As the Corona Virus Pandemic continues and more and more restrictions are being put in place to try and prevent its spread, we all need to remain steadfast, therefore I thought I would talk about steadfastness, in today’s newsletter.
The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 2, verse 154 relates:
O ye who believe, seek help through patience and prayer; surely Allah is with those who remain patience.
These days we are all facing a lot of trials and we are required to display steadfastness. Whether we are remaining at home or have started to go back to work, things are different, and it will take some time to get back to normal. But during this time, it important that we remain steadfast and seek help from Allah. A Muslim should always remain patient in whatever he is doing, never relaxing his efforts to achieve his object and never losing heart, at the same time always avoiding what is harmful and striving to do good. He should always pray to Allah for success, as only Allah can grant it.
The Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has said:
No one has been bestowed a bounty better and more comprehensive than steadfastness.
In the above verse of the Holy Qur’an, the word Sabr (steadfastness) comes before the word Salat (prayer) to emphasise the importance of following Allah’s commandments. For our prayers to be answered we must strive to do good. Prayer is our means of asking and displaying humbleness and submission, but patience and steadfastness are also needed to achieve that purpose.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah, said:
Our objectives can only be achieved through prayer, for it possesses great power. God has told me repeatedly in His revelations that all the things He has promised will come about only through prayer.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the 5th successor of the Promised Messiah has said:
Sabr means not to let out a word of complaint or annoyance for the hardships that one faces in the way of Allah, and to strive in His path with high resolve and steadfastness, while seeking His help through prayers. He who bears every hardship for the sake of Allah and overcomes all temptations and keeps away from sin is the one who truly practices Sabr.
This life is full of trials and tribulations, but it is through these trials, that we turn to Allah, the One God. This is what we must understand that the purpose of this life is to worship Allah. That means putting Allah first before everyone and everything. That is very hard to do, as many times we think that it is due to what we have done and of course it is important to strive hard for what you desire, but ultimately, it is only achieved because Allah has permitted it. This is what we need to fully understand, that everything comes from Allah alone, no matter what efforts we make to achieve something, we have in fact only achieved it due to Allah allowing us. Therefore, we must constantly keep seeking Allah’s help and that requires patience and prayer.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah had also said:
No one can taste the fruit of prayer unless he carries his Sabr or patience to the highest level and goes on praying steadfastly. Those who employ this remedy are never deprived.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the 5th successor, has also stressed this point:
Our foremost concern should be to give full attention to prayer. If everyone strives for sincerity, we will come closer and closer to receiving Allah’s mercy and blessings.
In life, everyone faces trials, but we need to know how to deal with those trials. We need to know that to win that trial then we must be steadfast and put our full faith in God. If we become tired and daunted by the trial or curse God – then we have failed. To develop our spirituality and get closer to Allah is not easy, it is just like going down a slippery slope, we are all liable to slip, but if we achieve it, then we can reap the rewards and continue the journey. So, going down that slippery hill, you have to be careful and have patience. If you rush, then you will be more liable to slip and not achieve your goal. Likewise, our faith requires that we should keep putting our best foot forward and strive in the way of Allah,
But it also requires us to constantly be asking for His help and protection. Therefore, both prayer and steadfastness are needed. The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 41, verse 31, relates:
As for those who say, `Our Lord is Allah, and then remain steadfast, the angels descend on them, reassuring them: Fear not, nor grieve: and rejoice in the glad tidings of the Garden which you were promised’
This verse shows that Allah is extremely pleases with us if we show steadfastness. Steadfastness is showing the inner strength and belief that you firmly believe in Allah alone and that no matter what happens in your life, nothing will take that belief away from you. If you find troubles all around you, or that you are being disgraced or you lose a loved one, it is very comforting to know that Allah is there, a true friend, one that can really help you. That no matter what happens in your life, He will always be there, unless you abandon your only real friend.
Even if you feel that Allah seems to have abandoned you, you should know that that will never happen. Allah is always there waiting for you to turn to Him and ask for His help.
The inner strength that you can draw on knowing that Allah is always with you will help you with any trial or loss. No matter how humiliating or helpless you feel, you can gain comfort knowing that Allah is with you. With that support you can face the trial full on.
Every time you are able to do that, your faith will become stronger and you will get closer to God. This is steadfastness.
When we pray in Sura Fatihah (opening chapter of the Holy Qur’an):
Guide us along the straight path, the path of those upon whom thou has bestowed Thy favours
The path is only obtained through facing and succeeding the trials of life – everyone has to face them – none more than the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who faced countless trials throughout his life, but he succeeded by putting his full trust in God.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah had said:
The fact is that the trials are a very good cause of Mercy. On the one hand the man – in his service to God – gets himself cut off from all else and directs the whole of his attention towards Him and on the other hand the Divinity moves towards him with hosts of bounties, to console him.
I could see that that has been the practice of the Prophets, peace on them all, and also the practice of God, that as the kindness and Mercy of God is vouchsafed at the time of trials, it does not happen in the times of comfort and security. (Malfoozat Vol II, p117)
The verse I began with `seek help with patience and prayer’ can refer of course to anything we need Allah’s help for, not just the trials we pass through. For a believer therefore, whatever his endeavours, he should seek patience, never relaxing in his efforts to achieve his object and never losing heart, at the same time avoiding what is harmful and sticking fast to all that is good.
Secondly, he should pray to God for success; for He alone is the Source of all good. Again, in prayer you will need steadfastness. We should not expect Allah to straightaway answer our prayers. Nor should we give up asking Allah after some time. If we really want Allah to answer our prayers, then we have to be patient and continuously ask Allah until Allah answers our prayer.
It might be that Allah answers our prayer, but doesn’t grant us what we wish, this could be because it is bad for us. We might feel it is good for us – that is why we asked Allah for it – but Allah is All-knowing and Wise, He knows what is good and what isn’t. Therefore, Allah might answer the prayer in another way.
Again, it might be that we are not ready for it at that time, thus showing patience in Allah, He might grant that thing we desire at a later date, e.g. We might ask Allah for help concerning a job. Showing steadfastness Allah finally grants us a better job, but not the one we wanted. That company might then go bankrupt and therefore proving that it was wise not to go for it. We might then be offered another job which was better than the one that we wanted.
The Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, has explained this nicely to us, that if we remain steadfast, then Allah will reward our patience. The Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: -
Whatever trouble, illness, anxiety, grief, hurt or sorrow afflicts a Muslim, even the pricking of a thorn, but Allah removes in its stead some of his defaults
The key is steadfastness. Take searching for truth, it takes a long time and we need to be rightly guided and sure. Patience and prayer are the best way.
A person wondering if Islam is true or even if there is a God will need to study and pray hard. Only when Allah is really, will the truth descend on the person. The best advice we can give is to seek help through patience and prayer.