The Impact of Trials on the Purification and Elevation of the Soul
Authors: Dr. Kaddour A. Thamer  , Dr. Waththab K. Hussein  
Published: September 2024

In this research, I explored the ways to purify and elevate the soul through various factors, most notably the impact of trials in preserving and elevating the soul. Just as education and moral refinement are crucial for disciplining, thriving, purifying, and reforming the soul, trials also play a significant role in preserving the soul, protecting it from misguidance, and reforming it. Trials contribute to the soul’s ascension in the ranks of servitude to Allah, acceptance of Allah’s decree, and submission to His will. Trials can sometimes serve as expiation for sins, concealing flaws and defects, and at other times they elevate one in the paths of success and righteousness for both individuals and society alike.
To understand your true self in your present and past before your burial, observe yourself during times of trials, whether in hardship or ease, in deprivation or abundance. It is in these moments that your true nature, substance, and essence are revealed. Ibn al-Jawzi said:
"You will know when the dust clears... whether you are riding a horse or a donkey."
It is a well-established fact in religion that the purpose of human existence on this earth is for worship and obedience, and this purpose is achieved through trials. Allah said: "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me," meaning: according to the natural disposition upon which Allah created people, whether in happiness or misery. In a lengthy hadith, the Prophet said: "... and prayer is light, charity is proof, patience is illumination, and the Quran is evidence for or against you. Every person starts their day as a vendor of their soul, either freeing it or bringing about its ruin." The only way to live with stability and positivity is through patience in the face of all types of trials. Trials are a part of life, as Allah said: "O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet it," whether this exertion is good or bad, you will encounter it on the Day of Judgment. Every person bears the consequences of their will, choices, and efforts. No one is exempt from this test, hence Allah said: "and will meet it."
By this approach, an individual’s character is built and their path clarified. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the concept of trials and tribulations, the difference between these terms, and their outcomes on the purity of the soul and society. This understanding should be utilized for the benefit and development of the community. It is also crucial to understand individual freedom and its limits and to study the philosophy of good and evil, historically referred to as "the creation of actions," to determine responsibility for any actions taken by individuals and to record their movements in light of the reality of the Muslim community and its moderation in all matters. Patience with all types and forms of trials and enduring their consequences in this life and the hereafter is obligatory. I hope I have succeeded in addressing all these points, and our final prayer is that praise be to Allah, the Lord of all worlds.