Adnan Oktar A9 TV; May 22nd, 2015

Materialists say, "If God exists, He should turn this world into Heaven. Why are there all those troubles and pains?" Look at the reasoning here. Haven't you come here to be tested? Since you are not here to have fun, since you are here to be tested, of course there will be pain and troubles. Of course there will be hardship. How are you going to be tested without those hardships?

In the Qur'an, God says "We tested you with many trials" (Surah Ta ha; 40) to the Prophet Moses (pbuh). 'We have tested you,' God says. And then he (Prophet Moses (pbuh)) becomes a prophet with firm resolve. If the things he survived were ordinary things, he would have been an ordinary person. But since he has been tested extraordinarily, he became an extraordinary personality.

God tests people extensively. The trial in this world is not an ordinary trial. There is a weighty trial, a weighty education. This is not solely a trial; actually it is education, only the name of it is “trial”.

Something happens and we act patiently. But we also reinforce our patience phase by phase. What is this, then? This is education. An education for what? An education for Heaven. God chooses a handful of Muslims and educates them here. When they are directly put in Heaven, what happened to the Prophet Adam (pbuh) happens. It doesn't work that way, that is to say. With the education given the mind settles, the personality develops and one starts appreciating the blessings of God.

God tests us with a beautiful trial. Actually that is also a beautiful education. In the end maturity, kindness and a personality suitable for the morality of Heaven develop.

Love is the purpose of the foundation of this world. Almighty God would not create the universe if it was not for love. He creates for love. Love is also the purpose of Heaven. Love is the purpose of the trial [of the life of this world] as well. What God wants from us is love.

Almighty God gives permission to the satan as a requisite of the trial in this world. With this wisdom, people are perfectly tested. The lower self matures in the struggle against the satan and it becomes perfect.

The blather of unbelief is so difficult that it is a trial in this world. It necessitates patience, that is for one. Secondly it necessitates attention. From which point that impertinent attitude is to be refuted should be investigated separately. These are not always from the same point of view, they all have to be proven with verses and then a rationale should be propounded.

When they are made fun of during their preaching they say, "I am demoralized." They have no idea about destiny, they have no idea about the Qur'an. Thank God for seeing such a miracle. Be amazed; your good deeds are increasing while their sins are increasing. What is your goal? Is it not to attain good deeds? You then say that you are sad. Why should one be sad because his good deeds have increased?

God checks up faith related sensitivities. Starting from the Prophet Adam (pbuh) until the Last Day, all people will be put through a perfect trial without any exceptions. No one has ever been granted any privileges that would remove their freewill of mind.

God says that, "This world is not the place for play and idle sport. The Heaven is the place for play and idle sport. This world is a place for trial." That is why if you fasten yourself to this world, you would be stuck with it, says God. But if you aim for the Hereafter, if you aim My approval, I will make you happy for all eternity, you will have fun and laugh. Those who fasten themselves to this world would merely grovel, let me say that much. They would merely wallow and flounder. Nothing else would ever happen.

A Muslim should hold on to God to death. He should accept being martyred, becoming a veteran, to be imprisoned, to be put into an asylum. He should be able to be thankful to God when those things happen. Then God opens his path to the utmost.

Troubles and afflictions only sharpen and strengthen people. This is the way God disciplines. Or else a great portion of people would remain heedless.

When Islam prevails, one who attains a million good deeds would only attain one good deed. Someone who previously attained a million good deeds with an act, with a behavior, would only attain –let us say- five good deeds with that act when Islam prevails in the whole world. After that, because no meaning is left in life and because the trial has come to an end, the Last Day comes swiftly. The passing away of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) and the prophet Jesus Messiah (pbuh) and then the Last Day will come rapidly, insha'Allah.

It is of course difficult to take care of seniors, but the good deeds attained by doing that is plenty. God makes it difficult so that the deeds attained there will be plenty. Such good deeds should not be missed.

People should keep their grandparents at home with them. That would bring richness to their homes. Placing them in nursing homes would bring about direness. You can provide the same conditions at home as well. You can reserve a room of your house to them and that would bring about auspiciousness to your home. The hardships and sufferings experienced there will bring about goodness.

The longer one remains in this world, the more one might have the means to improve in the spiritual sense. After one passes away, after one goes to Heaven, there would be no need for courage, loyalty and everything else. They only eat and drink and have fun, praise God and become like the angels. That is why being in this world for a long time is rewarding as well; that is because when you remain in this world, you acquire millions of good deeds.

The more hardships suffered, the more the good deeds acquired would be. The difficulties Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) encounters are countless. Every single hardship encountered is a step ahead. For instance, think about a 1,000 kilometer-long ladder, 1,000 kilometers of ascending steps; one climbs up incessantly and the spiritual ranks he attains elevate incessantly.

One would ask for a long life to serve Islam. Without that service for Islam, life could turn into trouble for one. One might have a long life but end up in the depths of Hell as a result. An auspicious, long life is important. If that auspiciousness, those good deeds are lost, if one does not serve on the path of God, a long life would do him no good. A long life is important only to serve Islam.

Even under threats a Muslim would wholeheartedly want to do the right thing. He should say, “If only I were threatened so that I could attain much bigger deeds.” Our Prophet (saas) always lived under threats; he lived under the threats of Abu Jahl, Abu Lahab, the threats of the Pharaohs of that time. The Prophet Moses always lived under the threat of the Pharaoh.

Threats are blessings in disguise. If Islam is preached in a threatening environment, it would be a religious service. If one says, “Let me only perform my prayers and avoid threats,” his deeds will decrease considerably. But a Muslim would want to collect as many good deeds as he could. Why would one agree to attain one deed when it is possible to attain a million times more?

The existence of atheists, all their writings, their speeches mocking religion are there to increase the good deeds Muslims attain. As one continues in his faith despite all these, that makes him more valuable.

There is immense opposition against religion in newspapers, on the radio, in the streets, among families, in many different spheres. A Muslim preserving his faith despite all that would be attaining a lot of good deeds.

If no one ever objected to us as we preached the religion, if everyone accepted everything we said, supported us, praised us, what do you think would happen in the Hereafter? The reward would be much less. But if there is objection, if you are working and making an effort despite that objection, the reward will be immense. God creates resistance, a lot of resistance, only so that Muslims will be more greatly rewarded . It is a gift of God to Muslims.

Not being self-sacrificing is a grave lack of conscience, it is a lack of moral turpitude. For instance, those Syrians who took refuge in our country are inoffensive people. Of course sheltering them brings about a financial burden and difficulties but it is worth the sacrifice. Let our money be spent instead of watching those children and households be annihilated, see them tortured and in suffering.