Sweetness in Trials

SWEETNESS IN TRIALS

Prof Dato Dr Mohd Asri bin Zainul Abidin

Prophet Musa (Moses) a.s. fled Egypt after an incident where he struck and killed a Coptic man while trying to stop a racist act of injustice against the Israelites. His action exceeded his intention, and it was a mistake. He was forced to flee toward Madyan in a state of great hardship. The Madyan mentioned is likely in modern-day Jordan; I have visited there many times. The journey from Egypt to that place is very far, especially in those ancient times. His goal was to ensure Pharaoh’s soldiers could not reach him.

Upon arriving in Madyan, Musa a.s. found a group of shepherds drawing water, while two young women stood aside, waiting. Musa’s soul, which could not stand to see awkwardness or any element of injustice, moved him—despite his extreme exhaustion—to ask the two women what was wrong. The Quran tells this story:

وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلۡقَآءَ مَدۡيَنَ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبِّيٓ أَن يَهۡدِيَنِي سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ . وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَآءَ مَدۡيَنَ وَجَدَ عَلَيۡهِ أُمَّةٗ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ يَسۡقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ ٱمۡرَأَتَيۡنِ تَذُودَانِۖ قَالَ مَا خَطۡبُكُمَاۖ قَالَتَا لَا نَسۡقِي حَتَّىٰ يُصۡدِرَ ٱلرِّعَآءُۖ وَأَبُونَا شَيۡخٞ كَبِيرٞ

(Meaning: "And when he directed himself toward Madyan, he said, 'Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the sound way.' And when he came to the well of Madyan, he found there a crowd of people watering [their flocks], and he found aside from them two women keeping back [their flocks]. He said, 'What is your circumstance?' They said, 'We do not water until the shepherds dispatch [their flocks]; and our father is an old man.'") — Surah al-Qasas: 22-23

Prophet Musa a.s. could not bear to see oppression or a lack of help for the weak. His sympathy for the two women outweighed the immense fatigue he was feeling. He stepped forward with whatever strength he had left to help them get water. He helped without expecting any reward.

After helping them, and as they returned home, Musa a.s.—in a state of total exhaustion—went to rest under the shade of a tree. There, he made a prayer that was short but incredibly deep in meaning. I am not sure if those who do not understand Arabic can fully taste the beauty of this short expression, but I will try to translate its structure. I want to share Musa’s prayer with readers who may not have noticed it while reading the Quran, or those who know it but have forgotten it due to the busyness of life. We live in difficult times where we desperately need God’s mercy and compassion.

I mention it here because this prayer deeply touches my feelings. I believe it will touch yours too. No matter how many moments of crisis or worry hit this life, this prayer is a "cooler of emotions" and a giver of hope. It is a bridge that connects the trials of life to the God who owns all life. If this prayer is read with a soul that truly relies on Allah, I am convinced that peace will arrive even before Allah’s help descends. Allah tells us of Musa and his prayer:

فَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَآ أَنزَلۡتَ إِلَيَّ مِنۡ خَيۡرٖ فَقِيرٞ

(Meaning: "So he watered [their flocks] for them; then he went back to the shade and said, 'My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need (faqir).'") — Surah al-Qasas: 24

The Meaning of "Faqir"

I have translated the expression above literally using the original word "faqir." Many translations of the Quran are based only on the translator's interpretation, losing the original wording. In many cases, this denies the multiple layers of meaning and the beauty of the Arabic language. In this verse, Musa a.s. cries out that he is "faqir" to whatever bounty God provides. This means he is in desperate need of any "khair" (goodness) that Allah will give him to face his current situation. In the beautiful language of the Quran, Allah records it as: "Rabbi inni lima anzalta ilaiya min khairin faqir." It is very short, yet very meaningful.

Diverse Blessings

Some commentators of the Quran say that when Musa a.s. used the word "khair" (goodness), he was referring to food. However, "khair" is broad. It is not just food or drink; it is anything that brings goodness to a person. After making this prayer, Musa a.s. was given various blessings from Allah that exceeded his expectations. The following verses in Surah al-Qasas tell how the two women returned to invite Musa to their home. Their father, an honorable man, was very grateful for Musa’s help. The Quran does not specify who the father was—whether he was Prophet Shu'aib or someone else—but Musa was given shelter, food, a job, and was even married to one of the daughters. This is how Allah answers a short but meaningful prayer uttered from a soul that has completely surrendered with total trust (tawakkul).

Wisdom from Trials

Musa a.s. walked a long way carrying the burden of fear and threats from his enemies. It was a trial that forced someone who grew up in a palace to become a refugee without supplies. Yet, within that trial, Musa experienced great life lessons and received grand blessings. Without the trial, this would not have happened.

When we read the soul-stirring prayers of the righteous in the Quran, whether from Prophets or others, we find that many were uttered during moments of extreme crisis and challenging trials. We ourselves might not memorize many prayers from the Quran or Sunnah until life forces us to "tadarru"—to humble ourselves and bow with our whole souls to the greatness of Allah’s kingdom. Many trials in life are actually very meaningful if we are willing to reflect on them. How many people find faith and righteous deeds because of the trials that hit them? How many arrogant people, whom no one could advise, finally became humble before Allah and learned to appreciate others after going through a bitter trial?

How many righteous people, beloved by Allah, have their status and value raised in the sight of God because of the trials they endure? Allah says:

وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٰلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ . ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةٞ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٰجِعُونَ . أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ صَلَوَٰتٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٞۖ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ

(Meaning: "And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, Who, when disaster strikes them, say, 'Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.' Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.") — Surah al-Baqarah: 155-157

Conclusion

We do not ask for trials, but we must know that trials are a pillar of life. A trial is like a "conversation" or a "greeting" from Allah to make us remember what we have forgotten, change what is wrong, or to add to our rewards and erase our sins. The Prophet ﷺ said:

مَا مِنْ شَىْءٍ يُصِيبُ الْمُؤْمِنَ حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةِ تُصِيبُهُ إِلاَّ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِهَا حَسَنَةً أَوْ حُطَّتْ عَنْهُ بِهَا خَطِيئَةٌ

(Meaning: "Nothing afflicts a believer, even a thorn that pricks him, but Allah records for him a good deed and wipes away a sin.") — Narrated by Muslim

Seeing others who are tested should make us humble. A person who looks like they are struggling might actually be drowning in the mercy and love of God. Seeing the needy, the oppressed, or the sick should immediately make us feel: "In the sight of Allah, they might be much better than I am."

We will all go through "God’s education" on the stage of trials. We hope our trials lead us to something better. It was a trial that led Musa a.s. to various blessings. We hope the same for our humble selves. For that, we should always cry out to Allah as Musa did: “Rabbi inni lima anzalta ilaiya min khairin faqir” ("My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need.")