All of us go through different tests and trials throughout our
lives. The true submitters are those who worship God alone,
unconditionally, and under all circumstances. Whether they are
going through good times, bad times, feeling sad, frustrated,
happy, sick, stressed, or satisfied, they accept it as God's
will. Those who only remember and worship God under certain
conditions, are not true believers. They are actually
disbelievers. God gives illustrations of these people in the
Quran as "Fair Weather Friends" and "Bad Weather Friends."
"Fair Weather Friends" are those who remember God when
something good happens to them. They become appreciative,
and they thank God for His blessings. However, when they
face hardship or adversity, they get upset and they think of
God in a negative light. God gives us some examples of
these people in the Quran:
Fair Weather Friends
[22:11] Among the people
there is the one who worships GOD conditionally.
If things go his way, he is content. But if some
adversity befalls him, he makes an about-face.
Thus, he loses both this life and the Hereafter.
Such is the real loss.
[11:9] Whenever we bless
the human being with mercy from us, then remove it, he turns
despondent, unappreciative.
[16:53] Any blessing you
enjoy is from GOD. Yet, whenever you incur any adversity you
immediately complain to Him.
[41:49] The human being
never tires of imploring for good things.
And when adversity befalls him, he turns
despondent, desperate.
Fair Weather Friends
[29:10] Among the people
there are those who say, "We
believe in GOD," but as soon as they suffer
any hardship because of GOD, they equate the people's
persecution with GOD's retribution.
But if blessings from your Lord come your way, they say, "We
were with you." Is GOD not fully aware of the
people's innermost thoughts?
[89:15] When the human
being is tested by his Lord, through blessings and joy,
he says, "My Lord is generous towards me."
[89:16] But if He
tests him through reduction in provisions, he says, "My
Lord is humiliating me!"
[30:36] When we bestow
mercy upon the people, they rejoice therein. But when
adversity befalls them, as a consequence of their own
works, they become despondent.
There are also people who implore God when an affliction
befalls them, but then forget God when that affliction is
removed. Some even revert to idol worship as soon as God
blesses them. These are "Bad Weather Friends," as described
in the Quran:
[10:12] When adversity
touches the human being, he implores us while
lying down, or sitting, or standing up. But
as soon as we relieve his adversity, he goes on as
if he never implored us to relieve any hardship!
The works of the transgressors are thus adorned in their
eyes.
Bad Weather Friends
[30:33] When adversity
afflicts the people, they turn to their Lord, totally
devoting themselves to Him. But then, as soon as He showers
them with mercy, some of them revert to idol worship.*
[39:8] When the human
being is afflicted, he implores his Lord, sincerely devoted
to Him. But as soon as He blesses him, he forgets his
previous imploring, sets up idols to rank with GOD and to
divert others from His path. Say, "Enjoy your
disbelief temporarily; you have incurred the hellfire."
Bad Weather Friends
[17:67] If you are
afflicted in the middle of the sea, you forget your idols
and sincerely implore Him alone. But as soon as He saves you
to the shore, you revert. Indeed, the human
being is unappreciative.
[41:50] And when we bless
him after suffering some adversity, he says,
"This belongs to me. I do not believe that the
Hour will ever come to pass. Even if I am returned to my
Lord, I will find at Him better things." Most
certainly, we will inform the disbelievers of all their
works, and will commit them to severe retribution.
[41:51] When we bless the
human being, he turns away, and drifts farther and farther
away, and when he suffers any
affliction, he implores loudly.
[11:10] Whenever we bless
him, after adversity had afflicted him, he says, "All
adversity has gone away from me;" he becomes excited, proud.
[16:54] Yet, as soon
as He relieves your affliction, some of you revert to
idol worship.
Human Fickleness
[39:49] If the
human is touched by adversity, he implores us, but
as soon as we bestow a blessing upon him, he says,
"I attained this because of my cleverness!"
Indeed, this is only a test, but most of them do not
know.
When something good happens to us, we should not
become so happy and proud, giving ourselves the
credit for it. All the credit and all praises should
go to God; He is the source of all blessings and
success. Once we have this conviction, our personal
attachment to whatever we accomplish or get blessed
with diminishes or even vanishes, and so we avoid
falling into the trap of "Fair Weather Friends". We
should always follow the good example set by the
believer in the story of the man with the two
gardens (18:32-43):
Important Commandment
[18:39] "When you
entered your garden, you should have said, `This is
what GOD has given me (Mă Shă Allăh). No one
possesses power except GOD (Lă Quwwata Ellă Bellăh).'
You may see that I possess less money and less
children than you.
Sura 8, verse 17 is an important verse that reminds
us that God is doing everything.
God Is Doing Everything*
[8:17] It was not you who
killed them; GOD is the One who killed them.
It was not you who threw when you threw; GOD
is the One who threw. But He thus gives the
believers a chance to earn a lot of credit.
GOD is Hearer, Omniscient.
If we suffer from an adversity, we should not blame God
or become angry at Him for it. We should accept what is
happening to us, trust in His wisdom, remember Him, and
implore Him alone. We should strive to be steadfast and ask
God for help. With this unconditional trust in God alone,
we, again, stay away from being "Fair Weather Friends." We
should not ignore or forget God just because of our
hardship.
[59:19] Do not be like
those who forgot GOD, so He made them forget themselves.
These are the wicked.
On the other hand, as true believers, we must be imploring
and commemorating God at all times, and not only during
adversities. Being in touch with God whether through our
basic worship, or through maintaining a spiritual mental
status of remembering God, imploring Him, and appreciating
all of His blessings must be the case under all
circumstances. The strife to do so keeps us away from
falling into the other trap of "Bad Weather Friends." We
should learn from the teachings given to us in the following
verses:
[2:155] We will surely test you
through some fear, hunger, and loss of money, lives, and
crops. Give good news to the steadfast.*
[2:156] When an affliction
befalls them, they say, "We belong to
GOD, and to Him we are returning."
[2:157] These have deserved blessings
from their Lord and mercy. These are the guided
ones.
As submitters to God alone, we should try our best not to
fall into the trap of becoming a "Fair / Bad Weather
Friend." It can be challenging because we are human beings,
but knowing that everything happens according to Gods plans
is a big step towards lessening the challenge. Accepting
God's will, giving Him all the credit, and remembering Him
no matter what happens to us is what distinguishes us from
the disbelievers, the hypocrites, and the idol worshipers.
The following verses give us the correct guidelines and
the cure for depending on the "Weather."
Profound Fact*
[57:22] Anything that
happens on earth, or to you, has already been recorded, even
before the creation. This is easy for GOD to do.
[57:23] Thus, you should
not grieve over anything you miss, nor be proud of anything
He has bestowed upon you. GOD does not love those who are
boastful, proud.
[9:51] Say, "Nothing
happens to us, except what GOD has decreed for us.
He is our Lord and Master. In GOD the believers shall
trust."
Divine Law
[64:11] Nothing happens to
you except in accordance with GOD's will.
Anyone who believes in GOD, He will guide his heart.
GOD is fully aware of all things.
Any blessing that we get or any hardship we face is a test
from God. We must try not to get distracted by what comes
our way in this life. Our priority should always be to
worship God alone so we can eventually join His kingdom in
the Hereafter. We should try our best to follow the examples
of Solomon and Job in the Quran, who represent both ends of
the testing spectrum. We must remember, implore, trust, and
be appreciative of God in all situations.
[21:35] Every person will
taste death, after we put you to the test
through adversity and prosperity, then to us
you ultimately return.
No matter what we're going through, we have so many
things to appreciate God for. His provisions, our
family/friends, our brains, eyes, and ears, the night
and day, the air we breathe, etc. There is never an
excuse to be unappreciative of God. The more we thank
Him, the more He gives us.
[2:152] You shall
remember Me, that I may remember you, and be thankful to
Me; do not be unappreciative.
Appreciative vs Unappreciative
[14:7] Your Lord has
decreed: "The more you thank Me, the more I give you."
But if you turn unappreciative, then My retribution is
severe.
[14:34] And He gives
you all kinds of things that you implore Him for. If you
count GOD's blessings, you can never encompass them.
Indeed, the human being is transgressing,
unappreciative.
Peaceful Friday, Salaam, and God bless.
