Allah (swt) says in the Quran:
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ
“Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said,”When is the help of Allah ?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.”
Surah Al-Baqarah [2:214]
Most of us will recite this ayah without a second thought.
Yet, if we truly understood it, it would be a true benefit to us all, and push us to always struggle and strive for the haqq, and for Allah (swt)’s word to be the Highest.
Here’s some lessons we can derive from this beautiful ayah:
Firstly, having patience.
Patience at the time of calamity for the sake of Allah (swt)is one of the means of entering Paradise, because what the verse means is: Have sabr so that you may enter Paradise.
ان الله مع الصابرين
Allah (swt) is always with those who are patient.
Secondly, don’t lose hope.
Subhanallah, these are the sahaba! The best of people who surrounded and defended the Prophet (saw), and yet they asked “When is the victory of Allah (swt)?”
So this ayah not only is a mercy and relief to them, but also a constant reminder to us. Yes we will be attacked. Yes, we will be challenged. Yes, we will be insulted. Yes, we may even be physically harmed. But what is the end result?
أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ
Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 214
So continue striving and struggling for the sake of Allah (swt), and victory will come to the Muslims.
Thirdly – that trials will beset us wherever we go.
مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا
Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 214
That they were harmed by poverty, and hardship, and shook. And look at the rewards they were promised and they received.
Our struggle today is nothing compared to the Sahabah, yet we are so weak and drop out as soon as any kind of hardship touches us. So learn from those who came before!
The Sahabi Abdullah ibn Masud (ra) stated:
“Whoever wants to follow a path, let him follow the path of one who has died, for the living are not safe from fitnah. I mean the Companions of Muhammad (saw). They were the best of this ummah: the purest in heart, the deepest in knowledge and the most straightforward. Allah chose them to accompany His Prophet and establish His religion, so recognise their status and follow in their footsteps and adhere as much as you can to their example of conduct and attitude, for they followed true guidance.”
May Allah (swt) keep us steadfast, keep us patient, and grant us victory from him, ameen.