Achooo! Alhamdulillah

Assalamu alaikum warahmathullahi wabarakathuhu

Let me ask you all something. What comes to your mind when I say "be grateful"? Is it the mere statement of Alhamdulillah or thank you that pops in your mind? If so, your perception of gratitude is very narrow.

Let me explain my point with a real-life story 

Imagine this situation with me. You are a medical student with a passion for pursuing your dreams of becoming a doctor. Soon you come to realize that you cannot continue your studies. Won't you be heartbroken? This is exactly what happened to one of my friends. I love her for the sake of Allah. May Allah bless her and grant her success in this world and the next.💗

Instead of her being depressed, she accepted what Allah decreed for her. She is in fact very grateful to Allah. she says that because she couldn't continue her studies, she ended up learning and memorizing the Qur'an and its tajweed. What she told me after that really opened up my heart. She said, "I wanted to be a doctor of a body but Allah wanted to make me a doctor of a soul with His Words."

She saw her life in a different light. This happened only because she was grateful to Allah. Therefore my dear sisters, be grateful to Allah, you will see wonders before your own eyes. You will feel joyful even if you have a thousand worries in your mind.

"It's not joy that makes you grateful, it's gratefulness that makes you joyful." 

Whatever blessings you come across in life, just take a moment to say Alhamdulillah with your heart. You will see that Allah will bless you with it and open up doors for you that you never knew existed.

Allah says,

لَىِٕن شَكَرۡتُمۡ لَأَزِیدَنَّكُمۡۖ
If you give thanks, I will give you more (of My Blessings)
[Surah Ibrahim verse 7]

When sadness hits you, be thankful to Allah. Thank Allah for your parents, siblings, and friends. For those of you who are married, thank Allah for your spouses. Thank Allah for your good health. I could go on and on. If sometimes you can’t find anything to be thankful about, stop for a moment and check your pulse. Your heart is still beating. Alhamdulillah!😊

The most important time to be thankful is when you are hit with a calamity. You may ask, “How can one possibly be happy at a time like that?” Sure it’s hard, but it’s necessary so that you can see the bright side of situations and don’t dwell on your miseries.

Even the Ummul Kitab, the surah we read every day minimum ten times, starts with gratefulness.

(ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِینَ)

All praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

[ Surah Fathiha verse 2]

Gratefulness is so stressed upon in Islam that the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said, “Whoever is not grateful to the people is not grateful to Allah.”

Now that I've shared my thoughts about gratitude, please comment on one thing that you are most grateful of possessing in this life. 

Peace😁 

Trials and Tribulations

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu
Do you ever have these thoughts? "Why can't my life be perfect like everybody else's lives?" "Why am I tested so much?" "Is Allah punishing me?" "What have I done wrong?" And so on...

As a Muslim, it's natural to get all these questions in your mind. However, if your mind continuously thinks these questions it's evident that your belief in Allah is weak and therefore you must strengthen it.

Allah says in the Qur'an
(أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن یُتۡرَكُوۤا۟ أَن یَقُولُوۤا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمۡ لَا یُفۡتَنُونَ ۝  وَلَقَدۡ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۖ فَلَیَعۡلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِینَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَیَعۡلَمَنَّ ٱلۡكَـٰذِبِینَ)
[Surat Al-Ankabut 2 - 3]
Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested.
And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allah knows all that before putting them to test).

In fact the most severely tested people were the Prophets peace be upon them despite them being the most righteous and closest ones to ALLAH. This shows that Allah gives the hardest tests to his most beloved slaves. Keep that in mind the next time Allah tests you. If He is testing you He surely loves you.💓

On the contrary, that doesn't mean that if you are not tested you are not loved by Allah. The Prophet peace be upon him said:
«عجبًا لأمرِ المؤمنِ  إنَّ أمرَه كلَّهُ له خيرٌ وليس ذلك لأحدٍ إلا للمؤمنِ إن أصابتْهُ سرَّاءُ شكر وكان خيرًا لهُ وإن أصابتْهُ ضرَّاءُ صبرَ فكان خيرًا له» (مسلم)
 "How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. ; if good befalls him he thanks and that is better for him and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him " [Muslim]

Sometimes people tend to cram their minds with worldly life thoughts and forget about the Hereafter. As Muslims, we should remind ourselves that our true home is in Jannah (Paradise) and that this life is only a test.

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏الدنيا سجن المؤمن وجنة الكافر‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "This world is the believer's prison and the infidel's Jannah" [Muslim]

Our problem as human beings is that we try to seek comfort and happiness from this world while we were sent here as a test. True comfort and happiness can only be felt in Paradise.

That being said I hope that you will face any obstacle in life with a positive attitude while reminding yourself that Allah loves you. Moreover, I pray that Allah doesn't test you with something you cannot bear.

Love from your sister in Islam💗. Peace😀