Ibn ul-Qayyim’s views on afflictions.
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah covers some very important and comprehensive principles regarding afflictions, as well as various aspects of wisdom associated with them. His discussion is presented in this article.
LESS AFFLICTIONS FOR THE BELIEVERS
The evils, hardships, and harms afflicting the believers are less than those afflicting the disbelievers. Also, the afflictions of the righteous in this life are far less than that of the sinful, the corrupt, and the wrongdoers.
THE BELIEVERS’ HIGH EXPECTATIONS
The believers’ affliction is accompanied by acceptance (of Allaah’s decree) and expectation (of His rewards and forgiveness). Even if they are unable to achieve that acceptance, the believers still exhibit patience and expectation (of Allaah’s rewards). Their perception of the beneficent outcome of the affliction reduces its burden and makes it easier for them to withstand its hardships. As for the disbelievers, they know no acceptance or expectation, and any patience that they display is similar to that of animals. Allaah points to this by saying (what means):
“Do not falter in pursuing the (opposition) folk. If you should be suffering, so are they suffering like you do, but you expect from Allaah that which they do not.”
(Surah An Nisaa:104)
Thus they both share in the suffering; but the believers excel in that they hope that Allaah will reward them and elevate their ranks (in Jannah).
REDUCING THE BELIEVERS’ SUFFERING
When a believer – with submission to Allaah – receives the suffering resulting from afflictions, it is reduced for him in accordance with his level of obedience sincerity, and truth of faith. Thus, the amount of suffering lifted from him is such that others (of lesser faith) would not even be able to bear a small fraction of it.
This is how Allaah wards off harm from His believing servant: He protects him from a great deal of affliction; and if some of it is inevitable, He reduces its burden, effect, harm, and outcome.
A SIGN OF LOVE
As the love of Allaah becomes more firmly established in the heart, the lovers’ affliction for the sake of the beloved One becomes more pleasurable and less objectionable.
Many lovers have declared their pleasure with the affliction coming from their beloved ones, as one poet said: “Even though your abuse troubles me, My occurring in your thoughts pleases me!”
How, then, about the love of the Supreme beloved One? His affliction toward His beloved ones is surely a mercy and favour from Him to them.
BETWEEN FAKE AND TRUE HONOUR
The level of victory and honour occurring to the disbelievers, wrongdoers, and hypocrites is far less than that occurring to the believers. Furthermore, their honour is truly humility and disgrace, even if it appears differently.
PURIFICATION THROUGH AFFLICTION
For a believer, afflictions are like medicine, they remove from him diseases that, were they to remain, would destroy him or decrease his level of eemaan. The afflictions and tests extract such diseases and prepare him for receiving full rewards and a high position (in Jannah).
The occurrence of these afflictions is better than their absence, as Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam) said:
“By Him in Whose hand is my soul, Allaah does not ordain a decree for a believer but it is for his good; and this merit is for no one except a believer. If he is granted ease of living, he is thankful; and this best for him. And if he is afflicted with a hardship, he perseveres; and this is best for him.”
Therefore, affliction and testing are required for the believer to achieve victory, honour, and well-being. Because of this, the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam) said:
“Those most afflicted among the people are the prophets, then the most righteous, then the next most righteous. One is afflicted in accordance with his deed. If his Deen is firm, his affliction is made harder, and if his Deen is weak, his affliction is made lighter. A believer continues to be subjected to adversity until he walks on the surface of the earth without a sin.”
REQUISITES OF THIS LIFE
There are things that afflict the believers in this world; such as being oppressed, defeated, and harmed by their enemies. These occurrences are essential and inevitable aspects of this world, and are similar to extremely hot and cold weather, sickness, worries, and grief. They are essential to human life and nature, and are applicable even to children and animals, as decreed by the wisdom of the Most-Wise.
There is a great wisdom behind mixing good with evil, pleasure with pain, and benefit with harm. Had this world been devoid of such mixing, it would be a totally different world, and that wisdom would have been lost.
Refining the good from the bad will occur in a world other than this world, and a life other than this life, as Allaah said (what means):
"So that Allaah may distinguish the wicked from the good, and place the wicked one on another, heap them together, and cast them into Hell. It is those who are the losers!"
(Surah Al Anfaal 8:37)
WISDOM IN AFFLICTIONS
There is a great wisdom, not possible to encompass to the fullest by other than Allaah, in afflicting the believers and letting their enemies sometimes defeat, oppress, or subdue them. Some of this wisdom is explained in the following;
a) Weakness brings submission, strength brings obedience: Affliction instigates in the believers full humility and submission to Allaah, makes them realise their need and dependence on Him, causes them to ask Him for victory against their enemies. Had they always been victorious and triumphant, they would become arrogant and insolent. Contrarily, had they always been subdued and oppressed by their enemies, it would not be possible for them to establish the Deen and secure the truth. Therefore, the wisdom of the Most-Wise has mandated alternating them between being victors sometimes and sometimes losers. When they lose, they implore, turn with sincerity, submit, and repent to their Lord. And when they win, they establish his Deen and its rites, command good, forbid evil, strive against His enemies, and support His allies.
b) Distinguishing the truthful from the liars: Had the believers always been victorious and triumphant, they would be followed by those whose purpose is not to establish the deen and obey Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam) but only to be with those who are in positions of honour and victory. On the other hand, had they always been losers and defeated, no one would follow them. Therefore, Divine wisdom has mandated that they be winners sometimes and losers others, thereby distinguishing those who strive to obey Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam) from those whose only goal is worldly possessions and positions.
c) Servitude in all situations: Allaah loves for His servants to perfect their servitude to Him in situations of both ease and hardship, well-being and affliction, victory and defeat. In each of the two situations, Allaah requires from His servants a form of servitude consistent with that situation, and not possible to fulfill without it. The heart cannot be well without these opposite situations, like the body which cannot be well without being subjected to heat and cold, hunger and thirst, toil and strife, and their opposites. Those trials and afflictions are required for attaining human perfection and well-being, as it is not possible to reach a goal without the necessary means.
d) Rectification through affliction: Allowing the believers enemies to overcome them is a test that cleanses, purifies, and rectifies them. Allaah indicates the wisdom behind allowing this to happen in the battle of Uhud by saying (what means)
"Do not falter nor grieve, since you are superior (to your enemy) if you are (true) believers. If a sore should afflict you, similar sores have afflicted the (opposing) folk. We alternate such days (of victory) among the people, so that Allaah may know those who believe, and may accept martyrs from among you – Allaah does not love the wrongdoers – and so that Allaah may purge the believers and wipe out the disbelievers. Or did you think that you would enter Jannah before Allaah knows those among you who strive (in His way) and those who are steadfast?"
(Surah Ali Imran 3: 139-142)
Here Allaah mentions the wisdom for which he allowed the disbelievers to win that battle.
First, Allaah encourages and reassures the believers, and gives them the tidings that they are superior to their enemy by virtue of their belief. He also consoles them in that, even though they have been afflicted with sores because of their obedience to Allaah and His Messenger, their enemy had previously been afflicted with sores because of its disobedience to Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam).
Allaah then indicates that, out of His wisdom, He makes the days (of victory) alternate among the people so that, similar to sustenance and life-spans, each group will earn its appointed share.
Allaah then informs them that He does that in order to know the believers among them. Of course, He is All-Knowing of everything, before and after its occurrence. But He wanted to manifest their belief in actual existence.
Allaah then mentions that He loves to take martyrs from among them. Martyrdom is an elevated and exalted position that can only be attained through dying for His cause. Without the enemy's victory, it is not possible for the believers to attain this rank of martyrdom so beloved to Allaah and beneficent to them.
Allaah then indicates that He wants to purge the believers: He wants to purify them from their sins through their repenting to Him and seeking His forgiveness for the sins that made their enemy's victory possible. Furthermore, He indicates that He wants to wipe out the disbelievers because of their oppression, persecution, and tyranny.
Allaah then disapproves of the believers presumption to enter Jannah without striving and patience, as His wisdom requires. Were they to be always victorious, no one would fight them, and it would not be possible to test their patience in the face of their enemy's harm.
THE CREATIONS PURPOSE IS TO TEST THE PEOPLE
Allaah has created the heavens and the earth, and death and life, and has adorned the earth with all the things that are on it, for one purpose: to test His servants and distinguish between those who seek Him and His rewards and those who seek the worldly life and its pleasures. Allaah says (what means):
"He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six days – and His throne was over water – so He may test you as to which of you is better in deeds."
(Surah Huud 11:7)
"Surely We have made whatever is on the earth an adornment for it, so We may test them as to which one is better in deeds."
(Surah Al Kahfi 18:7)
When a messenger is sent to the people, they have two options; believe, or deny and persist on committing disbelief and sins. And it is essential to test both types.
As for the one who says, I believe, Allaah must test and afflict him to make it clear whether he is truthful or lying in what he says. If he were lying, he would turn around and run away from the test as he would also run away from Allaah's punishment. And if he were truthful, the test would merely increase his eemaan, as Allaah says (what means):
"And when the believers saw the Confederates (advancing against them), they said, ?This is what Allaah and His Messenger had promised us! Allaah and His Messenger have told the truth! And all this merely increased them in faith and submission (to Allaah)."
(Surah Al Ahzaab 33:22)
And as for a disbeliever, he will be tried and afflicted with Allaah's punishment in the hereafter. In addition, he will suffer from the pain, disasters, and punishment that Allaah ordained in this life for those who disobey His Messengers.
No one can escape from trials in this life, in al-Barzakh (the intermediate stage for human beings between the moment of death and the time resurrection), or on the Day of Resurrection. A believers trials and affliction are light and temporal; because of his faith, Allaah protects him, lightens his load, and grants him the patience, firmness, and submission to ease his affliction. On the other hand, the trials and affliction are hard and prolonged for a disbeliever, hypocrite, or corrupt person.
Suffering and trials are, therefore, necessary for everyone – believer or disbeliever. A believer initially suffers in the first life, and is then granted the success of the first and last lives. A disbeliever, a hypocrite, or a wrongdoer initially enjoys the pleasure, but then ends up in pain and suffering. This is further explained in the next point.
AFFLICTIONS ARE A BY-PRODUCT OF SOCIALISATION
By nature, a human being is social: he must mix with other people. And since the other people have their own tendencies, attitudes and beliefs, they expect him to conform to that. If he does not, they would harm and punish him, and if he does, he would be harmed and punished in a different way. Thus, it is necessary to mix with people; which leads to agreeing with them in some matters and disagreeing in others. Agreeing with the evil of their desires, beliefs, and tendencies, results in pain and suffering, and disagreeing with that results in pain and suffering as well. There is no doubt, though, that the pain resulting from disagreeing with their wrong is lighter and easier than that resulting from obeying them.
As an example, you would find those who expect from a person to agree to their injustice, sinning, or false witness, or to help them in committing a prohibited act. If he does not agree, they would harm, oppress, and persecute him; but the final success will be his if he maintains patience and piety. On the other hand, conforming with them to evade their persecution would result in a greater pain; and most often they would eventually turn against him and inflict on him an amount of pain much larger than he had tried to evade.
Understanding this and acting upon by it is one of the most useful matters for a person: a little pain followed by a great and permanent pleasure is more endurable that a slight pleasure followed by a great permanent pain. Indeed, facilitation is in Allaah's hand.
THE FOUR TYPES OF AFFLICTIONS
Affliction that occurs to a person can only be with respect to one of four things:
- his self
- wealth
- honour
- family and beloved ones.
The affliction in regard to his self can be through harming or totally destroying it, and this is the most severe forms of affliction.
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah covers some very important and comprehensive principles regarding afflictions, as well as various aspects of wisdom associated with them. His discussion is presented in this article.
LESS AFFLICTIONS FOR THE BELIEVERS
The evils, hardships, and harms afflicting the believers are less than those afflicting the disbelievers. Also, the afflictions of the righteous in this life are far less than that of the sinful, the corrupt, and the wrongdoers.
THE BELIEVERS’ HIGH EXPECTATIONS
The believers’ affliction is accompanied by acceptance (of Allaah’s decree) and expectation (of His rewards and forgiveness). Even if they are unable to achieve that acceptance, the believers still exhibit patience and expectation (of Allaah’s rewards). Their perception of the beneficent outcome of the affliction reduces its burden and makes it easier for them to withstand its hardships. As for the disbelievers, they know no acceptance or expectation, and any patience that they display is similar to that of animals. Allaah points to this by saying (what means):
“Do not falter in pursuing the (opposition) folk. If you should be suffering, so are they suffering like you do, but you expect from Allaah that which they do not.”
(Surah An Nisaa:104)
Thus they both share in the suffering; but the believers excel in that they hope that Allaah will reward them and elevate their ranks (in Jannah).
REDUCING THE BELIEVERS’ SUFFERING
When a believer – with submission to Allaah – receives the suffering resulting from afflictions, it is reduced for him in accordance with his level of obedience sincerity, and truth of faith. Thus, the amount of suffering lifted from him is such that others (of lesser faith) would not even be able to bear a small fraction of it.
This is how Allaah wards off harm from His believing servant: He protects him from a great deal of affliction; and if some of it is inevitable, He reduces its burden, effect, harm, and outcome.
A SIGN OF LOVE
As the love of Allaah becomes more firmly established in the heart, the lovers’ affliction for the sake of the beloved One becomes more pleasurable and less objectionable.
Many lovers have declared their pleasure with the affliction coming from their beloved ones, as one poet said: “Even though your abuse troubles me, My occurring in your thoughts pleases me!”
How, then, about the love of the Supreme beloved One? His affliction toward His beloved ones is surely a mercy and favour from Him to them.
BETWEEN FAKE AND TRUE HONOUR
The level of victory and honour occurring to the disbelievers, wrongdoers, and hypocrites is far less than that occurring to the believers. Furthermore, their honour is truly humility and disgrace, even if it appears differently.
PURIFICATION THROUGH AFFLICTION
For a believer, afflictions are like medicine, they remove from him diseases that, were they to remain, would destroy him or decrease his level of eemaan. The afflictions and tests extract such diseases and prepare him for receiving full rewards and a high position (in Jannah).
The occurrence of these afflictions is better than their absence, as Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam) said:
“By Him in Whose hand is my soul, Allaah does not ordain a decree for a believer but it is for his good; and this merit is for no one except a believer. If he is granted ease of living, he is thankful; and this best for him. And if he is afflicted with a hardship, he perseveres; and this is best for him.”
Therefore, affliction and testing are required for the believer to achieve victory, honour, and well-being. Because of this, the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam) said:
“Those most afflicted among the people are the prophets, then the most righteous, then the next most righteous. One is afflicted in accordance with his deed. If his Deen is firm, his affliction is made harder, and if his Deen is weak, his affliction is made lighter. A believer continues to be subjected to adversity until he walks on the surface of the earth without a sin.”
REQUISITES OF THIS LIFE
There are things that afflict the believers in this world; such as being oppressed, defeated, and harmed by their enemies. These occurrences are essential and inevitable aspects of this world, and are similar to extremely hot and cold weather, sickness, worries, and grief. They are essential to human life and nature, and are applicable even to children and animals, as decreed by the wisdom of the Most-Wise.
There is a great wisdom behind mixing good with evil, pleasure with pain, and benefit with harm. Had this world been devoid of such mixing, it would be a totally different world, and that wisdom would have been lost.
Refining the good from the bad will occur in a world other than this world, and a life other than this life, as Allaah said (what means):
"So that Allaah may distinguish the wicked from the good, and place the wicked one on another, heap them together, and cast them into Hell. It is those who are the losers!"
(Surah Al Anfaal 8:37)
WISDOM IN AFFLICTIONS
There is a great wisdom, not possible to encompass to the fullest by other than Allaah, in afflicting the believers and letting their enemies sometimes defeat, oppress, or subdue them. Some of this wisdom is explained in the following;
a) Weakness brings submission, strength brings obedience: Affliction instigates in the believers full humility and submission to Allaah, makes them realise their need and dependence on Him, causes them to ask Him for victory against their enemies. Had they always been victorious and triumphant, they would become arrogant and insolent. Contrarily, had they always been subdued and oppressed by their enemies, it would not be possible for them to establish the Deen and secure the truth. Therefore, the wisdom of the Most-Wise has mandated alternating them between being victors sometimes and sometimes losers. When they lose, they implore, turn with sincerity, submit, and repent to their Lord. And when they win, they establish his Deen and its rites, command good, forbid evil, strive against His enemies, and support His allies.
b) Distinguishing the truthful from the liars: Had the believers always been victorious and triumphant, they would be followed by those whose purpose is not to establish the deen and obey Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam) but only to be with those who are in positions of honour and victory. On the other hand, had they always been losers and defeated, no one would follow them. Therefore, Divine wisdom has mandated that they be winners sometimes and losers others, thereby distinguishing those who strive to obey Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam) from those whose only goal is worldly possessions and positions.
c) Servitude in all situations: Allaah loves for His servants to perfect their servitude to Him in situations of both ease and hardship, well-being and affliction, victory and defeat. In each of the two situations, Allaah requires from His servants a form of servitude consistent with that situation, and not possible to fulfill without it. The heart cannot be well without these opposite situations, like the body which cannot be well without being subjected to heat and cold, hunger and thirst, toil and strife, and their opposites. Those trials and afflictions are required for attaining human perfection and well-being, as it is not possible to reach a goal without the necessary means.
d) Rectification through affliction: Allowing the believers enemies to overcome them is a test that cleanses, purifies, and rectifies them. Allaah indicates the wisdom behind allowing this to happen in the battle of Uhud by saying (what means)
"Do not falter nor grieve, since you are superior (to your enemy) if you are (true) believers. If a sore should afflict you, similar sores have afflicted the (opposing) folk. We alternate such days (of victory) among the people, so that Allaah may know those who believe, and may accept martyrs from among you – Allaah does not love the wrongdoers – and so that Allaah may purge the believers and wipe out the disbelievers. Or did you think that you would enter Jannah before Allaah knows those among you who strive (in His way) and those who are steadfast?"
(Surah Ali Imran 3: 139-142)
Here Allaah mentions the wisdom for which he allowed the disbelievers to win that battle.
First, Allaah encourages and reassures the believers, and gives them the tidings that they are superior to their enemy by virtue of their belief. He also consoles them in that, even though they have been afflicted with sores because of their obedience to Allaah and His Messenger, their enemy had previously been afflicted with sores because of its disobedience to Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam).
Allaah then indicates that, out of His wisdom, He makes the days (of victory) alternate among the people so that, similar to sustenance and life-spans, each group will earn its appointed share.
Allaah then informs them that He does that in order to know the believers among them. Of course, He is All-Knowing of everything, before and after its occurrence. But He wanted to manifest their belief in actual existence.
Allaah then mentions that He loves to take martyrs from among them. Martyrdom is an elevated and exalted position that can only be attained through dying for His cause. Without the enemy's victory, it is not possible for the believers to attain this rank of martyrdom so beloved to Allaah and beneficent to them.
Allaah then indicates that He wants to purge the believers: He wants to purify them from their sins through their repenting to Him and seeking His forgiveness for the sins that made their enemy's victory possible. Furthermore, He indicates that He wants to wipe out the disbelievers because of their oppression, persecution, and tyranny.
Allaah then disapproves of the believers presumption to enter Jannah without striving and patience, as His wisdom requires. Were they to be always victorious, no one would fight them, and it would not be possible to test their patience in the face of their enemy's harm.
THE CREATIONS PURPOSE IS TO TEST THE PEOPLE
Allaah has created the heavens and the earth, and death and life, and has adorned the earth with all the things that are on it, for one purpose: to test His servants and distinguish between those who seek Him and His rewards and those who seek the worldly life and its pleasures. Allaah says (what means):
"He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six days – and His throne was over water – so He may test you as to which of you is better in deeds."
(Surah Huud 11:7)
"Surely We have made whatever is on the earth an adornment for it, so We may test them as to which one is better in deeds."
(Surah Al Kahfi 18:7)
When a messenger is sent to the people, they have two options; believe, or deny and persist on committing disbelief and sins. And it is essential to test both types.
As for the one who says, I believe, Allaah must test and afflict him to make it clear whether he is truthful or lying in what he says. If he were lying, he would turn around and run away from the test as he would also run away from Allaah's punishment. And if he were truthful, the test would merely increase his eemaan, as Allaah says (what means):
"And when the believers saw the Confederates (advancing against them), they said, ?This is what Allaah and His Messenger had promised us! Allaah and His Messenger have told the truth! And all this merely increased them in faith and submission (to Allaah)."
(Surah Al Ahzaab 33:22)
And as for a disbeliever, he will be tried and afflicted with Allaah's punishment in the hereafter. In addition, he will suffer from the pain, disasters, and punishment that Allaah ordained in this life for those who disobey His Messengers.
No one can escape from trials in this life, in al-Barzakh (the intermediate stage for human beings between the moment of death and the time resurrection), or on the Day of Resurrection. A believers trials and affliction are light and temporal; because of his faith, Allaah protects him, lightens his load, and grants him the patience, firmness, and submission to ease his affliction. On the other hand, the trials and affliction are hard and prolonged for a disbeliever, hypocrite, or corrupt person.
Suffering and trials are, therefore, necessary for everyone – believer or disbeliever. A believer initially suffers in the first life, and is then granted the success of the first and last lives. A disbeliever, a hypocrite, or a wrongdoer initially enjoys the pleasure, but then ends up in pain and suffering. This is further explained in the next point.
AFFLICTIONS ARE A BY-PRODUCT OF SOCIALISATION
By nature, a human being is social: he must mix with other people. And since the other people have their own tendencies, attitudes and beliefs, they expect him to conform to that. If he does not, they would harm and punish him, and if he does, he would be harmed and punished in a different way. Thus, it is necessary to mix with people; which leads to agreeing with them in some matters and disagreeing in others. Agreeing with the evil of their desires, beliefs, and tendencies, results in pain and suffering, and disagreeing with that results in pain and suffering as well. There is no doubt, though, that the pain resulting from disagreeing with their wrong is lighter and easier than that resulting from obeying them.
As an example, you would find those who expect from a person to agree to their injustice, sinning, or false witness, or to help them in committing a prohibited act. If he does not agree, they would harm, oppress, and persecute him; but the final success will be his if he maintains patience and piety. On the other hand, conforming with them to evade their persecution would result in a greater pain; and most often they would eventually turn against him and inflict on him an amount of pain much larger than he had tried to evade.
Understanding this and acting upon by it is one of the most useful matters for a person: a little pain followed by a great and permanent pleasure is more endurable that a slight pleasure followed by a great permanent pain. Indeed, facilitation is in Allaah's hand.
THE FOUR TYPES OF AFFLICTIONS
Affliction that occurs to a person can only be with respect to one of four things:
- his self
- wealth
- honour
- family and beloved ones.
The affliction in regard to his self can be through harming or totally destroying it, and this is the most severe forms of affliction.
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