No matter how difficult life becomes, no matter what tragedies befall you, it will never justify abandoning Islam.
I decided to write about this topic because I’ve seen some posts here from people complaining about their situation and saying things like, “I think I’m going to leave the religion,” and similar statements.
Why is this the case?
Because Allah has the right to be worshipped, for He is the Lord, blessed and exalted. Violating His right is the greatest crime of all — greater than murder, greater than adultery, greater than theft, greater than anything else — because His right is the greatest right in existence.
Why do I go through hardships in life?
Either to raise your ranks or to expiate sins you may have committed.
And when the Prophets and the Companions faced tremendous trials, their response was never to abandon the religion.
>When the trials became severe for the Companions, they came to the Prophet ﷺ -who was reclining on his cloak in the shade of the Kaaba- to complain to him of their depression, anxiety, and torment, saying, “Will you not intercede on our behalf?” The Prophet ﷺ sat up, his face flushed, and, recalling the severity of the trials faced by those who came before them, said:
>“There were those before you who were taken, a man would be dug into the ground, placed there, then a saw would be brought and placed on his head, cutting him in two, and he would be combed with iron combs, scraping away everything but his flesh and bones, yet none of that would turn him away from his religion.” Sahih al-Bukhari (No. 3612).
>The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, “Which people are tested most severely?” He replied:
>“The Prophets, then those most like them, then those most like them. A man is tested according to the strength of his religion. If his faith is firm, his trials become more severe, and if there is weakness in his faith, he is tested according to the level of his religion. Trials continue to afflict a servant until he walks upon the earth with no sin upon him.”
(Reported by Ibn Majah, authenticated by Al-Albani)
Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) possessed great wealth, livestock, servants, and land, and he had many children. All of this was taken from him at once, and then he was afflicted with various illnesses until the only parts of his body left unharmed were his heart and his tongue. And he was thrown out of the village because of his illnesses. (Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah by Ibn Kathir - Vol. 1, pp. 254–255)
The polytheists of Quraysh would seize the companion Khabbab, strip him of his clothes, and then throw him onto burning coals. Al-Sha‘bi said: “Umar ibn al-Khattab asked Khabbab about what he had endured at the hands of the polytheists. He replied, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, look at my back!’ Umar looked and said, ‘I have never seen a back like this before! (His back was scarred and disfigured.) Khabbab said: ‘A fire was lit for me, and nothing extinguished it except the fat and flesh of my back melting away (due to the intense heat of the coals).’
(Siyar A’lam al-Nubala by al-Dhahabi – Part Two, p. 323)
Ammar ibn Yasir was taken to the desert with his parents, who were Muslims, and they were killed in front of him.
(Al-Istiaab fi Ma'rifat al-Ashaab by Ibn Abd al-Barr, vol. 4, p. 1864)
The venerable Companion Urwa ibn al-Zubayr contracted gangrene in his leg, so the doctors decided to amputate it to prevent the disease from spreading throughout his body and causing his death. They offered him wine to drink so he would lose consciousness and not feel the pain of the saw, but he refused, saying, “Cut it off while I pray!” So they began sawing through his bone while he recited the Quran, and when they reached the nerve, he fainted from the intense pain. On the very same day his leg was amputated, his son Muhammad (his favorite son) entered the stable, where a horse kicked him in the face, and he died instantly.
When Urwa came to and found his leg severed and his son dead, he uttered these famous words: “O Allah, I had seven sons, and You took one and left six; I had four limbs, and You took one and left three. Though You have afflicted me, You have always healed me; though You have taken, You have always given.”
(Siyar A’lam al-Nubala Volume 4, p. 430.)
Finally: if you truly have a serious problem, seek help from a mental health professional. At least book an online appointment.
Speak to the imam or the sheikh at your local mosque. Talk to your family. Talk to your friends.