THE UNCERTAINTIES OF LIFE AND WHAT TO HOLD IN THEM
These are the days in which we have allotted turns to people (3:140)
Ups and downs are part and parcel of one’s life. They are inevitable as Allah Azzawajal mentions in the above ayah. This ayah comes after the battle of Uhad when Muslims suffered significant losses and they were informed that the infidels too were struck with the same misfortune earlier(referring to the Battle of Badr)
One has to face constant changes in his life, some days are favorable for him and some are not favorable for him. On some days he faces glory and on some days he confronts criticism. It’s inescapable, we have to face everything and every circumstance. There is this story concerning this,
Once a king summoned a group of sages and ordered them to give him a maxim that will help him to remain humble in his best of the days and to remain strong in his worst of the days. The sages after pondering gave him a ruby ring on which it was engraved “This too shall pass.” When the king asked for the explanation for that they replied, “In your best days it will remind you that this happiness is temporary and it will pass after some time so this will eventually make you humble. In your worst day, it will recall you the same that this too shall pass and you will automatically become stronger and will face those happenings with valor and courage.”
From this story we can say that everything is temporary, the people who are now successful and are enjoying the opulence of life have faced some unfavorable days and those who are in their hostile days will confront their best days soon.
These are the uncertainties of life, on some days we are high and enjoying the zenith of ourselves and on some days we are low and residing in the depth of the existence of ourselves. But in all this what are the constant practices? What are things that a man should hold? Well, one should remain humble and strong in all events with a sense of showing gratitude to the Lord. This is what matters, the days do not matter at all the actual thing that we should redeem is what were we before these circumstances and what are we now?
If we were humble and always praying to God before seeing good or apt days then we should continue it now and if we were always praying to God on good days then we should do it the same in the inimical days.
After the acquisition of blessings, one should not develop affection towards them but should develop gratitude and love towards the One (Allah subhana watala ) who has given them(blessings) — Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani (May Allah’s mercy be upon him)
In this we are instructed to adopt an attitude of gratitude in friendly days. When one is going through unfriendly days one should work with patience and God-consciousness (3:120) and should seek help from patience and salat(2:153). About the former, some scholars translate it to patience and steadfastness/perseverance.
Therefore, one going through rough patches should consider that this time is brief and unavoidable. It will surely pass and one has to remain God-conscious, steadfast, and should pray to the Lord. He will soon witness friendly days. These are the practices or the constant things that one should do in all those hostile and friendly days, praying to God, being God-conscious, and showing patience.
These practices should be there with a person, no matter what days he is going through, with respect to every turn he should enhance or increase their intensity if he feels so.
وصلی اللہ تعالی علی خیر خلقہ محمد والہ واصحبہ اجمعین
