A BELIEVER’S RESPONSE TO HARDSHIP
For Muslims, now is a time of turmoil. Sometimes, it’s difficult not to feel despair. Many of us are
wondering, why is this happening to us? How could this happen when we’ve done nothing wrong?
How can we be facing so much discrimination in the very country founded on “freedom”, “liberty”
and “justice” for all?
While all these thoughts are natural, we need to look beyond them. We need to look through the
illusion for a moment, into the Reality that stands behind it. We must refocus our sight, if we are to
see the Truth beyond this hologram.
That truth is one of the most oft-repeated lessons in the Qur’an and prophetic teachings. That
fundamental truth is this: Everything in this life is a test.
Allah says in the Qur’an: “It is He who created death and life in order to test you, which of you are
best in deeds. And He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.” (Qur’an, 67:2)
Here we are told that the very purpose for which life and death were created: to test us. Think for a
moment about an emergency siren. What is its purpose? The siren is an indication and a warning that
something harmful is coming. If we hear it, we naturally panic. But what happens when they need to
test the siren? What happens when it’s just a drill to see how we will react? The test siren sounds
exactly the same, but it is “only a test.” Although it looks, sounds, and feels real, it is not. It is only a
test. And we’re reminded of that again and again throughout the test.
This is exactly what Allah tells us about this life. It is going to look, sound, and feel very, very real.
At times it’s going to scare us. At times it’s going to make us cry. At times it’s going to make us flee,
instead of standing firm—even more firm—in our places. But this life and everything in it is only a
test. It is not actually real. And like that test of the emergency broadcast system; it is training us for
what is real. It is training us for the Reality beyond the test siren.
Now, what would happen if the coming of that test siren was not even a surprise? What if each and
every household were given notification that the test was coming? Consider for a moment the
notification of Allah (swt) to us (exalted is He):
“The present world is only an illusory pleasure: you are sure to be tested through your possessions
and persons; you are sure to hear much that is hurtful from those who were given the Scripture before
you and from those who associate others with God. If you are steadfast and mindful of God that is the
best course.” (Qur’an, 3:186)
Now imagine that in addition to these notifications, we were given knowledge of countless other
communities who were similarly tested. Allah says: