Feeling despondent about poor family relations, etc.
22-4-2004 | IslamWeb
Question:
I feel I do not want to live anymore because my brothers and relatives are looking down on me for something I did not do. My friend used me to cheat them of a large sum of their money. He also cheated me. I am patient and pray a lot. Why are humans so cruel nowadays, doing so many sinful things?
Answer:
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
Know, dear brother, that this life is a life of trial and testing. The trial can be with something good as it can be with something bad. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good, and to Us you will be returned.}[21:35].
So the Muslim should be patient and forbearing. You should know that any harm, sorrow, depression, stress, and even if it is the least hurtful thing like the prick of a thorn, that afflicts the believer Allah rewards him/her for it. Muslim reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his and this is not the case with anyone else except in the case of a believer for if he has an occasion to feel delight, he thanks (God), thus there is a good for him in it, and if he gets into trouble and shows resignation (and endures it patiently), there is a good for him in it" [Muslim].
So, anything that befalls the believer in this life be that an affliction in his children, wealth, family, or his body is but a predestined act from Allah that will have happened anyway. So, the person should not panic for that or become angry because of it. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "The greatness of the extent of the reward is proportional to the greatness of the affliction. When Allah loves some people, He tries them. So, those of them who get satisfied get the satisfaction while those who get angry get anger." [Al Tirmizi]
As for feeling uneasiness, becoming bored and being dissatisfied with this life and wishing death for some calamities, all are not permissible for the saying of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam): "None of you should wish for death because of a calamity befalling him………."
Another narration reads with the additional words: "… If he is a good-doer he probably will increase in his good acts or if he is an evil doer he probably may repent from his acts."
The matter of money is very facile and could be recompensated. Praise Allah that He did not inflict on you a trial greater than what you have. The good ancestors used to thank Allah whenever a calamity hit them that it was not greater and it was only in this mundane life, not in their religion and that Allah would grant them the reward for being patient.
The reason of hard-heartedness of the people, in general, is that they have forgotten Allah, neglected their religion, become engrossed in mundane life.
We advise you to fear Allah and befriend pious people; Allah will surely grant you better than what you lost and grant you the reward of the patient people.
Allah knows best.