Ouch

Ever pricked your finger? Or maybe tripped over a stone? It's painful isn't it? How about being cut with a knife or beaten with a stick? Haven't we all felt these pains in one way or another?

Let us look at some other pains... Ever lost a loved one? Sworn at by a total stranger? Discriminated? Or been left out?

These are pains that vary, some physical, some mental. But either way they cause great pain.

Today I decided to 'advice' someone and maybe guide them in the right direction. The intention as always was the pleasure of Allah. However, it was quite painful when that person responded in a negative manner, something I didn't expect and was totally hurt.

This post is written for a few reasons...

1. To apologise to that person for causing them pain and hurt, which was totally unintentional.

2. As usual, derive a beneficial lesson from this.

POINT

1. In life we do many things to please people. At times we even go out of our ways to assist them or cause them ease. At times we expect something in return and at other times we do it totally for the sake of Allah.

However, we should keep a few things in mind when helping people.

a. When a person aids another, Allah remains in his aid.

و الله في عون العبد ما كان العبد في عون أخيه

"And Allah remains in the aid of a servant as long as that servant remains in the aid of his brother"

[Sunan Muslim]

b. Removing a difficulty from someone in this world will mean that Allah will remove a difficulty of ours in the Hereafter.

من نفس ان مؤمن كربة من كرب الدنيا نفس الله عنه كربة من كرب يوم القيامة

"And whosoever relieves from a believer some grief pertaining to this world, Allah will relieve from him some grief pertaining to the Hereafter."

[Sunan Muslim]

c. A believer is rewarded for even a thorn that pricks him.

‏ما من مصيبة تصيب المسلم إلا كفر الله بها عنه حتى الشوكة يشاكها

"A Muslim is not afflicted by hardship but Allah expiates his sins from Him, due to that hardship, to the extent of even a thorn that pricks him"

[Saheeh al-Bukahri]

d. Allah is the one who rewards.

إن أجري الا علي الله و هو علي كل سيء شهيد

"My reward is from Allah only. And He is a Witness over all things."

[Surah Saba – 34:47]

2. When we are hurt we feel pain, we feel remorse and depression at times. We feel unappreciated and ungratified.

Have we ever turned a thought towards why we feel like that? It is solely because we done someone a favour and never got anything from them. If that wasn't bad enough, we actually went the opposite way and done them harm or went against their will and hurt them.

This is the feeling we get when one of our favours are unappreciated. Yet we fail to appreciate Allah for His countless favours and gifts. In fact, the more He gives us, the more we retaliate, the more we hurt Him and the more we turn away.

We're never reluctant to take a blade and cut off the Sunnah of our Beloved Prophet صلي الله عليه و سلم despite his sleepless nights for us; disregarding his tears that soaked his beard in our concern.

If we feel pain and remorse... How will Allah the Creator of all feel? How will the Prophet صلي الله عليه و سلم feel?

Are we justified in our actions?

3. When we do something we should always expect its reward from Allah and none other. The Prophet of Allah صلي الله عليه و سلم has said: "indeed even the slightest of show is Shirk" and it is mentioned that we will be asked to collect our rewards from the people who we done the deed for.

May Allah save us all and give us the inclination to do acts for His sake only. May He give us the strength to bear the torments from people and make it bearable by reminding us that the true reward is from Allah alone. Aameen