{"id":14768,"date":"2016-11-29T04:21:55","date_gmt":"2016-11-29T04:21:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/new\/?p=14768"},"modified":"2024-10-12T07:25:33","modified_gmt":"2024-10-12T05:25:33","slug":"the-test-of-gratitude","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alhaadi.org.za\/?p=14768","title":{"rendered":"The Test of Gratitude"},"content":{"rendered":"

Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu \u2018anhu) narrates that he heard Rasulullah (sallallahu \u2018alaihi wasallam) saying:<\/p>\n

There were three people from the Banu Israaeel whom Allah Ta\u2018ala decided to test; a leper, a bald man and a blind man. Allah Ta\u2018ala therefore sent an angel to them.<\/p>\n

The angel came to the leper first and asked him, \u201cWhat is most beloved to you?\u201d The leper replied, \u201cA good complexion and good skin, as the people detest me due to this illness.\u201d The angel thus passed his hand over the leper, causing his leprosy to be removed and resulting in him being blessed with a good complexion and good skin. The angel thereafter asked him, \u201cWhich wealth is most beloved to you?\u201d He replied, \u201cCamels\u201d The angel therefore granted him ten-month pregnant she-camels and said, \u201cMay you be blessed in this wealth.\u201d<\/p>\n

The angel thereafter went to the bald man and asked him, \u201cWhat is most beloved to you?\u201d He replied, \u201cBeautiful hair and for my baldness to leave me, as people dislike me due to it.\u201d The angel therefore passed his hand over the bald man, causing his baldness to leave and resulting in him being blessed with beautiful hair. The angel thereafter asked him, \u201cWhich wealth is most beloved to you?\u201d He replied, \u201cCows.\u201d The angel therefore granted him pregnant cows and said, \u201cMay you be blessed in this wealth.\u201d<\/p>\n

The angel finally went to the blind man and asked him, \u201cWhat is most beloved to you?\u201d The blind man replied, \u201cThat Allah Ta\u2018ala restore my sight whereby I will be able to see the people.\u201d The angel therefore passed his hand over the blind man, causing his sight to be restored. The angel then asked him, \u201cWhich wealth is most beloved to you?\u201d He replied, \u201cGoats.\u201d The angel therefore granted him pregnant goats.<\/p>\n

Sometime later, all the animals had given birth. Hence one of them had a valley of camels, another had a valley of cows and the last had a valley of goats (thus all were enjoying abundant wealth).<\/p>\n

The angel thereafter assumed the form of a leper and went back to the man who was once a leper. The angel said to him, \u201cI am a poor man. All my means and provisions have been exhausted on my journey. There is no way (for me) to reach (my destination) today except with the help of Allah Ta\u2018ala and then with your help. I ask you by that Being who blessed you with a good complexion, good skin and wealth, for a camel which I will use to complete my journey.\u201d Hearing his plea, the man tried to turn him away saying, \u201cI have many rights to fulfil (and hence I cannot give you anything).\u201d Hearing this refusal, the angel said, \u201cI seem to recognize you. Are you not that poor leper whom people detested, and Allah Ta\u2018ala thereafter blessed you?\u201d The man replied, \u201cI inherited this wealth, as a man of honour, from my forefathers of honour.\u201d The angel replied, \u201cIf you are lying, may Allah Ta\u2018ala return you to your former condition.\u201d<\/p>\n

The angel next assumed the form of a bald man and went to the man who was previously bald. He made a similar request to him and received a similar answer. The angel therefore said to him, \u201cIf you are lying, may Allah Ta\u2018ala return you to your former condition.\u201d<\/p>\n

The angel finally assumed the form of a blind man and went to the man who was previously blind. He said to the man, \u201cI am a poor traveller whose means and provisions are exhausted on my journey. There is no way (for me) to reach (my destination) today except with the help of Allah Ta\u2018ala and then with your help. I ask you by that Being who restored your vision to you for a goat which I will use to complete my journey.\u201d Hearing this plea, the man responded saying, \u201cI used to be blind, after which Allah Ta\u2018ala restored my vision. I was a pauper, after which Allah Ta\u2018ala made me wealthy. Take what you wish, for by the oath of Allah, I will not begrudge you today for anything you take for the sake of Allah Ta\u2018ala!\u201d The angel responded, \u201cKeep your wealth as this was merely a test for you. Allah Ta\u2018ala is happy with you (as you have passed the test) and Allah Ta\u2018ala is displeased with your two companions (as they failed the test).\u201d (Saheeh Bukhaari #3464)<\/p>\n

Lessons:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Every bounty which a person enjoys is a gift and blessing from Allah Ta\u2018ala. If the servant of Allah Ta\u2018ala shows gratitude, Allah Ta\u2018ala will increase His favours on this person. However, if he is ungrateful, Allah Ta\u2018ala will snatch the favours away. Showing gratitude is more than mere lip service. To show gratitude, we should ensure that we only utilize the blessing in those avenues that are pleasing to Allah Ta\u2018ala.<\/p>\n

2. When Allah Ta\u2018ala gives favours and bounties to His servants, He does so entirely out of His generosity. We should thus never feel that we are enjoying the favours of Allah Ta\u2018ala because we are deserving, as none of us in reality are deserving of any favours of Allah Ta\u2018ala. Hence when we see a person less privileged than ourselves, we should remember that it is only out of the mercy of Allah Ta\u2018ala that we are in comfort and are not in the position of that person. If we treat the person with arrogance, harshness and rudeness, it could happen that Allah Ta\u2018ala showers His favours on that person and deprives us of His blessings.<\/p>\n

3. We do not know at which moment Allah Ta\u2018ala may test us. It may be that we consider a certain action of ours to be insignificant and unimportant, whereas this same action was a test from Allah Ta\u2018ala and is thus the criteria by which our salvation or destruction is decided. Attaining piety and acquiring the awareness and fear of Allah Ta\u2018ala is thus an effort which a person has to be engaged in at every moment of his life, as he does not know when the fateful test will transpire.<\/p>\n

>>>Download Musjid Poster\u00a0Page 1<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Page 2<\/a><<<<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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