How should we consider disasters and misfortunes?

Dear Brother / Sister,

“Worship consists in fact of two kinds, positive and negative. What is meant by the positive is obvious. As for negative worship, this is when one afflicted with misfortune or sickness perceives his own weakness and helplessness, and turning to his Compassionate Lord, seeks refuge in Him, meditates upon Him, petitions Him, and thus offers a pure form of worship that no hypocrisy can penetrate. If he endures patiently, thinks of the reward attendant on misfortune and offers thanks, then each hour that he passes will count as a whole day spent in worship. His brief life becomes very long.” (Lem’alar)

One of the duties of worship that the Messenger of Allah performed perfectly is patience. He passed the test of patience successfully through migration, wars and so many misfortunes and problems.

Prayer is the ascension (Miraj) of the believer. Misfortunes and diseases are another ladder of ascension. A Muslim rises spiritually as he obeys every command of Allah and avoids every prohibition of His. Another form of this ascension takes place through showing patience in the face of misfortunes and illnesses. The misfortunes that hit man teach him that he is a weak slave and that he has no power to prevent any incidents from traffic accidents to floods and storms. Illnesses repeat the same thing in the inner world of man. A person who understands very well that he cannot control the incidents like external influences in his own body puts his trust in his Lord and expects the cure from Him after taking the necessary precautions for treatment. This is a great progress for the believer.

People who undergo different tests with such different manifestations throughout life will move to the land of eternity after this short world life. They will attain the origin of these shadows and they will find and taste the blessings of knowledge and love in the perfect form there.

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