World Blog by humble servant. God tests us to see how we react in different situations.

In the face of adversity and hardship, the believers are expected to submit. God tests us to see how we react in different situations. Since God already knows our innermost thoughts and He knows the future, the tests in reality prove to ourselves if we are truly submitters, and whether we worship God alone under all circumstances.

[29:2-3] Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe," without being put to the test? We have tested those before them, for GOD must distinguish those who are truthful, and He must expose the liars.

[2:214] Do you expect to enter Paradise without being tested like those before you?  They were tested with hardship and adversity, and were shaken up, until the messenger and those who believed with him said, “Where is GOD’s victory?” GOD’s victory is near

So when God tests us, we should not lose our cool and become testy instead we should try to be patient and be steadfast.

[2:155]  We will surely test you through some fear, hunger, and loss of money, lives, and crops. Give good news to the steadfast.

The tests are not always in the form of adversity or hardship. Anything God blesses us with is ultimately a test to see how we reflect on His blessings.

[8:28] You should know that your money and your children are a test and that GOD possesses a great recompense.

We have the example in the Quran that Solomon was tested with his kingship and incredible blessings God bestowed upon Him. He was always appreciative, and he passed his tests.

[27:40]  The one who possessed knowledge from the book said, "I can bring it to you in the blink of your eye." When he saw it settled in front of him, he said, "This is a blessing from my Lord, whereby He tests me, to show whether I am appreciative or unappreciative. Whoever is appreciative is appreciative for his own good, and if one turns unappreciative, then my Lord is in no need for him, Most Honorable."

But of course, as human beings, we find the adversity and hardship to be the real tests since they leave a lasting impression on us. We learn from the Quran that these tests are for our own good if we can reflect on them.

There is a wise saying “When you lose, don't lose the lesson.” God tailors the tests for the individuals in accordance with the knowledge He has about them. If we are tested with a hardship, we should submit to God’s will, steadfastly persevere, and turn to God wholeheartedly. If we learn our lesson after a test, we grow our souls. That’s part of the reason we are tested—to improve on our weak points until we are completely rid of them, God willing. In a way, they are blessings in disguise.If we become an objector of our test, blame God or others for it, and become testy, we fail our test. God tells us that He loves those who steadfastly persevere and rewards them for their steadfastness. The rewards for our submission to His will start in this world, but the recompense is more fantastic in the Hereafter, the real world.  The Heaven God promises people as a reward for their righteous works is indescribably beautiful. It’s beyond our imagination and worth waiting for.

[32:17]  You have no idea how much joy and happiness are waiting for you as a reward for your (righteous) works.

An amazing example given to us in the Bible and the Quran for us to reflect is the story of Job, and what He went through. He persevered in the face of adversity and demonstrated a wonderful submission to his tests never became an objector.

[21:83-4]  And Job implored his Lord: "Adversity has befallen me, and, of all the merciful ones, You are the Most Merciful."  We responded to him, relieved his adversity, and restored his family for him, even twice as much. That was a mercy from us, and a reminder for the worshipers.

Thus the story is that the devil afflicts Job accordance with God’s will, but he endures the tests and passes them. At the end, which seems to last a long period of time according to the Bible, God makes it up to him by healing him and restoring his family for him, and more.

[38:41]  Remember our servant Job: he called upon his Lord, "The devil has afflicted me with hardship and pain."   "Strike the ground with your foot. A spring will give you healing and a drink."   We restored his family for him; twice as many. Such is our mercy; a reminder for those who possess intelligence.   "Now, you shall travel the land and preach the message, to fulfill your pledge." We found him steadfast. What a good servant! He was a submitter.

Wouldn’t it be an incredible honor if God acknowledged us also with saying “What a good servant!”? So the next time we go through any test, we should strive to be as good as Job in his submission to God’s will. We should be steadfast, ask God to forgive us, and help us do our best, and continue to be righteous in the bad times as well as the good times.

[9:51]  Say, "Nothing happens to us, except what GOD has decreed for us. He is our Lord and Master. In GOD the believers shall trust.Throw Satan Out of Your Mind!

It’s hard not to get upset, depressed and angry when in the throes of a test, but it’s so important to submit.

 Mentally visualize physically throwing Satan out of my mind.

Satan is the one who infects us with the negative thoughts, and it’s often

those negative thoughts that keep us wallowing in the test. We’re already angry, so why not turn that anger where it belongs—on Satan. “Get out of my head!” “I will not listen to your whispers!”

And it helped me come out of the state of anger and misery. 

Before and after, of course, I sought refuge in God from Satan, the rejected. And God gave me refuge.Lessons From the Past:

Noah, Hud, Saleh, Lot, Shu’aib

Lot, like Saleh, was given knowledge of the future. God’s messengers told him to leave during the night because the annihilation of the community was coming in the morning (11:81, 15:66). The community was turned upside down as retribution (11:82, 15:74). They were showered with a miserable shower of rocks “marked by your Lord for the transgressors” (51:33-4, 54:34, 25:40, 26:173).

Finally we have Shu’aib, whose people were the dwellers of the woods, the community of Midyan. God made them a prosperous community, but instead of being appreciative, they became greedy for more. They cheated in their business dealings, corrupted the earth (7:85, 11:84-5), and repelled from the path of God (7:86). To them, Shu’aib’s tribe was more important than God, and that respect for his tribe was all that kept them from killing him (11:91-2).

The retribution that struck Midyan is referred to as the “Day of the Canopy” (26:189). It was an earthquake that left them dead in their homes (7:91, 29:37). Then, God says, “Those who rejected Shu’aib vanished, as if they never existed” (7:92, 11:95).

Moses was one of many messengers who came after them. God’s system is unchangeable. These communities are important for us. We must study the evils they committed, the sins we are thus taught to avoid – idol worship, homosexuality, corruption, cheating, vice. And we must learn from these lessons, or we will be among future communities that practice the same evils.

“Does it ever occur to them how many previous generations we have annihilated? They are now walking in the homes of those before them. These are signs for those who possess intelligence.” (20:128) 2x8=16+2=18+1=19+0=19

 “This should be a lesson for everyone who possesses a mind, or is able to hear and witness.” (50:37)

[9:70]  Have they not learned anything from the previous generations; the people of Noah, `Aad, Thamood, the people of Abraham, the dwellers of Midyan, and the evildoers (of Sodom and Gomorrah)? Their messengers went to them with clear proofs. GOD never wronged them; they are the ones who wronged their own souls.

[11:116] 16+1=17+1=18+1=19 If only some of those among the previous generations possessed enough intelligence to forbid evil! Only a few of them deserved to be saved by us. As for the transgressors, they were preoccupied with their material luxuries; they were guilty“This is news from the past communities that we narrate to you. Some are still standing, and some have vanished. We never wronged them; they wronged their own souls… Such was the retribution enforced by your Lord when the communities transgressed. Indeed, His retribution is painful, devastating. This should be a lesson for those who fear retribution of the Hereafter…”

(11:100-3)

 “We narrate to you the history of those communities: their messengers went to them with clear proofs, but they were not to believe in what they had rejected before. God thus seals the hearts of the disbelievers.” (7:101)

 “This should be a lesson, but most people are not believers.” 

(26:139-3+6=9+9=18+2=20-1=19 ,158,174,190 19+0=19)

In Suras (Chapters) 7, 11, and 26, there are verses about a progression of messengers sent to evil communities. They are only a minority of the total messengers sent by God, but these five have very specific tales to tell. This is a chronology and abbreviated history for us to learn from. “We have set it up as a lesson. Does any of you wish to learn?” (54:15)'Although they are sometimes given in different order in other places in the Quran, the chronology in suras 7, 11 and 26 is correct. Verse 11:89 tells us that Noah, Hud, Saleh, and Lot all preceded Shu’aib, with Lot just before him. Verse 7:69 says that the people of Hud were inheritors after the people of Noah, and 7:74 says that Saleh followed Hud.

Noah’s community was full of idol worship (7:59 and 71:23) and corruption (71:21-2). He preached to them day and night, publicly and privately. They rejected him because “the first people to follow you are the worst among us” (7:27 and 26:111). His people suspected him of seeking personal gain and said God could have sent angels instead (23:24)

Noah then built the ark, which, as a sign of messenger ship, his people ridiculed and rejected (11:37, 23:27, 29:15-2x5=10+9=19x1=19,54:13-5). The flood then came, and Noah and a few believers were saved (11:40, 23:27, 54:12-4x5=20-2=18+1=19, 71:25). Not even all of Noah’s family was saved with him. His son clearly disbelieved and was among those who were drowned (11:43). And Noah’s wife is given as an example of a disbeliever married to a righteous servant. (66:10).

‘Ad then inherited from Noah, and God multiplied their numbers and blessed them (7:69, 26:133). They were allowed to build beautiful buildings (26:128-9, 89:6-8). But this became a problem for them, making them vain and aggressive (26:128-30), and they were also idolatrous (7:70, 11:50-4, 46:22). Hud was the messenger God sent but he was accused of behaving foolishly (7:66-7), and again the people said God could have sent angels (41:14).

The retribution for ‘Ad was a storm with disastrous winds (41:16, 46:24-5, 51:41-2). It lasted seven nights and eight days and “tossed the people around as if they were decayed palm tree trunks” (54:20, 69:6-7). Yet it left the homes standing (46:25). Thamoud was the community which followed ‘Ad. They too had beautiful mansions, carving homes from the mountains (7:74, 26:149, 89:9). Like ‘Ad, they were an aggressive people (85:7-8,  89:9-11), and they practiced idolatry (11:61-2). Their messenger was Saleh, who was a popular member of the society until he began telling them to worship God alone. His people asked for a miracle (26:154), and God sent the special camel (7:73, 11:64, 17:59, 26:155, 54:27, 91:13).

When the people rejected Saleh and slaughtered the camel, God gave Saleh knowledge of the future – that Thamoud had only three more days to live (11:65). A devastating earthquake, “one blow,” (54:31) left them “dead in their homes” (7:78), and utterly ruined their homes (27:52).

Lot was the next messenger to a transgressing community. The people of his community practiced homosexuality, which Lot described as “such as abomination” (7:80). In addition, they committed highway robbery and allowed all kinds of vice (29:29). Lot stood up to his people repeatedly, and they rejected him because of his purity and steadfastness (7:82, 11:78, 27:56)God gives human beings freedom of religion (Quran 2:256; 18:29). We cannot take that away from them. Instead, we can inform them of God’s teachings and invite and debate in the best possible manner (Quran 16:125).

Proclaim: “This is the truth from your Lord,” then whoever wills let him believe, and whoever wills let him disbelieve. We have prepared for the transgressors a fire that will completely surround them. When they scream for help, they will be given a liquid like concentrated acid that scalds the faces. What a miserable drink! What a miserable destiny! [Quran 18:29]You shall invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom and kind enlightenment, and debate with them in the best possible manner. Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows best who are the guided ones. [Quran16:125] 6x2=12+5=17+1=18+1=19