Every State of the Believer is Good

‘‘Every state of the believer is good. Even if a soul dear to them passes away before their very eyes, they still praise God (may His glory be exalted).’’1

Believer is Always Good

 

One day, a dying granddaughter is brought to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). He takes her into his arms and places his hands upon her. Before his eyes, the child passes away.

When Umm Ayman can’t hold back her tears, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asks her, “Why are you crying?” She responds, “How can I not cry when the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) is crying?” Upon hearing this, our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says, “I am not crying; these tears are a manifestation of mercy and compassion.” Then, the blessed hadith is uttered from his noble lips: “The state of a believer is always good. Even if a soul passes away before their eyes, they still praise God.”

Faith rushes to the aid of the believer in every moment of life. The world and its events unfold before us each day, sometimes like gentle breezes, and sometimes like harsh winds. At times, calamities (tests) pour down upon us like heavy rain, and at other times, we feel the gentle breezes of mercy in abundance, blessing, and tranquility. The difference that distinguishes the believer from others is having faith that rushes to their aid in every moment of life, guiding them to interpret events correctly.

The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), who was the most sensitive and selective of individuals, would be so compassionate and merciful that when he heard a child crying while praying, he would be deeply moved by the concern the mother felt for her child, and he would hasten to complete his prayer, despite considering it the light of his eyes. Imagine such a compassionate individual witnessing the passing of a little one. It exceeds our imagination how such a merciful and sensitive person would be affected! At this point, being able to praise God, expressing gratitude, is a blessing that requires thanks. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) immediately expresses gratitude in the face of this incident, setting an example for those who have lost their children and uttering the blessed words mentioned above.

Indeed, in our time, many people are tested with the loss of their children. Yet, a child is a gift from Allah and a trust given to us to raise as a righteous individual. Even in their passing, we should prepare ourselves to turn to God and say, “You are the taker, and You are the giver,” recognizing His sovereignty over all. Before our death, it is essential to extinguish the seeds of rebellion within ourselves and always be filled with feelings of gratitude, as this is a beautiful manifestation of being a believer.

In matters of love for children, we learn balance from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). The respected Enes describes the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as the most compassionate towards his family, saying: “I have never seen anyone more compassionate towards his family than the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him).” He had a foster mother for his son Ibrahim, who lived on the outskirts of Medina, and her husband was a blacksmith. Even when we were with him, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to visit there (to see the child frequently). When he arrived, he would enter the house, which was filled with the smoke of the blacksmith’s furnace, embrace, kiss, and smell the child, and then return after a while. There are many narrations about the Prophet’s compassion towards his grandchildren and playing with them.

However, to demonstrate the Prophet’s balance in this matter, we want to narrate another hadith: The respected Hawla bint Hakim narrates: One day, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left the house while he was holding one of his daughter the respected Fatima’s two sons in his arms, saying, “It is because of you that your parents may fall into stinginess, cowardice, and ignorance. You are the fragrance of God.”2

Despite the Prophet of God (peace and blessings be upon him) advising to love and show compassion towards children, this hadith beautifully expresses that they are indeed a trial. Yes, according to this hadith, parents may:

1.Become stingy due to worrying about their children’s future, neglecting the obligations of giving charity and zakat;

2.Become so attached to their children that they refrain from participating in jihad or spreading the message of God to distant lands;

3.Become so preoccupied with their children that they neglect their self-improvement and fail to attain the level of knowledge required by the Muslim community of their time.

Finding steadfastness in everything is true Muslimhood… Isn’t God asking us for this forty times a day in our prayers? “Guide us to the straight path.” (Fatiha, 1/6)

Selcuk Camcı

Selçuk Camcı, a graduate of theology in 1992, completed his master’s degree in the Department of Hadith. Camcı is currently a doctoral student in Islamic law. He has worked as an editor for religious publications, including the Yeni Ümit (New Hope) magazine. Additionally, he received training in Chaplaincy (spiritual guidance) in the United States.

Footnotes

1.Nasai, Funerals, 13; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 3/297.

2.Tirmidhi, Virtue, 11; Ibn Majah, Manners, 3.

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