“Do you suppose that you will enter the Garden without encountering what those before you
encountered? They were afflicted by misfortune and hardship, and they were so shaken that even
[their] messenger and the believers with him cried, ‘When will God’s help arrive?’ Truly, God’s
help is near.” (Qur’an, 2:214)
So not only was the siren predicted—it was not new. Suppose our community was told that we are
not unique. So after all of that, how then would we react once the test siren came? Well, if it’s a drill,
there’s no shock or disbelief. We don’t panic. We don’t even become distressed.
But we do act.
And here’s the crucial part. Who are we acting for? Who is testing us? Who is watching, really?
CNN, C-Span, the American public? No. They’re all a part of the illusion; all a part of the test.
They’re all just a creation of the test. We act for one judge and one judge alone. We act for the only
true Reality (al-Haqq). We act because we know He is watching, and He is the only One who will
judge this test.
Once we realize this fundamental truth, something dramatic happens. As soon as we internalize that it
is only a test, our questions drastically change. Instead of asking: “How could this be happening?”
“Why is it so unfair?” our questions become: “How should I react?” “How should I pass this test?”
“What am I meant to learn?” “How should I see through this illusion, to the creator of the one who’s
hurting me, the one who’s oppressing me, and the test itself?” “How can we as a community use this
test to bring us closer to our final destination, God?” and “How can we use this test to fulfill the
purpose for which it was created - a tool to bring us nearer to Him?” Allahu akbar (God is Great).
The beauty of the tests of Allah (swt) is that after notifying us that they’re coming, He gives us the
exact recipe for succeeding in them: Sabr (patience) and Taqwa (God-consciousness).
Allah (swt) says: “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 (have sabr)
and mindful of God (have taqwa), that is the best course.” (Qur’an, 3:185-186)
In another verse, Allah (swt) emphasizes these same two necessary components for averting any harm
as a result of the schemes against us:
“They grieve at any good that befalls you [believers] and rejoice at your misfortunes. But if you are
steadfast and conscious of God, their scheming will not harm you in the least: God encircles
everything they do.” (Qur’an, 3:120)