Surviving the Tribulation (Second Part-Finished) 

Surviving the Tribulation (Second Part-Finished) 

Author: Sheikh Prof. DR. Abdur-Razzâq bin Abdil-Muhsin Al-‘Abbâd

 

3. One of the essential principles in avoiding tribulation is by being gentle, calm, unhasty, and pondering the consequences that may happen.

Indeed, haste will never bring goodness, while calmness will bring goodness as well as blessings. Whoever keeps on being in haste in every single one of his affairs, and being in rush in deciding things, will not be safe from committing wrong and slipping into astray and digression. On the other hand, one who runs his affairs gently, calmly, and far from haste, thinking maturely, and not in rush, indeed, by Allaah’s permission, he will obtain commendable results that cause him joy in this world and in the Hereafter. 

It is narrated from a noble companion, ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud -may Allaah be pleased with him- that he once said, 

( إِنَّهَا سَتَكُوْنُ أُمُوْرٌ مُشْتَبِهَات فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالتُّؤَدَةِ ، فَإنَّكَ أَنْ تَكُوْنَ تَابِعًا فِي الْخَيْرِ، خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَكُوْنَ رَأْسًا فِي الشَّرِّ.)” 

Indeed, later, there will come the vague things. It is compulsory for you to be cautious. Indeed, if you become a follower of a goodness, it is better for you than becoming a leader in evil.” 

Indeed, people who are in haste and who do not think maturely in handling affairs, and who are not calm, and cautious, will open the door of evil and calamity for himself, and for others among Allaah’s slaves. He will bear the sin, and regret it, and he will create a terrible hazard. 

It is narrated from Anas Ibn Malik -may Allaah be pleased with him-, he said that the Messenger of Allaah -peace and prayer of Alaah be upon him- said, 

( إِنَّ مِنْ النَّاسِ مَفَاتِيحَ لِلْخَيْرِ مَغَالِيقَ لِلشَّرِّ ، وَإِنَّ مِنْ النَّاسِ مَفَاتِيحَ لِلشَّرِّ مَغَالِيقَ لِلْخَيْرِ ، فَطُوبَى لِمَنْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ مَفَاتِيحَ الْخَيْرِ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ ، وَوَيْلٌ لِمَنْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ مَفَاتِيحَ الشَّرِّ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ.)

“Indeed, among men there are the keys (opener of the door) of goodness and locks (closer of the door) of evil. And among men there are keys (opener of the door) of evil, and locks (closer of the door) of goodness. Lucky for them whom Allaah grants those keys of goodnessin both of his hands. And woe to those whom Allaah destines those keys of evil on his hands. “[4] 

A reasonable man will always be cautious in predicting and valuing the upcoming consequences of his act. He will always be patient, gentle, calm, not in haste nor in rush. Indeed, both haste and rush will drive its owner to a fatal result, a bitter end, and a terrible peril. 

4. One of the essential principles is to always flock together with jama’a (the group of muslims), and distance himself from discord and dispute. 

Indeed, discord is bad, whereas unity is a blessing. By being together in jama’a, people will unite, the bond among them will strengthen, and their dignity will rise. Through jama’a, muslims will be able to realize unity in their goal, helping one another upon goodness and piety, and upon everything that can felicitate them in this world and in the Hereafter. 

As for dispute and strife, indeed, it will lead to plenty of evils, various hazards, and calamity, which end will not bound well. 

Therefore, it is narrated from the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allaah be upon him- had advised his followers to be in jama’a, and to avoid any discord among them. 

The Messenger of Allaah -peace and prayer of Allaah be upon him- said, 

( الْجَمَاعَةُ رَحْمَةٌ ، وَالْفُرْقَةُ عَذَابٌ.)

“Jama’a is mercy, whereas discord is torture.”[5]

The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allaah be upon him- also said, 

( يَدُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْجَمَاعَةِ.)

“Allaah’s hand is on jama’a.” [7] 

The Prophet -peace and prayer of Allaah be upon him- also said, 

( لَا تَخْتَلِفُوا فَإِنَّ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ اخْتَلَفُوا فَهَلَكُوا.)

“Do not disagree among you, for the people before you disagreed until they perished.” [8] 

5. One of the essential principles that should be taken into one’s mind in order to protect himself from tribulation and to avoid its evil is by learning knowledge from the scholars with profound knowledge, as well as the researchers imam, and not learning it from the youth who just learn knowledge and spend a little time in pursuing it. 

The Messenger of Allaah -peace and prayer of Allaah be upon him- said, 

((الْبَرَكَةُ مَعَ أَكَابِرِكُمْ.)

“The blessing is with the your elder.”[9] 

Blessings will reside with the old men among you, whose “feet” are firmly “attached” to knowledge, for the long duration of time that they’ve spent to learn it, until they reached the honorable position among muslims, for what Allaah has bestowed upon them, of knowledge, wisdom, resilience, calmness, and meticulousness in perceiving the consequences in the future. From these men, that we are ordered to learn from. 

Allaah the Exalted declared, 

{ وَإِذَا جَاءَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِنَ الْأَمْنِ أَوِ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُوا بِهِ وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَى أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنْبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَاتَّبَعْتُمُ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا }

Whenever they come upon any news bearing upon either security or causing consternation they go about spreading it, whereas if they were to convey it to either the Messenger or to those from among them entrusted with authority, it would come to the knowledge of those who are competent to investigate it.  But for Allah’s bounty and mercy upon you, (weak as you were), all but a few of you would surely have followed Satan. (An-Nisaa’/The Women:83)

Whoever return to them (the scholars), he will feel safe from tribulation and will real a commendable result. 

6. One of the essential principles to avoid tribulation is by having a great relationship with Allaah, and by praying to Him, The Glorified. 

Indeed, prayer, or du’a, is the key to every goodness in this world and in the Hereafter. In particular, du’a asking for Allaah to distance the muslims from the concrete, or unseen tribulations. Du’a asking for Allaah the Glorified to protect His slaves from the misleading trials. Indeed, whoever ask for Allaah’s protection, will receive it. Indeed, Allaah the Glorified will never disappoint His slave who pray to Him, and He will never reject the calling of His slaves. He is The One Who declare, 

{ وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ }

“(O Muhammad), when My slaves ask you about Me, tell them I am quite near; I hear and answer the call of the caller whenever he calls Me. Let them listen to My call and believe in Me; perhaps they will be guided aright.” (Al Baqarah/The Cow: 186) 

Thus, we pray to Allaah, The Noble, by His beautiful names and excellent characteristics, so that He’ll keep the tribulations away from the muslims, of the seen and the unseen ones of them; so that He’ll preserve the safety and the faith of the muslims; that He’ll guard them from all kinds of evil; that He actualize for them the good results, a great future, and beautiful end. Indeed, He is the Glorified One, The Holy, The Hearer of All Du’a, He is the One who Owns all of our hopes, He is The One Who suffices us, and He is The Best Protector. 

—

[1]  Narrated byAbu Dawud no. 4263. Sheikh Al-Albani -may Allaah have mercy on him- classified it as valid hadith, in his work, Shahîh Sunan Abî Dâwud.
[2] Narrated by Muslim no. 55 from the hadith of Tamim Ad-Dâri -may Allaah be pleased with him- 

[3] Narrated by Abu Dawud no. 4607, At-Tirmidhi no. 2676, Ibn Maja no. 42. Sheikh Al-Albani classified it as valid hadith in Shahîh Sunan Abî Dawud no. 3851.
[4] Narrated by Ibn Mâja no. 237. Sheikh Al-Albani classified it as good hadith in Shahîh Sunan Ibn Mâjah no 193.
[5] Narrated by Ahmad (IV/278) from the hadith of An-Nu’mân bin Basyîr may Allaah be pleased with them both -. Sheikh Al-Albani classified it as good hadith in Shahîh Al-Jâmi’ no. 3109.
[6] Narrated by At-Tirmidhi no. 2165 from the hadith of ‘Umar bin Al-Khaththâb may Allaah be pleased with him-. Sheikh Al-Albani classified it as valid hadith in Shahîh Sunan At-Tirmidhi no. 1758.
[7] Narrated by Ibn Abî ‘Âshim in As-Sunnah no. 81 from the hadith of Usâmah bin Syarîk may Allaah pleased with him. Sheikh Al-Albani may Allaah have mercy on him- classified it as valid hadith in Dzhilâlul-Jannah.
[8] Narrated by Al-Bukhâri no. 2410 from the hadith of ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud may Allaah be pleased with him –

[9] Narrated by Ibn Hibbân no. 559 from the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbâs -may Allaah be pleased with them both,- . Sheikh Al-Albani classified it as valid hadith in Ash-Shahîhah no. 17