Why Never Give Up?! InsyaAllah.

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
Bismillah hir Rahman nir Rahim. In The Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Hey, everyone. It’s been a busy week, sorry for the delay. Very sorry, cause I did set a deadline, but didn’t make it. Sorry again. I’ll try to not do it again, InsyaAllah. Anyway, guys, I found out something special about ‘InsyaAllah’ that I wish to share.

In Surah Al-Kahf, verse 23 - 24
AND NEVER say about anything, "Behold, I shall do this tomorrow, without (adding], "if God so wills." And if thou shouldst forget [thyself at the time, and become aware of it later], call thy Sustainer to mind and say: "I pray that my Sustainer guide me, even closer than this, to a consciousness of what is right!"

Or in Malay,
"Dan jangan sekali-kali kamu mengatakan terhadap sesuatu: ""Sesungguhnya aku akan mengerjakan itu besok pagi," "kecuali (dengan menyebut): ""Insya-Allah"". Dan ingatlah kepada Tuhanmu jika kamu lupa dan katakanlah: ""Mudah-mudahan Tuhanku akan memberiku petunjuk kepada yang lebih dekat kebenarannya daripada ini"

As the title suggests, the thing that I wanna talk about this time around is on perseverance. Hmm. I think that this post could only be a continuation to the previous one, as the one before talked about self esteem, and now, further into acting on the self confidence. Just having the self confidence, though as high as it maybe, wont mean a thing if it is not acted upon. To start off, I would like to quote a favorite ayat of mine, one that I have quoted many times before. Here it goes…

Surah Al-Balad, verse 4.
English - Verily We have created man into toil and struggle.
Malay - Sesungguhnya Kami telah menciptakan manusia berada dalam susah payah.

Well, this is probably the best time to talk about this matter. The time which most thinks as the hardest ones of the year; the time of exams. But, the again, when are we free from troubles? Think about it. Is there any one instant of your life where you are free from problems? And, if you were once with nothing to do, (maybe the holidays), the fact that you have ‘nothing to do’ becomes a problem. Sometimes the boredom due to this seemed worse.

I think anyone can relate to this, from all background, profession, field, race and country. (haha). Verily, a student of the medicine field would consider his/her life to be very ‘tough’; the engineering students would wanna contest in that view, not to forget the commerce students as well. Put yourself in the shoes of a working man/women, probably they would agree that its tough to be them, with most claiming that their job is the hardest of all. A lawyer would say that the field is too confusing, a doctor would say its too emotional, an engineer might say that his/her machine is too complicated, a farmer would say that its physically too challenging, a driver would say its too boring, a leader would say too much pressure, and this goes on. These people usually have other stressful and demanding roles too, such as being a mother, father, husband, wife, brother, sister or even a friend. Basically, everyone would like to think that they are having a tough life; tougher than most of others. But, its true isn’t it? Life is tough. And, this kinda agrees with the verse above, no?

Sometimes these things might just be too much to take. The path might seem so hard, they future might look so dark, and the present might feel so painful. Sometimes, it might seem as just not worth the trouble, sometimes it feels like to just let it go. Its tough to explain this, its one of those things where I have complete understanding but have no idea how to put it into words. Probably, its better left unsaid, and understood, hopefully everyone can relate to this.

This is applicable to anything; studies, work, relationships, money, future plans and even to ‘trivial’ parts of life such as ‘finding a place to stay’ (haha, internal Melburnian joke), keeping the house clean, cooking, etc.

Problems are everywhere, and they are meant as a test for us. To differentiate between the ones who truly believe and the one who do not.

The following verse would elucidate (It’s a new word i learnt. haha) the situation.
Al-Baqarah, verse 155-157
Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere, Who say, when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return" They are those on whom (Descend) blessings from Allah, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.

Dan sungguh akan Kami berikan cobaan kepadamu, dengan sedikit ketakutan, kelaparan, kekurangan harta, jiwa dan buah-buahan. Dan berikanlah berita gembira kepada orang-orang yang sabar,"(yaitu) orang-orang yang apabila ditimpa musibah, mereka mengucapkan, ""Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilaihi raaji`uun"""Mereka itulah yang mendapat keberkatan yang sempurna dan rahmat dari Tuhan mereka, dan mereka itulah orang-orang yang mendapat petunjuk.

Let’s now see what some have to say about giving up. Thomas Edison said, "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." This is an interesting insight. Christopher Reeves, the ‘Superman’, said the following, ‘A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles’. If you read his life story, you would really understand what he meant. (After being paralysed, he did not give up! Go on, read about him).

Verily the greatest of perseverers, the never-give-up-ers, are the prophets of Allah. Just take a look into the lives of these great men and for will find struggle, suffering, tests, afflictions and hardship. Way beyond our capacity, but they all persevered with the help of Allah.

I shall now continue with some inspiring verses from the Quran on faith, hope and perseverance. (I’ll include only the English translations, for more please go here http://www.islamicity.com/QuranSearch/)

3:200 O ye who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah. that ye may prosper.
2:45-46 Nay, seek (Allah's) help with patient perseverance and prayer: It is indeed hard, except to those who bring a lowly spirit, Who bear in mind the certainty that they are to meet their Lord, and that they are to return to Him.
2:153 O ye who believe! seek help with patient perseverance and prayer; for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.

As for how to persevere, and from where do we get the power to do it, I would say that I need a source that is Great, Infinite, Omnipotent and Magnificient.
Surah An-Nahl, verse 127 - Endure thou patiently (O Muhammad). Thine endurance is only by (the help of) Allah. Grieve not for them, and be not in distress because of that which they devise.

And, I shall put my trust upon Allah, the Lord of the Universe.
Excerpt of Surah Imran, verse 159 - ...Then, when thou hast taken a decision put thy trust in Allah. For Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him).

I shall never loose hope, insyaAllah. I shall never give up on the mercy of the Creator. Because …
Excerpt from surah Yusuf, verse 87 - … and never give up hope of Allah's Soothing Mercy: truly no one despairs of Allah's Soothing Mercy, except those who have no faith."

And, yes, I do believe that with every difficulty, every hardship, and everytime I did not give up, I would have happiness. Here is the proof of the good news.
Surah Al-Sharrh, Verse 5 and 6
So, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief: Verily, with every difficulty there is relief.

To sum all up, here is another very beautiful verse from the Quran. From surah Al-Baqarah, verse 177.
It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces Towards east or West; but it is righteousness- to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; to fulfil the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the Allah fearing.