The Positive effects of having true Monotheistic faith in Allah  

p. 242

Don't Be Sad by 'Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni

 

Only when you are the victim of some wrongdoing do certain positive effects of Islamic Monotheism become manifest in your life.  When others hurt you, remember that having faith in Allah, the Exalted, will help you in many ways:

 

1) By having a strong faith in Allah, you will forgive the one who transgresses against you.  Better yet is to have good wishes for that same person.  And the highest and best level � higher than simply forgiving him or simply wishing him well- is to benefit or help him in some way.  The first stage of forgiveness is to repress your anger, which means that you don't reciprocate injury with injury.  Then comes actual forgiveness, which means to pardon and to discard any feelings of ill will.  And then finally comes doing good, or in other words, to recompense the harm that was acted out on you with a good deed or a show of kindness.  "those who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily Allah loves the good-doers" Quran 3:134  "But whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah" Quran 42:40  "Let them pardon and forgive"  Quran 24:22

 

And it is reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said:  "Verily, Allah has ordered me to join (seek to make relations amicable) with the one who has cut me off, to forgive the one who wronged me, and to give to the one who refused me."

 

2) You will develop a stronger faith in preordainment.  In other words, you will realize that the person who injured you only did so based on Allah's preordainment and decree.  People are only means, but the One Who decrees and decides is Allah, so surrender your will to Him.

 

3) You will realize that the harm that was perpetrated against you was atonement for your sins and can result in an increase in ranking with Allah.  "So those who emigrated and were driven out from their homes, and suffered harm in My Cause, and who fought, and were killed ( in My Cause), verily, I will remit from them their evil deeds�) Quran 3:195

 

The believers are able to perceive that putting out the fire of enmity is a wise course to follow in life:  "Repel (the evil) with one which is better (ie Allah ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly). Then verily! He, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend" Quran 41:34

 

"The Muslim is he from whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe"

 

The meaning of the previous verse is that you should repay the one who harms you with a pleasant face and gentle words.  Thus you will be able to extinguish the fire of hatred from his heart.  "and say to My slaves (ie the true believers of Islamic Monotheism) that they should (only) say those words that are the best.  (Because)Satan verily , sows disagreements among them"  Quran 17:53

 

4) You will come to know your shortcomings.  Or in other words, you will be aware of the fact that a person was affored the opportunity to harm you because of your own sins.  "What is the matter with you?) When a single disaster smites you, althought you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, you say: "From where does this come to us?"  Say (to them) 'it is from yourselves( because of your evil deeds) Quran 3:165

"And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned".  Quran 42:30

 

5. When you are wronged, praise and thank Allah for making you the oppressed one and not the oppressor.  Some of our pious predecessors used to say:  "O Allah, make me to be the oppressed one and not the oppressor"

 

This tone is similar to that of the worthier of Adam's two sons when he said to the other:  "If you do stretch your hand against me to kill me, I shall never stretch my hand against you to kill you, for I fear Allah; the Lord of the 'Aalameen (mankind, jinns, and all that exists).  Quran 5:28

 

6. You should show mercy to the one who hurt you.  He is deserving of your pity and mercy.  His persistence in doing bad and in openly challenging Allah's commandment of not hurting a Muslim makes him a worthy recipient of your gentleness and mercy.  Perhaps you can save him from his downfall.  The Prophet PBUH said:  "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is oppressed".

 

When Mistah harmed Abu Bakr, by tainting his and his daughter 'Aa'ishah's honour, Abu Bakr vowed to cut off any further support for him.  Prior to that, Abu Bakr would spend on Mistah and support him because he was poor. Forthwith, Allah sent down this verse:  "And let not those among you who are blessed with graces and wealth swear not to give (any sort of help) to their kinsmen, Al-Masaakeen (the poor), and those who left their homes for Allah's Cause.  Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you?"  Quran 24:22

 

Abu Bakr said, Yes, I do love that Allah should forgive me". He then resumed spending on Mistah, and he also forgave him.

 

'Uyainah ibn Hasan said to "Umar "O Umar what is this? By Allah you don't give us generously and you don't judge justly between us."  Umar moved towards him when Al-Hurr Qays said "O, Leader of the faithful, Allah says:  "Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish (ie don't punish them) Quran 7:199.

 

Al-Hurr later said:  "By Allah, Umar did not go beyond the bounds of this verse.  And he always stopped (without transgressing the limits set by Allah) and follow what is in the Book of Allah"

 

Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) said to his brothers:  "No reproach on you this day, may Allah forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show Mercy!"  Quran 12:92

 

When the Messenger of Allah PBUH returned to Makkah victorious, he saw the faces of those that hurt him, expelled him, and then waged war on him from the disbelievers of Quraysh.  He announced to them:  "Go forth, for you are the freed ones."

 

He said in another hadith:  "The strong one is not he who is strong in combat.  Verily, the strong one is he who controls himself when he is angry."

 

A Poet said:  If you are in the company of a loving people, treat them with the softness of a loving relative, and don't take people to account for all of their mistakes, so as not to stay companionless throughout your life."

 

Some have said that in the Injeel (Gospel) it is written:  "Forgive seven times the one who wronged you once."

 

This means that when someone wrongs you one time, repeat your forgiveness of him seven times in order to keep your religion safe and your heart clean.  Desiring revenge will only subtract from your nerves, sleep, stability, and peace, while taking nothing away from others.  "But whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah"  Quran 42:40

 

The Indians say in one of their proverbs:  "The one who overcomes his own self is more brave than the one who conquers a city"

 

"Verily, the (human) self is inclined to evil�." Quran 12:53