Why do we Suffer?
Sayed Mahdi Al-Modarresi
What has Allah (swt) not done already to make me a better person? He has sent Divine Prophets (as), Imams (as) scriptures and has created everything with utmost perfection. Yet, look at how I treat Him back. I continue to sin and act to satisfy my individual desires. Even the righteous acts I perform makes me feel good about myself. Still, I expect more from Allah (swt).
Contemplate for second. How would you treat your own self if you were in charge of your being? How would you react towards your self if you disobeyed your own decree and commandments?
What else do we want Allah (swt) to bestow us with in order to dissuade us from living our pathetic lives? Allah’s (swt) infinite blessings surround us in abundance. Look around you. Your family, your health, your possessions, the world.
Appreciate what Allah (swt) has already bestowed us with to guide us:
He sent Verses to communicate His word.
He sent Divine Messengers and Leaders as perfect examples and role models. These guides are far more relevant today than the past. The Prophets (as) and the Ahlulbayt (as) dealt with harsher circumstances. We may be insulted today, but people in the past were executed for merely expressing their faith. So who is doing it more tough? Does it give us a right to neglect and abandon our religious responsibilities because we think we have it tough in today’s world?
Imam Ali (as) said:
“Never feel lonely and afraid on the path of righteousness, for there aren’t many people treading it to begin with.”
Imam Ali (as) dealt with struggles and hardships that were unimaginable, and only had a handful of loyal, noble and righteous companions that sided by him. Did this reduce his belief in any way? Then why should loneliness in faith affect us today? Allah (swt) glorifies those who struggle in the way of His Divinity. To put this into perspective, compare the shrine of Imam Ali (as) with the rotten pit of Mu’awiyah. Reflect upon how the struggles faced by Fatimah (as) and the Ahlulbayt (as) have made them honored with love and respect by millions of people today.
The same way many of us will only become disciplined by means of consequence, sometimes Allah (swt) employs the same approach, disciplining us through trials, tribulations and punishment.
Imam Zayn Al-Abideen (as) says in Dua Abu Hamza Thumali:
إلهِي لا تُؤَدِّبْنِي بِعُقُوبَتِكَ
“O Allah: Do not discipline me by means of Your Punishment”
وَلا تَمْكُرْ بِي فِي حِيلَتِكَ
“And do not subject me to Your planned strategy.”
In the first verse the Imam is invoking Allah (swt) not to let punishment be the method by which we come to realise our sinful plight and refine our actions . We shouldn’t let circumstances reach a stage where God-sent punishments become necessary to discipline us. The existing blessings (Divine Book and Messengers) are sufficient and remarkable enough to align us to the straight path.
[the second verse conveys an extremely delicate and significant message which is best explained by the Sayed himself. Watch minute 30:00-33:00 of the video for reference].
But why do we continuously fall upon error and transgression? Because our desires and impulses are extremely compelling. We are driven towards money and power and other bounties, forgetting the source of it all. Does everything not come from Allah (swt)? So who are we to try and take control over all our affairs!
Actions have reactions and sins have consequences. Everybody, regardless of who they are, is accountable for the sins they commit.
In a profound hadith, the Prophet (saws) says:
“If a person exposes the sins of their brother or sister in faith, they will receive the same punishment as the one who committed the sin, and they will not die until they themselves commit that sin and are exposed for it.”
It is sad that such an act is very common in our communities. Why do we always go about exposing and dishonoring other people in our conversations with one another?
The same way the human physique can be trained through exercise, the soul should also be trained. It should be trained by constantly resisting our baseless desires and by developing patience, particularly in times of hardship and struggle. What better examples of patience do we have other than the Prophets (as) and the Ahlulbayt (as). We are all tested in life, so we must learn to develop patience and virtue when being tested.