The World Of Soul
Through the thorns of life. Strengthening one’s spirit
Question: Is it true that Allah puts man to the test in order to give us the opportunity to expiate our sins in this world, facilitating our fate in the hereafter? Abakar.
Answer: Troubles, fears, grief, crises, depression, illnesses, apathy...What is it? (1) Is it all the opportunity to purify one’s soul from the burden of sins that man could not expiate through absolute repentance before Allah, the Lord of the world, or is it (2) a chastisement, God’s punishment?
A punishment is inflicted on man who cannot analyze his behaviour, interpret his actions objectively. If this man is a true believer, the Lord gives him the opportunity to expiate his past mistakes through this or that punishment in this world, without leaving it till the Day of Judgement. Allah loves man and thus saves him from torture in the hereafter. Or is it (3) a means of “strengthening man’s spirit", “raising the level of his skill", increasing his life resistance[1].
Let us adduce (on the mercy of Allah) several utterances of Prophet Mohammed (let peace and Allah’s blessing be upon him) contributing to the revelation of this meaning, this facet of temporal existence in the labyrinth of life.
Expiation of sins
“Pain caused by illness just as any other sensation of pain [of a psychological, mental, physical character] is for every believer an opportunity to expiate his sins, that fall from man [if he suffers pain with patience and, of course, if he undertakes appropriate medical or other measures] just as leaves fall from the tree [this process is similar to the autumn leaf-fall; i.e. trees are so much bound to lose their leaves in autumn as a believer will surely be forgiven for his mistakes through pain; his past sins and mistakes ‘fall’ from him]".[2] So this process is natural.
“Whatever overtakes a believer[3], be it an illness (a serious disease, troubles), or hard work (exhausting work, sufferings, tiredness), or a disease (pain), or grief, all this contributes to the expiation of his sins (all this redeems his sins)".[4]
Punishment
The Holy Qur’an reads: "He that does evil shall be certainly[5] requited with evil [in any form, at any time, in any place]".[6] No matter whether people want it or not, punishment is irreversible, it is an order that was set by the Creator in this world. Evil returns to the wrongdoer, if not in this world, than surely on the Day of Judgement, in eternity.
“Strengthening one’s spirit"
“Be it a needle [something that is insignificant] that pricks a Muslim (obedient to the Most High) or something more serious [that causes him pain or sufferings], it automatically [as a result of steadfastness, self-reserve, calmness and courage, of course with taking appropriate medical or other measures] elevates the level [of man’s piety in God’s insight] and removes his sins".[7]
The vast majority of Muslim theologians, relying on the adduced hadith and similar reliable utterances, state that “any sensations of pain, illnesses, worldly troubles and problems in spite of the duration, complications and so on, have in their nature the possibility of expiating sins, increasing piety and receiving God’s reward (adjr, hassanat)"[8] for a right attitude to what does not depend on our will; for calmness, patience and the ability to go on living, without losing courage and preserving noble intentions and clean convictions, despite all.
Another hadith: "Verily, [this or that] man has a certain position (status) before Allah. And if he does not achieve it [for this or that reason] through his deeds [for example, out of idleness, laziness], the Lord sends him something that is unpleasant (undesirable, unloved, hated), putting man to the test, until he acquires this position (status)".[9]
Conclusion
“Troubles and illnesses will keep overtaking the bodies, the property and the souls of men and women among believers until not a single grain of sin stays on them".[10] Being wise, calm and patient under the burden of worldly troubles will lead man (on the mercy of Allah) to the absolute purification of his soul from sins and misdeeds.
“If the Lord wishes a man well, He punishes him for his sins and misdeeds already in this world [inflicting on him pain, troubles, difficulties and so on]. Whereas if God wishes a man ill [if this man is not faithful] He defers the punishment to the Day of Judgement [in order to pronounce sentence that will be justified by the sins and crimes of this man, the most dreadful of which would be his godlessness]".[11]
Imam al-Kurtubi adduces the following hadith kudsi[12] in his book “at-Tazkira": “And the Lord said: "If I want to bestow mercy on somebody, this man will not leave this world until I punish him for all his sins in this world: I will inflict on him pain, illnesses, difficulties in his family life, lack of nutrition, poverty. He will pay for every grain of sin. And when the time is ripe for him to die and several sins are still left, these will be expiated through the pain of death-agony. And his soul will become pure just as the soul of a baby.
And I swear by My greatness! If there is somebody worthy of a severe punishment [for his godlessness, paganism or horrible crimes and sins] I will requite him for the good that he has ever done: with health in his body, with wealth in his property, with peace in his heart. This will go on until his good actions are retributed with good in this world. And if something is left, he will receive the retribution of painless death. And he will return to Me in a state when he will have nothing to defend himself with against Hell".[13]
[1] Resistant [engl. Resistance - opposition]. Prof. Having strong resistance to something. The body’s resistance. Resistance of cells. See: The comprehensive explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. Saint-Petersburg: Norint, 2000, p. 1113.
[2] [2] Hadith from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud; the holy ahadith from al-Bukhari, muslim and others. See, for example: An-Nawawi Y. Sahih muslim bi9 sharh an-nawawi [The ahadith collection of imam Muslim with the comment of imam an-Nawawi]: 10 volumes, 18 parts, Beirut: al-Kutub al-‘ilmiya, the 8th volume, part 16, p. 127, hadith ¹ (2571) 45; al-Kurtubi A. Talhys sahih al-imam muslim [The abridged version of the ahadith from imam Muslim]; 2 volumes, Cairo: as-Salam, 1993, the 2nd volume, p. 1136, hadith ¹ 23; as-Suyuty dj. Al-djami’ as-sagyr [The concise volume]. Beirut: al-Kutub al-‘ilmiya, 1990, p. 495, hadith ¹ 8097, “hassan”.
[3]i.e. everything that is imminent; beyond man’s power.
[4] Hadith from Abu Hurayra, as well as from Abu Sa’id al-Hudri; the holy ahadith from Ahmad, al-Bukhari, at-Tirmizhi, Muslim, al-Bayhaqy and others. See, for example: Al-‘Askalani A. Fath al-bari bi sharh sahih al-bukhari [The help of the Creator (for man in better understanding of the new) through the comment on the ahadith collection of al-Bukhari]: 18 volumes, Beirut: al-Kutub al-‘ilmiya, 2000, the 13th volume, p. 127, hadith ¹ 5641, 5642; an-Nawawi Y. Sahih muslim bi sharh an-nawawi. The 8th volume, part 16, p. 130, hadith ¹ (2573) 52; al-Amir ‘Alaud-din al-Farissi (675-739 A.H.). Al-ihsan fi takrib sahih ibn habban [A noble deed in approaching (to the reader) the ahadith collection of Ibn Habban]: 18 volumes, Beirut: ar-Rissala, 1991 (1997), the 7th volume, p.166, hadith ¹ 2905, “sahih”, as well as ¹ 2925 (from ‘Aisha), “sahih”.
[5] The grammar rules require such translation - “certainly”.
[6] See: the Holy Qur’an, 4: 123.
See also: Al-Amir ‘Alaud-din al-Farissi. Al-ihsan fi takrib sahih ibn habban. The 7th volume, p. 170, hadith ¹ 2910, “sahih”, as well as ¹ 2923.
[7] Hadith from ‘Aisha; the holy ahadith from Ahmad, Muslim. See, for example: An-Nawawi Y. Sahih muslim bi sharh an-nawawi. The 8th volume, part 16, p. 128, hadith ¹ (2572) 46-51; al-Amir ‘Alaud-din al-Farissi. Al-ihsan fi takrib sahih ibn habban. The 7th volume, p. 167, hadith ¹ 2906, “sahih”, and hadith ¹ 2919, “sahih”; as-Suyuty Dj. Al-djami’ as-sagyr. P. 495, hadith ¹ 8098, ‘sahih”.
[8] See, for example: An-Nawawi Y. Sahih muslim bi sharh an-nawawi. The 8th volume, part 16, p. 128.
[9] See: Al-Amir ‘Alaud-din al-Farissi. Al-ihsan fi takrib sahih ibn habban. The 7th volume, p.; 169, hadith ¹ 2908, “hassan.”
[10] Hadith from Abu Hurayra; the holy ahadith from Ahmad, al-Hakim, al-Bagawi, al-Bayhaqy, at-Tirmizhi and Malik. See, for example: Al-Amir ‘Alaud-din al-Farissi. Al-ihsan fi takrib sahih ibn habban. The 7th volume, p. 176, hadith ¹ 2913, “hassan”; at-Tirmizhi M. Sunan at-tirmizhi [The ahadith collection of imam at-Tirmizhi]. Beirut: Ibn Hazm, 2002, p. 687, hadith ¹ 2404, “hassan, sahih”.
[11] Hadith from Anas, as well as from ‘Ammar ibn Yassir and Abu Hurayra; the holy ahadith from at-Tirmizhi, al-Hakim, at-Tabarani, al-Bayhyqy and so on. See, for example: At-Tirmizhi M. Sunan at-tirmizhi [The ahadith collection of imam at-Tirmizhi]. Beirut: Ibn hazm, 2002, p. 686, hadith ¹ 2401; as-Suyuty dj. Al-djami’ as-sagyr. P. 29, hadith ¹ 385, “sahih”.
[12] The words of the Lord, the meaning of which is transmitted by the Prophet. Thus, these words do not belong to the text of the Holy Scripture although they sound like the direct speech of the Creator Himself. This utterance is an admonition that is given by God, the Lord of the world, through his last Prophet and Messenger.
[13] See: al-Kurtubi M. At-tazkira fi ahwal al-mawta wa umur al-ahira [Reminding of the state of the dead and eternal life]. Cairo: al-Maktaba al-kayima, p. 30.
