Sample chapter Alhamdulillah

Zahratur Rofiqah

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: Faizah Hamid : Rahmah Pauzi : Zahidah Azman : Auni Zainal : Nur Izzaidah Abdull Zubi : Nur'Ain Mamat : Nurul Bashirah Muhammad Arif Tey : Zahratur Rofiqah : Husna Ab Rahman : Haziq Razack : Afifahzul : Husna Ab Rahman

ALHAMDULILLAH THROUGH TEARS & TRIALS: EMBRACING LIFE'S DARKEST MOMENTS WITH GRATITUDE & MERCY FROM GOD First Print February 2025 ISBN 978-629-7665-47-4

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Allah says He will not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.

That’s the essence of a test— it’s a sign that Allah trusts you, that you can carry this burden.

So you take the steps, you face the challenge, and then, you let go of your expectations.

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INTRODUCTION

It Is Hard to Be Grateful When You Are Tested

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I thought I knew what gratitude meant. After all, it was one of the first lessons my parents taught me as a Muslim; a phrase repeated like a daily affirmation: Alhamdulillah—all praise is due to Allah.

As a child, I would say it after every meal and every small blessing, whether it was a gift from a relative or a special outing with my family. But I would soon learn that the essence of Alhamdulillah goes much deeper than simply saying the words.

I learnt that Alhamdulillah is a mindset, a way of looking at the world, especially when life throws its hardest tests at you.

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Finding Gratitude in Times of Fear and Uncertainty When I went to the pharmacist to collect my medication, they asked me, “Why are you taking this pill?” I paused for a moment before replying, “It’s because of a precancerous condition in my womb.” Saying those words out loud felt surreal. It was as if I was talking about someone else’s diagnosis, not my own.

The pharmacist glanced at me, her expression faltering for just a moment—a flicker of pity, maybe shock—before she quickly nodded and wrote something before handing me the medication.

It was in that moment, as I explained my condition to the pharmacist, that the reality of my situation began to sink in. The shock had numbed me initially, but now, slowly and painfully, the truth was making its way into my consciousness. I felt a lump form in my throat, and tears welled up in my eyes.

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I reminded myself to say Alhamdulillah. And I did—I whispered it through my tears. It was a struggle to utter those words, to find gratitude in a moment that felt so heavy with fear and uncertainty. But even in this moment of pain, I could sense the beauty in Allah’s timing.

The diagnosis had come just a week before my scheduled Umrah trip. It felt as though Allah was giving me the opportunity to process my emotions, to bring my worries and fears with me to the most sacred place, and to lay them all before Him. It was a chance for me to truly reflect, to find comfort, and to seek the strength I desperately needed.

Gratitude is not just about saying Alhamdulillah when things are going well.

It is about embracing the wisdom of Allah’s plan when everything is falling apart. It is about recognising that even in my darkest moments, there is something to be thankful for—a hidden blessing, a chance for growth, or an opportunity to draw closer to Him. This realisation hit me the hardest during my Umrah trip. I stood in front of the Kaabah, the black silk cloth with its intricate gold embroidery shimmered under the soft glow of the floodlights. I could feel the cool marble beneath my feet, grounding me in the present moment despite the storm of emotions swirling inside me. The

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rhythm of pilgrims reciting dhikr and du’a surrounded me, a hum of devotion that seemed to vibrate through my very bones.

I raised my hands in prayer, the familiar gesture feeling different this time—more desperate, more raw.

My lips quivered as I whispered my du’a, but instead of asking for a cure, the words that came out surprised even me.

I asked Allah for strength, for patience, for the grace to accept His decree with a heart full of gratitude.

The realisation washed over me like a tidal wave, nearly taking my breath away: this journey was not about seeking a miraculous solution to my health problems.

It was about transforming my fear into trust, my uncertainty into faith.

I felt a rush of tears streaming down my cheeks, but there was no shame in this release. I was surrounded by thousands of pilgrims, each carrying their own burdens, each seeking solace in this sacred space.

I took a deep breath, the cool night air filling my lungs, and I felt a strange, unexpected sense of peace settle over me. At that moment, I understood that my struggle wasn’t about finding a cure or a quick fix. It was about learning to find gratitude even when I was scared and uncertain about the future.

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The Barakah That Comes with Being Grateful “Only a few of My servants are grateful.”

The blessings of Allah SWT are infinite, so vast and profound that they surround us completely—inside us, around us, and even within our very existence. We ourselves are a manifestation of His blessings. Yet, despite how apparent these blessings are, not everyone takes the time to truly reflect on them or express their gratitude to Him in meaningful ways.

Our scholars teach us that one of the forms of gratitude is to use Allah’s blessings in ways that earn His pleasure, while refraining from using them in ways that displease Him. Gratitude, therefore, is not merely a state of acknowledgment—it is an action. By doing good, we thank Allah; by committing sins, we show ingratitude toward the One who has given us everything.

When the diagnosis was handed to me, I found solace in the Quranic verse where Allah SWT says, “Peace be upon you for what you have endured.”

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ۡ� َ َ ُ َۡ َ � َ َ ‫ۡرَب ُ​ُتۚۡم� َفَِن ِۡۡع َ​َم ُ​ُع ۡ​ۡق ىىَب‬ ٢٤ ِ‫ٱَّدلاِر‬ ۚ ‫َسَٰل ٰ ٌ​ٌم َعَلۡيُكم ِبَِما َص‬ “Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home.”

(Surah ar-Ra’d: 24) These words moved something heavy within me, like a boulder shifting in my chest, creating space for light to seep in.

This verse reshaped the way I viewed my life, my struggles, and the purpose of my tests. It reminded me that the dwellers of Paradise will be welcomed with these very words, a reward for their patience through the trials Allah had written for them. Their tests were not meaningless; they were the very ticket to eternal peace and joy.

It struck me deeply that the trials themselves are a reason to be grateful to Allah SWT. They are uncomfortable, challenging, and often heartbreaking.

But that is their purpose—to push, to stretch, to grow us. Tests awaken something within us that is dormant, something we may not have confronted otherwise.

For the first few months after my diagnosis, I lived in a state of quiet turmoil. Tears and triggers became constant companions, as natural to me as the night embracing the day. They followed me like a shadow, a

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blanket of sadness draped over my heart. Outwardly, I looked fine, composed even. But inwardly, I was heavy with sorrow. I was like a thirsty traveller in the middle of a desert, desperately searching for water. Every tiny drop of hope I found felt as valuable as gold—no, more valuable.

Looking back now, I see the wisdom in this test. It taught me to cherish every small blessing as if it were the most precious gift. Not because of the material worth of the blessing itself, but because it came from Allah SWT. That alone makes it priceless.

Gratitude, I realised, is not measured by the size of the gift but by the recognition of the One who gave it.

We thrive on barakah. Without it, no matter how much we have, we cannot truly progress or flourish.

Barakah is Allah’s divine intervention—a blessing that magnifies, eases, and propels us forward. It’s the intangible force that allows us to achieve extraordinary things with seemingly ordinary means.

With the barakah of time, we accomplish more in a single day than we thought possible. With the barakah of wealth, even a small amount can fulfil countless needs.

With the barakah of knowledge, what we learn benefits not just ourselves but those around us. And yet, barakah is not something we can fully explain—it is a divine matter, a mystery known only to Allah SWT.

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But one thing is certain: we need barakah. It is the unseen thread that ties everything together, the gentle push that turns effort into progress, and the light that illuminates our path forward. And through this test, I began to understand the true value of barakah—a gift that reminds us, above all else, of the limitless mercy and wisdom of our Creator.

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*** I remember the first time I uttered “Alhamdulillah.” It came out shaky, barely a whisper, and my body trembled.

The tears were there, just beneath the surface, wanting to pour out. I wanted to cry, and I did—quietly, in the corner, because I was in the hospital, surrounded by so many people. I didn’t want them to see me break down.

But as the days passed, as I started reflecting on that moment, I began to ask myself, What should I have felt? What should I have been thinking?

What kind of preparations did I need to make for what was ahead?

Day by day, week by week, something shifted inside me. I realised that Alhamdulillah comes in stages. The ideal, the way we wish to feel, is to see our test as a gift from Allah, to accept it wholeheartedly in the moment.

But the reality? It’s okay not to feel that way right away. That level of acceptance—of Alhamdulillah—is the level of the saints, of the wali Allah. As ordinary human beings, it’s okay to struggle.

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Even when your heart feels shattered, even when your tears fall, you can still say Alhamdulillah. And in that, there is beauty.

There is still remembrance of Allah. You still reach out to Him. You still want Him in your life. That, too, is a blessing.

And what amazed me most was realising that Allah, in His mercy, allows us to cry, to feel sadness, to bear the weight of the world on our hearts without condemnation. It’s okay to feel heavy, to feel the pain.

It reminds me of the mother of Nabi Musa AS. When she had to let go of her baby, placing him in the river, her heart was heavy with worry. But Allah didn’t reprimand her for feeling sad. Instead, He consoled her with His words, with peace. Allah honoured her feelings, but He also honoured her reliance upon Him. And then there’s Sayyidatina Maryam, who, when she was pregnant and alone, fearing that she might face opposition from everyone, felt isolated, afraid.

Allah didn’t tell her she shouldn’t feel that way. No, He acknowledged her pain, recorded it in the Quran1, and reminded us that even in her fear, she turned to Allah in full reliance.

1 Surah Maryam: 23 - 26

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Through this, I’ve come to understand that Alhamdulillah isn’t only for the joyful moments, when life is soaring. It’s for the low points too. It’s for when you feel lost, unmotivated, when your heart is weighed down.

Alhamdulillah is not just a word of thanks; it’s a process. It’s patience. It’s acceptance.

It’s letting go, being grateful, and above all, it’s placing your trust in Allah.

Allah says He will not burden a soul beyond what it can bear 2. That’s the essence of a test—it’s a sign that Allah trusts you, that you can carry this burden. So, you take the steps, you face the challenge, and then, you let go of your expectations.

You surrender to Allah’s plan for you, to His will.

Because so much of our sadness comes from attachments, from the things we expected, the things we longed for.

When Allah asks us to let go, to detach from this world, it’s uncomfortable, but it’s also a blessing.

There’s a verse 3 in the Quran that describes the ones beloved to Allah: there is no fear in them, and they do not grieve. One interpretation of this is that these people do not fear the future nor mourn the past. They 2 Surah Al-Baqarah: 286 3 Surah Yunus: 62 - 64

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live in the present, in the moment Allah has granted them. Whatever He gives them, they use it to the fullest, with gratitude. Whatever has happened, they don’t let it weigh them down. Whatever might happen, they don’t let it stop them from moving forward.

For me, at first, Alhamdulillah was just a word, a way to thank Allah. But now, through this journey, I see it as so much more. It is the pinnacle of patience, of gratitude, of true submission. It is the heart of being Allah’s servant.

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And this guidance, this hidayah, is not to be taken lightly. It’s a sacred trust.

When Allah puts the remembrance of Him in your heart during a trial, that’s His hidayah. It’s Him reaching for you in the storm. And when you respond, when you use that guidance to draw closer to Him, that’s tawfiq—the ability to act upon His guidance.

To feel gratitude in hardship is one of the greatest forms of shukr, and not everyone is blessed with that ability. But when you are— and when you see your trials as a ladder to greater heights—you realise just how much Allah loves you.

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This is Allah’s promise—He will always, always, always answer our prayers. In a hadith 1, it is said that Allah is too generous and merciful to return a servant’s supplication with nothing. He always answers, but His response may take different forms: •

He gives you exactly what you ask for.

•

He withholds what you want but gives you something better, knowing what is truly best for you.

•

He keeps the reward of your du’a for the Hereafter, where it will benefit you most.

Whatever form Allah’s answer takes, it is always a “yes” in His infinite wisdom.

1 The Prophet (`) said: Your Lord is munificent and generous, and is ashamed to turn away empty the hands of His servant when he raises them to Him. Sahih (Al-Albani). Sunan Abi Dawud 1488. Book 8, Hadith 73

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