Overcoming Hardships With the Divine

Throw the Baby: Trusting in Allah

One of the pillars of imaan (belief in Allah) is to believe in the Divine Decree – the good and bad of it. This means that we as Muslims are supposed to have complete belief and unwavering certainty in the Plan of Allah and His Decrees for us, whether they may appear good or not so good.

The believer who is aware of this knows that nothing Allah plans is completely evil. There is always some good in His Plan for us. Unfortunately, when we are in a predicament or a hardship, we feel that nothing is going our way and we begin to have bad thoughts about Allah. We feel that our world is crashing down around us and we will never have relief from our pain and difficulties.

I am here to remind you that things are not always as they seem.

Humans are creatures of logic. When we think something is logically correct, we may not see the bigger picture because it doesn’t “make sense” to us. When Allah’s Plan doesn’t make sense to us, we may begin to have doubts and feel distress because we don’t understand why something is happening to us. We know that Allah swt wants good for us, but we must remember that He may put us through serious hardships so that we may get the best. Everything Allah Plans happens for a reason. You may not understand why the opposite of what you want is happening, but soon you will see that thing happened to help you grow.

Throughout the Qur’an, we see glimpses of the perfect wisdom of Allah in His Plan and Decree. One amazing example is the story of Prophet Musa’s `alayhi sallatu wa sallam (may Allah send His peace and blessings on him) mother. She was put through a great trial but she prevailed because she put her trust in Allah first.

Allah subhanahu wa ta`la tells us her story:

“When We inspired to your mother what We inspired, [Saying], ‘Cast him into the chest and cast it into the river, and the river will throw it onto the bank; there will take him an enemy to Me and an enemy to him.” (Qur’an, 20:38-39)

Umm Musa wanted to protect her infant son, but she was told to do something that seemed to be the complete opposite of protecting him. Allah (swt) not only told her to throw her baby in the river, but that the one person she was trying to hide him from would be the one to find him! Allah (swt) comforted her,

“…Do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and will make him [one] of the messengers.” (Qur’an, 28:7)

Putting baby Musa (as) directly into the hands of Pharoah seems like a disaster, but Allah ‘azza wa jal promises his mother that He will return Musa (as) to her with a higher position, so she did what she was told.  She threw her baby into the river with trust in Allah’s plan.

Allah tells us how she felt afterward:

“And the heart of Moses’ mother became empty [of all else]. She was about to disclose [the matter concerning] him had We not bound fast her heart that she would be of the believers.” (Qur’an, 28:10)

We learn from this that it is natural to feel upset about your situation. Umm Musa was so overwhelmed that she nearly revealed the identity of Musa (as), but Allah (swt) gave her strength during this time because He intended good for her.

Umm Musa then sent his sister to watch him. Allah tells us,

“And she said to his sister, “Follow him”; so she watched him from a distance while they perceived not. And We had prevented from him [all] wet nurses before, so she said, “Shall I direct you to a household that will be responsible for him for you while they are to him [for his upbringing] sincere?” (Qur’an, 28:11-12)

Finally, we see the plan of Allah come to fruition:

“So We restored him to his mother that she might be content and not grieve and that she would know that the promise of Allah is true. But most of the people do not know. “ (Qur’an, 28:13)

Allahu ‘Akbar, God is greater. Read again what Allah says at the end of this ayah:

“…But most of the people – do not know.”

What don’t they know? They don’t know that Allah is more aware of their situation than they are. They don’t know that His Plan is the best plan. They don’t know that when He promises, His promise is true. And most of the people forget that Allah is always protecting them.

Allah (swt) not only returned Musa (as) to his mother, but He provided her with the opportunity of feeding her own son! Allah protected Musa by means we would never think of: raising him up in the palace of Fir’awn, the Pharoah. She trusted completely in Allah, and He (swt) did not disappoint her.

What do we learn from the example of Musa’s (as) mother? We learn that Allah will take care of you, but you must take the first step to Him. By doing the unthinkable – throwing her child in a river – Umm Musa was given more than she could have ever hoped for.

Taking the first step towards Allah is always the most difficult, but when you do take it, Allah will take care of the rest for you. She was overcome with emotions after she threw Musa into the river, so Allah gave her the strength to endure it because she trusted in Him. When you trust in Allah, He will give you the strength and perseverance to remain patient.

While we may never be put to trial the way Umm Musa was, we learn from her story that when we trust in Allah – even if you feel overwhelmed – Allah will bless you for it and He will guide you. Oftentimes we know what is the right thing to do, we know how to take that first step to Allah but we are scared. Umm Musa was also scared, but she threw her baby.

So don’t be afraid. Throw the baby.

About the author

Amatullah

Amatullah

Amatullah is a student of the Qur’an and its language. She completed the 2007 Ta’leem program at Al-Huda Institute in Canada and studied Qur’an, Tajweed (science of recitation) and Arabic in Cairo. Through her writings, she hopes to share the practical guidance taught to us by Allah and His Messenger and how to make spirituality an active part of our lives. She has completed her undergraduate degree in Social Work and will be completing a Masters program in 2014. Her experiences include working with immigrant seniors, refugee settlement, and accessibility for people with disabilities.

28 Comments

  • This is an inspiring article. Mashallah.

    I have been going through a tough time with my job and have been depressed and praying to Allah for help, and this article seems to have come just when I needed it. Subhanallah. It really made a difference in my outlook. I realize now that I just have to put it in the hands of Allah and do the best I can, and whatever happens is Allah’s Decree.

    Shookran. May Allah reward you.

  • love this, mA. brought tears to my eyes. May we all have the trust that Umm Musa had inshaallah, ameen.

  • I have been very depressed due to difficult life I have. My spouse has no love for me and I cant hold on to a job and etc. Its very easy for people who have all the comforts of life to say that Allah loves us . I am very puzzled with the unequality I see in this world.

    • yes, it is. but rest assured sister, and believe me when i say that not everyone with life comforts feels always ease, and not all those deprived find it difficult to realise this love is all around. both comfort and difficulty can bring a soul nearer to or further from Allah. and the thing is, if you choose for comfort to bring you to Allah, rather than just enjoying it for yourself passively, He often takes you to the next lesson and expects the more from you. i don’t think there is a believer who is left untried, no matter the outward appearance of what he or she has.

      this world is unequal because it is not all there is. you might say it is the proof that part of this world – particularly the human part – being unbalanced while so many elements are in balance, points to the truth that there is something on the other side of the equation, as the Messenger said. likewise, the way we respond to comfort and difficulty, the choices on this side of the equation will also be unbalanced and necessarily will be requited on the other side.

      the hardest thing about the truth of our existence, is redha. masya-Allah sister, the hardest thing for us Muslims who have learned this truth, is redha. it’s hard not to envy those who are given comforts and the leave to enjoy it and they occupy themselves with it without doing much more. but it may be that their spiritual condition is in much more danger because they are unaware that they are idling, but those adversely tried are maybe more acutely aware of the afterlife. i pray that your trials bring you at the end, closer to Him and thus count you among the people of heaven, and He grant you affection and comfort in life as well.

  • I think i need to be constantly reminded that for some people life is a constant struggle and that I should look at people who has less than me not get envious of people with fullfilling lives.
    Thanks for the beautiful article.
    Allah do love us and test us.

  • Sister Sara, keeping praying to Allah. Remember that dua is something that you always have, no one or problem can take away that right. Hope you feel better. Salaams to the ummah.

  • Salam sister Sara, indeed Allah SWt Loves us n He is ever more Loving of broken hearts if we only keep turning back to Him. Sometimes some of us can be going thru a test that seems to be more than that of others- but if we r patient inshaAllah then the reward is subhanAllah great. May Allah taala Make it easier for you n Grant u His Love. Ameen. With Duas.

  • Sr. Sara,
    I know exactly how you feel. I too am going through a really harsh time in my life and the future looks pretty dark. But we must keep hope in Allah alive. Things happen to us beyond our control and we sometimes wonder why, but I am reminding myself first and everyone that we must have full confidence in Allah swt even though it may seem difficult to do so. Know that what has befallen you was not meant to miss you and what has missed you was not meant to befall you. I ask Allah to make us all of the rightious, piuous, and of those who have full confidence in Him.

  • This is so amazing, may Allah truly reward you for this precious advice. I have gone through a hardship and it’s not easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but this article helps me to trust Allah again and to help me see the bigger picture.

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