Episode 1 - Introduction

How can you turn adversity into a blessing? How can you enjoy the blessing of hardship? How can you live happily no matter the circumstances? How can you deal with matters - whatever they may be - positively and optimistically? How can you attach your heart to Allah - Glorified and Exalted - so that you fear none but Him and hope for none but Him? How can you possess an unbreakable will and an unconquerable spirit? How can you purify your heart from resentment towards destiny, so that your heart becomes a pure heart that you wish to meet Allah with? How can you love your Lord - Glorified and Exalted - with unconditional love that is not affected by circumstances?

The answers to these questions - and many others - you will find in this book.. Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is our Creator, our Provider, and our Beloved. His mercy encompasses all things. He created His servants to worship Him - to obey Him and love Him. He created them and showered them with blessings and favors, for He is the Most Loving, Glorified be He. He created them and enveloped them with His mercy, for He is the Most Merciful. He created them and dealt with them gently and forgave them despite their mistakes, for He is the Most Gentle, the Most Forbearing. He loves to hear the voice of His believing servant in gratitude during times of ease and in supplication during times of hardship. If the servant neglects his Lord, He tests him to bring him back to Him, to hear his supplication, his plea, and his tears. And He is Merciful and Wise in His testing.

I went through difficult circumstances, but Allah granted me the ability to have good thoughts about Him and His wisdom and mercy. Allah was with me in my thoughts and turned the fire of hardship into coolness and peace. How could He not be, when He says in the sacred hadith: "I am as My servant thinks of Me" (narrated by Al-Bukhari)..

And by Allah, when you think well of your Lord and act accordingly, you will see all goodness from Him.

If you are certain that Allah is able to cast happiness, contentment, and tranquility into your heart no matter the circumstances, He will be with you in your thoughts. He alone is capable of making man happy and causing him pain, for He says, Glorified be He: {And it is He who makes you laugh and cry} [An-Najm: 43].

Yes, Allah has blessed me through hardship with many blessings. I used to write down these blessings that I discovered on paper in the form of points. How much I enjoyed writing them down and then reviewing and contemplating them! And after Allah relieved me, I discovered even greater gifts.

So, I found it fitting to thank my Lord, the Most Merciful, by sharing some of these many blessings with my brothers and sisters, so that we may learn together the art of (having good thoughts about Allah)..

{And as for the favor of your Lord, then proclaim} [Ad-Dhuha: 11]. And everything you will find in this book is an explanation of only a few points from the many points I have counted.

Brothers and sisters, look at the good thoughts of the People of the Cave about their Lord when they said: {And when you withdrew from them and what they worship except Allah, then seek refuge in the Cave} [Al-Kahf: 16].. The Cave.. a dark, desolate place far away with a difficult path, full of insects and perhaps scorpions and snakes.. no water or greenery.. but Allah's power turns it into something else: {Then seek refuge in the Cave, your Lord will spread for you from His mercy and prepare for you from your affair an ease} [Al-Kahf: 16].. Allah, Glorified and Exalted, by His power and mercy, turned the cave into a place of comfort, ease, mercy, and comfort.

Oh my brothers.. by Allah, your Lord is Generous.. Generous.. so come, let us get to know our Lord through His actions with His servants to see the greatness of the Lord we worship.. come, let us get to know Allah so that we may have good thoughts about Him no matter what He decrees for us and does to us.. {Perhaps you dislike something, and Allah makes in it much good} [An-Nisa: 19] ..

Come, let us draw close to Allah and take refuge in His care, and let us revive our hearts and perfume our gatherings with His remembrance.

I ask Allah, the Great Lord of the Noble Throne, to benefit me and you with this book and increase our love for Him, Glorified be He.