When you feel Allah has forsaken you, Do This…

Say: “O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”. — Qur’an 39[Az-Zumar]:53

Photo by Antonio Grosz on Unsplash

We all have down times, right? A period when you ask yourself what’s going on. That’s the exact time you feel like things are falling apart. And then you put forth the question, why me? These are feelings of despair but don’t worry, you’re not walking alone on this path. If it could happen to the best of mankind — Muhammad peace be upon him, then who are you not to feel bad in such a state. There was a period during the lifetime of the prophet when the revelation ceased. Jibril did not descend from His Lord with a message, nor did the messenger receive a divine inspiration via any means. The pagans of Mecca made a jest of him that his Lord has forsaken him and he will no longer receive the revelation. This saddened the prophet and made him feel depressed. This was depicted by the great companion, ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas, the cousin of the Prophet who said:

“When the Qur’an was revealed to the Messenger of Allah, (Angel) Jibrâîl was delayed from coming to him for a number of days (on one occasion). Therefore, the Messenger of Allah was affected by this. Then the idolaters (of Makkah) began to say, ‘His Lord has abandoned him and hates him.’ So Allah revealed, “Your Lord (O Muhammad) has neither forsaken you nor hates you.”” — [Tafsir Ibn Kathir]

Then Allah in His divine wisdom revealed the following beautiful verses which cheered the prophet and also served as hope for Muslims till the last day.

By the forenoon (after sunrise). And by the night when it is still. Your Lord (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) has neither forsaken you nor hated you. And indeed the Hereafter is better for you than the present (life of this world). And verily, your Lord will give you (all i.e. good) so that you shall be well-pleased. Did He not find you (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) an orphan and gave you a refuge? And He found you unaware and guided you. And He found you poor and made you rich (self-sufficient with self-contentment). Therefore, treat not the orphan with oppression and repulse not the beggar. And proclaim the Grace of your Lord. — Qur’an 93[Ad-Dhuha]:1–11

So when next you fall into a state described above, or you feel lonely and depressed; open the glorious Qur’an and read the golden verses of Suratu-d-Dhuha. It doesn’t matter if you can’t read the Arabic text, what matters most in this situation is digesting the interpretation of its meaning in a language you understand. Now let’s try to dissect these verses in order to relate to our discussion. Bare in mind, Allah was directly referring to the prophet, but this can also be related to us as individuals.

1. By the forenoon and by the night when it is still: Here Allah swears by the forenoon and the night when it’s dark. Some scholars have explained this to be a metaphorical expression that assures there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Everything may be gloomy at some points, but be rest assured the sun will come and shine on everything you do. This situation happened to the prophet and Allah gave him hope, then assured him of a brighter future ahead. Let’s have hope and trust in Allah’s decision!
2. Your Lord has neither forsaken you nor hated you: This was the response Allah gave the polytheist. Allah never forsook the messenger for he was a beloved servant of His. So always remind yourself that Allah is with you no matter what you are going through. If He chooses to test you, then know, that He loves you. A trial is not a form of hatred but a step towards an increase in faith. Did you remember Ayub was put to trial with his health? Nuh was tested with his wife and son as well. So do not ask Allah why me when your trial comes, He Alone knows what best He has in stock for you.
3. And indeed the hereafter is better for you than the present: The life of this world is transient and ephemeral. Here Allah assures the Messenger of a good end in the garden of bliss. The same promise He made to the believers as inheritors of gardens which rivers of milk and honey flows. So bear in mind, your best is yet to come. Whatever you are going through in life, endure it patiently and keep hope with the glad tidings of paradise given to those who believe. When we always remember there’s an afterlife promised for us, we should wear a smile and let this radiate through our hearts.
4. And verily your Lord will give you (good) so that you will be well pleased: If only we are patient, we will see the big picture which Allah has preserved for us in the future. Many a time we want things to go our way, but unfortunately, it turns out the other way. It will only take time for us to realize that what Allah has chosen for us was best for us and we will be well pleased with the aftermath. There’s enormous beauty with being patient with Allah’s decree.
5. Did He not find you an orphan and gave you refuge: Here, Allah begins to remind the prophet (PBUH) of how the situation was unfavorable but Allah changed it. This is only a statement of reassurance that Allah’s promise will come to pass. With you, haven’t there been times when you lost hope and help came unexpectedly? Look back five years ago, are you the same person you were? Haven’t your life improved tremendously? Was this all by your doing? Indeed Allah is sufficient to take care of the needs of the believers.

6. And He found you unaware and guided you: He reminds him further of how unlettered he was and then Allah blessed him with wisdom and guidance of the Qur’an. This is the same with you and me, the greatest favor we’ve received is the guidance to Islam. It’s not by our doing, but by the will and mercy of Allah. There’s really nothing sweeter than tasting the sweetness of faith. So do not look down upon those ones who are not on this path of guidance save that you make dua’ that Allah guides them.

“And thus We have sent to you (O Muhammad) Rûh (a revelation, and a mercy) of Our Command. You knew not what is the Book, nor what is Faith. But We have made it (this Qur’an) a light wherewith We guide whosoever of Our slaves We will. And verily, you (O Muhammad) are indeed guiding (mankind) to a Straight Path (i.e. Allah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism).” — Qur’an 42[Ash-Shuraa]:52

7. And He found you poor and made you rich: Richness here is not in abundance of wealth, but satisfaction. Allah’s Apostle (PBUH)wasn’t a wealthy man, he was just a person full of gratitude and contentment. Allah blessed him with what was sufficient for him and he was well pleased with this. In his words: ‘wealth is not in hoarding up the riches of the world. True wealth is in the contentment of the soul.’ Always remember it’s not by our knowledge or skill that we are blessed today. It’s only by the will of Allah. Indeed some are more knowledgeable than we are, but we are far better than them when it comes to being successful. The prophet (PBUH) also mentioned: “Whoever accepts Islam is provided with his basic needs, and Allah makes him content with what He has given him, then he will be successful.” — Muslim

8. Treat not the orphan with oppression and repulse not the beggar: This verse stresses the importance of treating people kindly, especially the ones we are better off than. A true believer is not selfish nor materialistic. When Allah blesses you with wealth, benefit the Ummah with it by donating generously. Always remember charity is a win-win situation. You help the needy and Allah showers you with rewards. This also puts us in a position of reflection, we can always render help to those in need — no matter how small. Some people have nothing nor anyone to call for help. So help the orphans, beggars, needy and oppressed while you can.

9. And proclaim the grace of your Lord: And in the final verse, Allah instructs the Messenger (PBUH) to tell the favors of Allah upon him to others. And if we sit to count the favors Allah has bestowed upon us, we will never be able to tell it all. Don’t get it wrong, it’s not about announcing your good deeds or successful ordeals. It’s about being thankful to Allah and the people who helped you to attain success. Do not become arrogant, extravagant or boastful. And remember, Allah will ask you how you used these bounties He bestowed upon you.

In sum, be positive about the future and remember Allah’s blessings on you. Show gratitude by being thankful and charitably generous to humanity. Implementing these concepts and lessons will drive us towards attaining Ihsaan (excellence) as individuals and collectively as a community.

PS: Success comes only from Allah! If you find this piece beneficial, it’s by His Grace. It’s no scholarly work and we accept our mistakes. You are free to share by any means for enlightenment purpose. Kindly give a “click-clap” to enable other readers on Medium to see this post. And don’t forget to follow the newsletter so as you don’t miss our next publication. We ask Allah to keep us guided and steadfast upon the right path.

P.S.S: Just a moment to appreciate all our readers who took the survey. The feedback was well received. If you haven’t filled yet, please do here. We are working on your suggestions to improve the contents we deliver. Keep reading, sharing and above all implementing. The goal is to be better Muslims and meet Allah pleased with us.