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- Was I thankful enough for the goods, property and posses-
sions I lost?
- Was I mean with or ungrateful for the blessings I was given?
- Did I forget Allah and the afterlife in being too attached to
my property and possessions?
- Was I haughty or arrogant because of my possessions and
did I distance myself from Allah's way and the teachings of the
Qur'an?
- Did I try to win the admiration of others instead of seeking
Allah's approval, or seek to satisfy my own wishes and desires?
A believer will give an honest and sincere answer to these
questions. According to these answers, he will try to correct be-
haviour that is not pleasing to Allah and pray for Allah to help
him do this. He will approach Allah in all sincerity. He will take
refuge in Allah from all the wrong things he has done out of for-
getfulness or misconduct. In the Qur'an, Allah describes the way
those who believe pray:
…Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or make a mis-
take! Our Lord, do not place on us a load like the one You
placed on those before us! Our Lord, do not place on us a load
we have not the strength to bear! And pardon us; and forgive
us; and have mercy on us. You are our Master… (Surat al-
Baqara: 286)
In being tested, a person can suffer many
losses one after the other. But a person with deep
faith knows that there is a reason for what he
suffers. One of the most important of these rea-
sons is the spiritual training that comes with
difficulty:
…Allah rewarded you with one distress in
return for another so you would not feel
grief for what escaped you or what assailed
24 Hours in the Life of a Muslim
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