resistanceandstruggleagainstthesedifficulties.Inthisway,wecande-
rive the greatest benefit for ourspiritual strength. One who acts thus
doesnot findin lifeanythingagainsttheprinciplesof justiceandpur-
pose,andeverywhereheturnshefindsvictoryandprosperity.Inthisre-
spect, the Qur'ān says:
Hehasraisedsomeofyouinrankaboveothers,thatHemaytryyou
in what He has given you.(6:165)
Themeaningofthewords`thatHemaytryyou'hereisthatweshould
usetoourbenefitthepresentmoment,andso,whateversituationhap-
penstoman,itisforhisspiritualdevelopment,andthisistheGraceand
Justice of God.
Thisisthephilosophyofdifferencesandvicissitudeswhichcannever
beincontradictiontoJustice.Ifwefailtounderstandsomeoftheworld's
eventsweshouldnotconsiderthemtobeunjustandwrong,becausethe
systemofcreationisbuiltfirmlybythePowerfulhandsoftheOnewith
whom there can be no injustice, and all that He demands from us is
through His Love.
Thisisafact thatwehaveclearlyobservedmanytimesinthe things
which have happened to us and to others. Sometimes we consider
something to be bad,but after awhile we realizethat not only wasit
without harm, but that it was also positively beneficial. The Qur'ān says:
Yetitmayhappenthatyouwillhateathingwhichisbetterforyou;
anditmayhappenthatyouwillloveathingwhichisworseforyou.Al-
lah knows, and you know not.(2:216)
* * *Thislessonisbasedonthefollowings:DarRah-eHaqBoard,TheRoots
ofReligion,Qum1982.Ithasbeencompiledandeditedforthiscourseby
S.M. Rizvi.