Why does Allah trial the believers?
How often are we hit by a calamity or tribulation in life and then immediately ponder over whether it is a punishment from Allah or not?
In this segment, Mufti Zeeyad Ravat breaks down the concept of tribulations in Islam and gives us guidelines to decipher whether such tribulations are punishments from Allah or if they are rather tests designed to elevate your status.
Ideally, he breaks down the concept into two scenarios:
If the calamity sees you only grow in distance from Allah, then it is indeed a punishment.
However, if the calamity sees you only move closer towards Allah, then it is a test designed to elevate your status.
As Allah states in the Quran:
“And we will surely let them taste the nearer punishment short of the greater punishment that perhaps they will repent.”
Quran 32:21
There are also indeed instances whereby an apparent good would befall us, yet if it only distances you from Allah, then that too would be considered a punishment.
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