Trials Are a Sign of Connection, Not of Severance

Occasion: Transcription of a Fajr khatira delivered on 25 August 2026 Source: A transcription of a video khatira by Dr. Ahmed Abouseif — Watch the original video on YouTube

The Doctor began the khatira by asking Allah for the good of this day, the good of what is in it and the good of what comes after it, and by seeking refuge in Him from the evil of the day, the evil of what is in it and the evil of what comes after it; that He set right for us our religion, our worldly life and our hereafter, grant us right guidance in our affairs, and turn away from us the causes of punishment in this world and the next. Then he greeted those present and asked Allah to keep us and them firm upon guidance, grant us sincerity, and write us among those who are saved in this world and on the day we stand before Him, glory be to Him.

Allah Is Sufficient for Us, and He Is the Best Disposer of Affairs

He said: I was reflecting on the words of Allah Almighty: ﴿الَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَقَالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ ۝ فَانقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ لَّمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ وَاتَّبَعُوا رِضْوَانَ اللَّهِ﴾ (Those to whom people said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them," but it increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best Disposer of affairs." So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them, and they followed the pleasure of Allah).^[1] He paused at their saying «حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل» ("Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best Disposer of affairs"), and at the fact that the threat increased them in faith.

The Days Without Trial

Then he moved on to the condition of the Prophets and Messengers, and said that the days on which they faced no problems in their lives were zero; every day for them was a trial. The more trials you receive, the more you remain connected to the Lord of Might, glory be to Him. And he repeated the sentence to fix it in mind: when life becomes easy, that may be an indication that you have stepped out of the circle of tests.

He cited the words of Allah Almighty: ﴿أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُم﴾ (Or did you think that you would enter Paradise while there has not yet come to you the like of those who passed on before you?), ﴿مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ﴾ (They were touched by poverty and hardship).^[2]

The Conclusion

He said that the conclusion of what is before us, easy as it is, is that the trials of life never end, and that when a servant steps out of the circle of trials he has stepped out of the circle of life. The Lord of the worlds, glory be to Him, has taught us that we are people of accountability as long as we are people of intellect, people of capability and people of resolve; if one of these three is lacking, the servant has passed beyond the point of testing. So the one with intellect is the accountable one, the one with capability is the accountable one, and the one with resolve is the accountable one.

The Supplication

He concluded by asking Allah to grant us a faith with which we meet whatever good He provides for us, for the trials we meet are nothing but good. And he advised: seek your Lord's help for your day, seek Allah's help to complete the rest of life, and for a victory renewed at every moment of this world that brings us nearer to the Lord of the worlds, glory be to Him, the Exalted. And he asked Allah for ease and guidance for us and for them.

--- ^[1]: Editor's documentation: Āl ʿImrān: 173–174. Limited to what the speaker uttered of the two verses. ^[2]: Editor's documentation: This text corresponds to Sūrat al-Baqarah: 214; the speaker uttered the opening of the verse and then "مستهم البأساء والضراء" ("they were touched by poverty and hardship"), and did not complete the rest.