The practice of Allah – exalted be He – regarding
great and praiseworthy goals, if He wants His servant to achieve them, is to
facilitate the means to the goals; these include afflictions, misfortunes and teething
troubles. Thus, his realization of these goals thereafter is comparable to the attainment
of Paradise by the people of Paradise after death, worries of barzakh,
resurrection, standing on the plain of resurrection, accountability, Siraat
Bridge and enduring those frights and hardships. This is exactly as He admitted
His Messenger into Makkah, which was a great entry after the disbelievers had expelled
him from there; He reinforced him with a massive support after he suffered what
he suffered in the hands of the enemies of Allah.
Similar to this is what he did to His
Messengers such as Nooh, Ibraaheem, Moosaa, Hood, Saalih and Shu‘ayb (may peace
and blessings be upon them); He made them attain exemplary goals through the
means that the souls despise and find difficult. This is as He stated: “Jihaad
is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you
dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad
for you. Allah knows but you do not know.” [Soorah
al-Baqarah: 216]
In summary, praiseworthy goals are hidden
in cache of dislikes and difficult means just as detested and excruciating
goals are hidden in cache of desired and pleasant means ever since Allah
created Paradise and surrounded it with disliked things, and created Hell Fire
and surrounded it with desires and passions.
Source: Ighaathah al-Lahfaan min Masaa’id ash-Shaytaan by Imaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
