Why Allah Tests Those He Loves Most

[Arabic recitation]

In the chapter of patience then mentions to us a narration on the authority of in this narration Abu Hurra tells us that the messenger of Allah sallaiam said whomever Allah desires good for he will afflict he will afflict. This has been collected by alkari in his authentic compilation. This narration has been narrated and its meaning twofold. Neither of the two meanings contradict each other. Rather both meanings when brought together highlight the plan that Allah subhanahu wa tala has for his believing slave. It's important for us before diving into the meaning of this narration directly that the prophet sallall.aii wasallam tells us He says people are in their nature and in their souls like precious metals gold and silver. What does this mean? This means that gold in its essence has a particular look to it. There are particular things that I can that a a skilled jeweler can bring out of gold that cannot be brought out of silver no matter what. Likewise, there is a particular allure. There is a particular essence to silver that a skilled jeweler can bring out of it that not even gold can imitate this. There is a reason we would say which is which is better gold or silver? Well, most people would tell you gold of course. It's why it's more expensive. It's considered more precious. Sure. But does that mean that all go all silver should be gold then? No. If all silver were gold, we'd have no silver. And just because something in its essence, the cloth it's cut from, the precious metal it comes from, just because it may not be as high level as gold, doesn't mean that everything made out of gold is better than everything made out of silver. Notice this concept here. We say which which is is better or superior? Which is more precious of a metal gold or silver? Say well gold. Okay. But does that mean that every piece of jewelry made out of gold is better than every piece of jewelry made out of silver? The answer is no. There are pieces of silver jewelry that are far superior to other pieces of jewelry that are made even out of gold. So when we speak about generally generally speaking gold is better than silver but not every piece of gold is better than every piece of silver. This is what is known amongst the scholars as right this wasl's argument if you remember his argument was I am better than him you created me from fire let's say for argument's sake that fire is superior ier than dirt or mud for argument's sake. Does that mean that every creature made of fire is better than every single creature made out of mud? The answer is no. That is what the cast systems of the Hindus and the Buddhists believe that you come from a certain cast. No matter what you do, no matter how good you are, if you're from a lower cast, you'll never be, you can never exceed someone from a higher cast. And someone from a higher cast, no matter how terrible a person they are, they will never be lower than a person of a lower cast. This is in itself either racism or tribalism or whatever we call it. When we look at the narrations of the prophet sallall.aii wasallam we see that for instance who is superior in virtue the muajir or thesar? Their the muajire are superior to the that is something agreed upon amongst the scholars of Islam. But does that mean that every single muhaji is better than every individuals doesn't mean that there may be individuals individuals from the ansar who are superior to individuals from the muhajin individuals from individuals even that are from the prophet sallall.aii wasallam's family members is not a family member of the prophet sallall.aii Wasallam. Yet he is more virtuous than all other companions. Hands down. This idea of the the cloth that a person is cut from or the metal that they come from. It may be superior or inferior. It may be virtuous or more virtuous. However, individuals when it comes to individuals, the prophet sallall.aii wasallam said, "Work and do your best for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has made the path of each person easy to that which he was created for." tell you if we understand this what does this have to do with the narration a person may say when we look at a narration this whomever Allah desires good for he will afflict more specifically whomever Allah God desires good for, he will afflict and specifically afflict with the harm of other people. This is what the two wordings mean. for.

[Silence]

So the narration now means whomever Allah desires good for he will afflict and especially with the harm of other human beings. This is the path of the prophets and messengers. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has mentioned that for every prophet he has designated an enemy. Every prophet gets an enemy, but not every prophet necessarily gets a friend or a follower because an enemy is arguably more critical to his journey and to his da than a friend is. Now, what does all of this mean? And what does that have to do with the first half of what we're speaking of with regards to the precious metals? When we say why does Allah test the human being? Why does Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tribulate people? Why tribulation? Why hardship? Why tears? Why isn't it all smiles? Why isn't it that if a person worships Allah, they are rewarded with ease in this life and the next? And if the person does not worship Allah, they are afflicted with hardship. That's how you would expect it to be. Why isn't that the case? Wouldn't that bring about the desired outcome which was for more people to enter into Islam? This here is a type of compulsion. And this is not what we were created for. this type of worship, a worship of compulsion. We were created and our edge of worship even though our worship is very little, especially compared to the angels, what is special about our worship is that without compulsion, we choose in spite of the seduction of evil to be good. That is why we are so rewarded by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. It's a different kind of worship. And so when you look at that from that perspective, you will notice just a jeweler harvest you bring to the jeweler raw materials. Here is raw gold that has been mined. Here is raw silver that has been mined. The jeweler may pay the miner more for the gold per gram than he pays him for the silver per gram. However, if the jeweler sees that this silver is high quality in its vein, he will give it his attention more than he gives to the gold even. And when you get when the precious metal gets attention from the jeweler, what does that translate to? The jeweler is trying to make something amazing out of this thing. And so, is that process easy? No. The first thing he does is heat up an oven as hot as it can get and put this precious metal into the belly of this oven. This is the first thing he does. And if a person were to ask him, why are you treating the silver this? Why are you treating this precious metal like this? He will say, because I love this one. This has great potential. So who gets the attention of the jeweler? The one who has more potential. The prophet sallall.aii wasallam tells us those who are most tried and given hardship are the prophets and messengers and then those who are most similar to them and then those who are most similar to them. Just a jeweler gives more attention to the metal, the precious metal that he knows to have more potential. We will pick this up inshallah.

[Arabic recitation]