The quality of Radha-bil-Qadha has also been cultivated within the person who has this sweetness of Imaan and is implemented under all conditions.

Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (R.A.) once asked Hazrat Moulana Abdul Ghani Phulpoori (R.A.):

“Higher than even Ikhlaas, is Radha-bil-Qadha - that you be satisfied with whatever Allah Ta'ala gives to you.”

This does not mean that a person can do the wrong thing and expect Allah Ta'ala to decide in his favour. We must not blame Taqdeer for our own mistakes. If a person takes a knife and slashes his throat, this is not 'Taqdeer'. But if someone else slashed this person's throat, then yes, this is Taqdeer.

One person gave his very young daughter in marriage to a very old man. For some wealth and property, the father pressurized his daughter and so, even though unwilling and unhappy, she was left no choice. As would be expected, plenty of problems surfaced. When the matter was brought before Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (R.A.), he asked the father as to where his intelligence had disappeared for him to have arranged such an unsuitable match for his daughter. The father replied: "Taqdeer.”

We should not deliberately do the wrong thing and then blame Taqdeer for the end result. Using the means which are available, the correct effort should be made; thereafter accept whatever transpires.

Handing all matters to Allah Ta'ala, resigning oneself to the decisions of Allah Ta'ala and believing that there is great wisdom in His decisions, creates peace in one's life.

"... Some of My slaves are keen to offer special type of (optional) prayers, but I do not let them do so, for it may lead to vanity; some of them are such, who can have sound faith only when in good health, if I destine sickness for them, they are adversely affected; there are others who can maintain their faith only in sickness, if I order health for them, they may go astray. I give orders befitting the affairs of My slaves, because I know all that which is in their minds.”

Thus, to protect the Imaan of His servants, Allah Ta'ala, out of His Infinite Kindness, grants some people favourable conditions and blesses them with plenty of wealth and prosperity and keeps them happy; for if He inflicts them with poverty and difficult conditions they may commit Kufr.

To some people Allah Ta'ala gives them poverty and less material wealth, because He knows fully well that if He were to give them plenty of wealth, then instead of coming to Him, making Ibaadah and Shukr, they will expend and squander this money in Haraam avenues e.g. gambling, prostitutes, etc. So Allah Ta'ala deprives these people of wealth so that their Imaan remains intact... such is the wisdom Allah Ta'ala has in everything which He does.

Due to the deficiency in our understanding we do not accept, acknowledge and appreciate Allah Ta'ala's benevolence, loving-kindness and favours upon us as we should. Yet Allah Ta'ala informs us in the Qur'aan Sharif:

"Many a time you dislike a thing while (in fact) it is good for you, and many a time you love a thing while it is evil for you. And Allah knows while you do not know."(Surah Baqarah 2: 16)

Conclusion As the servants and slaves of Allah Ta'ala we should understand that our Master will grant to us only that which is good for us. Our duty and endeavor is that we supplicate and ask of Allah Ta'ala, then make the correct effort (tadbeer) and thereafter leave the final decision to Allah Ta'ala. This brings peace, contentment and happiness into our hearts.

Allah Ta'ala grants the sweetness of Imaan, together with all the accompanying conditions of peace, tranquility, happiness, etc., to those who are faithful and sincere servants. And if the Kings of this world knew of this condition of the heart, they would go to great lengths to snatch it away. However, this is something which Allah Ta'ala gives to whomsoever He chooses to.

Whilst this in itself is not difficult to attain, effort is a precondition. The effort is directed more in suppressing the nafs from Haraam because, in comparison, finding enjoyment in Ibaadat is a little easy. We sometimes derive enjoyment in Zikr, Tilawat, Haj, etc. The real test is in suppressing the nafs from Haraam. On doing this, Allah Ta'ala will ignite our hearts with the Noor of Imaan.

My sheikh mentions an example: he says that that area which is struck by a flood, earthquake or any other disaster, then due to the damage, the government declares it a disaster area and supplies the material - the sand, cement, etc. - for the reconstruction of those homes and buildings destroyed in such a disaster.

In a similar vein, when evil desires make their way into our hearts and we smash and destroy them for the pleasure of Allah, then this fragile building of our heart is shattered into thousands of fragments. On the pain and grief experienced at this destruction, Allah Ta'ala will reconstruct our hearts with the sweetness and the Noor of Imaan.

When a person experiences this, he will then really know and understand what it is ... It will be as if he is here but not here; eating, drinking, laughing and joking, talking to his friends, etc. but his heart will always be connected to Allah Ta'ala ...

“Whilst occupied in the world, he is still with Allah.
And in spite of being with everyone, he is still away from everyone.”