A repeated question you always hear from people, when will faraj (ease) come?
I am tired! It’s been five years since I was diagnosed with this illness…..
I have been waiting for a child for 10 years ….
I have been wishing to get married but it is not happening, I am tired!!....
I can’t find a job and I am tired of asking people for help….
When will faraj (ease) come?!!
A question which we all have to ask ourselves, why is ease sometimes delayed?
We have to ask ourselves this question so we can understand that the believer is in khair (good) despite the situation he is in.
Before I answer the question, I want to clarify one matter for you. This matter is mentioned in an ayah in the Quran but unfortunately most of us pass this ayah without contemplating or understanding. If we understood this, we would not wonder about this question and we would know the answer.
Allah says what can be translated as: Say: "Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us 9:51
Why did Allah say “has decreed for us” not decreed on us or against us!? Most of the time when we experience a trial we immediately think about it as something which is against us.
Allah is telling us in this ayah that everything which happens to us is for us and not against us…This is a fixed rule with the believer.
The Prophet peace be upon him emphasis what came in this aya and says: Allah does not decree anything for the believer except what is good for him.
Source: Musnad Ahmad 12495, Grade: Hasan
The Prophet peace be upon him also says: If Allah loves a people, then he afflicts them with trials.
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 23122, Grade: Sahih
Ponder upon these ahadeeth and you will realize why Allah says He decrees for us and not against us. If Allah loves someone He afflicts them with trials and tests, why? In order for them to receive good….Take this as a rule from now on and I will explain to you how.
From now on when you are afflicted with a trial or difficulty, search for the blessing that is behind it.
On the other hand if you receive khair or something good then be careful from the fitnah (test) that is behind it.
Every difficulty comes with a blessing so look for it in order to enjoy it. Let me give you an example: You become sick with a serious illness and you find yourself getting closer to Allah and doing more good deeds in your life or you find yourself learning more about your religion.
And for every good you receive search for the fitnah behind it and be careful not to fall into it. Whether it is money, or position or religion or anything else. Any blessing which made you happy, look for its fitnah and make sure to block it. And the worse fitnah in any blessing is pride, arrogance and reya’a (show off) which makes the person forget Allah.
So why is faraj delayed? A question I pose to you and to myself….
Faraj is delayed different reasons. Let’s learn about them from the Prophet himself peace be upon him
The first reason:
Zayed ibn Al Arqam had an illness in his eyes and the Prophet peace be upon him visited him. He then saw him in the market two weeks later and he asked him: What happened to you, Zayed answered: Allah healed me. The Prophet peace be upon him asked him: what if you lost your sight, what would you have done? Zayed said: I would have been patient and would have expected the reward from Allah. The Prophet peace be upon him said: then you would meet Allah without a single sin. Musnad Ahmed.
Imagine Allah says I will test you so that I can wipe all your sins and purify you and bring you to me without a single sin and you say No I don’t want, just cure me now or just get me a husband now, I am tired!
From now on my dear sister and brother if Faraj is delayed then rest assured that Allah wants to meet you while you have no sins in your account. It is simply the greatest blessing you could ever have.
What are you rushing for? Allah is telling you I will cleanse you and make you come to me clean from all sins because He knows you are weak and you always rush to commit those sins, a sin after a sin until they multiply.
Second reason:
The Prophet peace be upon him said: (Allah decrees a high status for His slave, he could not reach with his deeds, so Allah tests him in his body or in his money or his children. He then bestows patience on him until he reaches to the status which He decreed for him) Narrated by Abu Dawood (3090 ) Al Albani authenticated it in "Sunan Abi Dawood."
Allah has decreed for you Jannat Al Firdous which you will not reach with your deeds because you are lazy to work for it or because of any other reason.
The Prophet peace be upon him says: Allah tests him in his body or in his money or his sons…and elevates you to that rank.
A man came to Dr. Khaled Al Jubair and said: A month ago I took my wife to the hospital and the doctor told us he is suspecting she has cancer. He took blood samples from her for further testing but he said it may take up to one month to get back the results. The man said: we left the clinic devastated and we planned to make lots of dua, give sadaqa, wake up at night for prayer and go for umrah. We continued doing all those good deeds until the month has passed. We went to see the doctor for the results and to our surprise all her tests were clear Alhamdulilah. We were very happy and relieved but unfortunately we later stopped all that we used to do (dua, sadaqa and qeyaamulail)
Subhana Allah, Allah knows that when you have it easy, you forget and you stop everything as if you will be living for good. Some people do not remember Allah until death comes.
Dr. Khaled Al Jubair said: I had a patient for surgery and before the surgery the nurse came and handed me a paper from the patient. I looked at the paper and it was a will he wrote to his wife. The will stated: “On top of the bedroom cabinet there is a red bag, you will find 100,000, give it out as sadaqa and inside the cabinet there is another black bag, it has 50,000 also give it for sadaqa and under the bed there is a blue bag…. etc. Basically, he left nothing for his children. Now he started panicking and he remembered Allah.
Many people do not remember Allah unless they fall sick or they are inflicted with a trial. Isn’t this always the case!?
The third reason
When Allah delays faraj for you, he delays it to grant you something even bigger and better. What is it?
Sabr (patients) Allah says: O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.2:153
Being patient puts you in the company of Allah and what better company than that!? If Allah is with you, you don’t care who is against you. Would you say no to that!? Would you say to Allah!? No I don’t want your company, I am tired, I just want you to grant me a child or a husband or a job!!?
Allah is telling you, be patient I am with you, don’t worry … and you say no, I just want what I want right now.
Allah says what can be translated as: And be patient, for indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of (Muhsineen) those who do good. 11:115
Allah here lifted you a rank from being a Muslim to being a Muhsin (the one who does good). He has given you a special badge and elevated you and you say no, no I don’t want!! I want to be in a lower rank!!
Here is an even better status. Allah says what can be translated as: And Allah loves the patient 3:146
Allah says to you, while you are in this trial and this test and you are patient, you gain my love and If I love you, I will give you this world and the hereafter and everything in it just be patient.
An old poor woman was visited in her small hut by a TV show. The reporter asked her, are you happy? She said yes I am. He said: how can you be happy in this small hut, you simply have nothing to achieve the happiness you are claiming. She said: I am happy because I am satisfied with what Allah has given me, because I know what He has given me is what is good for me now.
Can we think like this old woman or at least strive to remind ourselves to think like that.
Believe me my dear sister and brother if you are not satisfied and happy with what Allah has given you, you will never be happy even if you became a King or a Queen. Be content and remember Allah only gives good and Allah only gives khair.
Abu Hurairah Radiyallahu 'anhu narrates that Rasullullah Sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam in a Hadith Qudsi said: Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says: When I inflict illness upon My believing slave and he does not complain about Me to people who visit him, I set him free (forgive his sins). Then I change his flesh with flesh better than his and blood better than his blood and he resumes his deeds afresh (as all his sins been wiped out). (Mustadrak Hakim)
Do you now understand why faraj is sometimes delayed!?
