How to see the good in things that happen (I)

Being aware that it is God Who pre-Ordains everything in its every detail is a way to see good in things that happen

Most people are pleased when things happen in compliance with their wishes, but are easily irritated when the slightest thing does not go their way. But, a believer must not be prone to such feelings. In the Qur'an, God reveals the good news that He has determined every single event for the benefit of His true servants, and that nothing should be a matter of grief or trouble for them.

A person who recognizes this truth deep within his heart is capable of being pleased with whatever he encounters, and to see the blessings behind what happens.

Many people do not even bother to think how they came into existence or why they exist. Although their conscience would guide them into realizing that the wonders of the world and its perfect order have a Creator, the inordinate love they feel for the life of this world, or their unwillingness to face the truth, leads them to deny the reality of His existence. They ignore the fact that every occurrence of their lives is determined according to a plan and purpose, but instead attribute them to false notions such as coincidence or luck. This is an outlook, however, that only hinders one from seeing the good in events and drawing lessons from them.

There are also those, who are aware of the existence of God, and comprehend that it is He Who has created the entire universe. They admit the fact that it is God Who makes the rain fall or sun to rise. They recognize that for there to be any other cause is impossible. Yet, when it comes to incidents in the course of their lives, the minor details that form part of the usual rush of the day, they cannot help thinking that they are somehow independent of God. Nevertheless, it is God Who destines a burglar to enter one's home at night, an obstacle that caused one to fall, a plot of arable land to yield crops or to become arid, a deal to be profitable, or a saucepan to be forgotten on the stove. Every occurrence falls within the infinite wisdom of God, and in compliance with a sublime plan. A drop of mud that stains our trousers, a puncture in the tire, acne appearing on one's face, a disease, or some other undesirable thing to occur, are all incorporated into a person's life in accordance to a specific plan.

Nothing a person experiences in this world, from the moment he opens his eyes, is independent and apart from God. All existence, as a whole, is created by God, the only One to hold control over the universe. God's creation is perfect, flawless and replete with purpose. This is part of the destiny created by God; one must not discriminate between the incidents by attributing good to one and evil to the other. What is incumbent on a person is to recognize and appreciate the perfection in all events, and to believe with all certainty that some good lies in it, remaining conscious of the fact that, within God's infinite wisdom, all is designed to lead ultimately to the most perfect results. Indeed, for those who believe and recognize the goodness in all that befalls them, both this world and the beyond are part of an eternal good.

In the Qur'an, God draws our attention to the aforementioned fact almost in every page. This is why failing to remember that everything is according to a certain destiny is a terrible failing for a believer. The destiny ordained by God is unique, and is experienced by a person in precisely the way God has predestined. The ordinary man perceives the belief in destiny as merely a way of "consoling in time of disaster". A believer, on the other hand, attains the correct understanding of his destiny, fully grasping that it is the sole perfect program exclusively designed for him.

Destiny is an entirely flawless agenda developed to prepare a person for Paradise. It is replete with blessings and for a divine purpose. Each difficulty a believer faces in this world, will be the source of infinite bliss, joy and peace in the next. With the verse, "For truly with hardship comes ease" (Surat ash-Sharh: 5) God draws our attention to this fact; within one's destiny, the patience and courage a believer exhibits are pre-ordained together with their respective rewards in the Hereafter.

It may happen during the course of the day, that a believer would become irritated or concerned about certain things that had happened. The primary reason of the irritation he feels is his failure to remember that that very event is part of his destiny, and that it has been especially created by God. Though, he will be comforted and calmed when he is reminded of the purpose of God's creation.

This is why a believer must learn to continually keep in mind that everything is predestined, as well as remind others of this fact. He must show patience in the face of those occurrences that God had predestined for him, in the infinite recesses of time, put his trust in Him, and strive to recognize the reasons behind them. He who attempts to understand these reasons will, by God's Will, be ultimately successful. Even though he might not always be able to detect their actual purposes, he must remain assured that, when something happens, it is certainly for some good and for a purpose.