:: Difficulties are essential to train people and develop their characters ::

ADNAN OKTAR: How else could a person be tested and trained? How could anyone be trained and how could his character develop by way of comfort and enjoyment? What would he have to show fortitude over? Where would he show affection? Where would he protect and watch over others? How could he display generosity? Where could he use his reason and free will? What room would there be for courage? These things are all perfect virtues that make human beings human. Difficulties are essential in order for any of them to exist. Otherwise we would be like a smooth wall. We would lack a great many attributes. That is why Allah regards human beings as so valuable. Human beings are more valuable and important than angels, because they are tested and these tests contribute in the improvement of their features. Angels, for instance, can only display those specific features in the manner desired by Allah. It is man who encounters hardship and difficulties because, by Allah’s leave, he constantly uses his mind. For example, he uses his free will, fortitude, courage, loyalty, and he is loyal, isn’t he? He is loving and has to think deeply. Courage, in particular, is a very difficult thing, overcoming fear is a difficult thing. Struggle is a difficult thing. One uses one’s free will against sloth, for instance. Put these all together and a perfect human being emerges, and it is these aspects of people we love. Otherwise a person will literally die. I mean, does a corpse signify anything for us? No. Human beings would be like dead bodies. The reason we love people is because they have courage, and fortitude, and steadfastness, isn’t that so? And affection and generosity. A generous person is well loved, for instance. A forgiving person is well loved. To forgive, there must be something difficult. What could we exhibit fortitude in the face of if there were no hardships? Isn’t that right? We love someone because of his fortitude. One needs to have fortitude to maintain one’s bonds with what one loves. One needs courage to protect it, doesn’t one? People are able to put up with suffering, and they exhibit fortitude in the face of it. They are patient in the face of time. Let us suppose that one loves someone, one will wait 1 year for them, or 2 years or 3 years, won’t one? Anything else would be disloyalty. Some people can’t wait 1 or 2 days, let alone years. But Allah loves patient people. And we love patient people. We love generous people. And we want Allah to be generous toward us. We say, “O Lord, give us things and opportunities.” Right, so if you want Allah to be generous, you have to be generous, too. People want Allah to forgive, so we have to forgive. We want Allah to be loyal, so we have to be loyal. Allah is loyal. Allah fears nothing, for example. And people should fear nothing, either, they must be brave for Allah, by submitting to Allah. If the prophets had been fearful, for example, they could have given no service at all. Because the people around them were always threatening them and trying to kill them, setting traps and slandering and defaming them. When Hazrat Mahdi (as) appears, for instance, they will imprison him and oppress him, and he will be defamed and insulted. How can he do his work if he has no courage, no fortitude and no determination? All people will be happy as a result of his work, and everyone will know peace and joy. Look, the courage, loyalty and patience of just one man mean salvation for all mankind, isn’t that right? Just one man. If he were not loyal, patient and brave, mankind would sink, may Allah forbid. Allah uses him as His instrument. The same with the Messiah (as). He was very patient. Only 12 people believed in the Messiah at that time. He never lost his determination. Only 12 virtuous people, despite the tens of miracles he worked. But when he comes back, Allah will make the whole world believe in him. This will be clear proof that all power lies with Allah, insha’Allah. PRESENTER: Insha’Allah. Dec 29, 2009 Click here to access the article online