and
by means o f His religious decree which impacts all laws, commands
and prohibitions.
In the hereafter. He will issue decrees o f requital. Hence He says: ((and to Him you will be brought back]) and He will requite each one of you for his deeds, good or bad.
(Tafsir As Sa’di)
How many of us rebel against the decree of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَ due to our egos and own vain desires? One must realize that it is Allah who knows the secrets of the heavens and the Earth and He is The Wali (Protector) over those who believe. Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَ says in the Qur’an;
أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ
أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ أَن يَسْبِقُونَا ۚ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ
مَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ لَآتٍ ۚ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
وَمَن جَاهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَاهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَنُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَحْسَنَ الَّذِي كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حُسْنًا ۖ وَإِن جَاهَدَاكَ لِتُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۚ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَنُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ فِي الصَّالِحِينَ
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ وَلَئِن جَاءَ نَصْرٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّا كُنَّا مَعَكُمْ ۚ أَوَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِمَا فِي صُدُورِ الْعَالَمِينَ
وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ
“Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: “We believe”, and will not be tested? And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allah knows all that before putting them to test). Or think those who do evil deeds that they can outstrip Us (i.e. escape Our punishment)? Evil is that which they judge! Whoever hopes for the Meeting with Allah, then Allah’s Term is surely coming and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. And whosoever strives, he strives only for himself. Verily, Allah stands not in need of any of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn, and all that exists). Those who believe [in the Oneness of Allah (Monotheism) and in Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, and do not give up their faith because of the harm they receive from the polytheists], and do righteous good deeds, surely, We shall expiate from them their evil deeds and shall reward them according to the best of that which they used to do. And We have enjoined on man to be good and dutiful to his parents; but if they strive to make you join with Me (in worship) anything (as a partner) of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not. To Me is your return and I shall tell you what you used to do. And as for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah and the other articles of Faith) and do righteous good deeds, surely, We shall make them enter with (in the entrance of) the righteous (in Paradise). Of mankind are some who say: “We believe in Allah.” But if they are made to suffer for the sake of Allah, they consider the trial of mankind as Allah’s punishment; and if victory comes from your Lord, (the hypocrites) will say: “Verily we were with you (helping you).” Is not Allah Best Aware of what is in the breast of the Alamin (mankind and jinn). Verily, Allah knows those who believe, and verily, He knows the hypocrites [i.e. Allah will test the people with good and hard days to discriminate the good from the wicked although Allah knows all that before putting them to test].”
(Surah Al- ‘Ankabut, 29:2-11)
Being impatient in trials can lead one to loose hope in Allah which is surely a loss of faith. As it has been said by Prophet Ibrahim عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ;
يَا بَنِيَّ اذْهَبُوا فَتَحَسَّسُوا مِن يُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ وَلَا تَيْأَسُوا مِن رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُ لَا يَيْأَسُ مِن رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْكَافِرُونَ
“…and never give up hope of Allah’s Mercy. Certainly, no one despairs of Allah’s Mercy, except people who disbelieve.”
(Surah Yusuf, 12:87)
Allah says in The Qur’an:
كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
“Jihad (holy fighting in Allah’s cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, an it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:216)
Narrated Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The (Hell) Fire is surrounded by all kinds of desires and passions, while Paradise is surrounded by all kinds of disliked undesirable things.”
Oh you who believe! Be patient with whatever Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَ has decreed for you and know that after every difficulty comes ease. Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَ reminds us in The Qur’an;
وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ
“And seek help in patience and As-Salat (the prayers) and truly it is extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Kashi’un [i.e., the true believers in Allah – those who obey Allah with full submission, fear much from His Punishment, and believe in His Promise (Paradise) and in His Warnings (Hell)].
(Surah Al-Baraqah, 2:45)
One must tread the path of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَ with humility- not thinking to highly of his or herself yet living in a most honorable way (according to Islam). That is what is most fitting and just to ones soul.
A true believer must constantly check their heart and be ready discard the foolish personal preferences, tastes, and desires developed in dunya in order to fulfill the rights of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَ as He says in The Qur’an;
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
“O you who believe! Enter perfectly in Islam (by obeying all the rules and regulations of the Islamic religion) and follow not the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan). Verily, he is to you a plain enemy.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:208)
and;
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ ۗ وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا مُّبِينًا
“It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error.”
(Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:36)
The believer must understand that there is good in everything that Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَ has decreed for them. For the true believer, everything that should be desirable to him/her is on the Path of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَ. What lies beyond that is evil, harmful, shameful, and calls to the Hell-fire.
Suhaib رضي الله عنه reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
عَجَبًا لِأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لِأَحَدٍ إِلَّا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ
Wondrous is the affair of the believer for there is good for him in every matter and this is not the case with anyone except the believer. If he is happy, then he thanks Allah and thus there is good for him, and if he is harmed, then he shows patience and thus there is good for him.
Source: Sahih Muslim 2999, Grade: Sahih
One must constantly ask Allah to raise his or her consciousness so that they may understand that everything that happens to them has been preordained. Those who are striving to please Allah may encounter situations that they fear due to past experiences. Fear that drives one to Allah is good for the soul, while fear that drives one away from fulfilling the commands of Allah sends one into the dominion of the Shaytan;
وَآمِنُوا بِمَا أَنزَلْتُ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ وَلَا تَكُونُوا أَوَّلَ كَافِرٍ بِهِ ۖ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا بِآيَاتِي ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا وَإِيَّايَ فَاتَّقُونِ
“And believe in what I have sent down (this Qur’an), confirming that which is with you, [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)], and be not the first to disbelieve therein, and buy [get] not with My Verses [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] a small price (i.e., getting a small gain by selling My Verses), and fear Me and Me Alone. [Tafsir At-Tabari]
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:41)
On the authority of Nawwas ibn Sam’an that the messenger of Allah (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam) said:
“Allah has set forth the following as a parable:
There is a road that leads straight to the destination. On either side of the road there is a wall in which there are open doors with curtains hanging on them. From the remote end of the road, a voice calls, ‘proceed straight and do not turn aside’. Whenever someone intends to lift a curtain from the door another voice calls from above. ‘Beware! Do not lift the curtain; otherwise you will be lured inside’.
The prophet (sallallahu alyhi wa sallaam) explained the parable by saying that the straight path is Islam. the walls are the limits imposed by Allah, the open doors are the things that He has prohibited, the voice which calls from the end of the road is the Quran and the voice which calls from above is Allah’s monitor in the heart of every believer”.
Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَ says in The Qur’an;
الشَّيْطَانُ يَعِدُكُمُ الْفَقْرَ وَيَأْمُرُكُم بِالْفَحْشَاءِ ۖ وَاللَّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغْفِرَةً مِّنْهُ وَفَضْلًا ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“Shaitan (Satan) threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahsha; (evil deeds, illegal sexual intercourse, sins); whereas Allah promises you Forgiveness from Himself and Bounty, and Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:268)
The Muslim man and woman must understand that this world has been made for trials. Dunya is not our real home. We will never feel complete fulfillment unless we are in obedience to Allah by enduring whatever befalls us patiently for His sake;
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
‘The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, although both are good. Strive for that which will benefit you, seek the help of Allah, and do not feel helpless If anything befalls you, do not say, “if only I had done such and such” rather say “Qaddara Allahu wa ma sha’a fa’ala (Allah has decreed and whatever he wills, he does).” For (saying ) ‘If’ opens (the door) to the deeds of Satan. ”
The trials that we endure here in dunya serve the purpose of establishing the evidence–and that evidence is established first and foremost for or against oneself. Each trial that befalls us is an opportunity to raise in rank or risk loosing any spiritual benefit disobedience and discontent with Allah’s عزوجل decree;
As The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّ عِظَمَ الْجَزَاءِ مَعَ عِظَمِ الْبَلَاءِ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا ابْتَلَاهُمْ فَمَنْ رَضِيَ فَلَهُ الرِّضَا وَمَنْ سَخِطَ فَلَهُ السَّخَطُ
Verily, with greater rewards come greater trials. Verily, when Allah loves a people he will test them. Whoever is pleased will be satisfied, and whoever is displeased will have indignation.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2396, Grade: Hasan
The Believer must ask Allah to be successful in the trials that befall them. Also, that trials that come later in a man or woman’s life have tremendous weight on their records. Trials during maturity, once one has gained strength and spiritual insight by Allah’s permission, are an opportunity to show gratitude to Allah عزوجلfor guidance by implementing the lessons one has learned in their younger years.
These trials and the awareness of their weight are both tremendous Mercies from Allahعزوجل. They are both signs that He wants good for His servant by making that person aware of what to avoid and warning Him/her of the dangers of disobedience;
Abdullah (b. Mas’ud) reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) who is the most truthful (of the human beings) and his being truthful (is a fact) said:
Verily your creation is on this wise. The constituents of one of you are collected for forty days in his mother’s womb in the form of blood, after which it becomes a clot of blood in another period of forty days. Then it becomes a lump of flesh and forty days later Allah sends His angel to it with instructions concerning four things, so the angel writes down his livelihood, his death, his deeds, his fortune and misfortune. By Him, besides Whom there is no god, that one amongst you acts like the people deserving Paradise until between him and Paradise there remains but the distance of a cubit, when suddenly the writing of destiny overcomes him and he begins to act like the denizens of Hell and thus enters Hell, and another one acts in the way of the denizens of Hell, until there remains between him and Hell a distance of a cubit that the writing of destiny overcomes him and then he begins to act like the people of Paradise and enters Paradise.
And the youth should know that it benefits them greatly to ask Allah عزوجل for wisdom in the youth so that they may learn from the lives of those around them. They must also remember the great reward of Allah’s عزوجل shade on The Day when there will be no shade but His;
Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه reported: The Prophet ﷺ, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
“There are seven whom Allah will shade on a day when there is no shade but his. They are a just ruler, a youth who grew up in the worship of Allah, one whose heart is attached to the mosques, two who love each other, meet each other, and depart from each other for the sake of Allah, a man who is tempted by a beautiful woman of high status but he rejects her, saying , ‘I fear Allah,’ one spends in charity and conceals it such that his right hand does not know what his left hand has given, and one who remembered Allah in private and he wept.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 629, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1031
Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim
My advice to you my dear brothers and sisters is to seek the help of Allah عزوجلthrough patience and prayer, verily He is near. Be more patient than your enemy and declare Allah’s عزوجل praises always. If you keep your duty to Him He has promised to deliver you and those who believe from each and ever difficulty.
Keep the commands of Allah عزوجل and turn to Him in repentance often. This was the way of the righteous slaves before us and from them we have excellent examples.
And know that it is Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَ who comes between a man and his heart and know that duaa is your strongest weapon against evil.
Only those who have some fear of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَ will heed his corrections so keep yourself amongst the believers and know that duaa is your strongest defense against injustice.
May Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَ guide you to his path and grant you firmness upon it until death overtakes you. Ameen yaa Rabb.
The Heart of Matter 
Great advice and post, and Ameen to ur duas!
Jzk!
LikeLike
Alhamdullilah, Ameen.
LikeLike