KINDNESS IS BEING TESTED
Allah Rabbul Jalil has commanded people to read, understand and seek knowledge to recognize virtues in people, Allah reminds people of their creation in the first verse of the Quran, and then He emphasizes that He is the absolute owner of sovereignty. The supreme blessing from Allah can be nothing but intellect and the power of thought and reasoning, this allows man to discriminate and differentiate between good and bad, right and wrong which is based on reading and learning the moral code or law of Islam. Everything that human beings required to know about their existence, their creator, the life of this world being a test, and ways to pass the test are explained in God's revealed books, namely the Holy Quran. In terms of reflection on human and social life, mental and emotional endeavor, every human being will be tested by Allah Rabbul Jalil in various way as to their capabilities, financial situation and physical means which are essential part of Allah’s mercy and benevolence. Islam has prescribed financial obligation for the people and will be tested based on whether they donate and consume it accordingly. Wealth and children are but an adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for one’s hope.
“Your wealth and your children are a test, and that with Allah is immense reward.”
Test: means to be purified, get rid of dirt and to become clear and transparent. The method of purifying or smelting that is used to separate residues, impurities and sediments from precious metals such as golden or silver is called “fitnah/ test”. The extended meaning is causing one to enter into fire and into a state of punishment, affliction, a probation, distress or hardship whereby some good or evil quality is put to the test. Allah cleanses and purifies His faithful servants with their acts of kindness, by removing dirt and stains that were caused by evil and bad deeds. Allah gives His servants countless opportunities to purify themselves through kindness. Kindness are for those hearts that Allah has made eligible for righteousness. In a similar case in favor of the most important means of giving alms and charity of the goods we can see in the verse about purifying our selves:
“Take, [O, Muhammad], from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase, and invoke [ Allah ‘s blessings] upon them. Indeed, your invocations are reassurance for them.”
For the one who deifies and divinize himself, cannot appreciate and recognize the importance of human well-being through kindness, like a “test” will not see its counterpart. The person who considers himself the owner of his own sustenance and provisions is not part of the new era. When we take a close look at the historical and social events mentioned in the Quran, it will be clear that humans saw themselves as a centre of the universe, humans did not care about other people’s deprivations thus human’s own prosperity always came first. The Quran strikingly tells us about the period in which humans failed the kindness test and put their selfishness, temptations, desires and whips before the needs and impoverishment of others and Allah Rabbul Jalil described the ramifications and consequence of such attitudes and actions. The Quran warns us about the lack of kindness and drowning in self-indulgence: “By the night when it lets fall its darkness, and by the day when it shines in glory, and by Him who has created the male and female, your effort is surely diverse ends. As for him that gives in charity and guards himself and believes in the best, we shall surely ease his way to the best. But as for him who is miserly and thinks himself self-sufficient, and disbelieves in the best, we shall surely ease his way to hardship.”
