Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | The Sunday Guardian | June 20, 2020

Strange are the ways ofa believer, for there is good for him in every situation. And this is not true for anyone except for a believer. If he has an occasion of happiness, he is grateful, thus this happiness becomes good for him. If a difficulty befalls him, he keeps patience over it, and so the difficulty becomes good for him. (Sahih Muslim)

The conduct of a person other than a man of faith is quite different. If he experiences an occasion for happiness, he is filled with pride. On the other hand, if he faces a difficult situation, he falls prey to despair. Both these conditions are equally unwanted. In contrast to this, if a man of deep faith experiences joy, his heart is filled with gratitude. And if he is faced with a difficulty, he accepts it, regarding it as God's Will. In the light of this, reflect on this Quranic verse (89:15-16):

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As for man, when his Lord tests him, through honour and blessings, he says, "My Lord has honoured me," but when He tests him by straitening his means of livelihood, he says, "My Lord has disgraced me."

In this world, what is truly important is not whether the circumstances of your life are good or bad. What is of real importance is that no matter what the conditions, you should draw sustenance from them for establishing a close bond with God. Every experience in life should become a means for you to grow closer to God. You should continue to draw divine food from every situation. You should discern God's glory in every observation of nature and the universe. Every pleasant experience of life should remind you of God's mercy, while every bitter experience should lead you to grow in God-consciousness. Failure should lead you to remember God, and success should take you closer to Him.