Facing God's Tests

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مَنْ أَرَادَ السَّلَامَةَ مَا عَرَفَ التَّكْلِيفَ

Whoever wants safety has not understood obligation.

إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى خَلَقَ الخَلْقَ لِيَعْبُدُوهُ وَجَعَلَ الدُّنْيَا دَارَ ابْتِلَاءٍ وَاخْتِبَارٍ

Indeed, Allah the Exalted created the creation to worship Him, and made the world a place of trial and test.

فَ الْمُؤْمِنُ مُكَلَّفٌ بِأَنْ يَقُومَ بِحَقِّ اللهِ وَحَقِّ نَفْسِهِ وَحَقِّ الخَلْقِ

So, the believer is tasked with fulfilling the rights of Allah, his self, and the creation.

وَهَذَا التَّكْلِيفُ يَشُقُّ عَلَى النُّفُوسِ لِأَنَّهَا مَجْبُولَةٌ عَلَى حُبِّ الرَّاحَةِ وَالاِسْتِسْلَامِ لِلشَّهَوَاتِ

And this obligation is burdensome on the souls because they are inclined to love comfort and surrender to desires.

فَ مَنْ أَرَادَ السَّلَامَةَ مِنَ التَّكْلِيفِ فَقَدْ أَرَادَ الْمُسْتَحِيلَ

Whoever wishes to be free from obligation desires the impossible.

وَلَكِنَّ الْعَاقِلَ لَا يَطْلُبُ السَّلَامَةَ مِنَ التَّكْلِيفِ بَلْ يَطْلُبُ التَّوْفِيقَ لِلْقِيَامِ بِهِ

But the wise person does not seek freedom from obligation; rather, he seeks guidance to fulfill it.

وَيَعْلَمُ أَنَّ فِي الْقِيَامِ بِهِ سَعَادَةَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ

And he knows that fulfilling it brings happiness in this world and the hereafter.

فَ الصَّلَاةُ وَالصِّيَامُ وَالزَّكَاةُ وَالْحَجُّ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مَشَقَّةً عَلَى الْبَدَنِ فَإِنَّهَا رَاحَةٌ لِلْقَلْبِ وَطَهَارَةٌ لِلرُّوحِ

Prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage, though burdensome on the body, are comfort for the heart and purification for the soul.

وَكَذَلِكَ الصِّدْقُ وَالْأَمَانَةُ وَالْبِرُّ وَالْإِحْسَانُ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ تُكَلِّفُ الْإِنْسَانَ مَشَقَّةً فَإِنَّهَا تَرْفَعُ قَدْرَهُ وَتَزِيدُ فِي حَسَنَاتِهِ

Similarly, truthfulness, trustworthiness, righteousness, and benevolence, though they cost effort, elevate one's status and increase his good deeds.

فَ لْيَسْتَعِنِ الْعَبْدُ بِرَبِّهِ وَلِيَسْأَلْهُ التَّوْفِيقَ وَلْيَصْبِرْ عَلَى تَكَالِيفِ الشَّرْعِ فَإِنَّ الْعَاقِبَةَ لَهُ

Let the servant seek assistance from his Lord, ask Him for guidance, and be patient with the duties of the law, for the outcome is in his favor.