There is Good in Every Event

God informs us that He creates every event with goodness in it. This is another secret that makes it easy for believers to place firm trust in God. God states that even events that seem to be unfavourable have a lot of good in them:

... It may well be that you dislike something in which God has placed a lot of good. (Surat an-Nisa': 19)

... It may be that you hate something when it is good for you and it may be that you love something when it is bad for you. God knows and you do not know. (Surat al-Baqara: 216)

Aware of this secret, believers seek goodness and beauty in every event. No seemingly adverse incident, hardship or mischief ails or worries them. They maintain their composure whether the experience is insignificant or a serious ordeal. Sincere Muslims even see goodness and divine purpose in the loss of all their hard earned possessions. They express gratitude to God for the gift of life. They have faith that God may have protected them from committing an evil act or against too much attachment for possessions. Accordingly, they give their most inner thanks to God because no loss in this world equals the loss in the hereafter. Loss in the hereafter means eternal and intolerable punishment (unless God wills otherwise). Those who keep themselves occupied with the remembrance of the hereafter view every event as goodness and beauty leading to the hereafter. Those who overcome such ordeals will recognise their weaknesses before God, and will reconsider how much they are in need of Him. They will turn to God with more humility through prayers and that remembrance will bring them closer to Him. This is surely an enormous benefit to one's hereafter. These aside, by putting absolute trust in God and showing steadfastness, they will earn God's pleasure and will be rewarded with eternal bliss.

Man should seek goodness and beauty not only in ordeals, but also in daily routines. For example, burning the food one has painstakingly prepared may lead that person to take numerous measures which would, by the Will of God, prevent a more serious accident in the future. A young person might have failed the college admission test he had pinned his hopes for a future on. He should, however, know that there is goodness in his failure, too; he should be able to think that God might have willed him to avoid some adverse circumstances or people and thereby feel pleased with the result. Alternatively, thinking that God has placed in every event many other blessings which are either obvious or are way beyond the imagination, believers see the beauty of full submission to the guidance of God.

A person may not always see the goodness and divine purpose behind every incident. Even if this is the case, he knows for certain that there is goodness in all events. He offers prayers for God to show him the goodness and divine purpose hidden behind everything that happens.

Those who are aware that everything has a purpose in God's creation never use phrases "I wish I had not done this..." or "I wish I had not said that" and so on. Mistakes, defects, or seemingly unfortunate events essentially include blessings and each one of them are the trials of destiny. God gives important lessons and reminders to man in the destiny he creates individually for each person. For those who can evaluate with insight, there are no mistakes or adversities, but lessons, warnings and wisdom from God. For example, a Muslim whose shop burns down will search his soul, and becomes even more sincere and true in his faith, deeming it as a warning by God against over indulgence in worldly goods and attachments.

Consequently, no matter what one encounters in this life, the ordeals will all eventually end. A person who recalls a hardship will be amazed that it is nothing more than a reminiscence in the mind. This is also how people recall the scenes from a film. Accordingly, one day will come and the most painful experience will become only a memory, more like the image of a scene from a movie. Only one thing will remain: the attitude a person assumed during the time of hardship and whether God is pleased with him or not. A person will not be called to account for the experiences, but for his attitudes, thoughts and sincerity he displayed at the time of these experiences. Therefore, being in an endeavour to see the goodness and the divine purpose God creates in the situations one encounters and a positive attitude will bring bliss to believers both in this world and in the hereafter. No sorrow or fear awaits these believers who are aware of this secret. Similarly, no one, no event can create fear, harm or distress in this world and in the hereafter. God reveals this secret in the Qur'an as follows:

We said, 'Go down from it, every one of you! Then when guidance comes to you from Me, those who follow My guidance will feel no fear and will know no sorrow.' (Surat al-Baqara: 38)

Yes, the friends of God will feel no fear and will know no sorrow: those who believe and have done their duty, there is good news for them in the life of the world and in the hereafter. There is no changing the words of God. That is the great victory! (Surah Yunus:62-64)