Experience of Affliction: A Reflection

Conversing with God

• Expressions of Gratitude
  • Acknowledgment of God's grace, generosity, and ability.
  • Recognition of God's omnipotence: "Glory be to you, did you not know that God is capable of all things?"
  • Request for assistance: "O God, help me and do not help me."

Understanding Affliction

• Tests as Signs of Love
  • Affliction can be an indication of God's love for a servant.
  • Tests may manifest in various forms: health, finances, relationships.
  • The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) suggested: "The test is love from God."
• Divine Wisdom in Trials
  • No calamity befalls except by God's permission.
  • Trust in God's guidance during difficult times.

Response to Affliction

• Patience and Contentment
  • Emphasize the need for patience during trials.
  • Satisfaction with God’s decrees leads to divine satisfaction.
• Connection and Remembrance
  • Importance of heartfelt worship as a response to challenges: prayer, gratitude, obedience.
  • "Your heart is the subject of the Lord’s gaze" when faced with trials.

Personal Experience

• Recent Trials Faced
  • Overcame a severe trial, fostering faith and patience.
  • Used resources like videos of trustworthy sheikhs to recapture faith and inner strength.
• Prayer and Quran Recitation
  • Emphasized prayer: "Honor me with prayer and seek help from patience and prayer."
  • Reciting certain Surahs (like Al-Dukhan and Qaf) brought comfort.

Practical Steps During Trials

• Seek Help through Prayer
  • Discuss respective prayers during afflictions.
  • Remind oneself of God’s past assistance and blessings.
• Maintaining Faith
  • Remember God's past mercies to enhance present patience.
  • Afflictions serve to clarify and strengthen one's faith.

Divine Presence in Challenges

• Experiencing God’s Support
  • Observing the aid and premise of God in afflictions/situations.
  • Feeling calm and reassurance when one converses with God.
• Final Reflections
  • Encouragement to remain steadfast, that rewards for patience will come without reckoning.
  • "God is with the patient."

Conclusion

• Prayer for Relief
  • Summarize addressing God on behalf of all souls in pain.
  • Importance of supplication in overcoming trials.
• Encouragement to Continue Sharing
  • Invite listeners to share experiences and spread positive messages.

Closing Remarks

• Reaffirm reliance on God: "There is no power nor strength except with God."
• Remembrance of God's compassion and mercy throughout all trials.