🔻All of the details in our lives, which are out of our authority, are our destiny.
🔻The goal of creation is for us to affect our destiny and build our future.
👉🏼 Destiny (2)
🔸Sometimes, the realities that surround us are referred to using the word #destiny. What we mean by destiny is the part of our life, which is beyond our #control and is determined by God. In many cases, we call these accidental or natural events. Since they are repeated, we often consider them to be normal events. However, God has designed all of these events with His wisdom and providence. They are all in the hands of the Lord of the Universe.
🔸Some people believe divine destiny to only be involved in great and big affairs and not all the affairs in life from the smallest to the biggest of them. All of the details in our lives, which are beyond our control and will, are our destiny. The essence of our existence, the form of our existence, all the fixed or variable features of our existence, the conditions around us, and everything from our parents to the place where we are born, are all parts of our destiny.
🔸However, there are many factors, which affect our destinies. Our thoughts, interests, hopes, beliefs, deeds, actions, intentions and our prayers affect our destinies. God’s love for us, the Friends of God’s love for us, and the good or bad behaviour of the people around us are other factors, which affect our destiny but we do not control.
🔸Basically, the purpose of creation is for us to influence our destinies and build our future. However, we must pay attention to our #limitations. The most determining factor in our destiny is something other than these factors that have been mentioned. This key determining factor is the divine #tests.
#Most_Determining_Factor
✅ @PanahianEN
🔻The goal of creation is for us to affect our destiny and build our future.
👉🏼 Destiny (2)
🔸Sometimes, the realities that surround us are referred to using the word #destiny. What we mean by destiny is the part of our life, which is beyond our #control and is determined by God. In many cases, we call these accidental or natural events. Since they are repeated, we often consider them to be normal events. However, God has designed all of these events with His wisdom and providence. They are all in the hands of the Lord of the Universe.
🔸Some people believe divine destiny to only be involved in great and big affairs and not all the affairs in life from the smallest to the biggest of them. All of the details in our lives, which are beyond our control and will, are our destiny. The essence of our existence, the form of our existence, all the fixed or variable features of our existence, the conditions around us, and everything from our parents to the place where we are born, are all parts of our destiny.
🔸However, there are many factors, which affect our destinies. Our thoughts, interests, hopes, beliefs, deeds, actions, intentions and our prayers affect our destinies. God’s love for us, the Friends of God’s love for us, and the good or bad behaviour of the people around us are other factors, which affect our destiny but we do not control.
🔸Basically, the purpose of creation is for us to influence our destinies and build our future. However, we must pay attention to our #limitations. The most determining factor in our destiny is something other than these factors that have been mentioned. This key determining factor is the divine #tests.
#Most_Determining_Factor
✅ @PanahianEN
🔻In this world, success means being successful in the divine tests.
🔻Other successes in life are the tools for us to be tested.
👉🏼 Destiny (7)
🔸When the central factor for our destinies, for the prophets being sent, and for the religious laws are for us to be tested, this means that the main thing in this world is neither suffering nor being comfortable. Therefore, people’s goals should not be success, comfort and blessings, and of course, no one’s goal should be to be in pain, suffering, bothering oneself or giving hardships to oneself.
🔸We are not supposed to search for #success in this world. This means that we should not be after reaching that optimal point that we have in mind. The optimal point is to pass tests correctly. Our only success is to be successful in divine #tests.
🔸When we say that the central factor for divine destinies is tests, this means that whether you are given hardship or comfort, this is for you to be tested. [Qur’an 89:15–16]
🔸When we see some differences between others and ourselves, we should not say that this is #discrimination and this is in contradiction with God’s justice! The Commander of the Faithful, Ali (as), said, “Do not count wealth and children to be the criteria of God’s anger or pleasure. This stems from your ignorance about divine tests and trials for testing [people’s] abilities and powers.” [Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon no. 192]
🔸We can say that the #primary, practical goal of the creation of human beings is to be #tested. The Qur’an says, “It is He who has created death and life to put you to the test.” [67:2] The #intermediary goal of creation is “#worshiping and servitude.” The Qur’an says, “We have created jinn and human beings only that they might worship Me.” [51:56] The #ultimate aim and goal of creation is #meeting_God.” The Qur’an states, “…you are working hard toward your Lord and you will meet Him.” [84:6] It also states, “We are the servants of God and to Him we shall all return.” [2:156] In other words, the primary goal of creation that we are facing in our actions in this world is testing.
#AliRezaPanahian
#Most_Determining_Factor
#Destiny
✅ @PanahianEN
🔻Other successes in life are the tools for us to be tested.
👉🏼 Destiny (7)
🔸When the central factor for our destinies, for the prophets being sent, and for the religious laws are for us to be tested, this means that the main thing in this world is neither suffering nor being comfortable. Therefore, people’s goals should not be success, comfort and blessings, and of course, no one’s goal should be to be in pain, suffering, bothering oneself or giving hardships to oneself.
🔸We are not supposed to search for #success in this world. This means that we should not be after reaching that optimal point that we have in mind. The optimal point is to pass tests correctly. Our only success is to be successful in divine #tests.
🔸When we say that the central factor for divine destinies is tests, this means that whether you are given hardship or comfort, this is for you to be tested. [Qur’an 89:15–16]
🔸When we see some differences between others and ourselves, we should not say that this is #discrimination and this is in contradiction with God’s justice! The Commander of the Faithful, Ali (as), said, “Do not count wealth and children to be the criteria of God’s anger or pleasure. This stems from your ignorance about divine tests and trials for testing [people’s] abilities and powers.” [Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon no. 192]
🔸We can say that the #primary, practical goal of the creation of human beings is to be #tested. The Qur’an says, “It is He who has created death and life to put you to the test.” [67:2] The #intermediary goal of creation is “#worshiping and servitude.” The Qur’an says, “We have created jinn and human beings only that they might worship Me.” [51:56] The #ultimate aim and goal of creation is #meeting_God.” The Qur’an states, “…you are working hard toward your Lord and you will meet Him.” [84:6] It also states, “We are the servants of God and to Him we shall all return.” [2:156] In other words, the primary goal of creation that we are facing in our actions in this world is testing.
#AliRezaPanahian
#Most_Determining_Factor
#Destiny
✅ @PanahianEN
🔻We cannot understand from the results whether we have acted correctly or not.
🔻The beauty of trusting in God is that a person plans and acts, then trusts in God.
👉🏼 Destiny (8)
🔸We cannot understand from the #results whether we have acted correctly or not. It is possible that we have acted correctly and accurately, however since the testing system has not allowed us, we do not get the results we wanted. The other way around is possible too.
🔸Having the outlook that, “Will God accept this from us and give results to our actions?” is an incorrect outlook. That is because it is possible that God will accept our deeds but not give worldly results to our actions. The opposite is possible too, it is possible that He does not accept our actions but gives worldly results to them.
🔸Sometimes God’s testing system does not allow a good servant to do a good deed that he/she wanted to do. For example, sometimes God does not allow a good servant who always prayed the Midnight Prayer to get up and pray. Because now God’s testing system says that if he gets up to pray, he will become #proud and it will cause his ruin. If this person does not pray the Midnight Prayer and then blames himself because of being deprived of benefiting from the Midnight Prayer, this is much better for him than praying the Midnight Prayer and becoming proud of himself.
🔸When we see that divine destines are surrounding us in this way, this does not mean that we should think that everything is due to force, leave all that we are doing and sit in a corner.
🔸If we were not supposed to #plan for ourselves and not take action according to our plans, if we were only supposed to pass God’s #tests and #trust in Him, our situation would have been much easier. The beauty of trusting in God is that a person plans and acts according to his/her plan then trusts in God.
🔸God has told us to plan for ourselves. Sometimes He causes our actions to have an #effect. Although other times, He ruins our mood by causing our actions to not have an effect in order to test us.
#AliRezaPanahian
#Most_Determining_Factor
#Destiny
✅ @PanahianEN
🔻The beauty of trusting in God is that a person plans and acts, then trusts in God.
👉🏼 Destiny (8)
🔸We cannot understand from the #results whether we have acted correctly or not. It is possible that we have acted correctly and accurately, however since the testing system has not allowed us, we do not get the results we wanted. The other way around is possible too.
🔸Having the outlook that, “Will God accept this from us and give results to our actions?” is an incorrect outlook. That is because it is possible that God will accept our deeds but not give worldly results to our actions. The opposite is possible too, it is possible that He does not accept our actions but gives worldly results to them.
🔸Sometimes God’s testing system does not allow a good servant to do a good deed that he/she wanted to do. For example, sometimes God does not allow a good servant who always prayed the Midnight Prayer to get up and pray. Because now God’s testing system says that if he gets up to pray, he will become #proud and it will cause his ruin. If this person does not pray the Midnight Prayer and then blames himself because of being deprived of benefiting from the Midnight Prayer, this is much better for him than praying the Midnight Prayer and becoming proud of himself.
🔸When we see that divine destines are surrounding us in this way, this does not mean that we should think that everything is due to force, leave all that we are doing and sit in a corner.
🔸If we were not supposed to #plan for ourselves and not take action according to our plans, if we were only supposed to pass God’s #tests and #trust in Him, our situation would have been much easier. The beauty of trusting in God is that a person plans and acts according to his/her plan then trusts in God.
🔸God has told us to plan for ourselves. Sometimes He causes our actions to have an #effect. Although other times, He ruins our mood by causing our actions to not have an effect in order to test us.
#AliRezaPanahian
#Most_Determining_Factor
#Destiny
✅ @PanahianEN
🔻How can one see God?
🔻God is living with us through tests in each moment of our lives.
👉🏼 Destiny (9)
🔸We can see God in #tests. God is living with us through tests in each moment of our lives. If we live with God with this outlook, we will gradually know God. And based on the tests that He takes from us, we can understand what topics He is sensitive about, because we cannot know a person well unless we live with him.
🔸God does not give us #blessings for us to relax some, then again give us some #tragedies! Rather, He gives blessings to test us and see how we behave with blessings. In the same way, He gives us hardships in order to test us.
🔸Sometimes God commands a person – due to his vices – to come and #bother us. We should not hold a grudge against him, because we were supposed to pass this test and this person is a tool with which God is testing us. In this world, all social and family #relationships are tools for being tested. Even our children are tools for testing us. [Qur’an 8:28]
🔸In designing our lives, God could have refrained from putting #sleeping. One of the tests in sleeping is when God tests us if we get up at dawn to pray or not! The sweetness of sleeping is to see if we are willing to pass up the sweetness of sleeping because of God.
🔸At the time of the Call to Prayer, God is looking at each one of us to see how we behave in this test. Are we willing to immediately put aside what we are thinking about in order to pray? Are we willing to put aside what we are very busy doing? Are we willing to pass on the sweetness of sleeping in the early morning? Are we willing to leave the mood we are in and pray?
#AliRezaPanahian
#Most_Determining_Factor
#Destiny
✅ @PanahianEN
🔻God is living with us through tests in each moment of our lives.
👉🏼 Destiny (9)
🔸We can see God in #tests. God is living with us through tests in each moment of our lives. If we live with God with this outlook, we will gradually know God. And based on the tests that He takes from us, we can understand what topics He is sensitive about, because we cannot know a person well unless we live with him.
🔸God does not give us #blessings for us to relax some, then again give us some #tragedies! Rather, He gives blessings to test us and see how we behave with blessings. In the same way, He gives us hardships in order to test us.
🔸Sometimes God commands a person – due to his vices – to come and #bother us. We should not hold a grudge against him, because we were supposed to pass this test and this person is a tool with which God is testing us. In this world, all social and family #relationships are tools for being tested. Even our children are tools for testing us. [Qur’an 8:28]
🔸In designing our lives, God could have refrained from putting #sleeping. One of the tests in sleeping is when God tests us if we get up at dawn to pray or not! The sweetness of sleeping is to see if we are willing to pass up the sweetness of sleeping because of God.
🔸At the time of the Call to Prayer, God is looking at each one of us to see how we behave in this test. Are we willing to immediately put aside what we are thinking about in order to pray? Are we willing to put aside what we are very busy doing? Are we willing to pass on the sweetness of sleeping in the early morning? Are we willing to leave the mood we are in and pray?
#AliRezaPanahian
#Most_Determining_Factor
#Destiny
✅ @PanahianEN
🔻We cannot ask God to not test us!
🔻In the same way that the philosophy behind our lives is to be tested, the philosophy behind our religion is to be tested too.
👉🏼 Destiny (10)
🔸We consider #tests to be like a machine, which is affected by different factors, such as: thoughts, likings, wishes, beliefs, actions, intentions, prayers, God & His Guardian’s affection for us, & the good & bad behaviors of those around us. These are the input of this machine & the output is our destiny, which determines the confines of our authority.
🔸God has created us in this world to test us. [Qur’an 67:2] We also know we can’t leave the domain of God’s rule. [Kumayl Supplication] Therefore, it is wiser if we don’t try to #escape from tests. Instead, we can ask God, “O God, take the best & easiest tests from us…” or “O God, my test has become hard. Take easier tests from me.” But we can’t say, “God, don’t test us.”
🔸It is impossible for the philosophy behind our lives to be testing, but the philosophy behind our religion not to be testing.
🔸For example, we have been told that if we see someone is #sinning in #hiding, we shouldn’t expose him. One reason is that by exposing him, the possibility of testing him in that area will be eliminated. The reason we have been commanded not to #backbite is so that a sinner will have the opportunity to sin without being disgraced.
🔸Why have they said that women should listen to their husbands in several specific cases (of course this does not mean men have absolute control over women)? Although it is for harmony between men & women, it is also for people to be tested. Some people ask, “What if a man makes mistakes?” The answer is that these mistakes are a part of the tests too. If no complexities were involved, this would not have been a test!
🔸Another example is parents. Even if your parents are unbelievers, you must respect & listen to them except when they say something against God’s commands. You should not say, “Parents are from one generation & children are from a different generation so they usually disagree.” The Almighty God knew this too, but He gave this command to test us.
#AliRezaPanahian
#Most_Determining_Factor
#Destiny
✅ @PanahianEN
🔻In the same way that the philosophy behind our lives is to be tested, the philosophy behind our religion is to be tested too.
👉🏼 Destiny (10)
🔸We consider #tests to be like a machine, which is affected by different factors, such as: thoughts, likings, wishes, beliefs, actions, intentions, prayers, God & His Guardian’s affection for us, & the good & bad behaviors of those around us. These are the input of this machine & the output is our destiny, which determines the confines of our authority.
🔸God has created us in this world to test us. [Qur’an 67:2] We also know we can’t leave the domain of God’s rule. [Kumayl Supplication] Therefore, it is wiser if we don’t try to #escape from tests. Instead, we can ask God, “O God, take the best & easiest tests from us…” or “O God, my test has become hard. Take easier tests from me.” But we can’t say, “God, don’t test us.”
🔸It is impossible for the philosophy behind our lives to be testing, but the philosophy behind our religion not to be testing.
🔸For example, we have been told that if we see someone is #sinning in #hiding, we shouldn’t expose him. One reason is that by exposing him, the possibility of testing him in that area will be eliminated. The reason we have been commanded not to #backbite is so that a sinner will have the opportunity to sin without being disgraced.
🔸Why have they said that women should listen to their husbands in several specific cases (of course this does not mean men have absolute control over women)? Although it is for harmony between men & women, it is also for people to be tested. Some people ask, “What if a man makes mistakes?” The answer is that these mistakes are a part of the tests too. If no complexities were involved, this would not have been a test!
🔸Another example is parents. Even if your parents are unbelievers, you must respect & listen to them except when they say something against God’s commands. You should not say, “Parents are from one generation & children are from a different generation so they usually disagree.” The Almighty God knew this too, but He gave this command to test us.
#AliRezaPanahian
#Most_Determining_Factor
#Destiny
✅ @PanahianEN