Purpose of human creation:

Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is best in deeds.”

Mulk 67:2

2

And it is He Who has created the heavens and the earth in six days and His Throne was on the water, that He might test you ,which of you is the best in deeds”

Hood, 11:7

Al Anbia 21:35 “Every soul shall taste death. We shall make trial for you with evil and with good and to us you shall return.”

Al Baqarah 2:214 “ Do you think that you shall enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty, ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and the believers with him said,’ When shall Allah’s Help arrive?’. Yes certainly, the Help of Allah is near.”

Al Baqarah 2:155 “ And certainly we shall test you with some of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits but give glad tidings to the patients.”

Al Imran 3: 186 “ You shall be certainly tested in your wealth and properties in your person and you shall certainly hear much from people of the book and the polytheist which wil l grieve you.

Al Taghabun 64:15 “ Your wealth and your children are a trial and whereas with Allah there is a great reward.”

Al Munafiqoon 63:9 “O you who believe! Let not your wealth or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whosoever does that, they are the losers.”

Al Taghabun 64:11” No calamity befalls but with Allah’s permission, and whosoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart. Allah is all knower of everything.”

Al Imran 3:142 “ Do you think you shall enter paradise before Allah tests those of you who struggled in His way and tests those who are Sabirun (patient).”

Al Fajr 89:15 “As for man, when his Lord tries him by giving him honor and bounties, then he says,’ My Lord has honored me.’ But when he tries him by limiting his sustenance, he says,’ My Lord has humiliated me.’

Al Maarij 70:19,20,21 “ Verily, man was created very impatient. Discontented when evil touches him. And miserly when good touches him.

"And among mankind is he who worships Allah upon the very edge (i.e. in doubt); if good befalls him, he is content therewith; but if a trial befalls him, he turns back on his face ( i.e. Reverts back to disbelief after embracing Islaam). He loses both this world and the Hereafter. That is the evident loss." (22:11)

He becomes angry with what Allah has decreed for him, and this is Haraam (forbidden).

2-"And be patient, indeed Allah is with the patient ones." (8:46)

Patience is like its name - bitter in taste, yet its outcomes are sweeter than honey.

So the person sees the affliction which is very heavy upon him, yet he bears it although he dislikes that it happened. His Eemaan bears it and restrains him from being angry. So the time of affliction and the time of no affliction is not the same to him, and this (level) is Waajib

Person is pleased with the affliction and whether it happened or not, it is the same to him so it is not difficult upon him.

He does not bear it as if it is something weighing heavy on him, and this (level) is Mustahab (preferred)

The difference between this level and others is apparent because the affliction happening or not happening is the same.

This is the highest level. Person at this level thanks Allah for the affliction which has struck him.

The Prophet (SAW) said: "There is no affliction which strikes a Muslim except that Allah expiates with it (sins), even when a thorn may poke him." (Bukharee & Muslim)

1-Increasing the strength of faith and resolve in difficult circumstances.

2-Increasing the rewards and place in Jannah.

3-Forgiveness of sins.

141 Allah's object also is to purge those that are true in faith and to deprive of blessing those that resist faith.

142 Did ye think that ye would enter heaven without Allah testing those of you who fought hard (in His cause) and remained steadfast?

4-Differentiation between true believers and the hypocrites.

Al Imran 3:166-167” And what you suffered on the day(Uhad) the two armies met was by the leave of Allah in order that he might test the believers. And that He might test the hypocrites “

5-Truth to prevail and the falsehood to be defeated.

Al Isra 17;81 “Say truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Surely falsehood is bound to vanish.”

Al Imran 3:178 “ And let not the disbelievers think that our granting them time ( in life) is good for them. We do this so that they may increase in sinfulness and for them is a disgraceful punishment.”

Al Qalam 64:44,45:” Then leave me alone with those who deny this (Quran). We shall punish them gradually from direction they do not perceive. I shall grant them time. My plan is strong.”

Adam (AS) was tried through the Satan in Jannah.

Noah(AS) was tried by rejection of his people and his disbelieving son and wife.

Ibrahim (AS) had several trials. Rejection from his people,Migration to Palestine Ismail and his sacrifice, Leaving his son and wife in Makkah

Ayub (AS) was tried through prolonged illness.

Daud (AS) and Suleiman(AS) had trial of power and wealth.

Musa (AS) faced trials from Phiron and his people.

Isa (AS) was tried by his people’s rejection and plot to hurt him.

146 How many of the Prophets fought (in Allah's way) and with them (fought) large bands of godly men? But they never lost heart if they met with disaster in Allah's way nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in. And Allah loves those who are firm and steadfast.

147 All that they said was: "Our Lord! forgive us our sins and anything we may have done that transgressed our duty; establish our feet firmly and help us against those that resist faith.“

148 And Allah gave them a reward in this world and the excellent reward of the Hereafter. For Allah loves those who do good.

Prophet Mohammad (SAW): Went through persecution. Examples:

1- Uqba bin Abi Moeet once put cloth in his neck and tried to choke him to death.(Bukhari)

2-When asked by Aisha(RA), Prophet (SAW) said that the most difficult day in his life was the ‘ day of aqaba’ the day in TAIF. (Bukhari and Muslim)

Companions of the Prophet were persecuted

Abdullah Ibn Masood (RA) reported that following 7 people were first to announce their IMAN:

Prophet Mohammad, Abu Bakr, Ammar, Sumayyah, Sohaib, Miqdad, Bilal. Latter 5 went through worst persecution.

( Ahmad)

1-O thou folded in garments! 2 Stand (to pray) by night but not all night 3 Half of it or a little less 4 Or a little more; and recite the Qur'an in slow

measured rhythmic tones. 5 Soon shall We send down to thee a weighty

Message. 6 Truly the rising by night is most potent for

governing (the soul) and most suitable for (framing) the Word (of Prayer and Praise)

7-True there is for thee by day prolonged occupation with ordinary duties:

8 But keep in remembrance the name of the Lord and devote thyself to Him wholeheartedly.

9 (He is) Lord of the East and the West: there is no god but He: take Him therefore for (thy) Disposer of Affairs.

10 And have patience with what they say and leave them with noble (dignity).

11 And leave Me (alone to deal with) those in possession of the good things of life who (yet) deny the Truth; and bear with them for a little while

(73:2) Stand up in Prayer by night, all but a small part of it; This can have two meanings: (1) "Pass the night standing up in the Prayer and

spend only a little of it in sleep" (2)“There is no demand from you to pass the whole

night in the Prayer, but have rest as well and spend a little part of the night in worship too."

First meaning seems to be more relevant, and the same is supported by Ad-Dahr: 26,

And in some parts of the night offer the Salah with it (the Qur'an), as an additional prayer for you. It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqam Mahmud.)

(17:79(

Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend out of what We have

bestowed on them. (32:16(

73:3

Half of it, or reduce it a little;

(73:4)

Or add to it a little; and recite the Qur’an slowly and distinctly.

Sa’id bin Hisham asked Aisha (RA) about Prophet’s night prayer. She referred to Surah Muzzamil and said, "Verily, Allah made night prayer obligatory at the beginning of this Surah. So the Prophet (SAW) and his Sahaba stood for an entire year during the night (in prayer) until their feet swelled. Allah held back the revelation of the end of this Surah for twelve months.. Then, the standing for night prayer became voluntary after it used to be obligatory

(73:5)The recital consists of uttering the

words with proper rules of Tajweed. It should involve thoughtful

consideration of the meaning.

When there is mention of Allah's Being and Attributes, it may awe-inspire the heart with His glory and majesty;

When it expresses His mercy, the heart may be filled with feelings of gratitude to Him;

When it mentions His wrath and His punishment, the heart may be overwhelmed by fear of Him;

When it enjoins something or forbids something, one may understand what has been enjoined and what has been forbidden

73:6

Surely getting up at night is the best means of subduing the self and is more suitable for uprightness in speech

(1) That nashi'at implies the person himself who rises at night;

(2) That it implies the hours of night; (3) That it means the rising by night; and (4) That it does not only apply to the

rising in the night but rising after having had some sleep. `A`ishah(RA) and Mujahid have adopted this fourth view.

1-As the rising for worship by night and standing up for a long time in the Prayer is hard. Prayer at night is most effective in controlling and disciplining the self.

2- This is a very effective means of producing harmony and concord between the heart and the tongue. In the onliness of night, whatever man utters with his tongue is the voice of his heart.

3- This is a very efficacious means of bringing about conformity between the exterior and the interior of man. The person who in the solitude of the night would abandon his comfort and ease and arise for worship, would do so only out of sincerity

4- As this worship is harder on man than the worship of the daytime, it develops steadfastness in him & he walks in the path of God more firmly and can face and endure the hardships of that way with greater constancy and determination

﴿47:8﴾  So remember the name of your Lord and devote yourself to

Him with exclusive devotion.

And celebrate the name of your Lord morning and evening.

Insaan, 76:25

Men who celebrate the praises of Allah standing sitt ing and lying down on their sides and contemplate the (wonders of creation in the heavens and the earth, Ale-Imran3:191

And remember the Name of your Lord and (Tabattal) devote yourself to Him with complete devotion

"This means, make your worship solely for Him alone.''

Al-Hasan said, "Strive and devote yourself to Him.'' Ibn Jarir said, "A devout worshipper is called

Mutabattil. An example of this is the reported Hadith that he (the Prophet ) forbade At-Tabattul, which means total devotion to worship while avoiding getting married.''

﴿47:9﴾

He is the Lord of the East and the West; there is no god but He. So take Him alone for your GuardianWakil is a person in whom one has complete faith; so much so that one can entrust all one's affairs to him with full satisfaction of the heart.

"Do not feel distressed at the hardships that you are experiencing at the storm of opposition that has been provoked by your invitation to Islam.

Your Lord is He Who is the Owner of the East and the West, (i.e. of the whole universe) besides Whom no one else possesses the absolute power.

Entrust your affairs to Him and be satisfied that He will fight your case, He will deal with your opponents, and He will look after all your interests well

﴿47:10﴾ 

And bear patiently the vain things they utter, and gracefully forsake them

"Allah surely loves those who are the Sabireen (patient)." (3:146)

"And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to as-Saabireen (the patient ones).Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Inna lillaahi wa Inna Ilaihi Raaji'un (Verily to Allaah we belong and verily, to Him we shall return)." (2:155-157)

Trial of affluence & materialismTo be steadfast on IslamTo establish masajid and Islamic schools/institutionsHalal earnings Raising good pious children, Demand on time, Responsibility as Dai IL Allah.

Islamophobia Hate crimes. Islam and Muslim bashing. Detention of Muslims and

deportations. Surveillance of Muslim

organizations and masjids. Fear factor

Turn to Allah, building strong faith and action.

Strong Muslim families and communities around the masajid.

Strengthen national Muslim organizations building bridges with all including non Muslims.

Share the truth and the beauty of Islam.

Political participation and activism.Social service to less fortunate and

suffering elements of the societyStruggle for liberty and justice for all

peacefully.

And if any one puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is (Allah) for him. For Allah will surely accomplish his purpose: verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion.

SURAH TALAAQ; 65:3