How faithful are we to Allaah?

It is narrated that a qualified medical worker from India emigrated to Canada to live a better life. This Muslim brother had a beard. He applied to many different places for a job and was called for interviews. Though he was highly qualified for the jobs, the interviewers hesitated to hire him because of his beard. One by one, he was rejected from all the companies. One interviewer actually mentioned to him indirectly that his beard was an obstacle to getting the job.

Truly, it was a big test for him from Allah. Hopeless and exhausted, the brother decided to remove the obstacle, which was to shave off his beard. Then he returned to that company and requested for another interview. When the interviewer saw him without a beard this time, he refused to give him the job again. The brother became confused and asked to know the reason. The interviewer said “If you are not faithful to your God, how will you be faithful to us?”¹

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

من التمس رضا الله بسخط الناس رضي الله عنه وأرضى عنه الناس ومن التمس رضا الناس بسخط الله سخط الله عليه وأسخط عليه الناس

Whoever seeks the pleasure of Allaah on account of the people's displeasure, Allaah will be pleased with him and will also make the people pleased with him. But whoever seeks the people's pleasure on account of Allaah's pleasure, Allaah will be displeased with him and will make the people displeased with him."²

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1) Adapted from Qisas.com
2) Reported by ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh (275) and al-Qudaa'ee in his Musnad (471); see also Saheeh at-Targheeb wat Tarheeb (2250)</sup>