When a person finds difficult impediments
preventing him from achieving personal goals, or satisfying natural
desires, he is liable to experience frustration as a result. Many
psychologists consider frustration an important cause for psychological
disorder, worry, and lack of stability and reassurance.
People in the Western civilization may suffer from
frustration when they feel unable to fulfil their ambitions. This is due
to the fact that Western civilization places too strong an emphasis on
success and rising up the social order.
Relief From Frustration-Islam
Islam, on the other hand, relieves its followers from
feelings of frustration, because a Muslim gives much greater importance
to the reward he receives from God. Hence, a Muslim seeks God’s reward
for every action he does, big or small. He is not after people’s
praise or social prominence. He has a different sort of motivation. He
seeks a better position with God, the Almighty. When the objective is
God’s reward and the higher position He may assign to one, frustration
does not come into play. The means for achieving such an objective do
not depend on the level of health or income one may enjoy or receive.
Indeed it does not depend on any similar consideration.
A believer who offers his prayers will continue to offer
them when he falls ill. If his illness makes him unable to stand up for
prayer, he will pray in the seated position, and if he cannot sit, he
may pray while lying down in his bed. A wealthy believer expresses his
gratitude to God by being charitable, helping poor and needy people. A
poor believer on the other hand attains the same position through
patience in adversity and being contented with what God has given him.
Indeed God considers everything we do in life akin to
worship, provided that we do not seek through it personal exaltation or
the spread of corruption on Earth.
God says in the Qur’an:
“As for the happy life in the hereafter, We
grant it only to those who do not seek to exalt themselves on Earth, nor
to spread corruption. Indeed the future belongs to the God-fearing.”
(28: 83)
That is because a person who does not seek personal glory, has no
intention of spreading corruption and truly believes in God and the Day
of Judgment, will have pure intentions. He is honest and sincere. His
deeds count as worship, his pursuit of his livelihood will be confined
to what is lawful and, as such, counts as worship. When he spends his
money to support his wife and children, his spending is rewarded like a
pure act of charity.
Free of Show off and Extravagance
In an authentic Hadith, Abu Hurairah quotes the Prophet as saying: “An
amount of money you spend for God’s cause, and a similar amount you
spend to free a slave, and one you give away to a needy person, and an
amount you spend on your household. The amount which will give you
greater reward is the one you spend on your family.” (Related by
Muslim). This Hadith shows that a good believer who works hard to
support his wife and children receives a greater reward than one who
spends his money on charity or to free salves or to support God’s
cause. The only proviso is that such support of his family remains
within what God has made lawful, free of show off and extravagance.
Many Hadiths and statements by the Prophet support this.
Umm Salamah, the Prophet’s wife, asked him whether she earns any
reward for supporting her children after their father had died. She told
him she would not abandon them anyway. He told her: “Yes, indeed. You
earn a reward for what you spend on them.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and
Muslim).
The Prophet says to one of his companions: “You will
earn a reward for every thing you spend seeking God’s pleasure, even
for a bite you put in your wife’s mouth.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and
Muslim). He also says: “When a man spends something on his family
seeking God’s pleasure will earn him a reward like that for
charity.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
When done sincerely and with good intention, a woman’s
housework and the care she takes of her children are considered acts of
worship at the same level as striving for God’s cause. A woman
complained to the Prophet that men receive plentiful reward for striving
in God’s cause and fighting for it, while women stay at home to look
after children. He said: “Being a good wife and mother is equal
to that.”
Indeed when a believer satisfies his sexual desire in a
legitimate way, steering away from all that is forbidden, he receives a
reward for conscious avoidance of what God has prohibited. Some people
complained to the Prophet, saying: “Messenger of God, rich people have
gone away with much greater reward. They pray like we pray, and fast
like we fast, but they also give what remains of their money for
charity.” The Prophet said to them: “But God has given you the means
to be charitable. Every time you glorify God, or exalt or praise Him, or
declare His oneness counts as an act of charity. When you enjoin someone
to do what is right or counsel someone against doing what is wrong you
do a charitable act. And when you satisfy your desire, you earn a
reward for charity.” They exclaimed: “Would any of us be rewarded
for having satisfied his sexual desire?” He said: “Do you not know
that when a person does that in a forbidden way, he carries its sinful
burden? By the same token, when he does that in a legitimate way, he
earns a reward.” (Related by Muslim).
Indeed a believer is rewarded for eating and drinking,
to enhance his position with God. The Prophet says: “God is pleased
with His servant when he eats or drinks something and express his
gratitude to Him for that.” (Related by Muslim). When a person spares
other people his ill-will he earns a reward. Abu Tharr asked the
Prophet: “Messenger of God, which deeds are best? He replied: ‘To
believe in God and strive for His cause.’ Abu Tharr asked: Which
slaves are best to free? The Prophet answered: ‘The most valuable for
their owner and the most expensive to buy.’ Abu Tharr rejoined: And if
I do not do that? The Prophet said: ‘To help someone in his work or do
something for one who is unable to do it for himself.’ Abu Tharr
continued: Messenger of God, what if I slacken and cannot do such work?
The Prophet said: ‘You refrain from doing others any harm. That counts
as an act of charity you do for yourself’.” (Related by Al-Bukhari
and Muslim).
A good believer is spared frustration even when he is
afflicted with serious disability, such as blindness or paralyses. They
do not prevent him from achieving an excellent position with God. The
Prophet mentions the case of one who is tested with the loss of his two
beloved ones, i.e. his eyes, so as to become blind, and says: “God
says: when I test My servant with the loss of his two beloved ones, I
compensate him with admission into heaven.” (Related by Al-Bukhari).
Needless to say, this is true only in the case of one who reacts with
resigned acceptance. On the other hand, a person who grumbles and shows
his anger at his loss will earn nothing other than God’s displeasure. We
see from all this that a person’s position with God is independent
from his physical strength, wealth, position of influence, etc.
Any deprivation or lack of wealth and influence will not
prevent a believer from attaining a high position with God. The Prophet
says: “Among God’s servants there are those whom God is certain to
grant their most solemn appeals (to Him).” (Related by Al-Bukhari). He
also says: “Shall I tell you about the people who will find
their abode in heaven? They include every humble person whom God is
certain to grant their appeals.
In another Hadith, the Prophet says: “A person may be
covered with dust, and having dishevelled hair, yet God is certain to
grant his most solemn appeal."
Provided by Dr. Muhamad Kamal Al-Shareef
with the kind permission of Dr Shuja of the Islamic Arts mailing list.
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