SECOND REMINDER. Tuesday. MEANING OF TEST AND TRIALS FROM ALLAAH continues. BismilLahir Rahmaanir Raheem. Please read the first Reminder first before this one. If you missed it, please request a copy. ALLAAH Says: “And it is HE who has made you successors upon the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] that HE may try you through what HE has given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful”[al-An‘aam 6:165]. ALLAHU AKBAR All these verses indicate that this test or trial is the reason for man’s creation; this test also includes the religious duties. So whoever carries out his duties towards his Lord – in all aspects of his life, will succeed, and whoever falls short will incur loss commensurate with his shortcomings. Sheikh Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Allah, may He be exalted, has told us that the creation of the universe, death, life, and the making attractive of the earth and all that is on it are all for the purpose of test and trial, in order to test people as to which of them is best in deed, so that man’s deeds might be in accordance with what is pleasing to the Lord, may He be exalted, and thus will be in harmony with the purpose for which he was created and for which the universe was created, which is true servitude to Allah, which means loving Him and obeying Him. This is the best of deeds (as referred to in the verse quoted above), and such are the deeds that He loves and is pleased with. FROM Rawdat al-Muhibbeen (61). To be continued in shaa ALLAH. May Allah aid us to live our lives in accordance to HIS rules. Aameen.