There was a time when I was so close to achieving a significant milestone. However, I didn’t accomplish the goal. Naturally, I was gripped by sadness and disappointment. In this moment of grief over what could have been, a close friend spoke words that would stay with me forever. “I’m so excited for you,” she said. Naturally, I asked, “Why?” With warmth in her voice, she replied, “Imagine—at one point, you thought this opportunity was the best you’d ever come across. Then Allah took it away. Now, think about the greater opportunity He has waiting for you. Aren’t you curious to see what He has in store?”
Her perspective ignited a deep reflection within me. How often do we fail to see the wisdom in Allah’s plan? When something is taken from us, it’s not a loss—it’s simply a redirection toward something even better. Amid darkness, it’s difficult to see the light. Yet, Islam teaches us that our belief in the future must be grounded in the trust that what comes next will surpass what we’ve lost. Allah Subhanahu Wataala reminds us in the Qur’an:
فما ظنكم برب العالمين
(Qur’an 37:87) “Then what is your thought of the Lord of the worlds?”
In another instance, I recall a time when I sold my thriving business to my sister, only for the sales to drop considerably in the following weeks. Her response, rather than filled with frustration, was one of complete trust: “Maybe it was other people’s rizq passing through your hands.” Her optimism reflected an unshakable faith in Allah’s wisdom and plan. Subhanallah.
فما ظنكم برب العالمين
Do you pause to reflect on His mercy? Do you acknowledge His love even in times of hardship? Can you feel the strength of that unwavering faith—knowing that Allah is with you, guiding your path with infinite care?
Consider someone you hold dear—a parent, sibling, or best friend. You trust them implicitly, believing in their loyalty and love without hesitation. If your faith in humans can be this strong, shouldn’t your trust in the One who created you, the One who has more mercy for you than even your mother, be unshakable? Allah promises that His mercy covers everything, and He is always with us, ensuring our affairs are in His
hands.
The mindset we adopt shapes the life we experience. What we believe to be true often manifests in our reality. Allah Subhanahu Wataala says, “I am as My servant expects of Me. If he expects good from Me, he will find it. If he expects evil from Me, he will find it.” (Sahih Ibn Hibban 639)
A very dear friend of mine once shared an inspiring story from her time in Canada. She and her partner were a young couple in a new environment when, in the middle of a freezing night at 2 a.m., their baby fell ill. They had no car, no money, and the buses were not operating at that hour.
Amidst their fear and worry, the couple decided to put their trust in Allah, believing that “Allah will bring His kheyr.” In 1997, they began their walk to the hospital, facing harsh cold and difficult, snow-covered paths. Just when the situation seemed insurmountable, a blue car appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The man inside greeted them with “Assalam aleykum” and inquired about their plight. He generously offered them a ride to the hospital and even expressed his willingness to wait for them. To this day, the woman believes that he was an angel, a true Godsend, reminding us of the miracles that can occur when we have faith.
Reflect, for a moment, on the story of Prophet Musa (alayhi salam). When he and his people fled from Pharaoh and his army, they reached a dead end at the Red Sea. While many would have panicked, Prophet Musa didn’t. He didn’t cry out, “We’re doomed, there’s no escape!” Instead, he calmly said, “My Lord is with me, He will guide me.” And indeed, Allah split the sea, guiding them to safety.
Abu’l-‘Abbaas al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) explained that to think positively of Allah is to expect that He will respond to your prayers (du’a), forgive your sins when you repent, and accept your good deeds when they are done per His will. This trust in His promises is central to our faith.
In contrast, negativity often arises when we underestimate Allah’s greatness, His all-encompassing wisdom, and the precision of His divine plans. By focusing on doubts and fears, we leave space for pessimism to grow, causing us to overlook Allah’s strength and His guiding hand. In doing so, we create unnecessary hardship and suffering in our lives.
There’s a profound lesson in the story of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) visiting a sick Bedouin. The Prophet (ﷺ) reassured him, saying, “No harm will befall you! May Allah cure you!” The Bedouin responded skeptically, “You say, ‘may Allah cure me’? But it’s a fever that will lead me to the grave.” The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, “Yes, then may it be as you say.” Soon after, the man passed away.
This teaches us that if we think Allah cannot lift us from our hardships, He won’t. If we believe that nothing good is meant for us, we will continue to feel stuck. But if we trust in His mercy and greatness, our lives will be filled with possibility and grace.
To conclude, let us remind ourselves: even when life feels overwhelming, we must never forget the greatness of our Lord. Never underestimate His power to provide, protect, and guide. This reminder is not just for today but for every moment of our lives.
Ibn Abi Dunyaa (rahimahullah) mentions in Having Good Thoughts About Allah that Abdullah Ibn Mas’ood (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu) swore by Allah, saying: “A believing servant has not been given anything better than having good expectations of Allah.”
He also said, “I swear by the One who is the only One worthy of worship, that no servant who perfects their assumptions about Allah will ever be let down. Allah will grant them what they have assumed, and all goodness lies in His hands.”
And so, dear reader, my question to you today, “Then what is your thought of the Lord of the worlds?!”
