It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, although both are good. Strive for that which will benefit you, seek the help of Allah, and do not feel helpless. If anything befalls you, do not say, "if only I had done such and such" rather say "Qaddara Allahu wa ma sha'a fa'ala (Allah has decreed and whatever he wills, He does)." For (saying) 'If' opens (the door) to the deeds of Satan.'"
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الطَّنَافِسِيُّ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ حَبَّانَ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " الْمُؤْمِنُ الْقَوِيُّ خَيْرٌ وَأَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِ الضَّعِيفِ وَفِي كُلٍّ خَيْرٌ احْرِصْ عَلَى مَا يَنْفَعُكَ وَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَلاَ تَعْجِزْ فَإِنْ أَصَابَكَ شَىْءٌ فَلاَ تَقُلْ لَوْ أَنِّي فَعَلْتُ كَذَا وَكَذَا . وَلَكِنْ قُلْ قَدَّرَ اللَّهُ وَمَا شَاءَ فَعَلَ فَإِنَّ " لَوْ " تَفْتَحُ عَمَلَ الشَّيْطَانِ " .
Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)
English reference : Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 79
Arabic reference : Book 1, Hadith 83
This worldly life with its evanescent allurements is not the object of a Muslim. Allah explained to Muslims that they should direct their efforts in this life to gain eternity and bliss in the true coming-life, the life after death. This worldly life is not an end in itself; a true Muslim considers it only as a means to the life of the Hereafter. Allah stated in the Quran:
وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ الۡجِنَّ وَالۡاِنۡسَ اِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُوۡنِ
"And I (Allah) created not the jinns and men except they should worship Me (Alone)." (Surah 51: 56)
يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا اتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ وَلۡتَـنۡظُرۡ نَـفۡسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتۡ لِغَدٍ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ خَبِيۡرٌۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ- وَلَا تَكُوۡنُوۡا كَالَّذِيۡنَ نَسُوا اللّٰهَ فَاَنۡسٰٮهُمۡ اَنۡفُسَهُمۡؕ اُولٰٓـئِكَ هُمُ الۡفٰسِقُوۡنَ- لَا يَسۡتَوِىۡۤ اَصۡحٰبُ النَّارِ وَاَصۡحٰبُ الۡجَـنَّةِؕ اَصۡحٰبُ الۡجَـنَّةِ هُمُ الۡفَآئِزُوۡنَ-
"O you who believe! Fear Allah and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has (sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what you do. And be not like those who forgot Allah (i.e., became disobedient to Allah) and He caused them to forget their ownselves, (let them to forget to do righteous deeds). Those are the Fâsiqûn (rebellious, disobedient to Allah.) Not equal are the dwellers of the Fire and the dwellers of the Paradise. It is the dwellers of Paradise that will be successful. (Surah 59: 18-20)
فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُۥ- وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُۥ-
"So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it." (Surah 99: 7,8)
When the Muslim remembers these ayats and other similar ayats of the Qur'ân, he understands his aim in this worldly life and acquires knowledge about the true life of Hereafter which is certain to come. Therefore, he serves Allah devoutly and strives to gain His consent and kindness in this life and in the Hereafter. This will stimulate him-
a. to fulfil his religious duties sincerely,
b. search for happiness in supplicating to Allah and
c. gain tranquility by continuous remembrance of Allah.
Such a man is always good in deed and words.
a. He gains praise and appreciation of other good men, and
b. pays no heed to ungrateful envious men who deny religion and mock at pious men's efforts.
c. He follows the way of the Messengers of Allah, and in whatever he does or says,
d. he seeks nothing but the favor of Allah.
e. Wherever he may work, he strives hard to increase production in order to serve Islâm and Muslims, knowing that Allah will reward him for his sincerity and good intention, and that his earnings by which he supports himself and his family will be blessed by Allah.
This manner of life -
a. secures honor and complete contentment for man.
b. He can enjoy all legal pleasures without extravagance.
c. He can have a wife and children who will serve Allah, add to the number of good Muslims and continue to carry out their father's mission after his death.
A Muslim always thanks Allah for His favors and becomes more sincere to Him by devout obedience. This manner a Muslim is afflicted with any disaster (fear, When hunger, illness, etc.), he knows well that Allah tests him.
Ibn Abbas (ra) reported that prophet (pbuh) said: "Whenever sadness and grief intensify on someone, let him often repeat, There is neither power nor strength except from Allah."
In the Sahihain it is also narrated that this supplication is a treasure of Paradise, while At-Tirmidhi narrated that it is a door of Paradise. These cures that we mentioned are of fifteen types. If they are not sufficient to remove sadness, depression and grief, then the sickness has become chronic and needs to be completely removed and dissipated.
affirming Allah's Oneness in His Lordship.
affirming Allah's Oneness in the worship.
the belief in the creed of Tawhid (There is no true god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger).
praising Allah for not dealing with His slave with injustice and for not punishing him without a reason.
the slave's affirming that it is he who has committed the injustice.
pleading to Allah by the most beloved methods to Him, by His Names, 3.33 Attributes, such as Al-Hay (The Ever Living), Al-Qayyum (Who Sustains everything and everyone).
depending and relying on Allah Alone for everything.
the slave affirms that his hope is only in Allah.
acquiring true dependence on Allah and relating all matters to Him, while admitting that the slave's forelock is in His Hands Alone and that He does with it whatever He wills. Also, admitting that Allah's decision on the slave will certainly come to pass and that His judgment is certainly just.
the slave's heart should enjoy the gardens of the Qur'an and should make the Qur'an just like the spring of pure water to the animals. Also, the slave should use the light of the Qur'an to shatter the darkness of desires and lusts. The Qur'an should be one's companion when no one else is present; the comfort that relieves every type of calamity and the cure that discards every illness that attacks the slave's neart. In short, the Qur'an should be the remover of sadness and the end of depression and grief.
turning to Istighfar, seeking forgiveness from Allah.
repenting to Allah.
performing Jihad in Allah's cause.
performing prayer.
relating all power and strength to Allah Who grasps them in His Hands.
Therefore a muslim should endure, be contented and thank Allah in all cases. In this way, Allah rewards him for his patience. A Muslim leading his life with this high spirit and striving for the happy eternal life will gain happiness not even in this worldly life but also in the Hereafter.
تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا ۚ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
Allah says: "That home of the Hereafter (ie Paradise), We shall assign to those who rebel not against the truth with pride and oppression in the land nor do mischief by committing crimes. And the good end is for the Muttaqûn: [ie pious and righteous persons who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden), and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]. " (Surah 28: 83)
مَنۡ عَمِلَ صَالِحًـا مِّنۡ ذَكَرٍ اَوۡ اُنۡثٰى وَهُوَ مُؤۡمِنٌ فَلَـنُحۡيِيَنَّهٗ حَيٰوةً طَيِّبَةً ۚ وَلَـنَجۡزِيَـنَّهُمۡ اَجۡرَهُمۡ بِاَحۡسَنِ مَا كَانُوۡا يَعۡمَلُوۡنَ
"Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentinent and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (ie Paradise in the Hereafter). " (Surah 16:97)
The Prophet (saw) said: "How fortunate is the believer! All his affairs are rewarding, if he is blessed with a favor, he thanks Allah and gains the reward of the thankful men, and if he is afflicted with a misfortune, he endures and gains the reward of the patient men?"
All these evidences prove that Islam is the only source of true conceptions, and the right criteria to distinguish truth from falsehood. All prevailing conceptions in the fields of sociology, economics, politics, education and other fields of knowledge should be revised and corrected according to the true principles of Islam. It is impossible for any contrary conception to gain success, but it would rather impede progress and continue to be a source of misery and unhappiness to those who adopt it.
Rest Allah (swt) knows best.
Source: Quran, Sunnah, The Religion of Truth [Abdur Rahman Bin Hammad Al-Omar]; HEALING WITH THE. MEDICINE OF THE PROPHET [Imam Ibn Qayyim Al-Jauziyah].