Praise be to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, Companions and those who follow his guidance!
It is Allah (Exalted be He) with His deep Wisdom and absolute proof that He tests His servants with prosperity and adversity, grace or calamity to distinguish the wicked from the good, and the believers and those who have Taqwa (fearing Allah as He should be feared) from the hypocrites and disbelievers, and those striving patiently from those who are not. This test is also given to people to show those who seek and call for establishing the truth and those who do not. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good. And to Us you will be returned. This trial refers to testing people to distinguish the truthful from the liar, the pious from the wicked, and the good from the evil. This is also to let those whom Allah (Exalted be He) wills to be happy return to the truth while those whom He wills to be wretched keep to misguidance. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, And We tried them with good (blessings) and evil (calamities) in order that they might turn (to Allâh's Obedience). This Ayah points out that Allah (Exalted be He) may test people with times of ease and bounties including wealth, high rank, and others, and with evil which includes calamities, difficulty, eagerness, fear, warfare, and affliction so that they might return to the truth and adhere to guidance. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, And fear the Fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong (but it may afflict all the good and the bad people), and know that Allâh is Severe in punishment. This means that man should fear Allah (Exalted be He) by doing good deeds, obeying Him, striving in His Cause and adhering to the truth.
The Fitnah may include war, doubtful matters which mislead many people, forbidden lusts and many others. The believers protect themselves by obeying Allah (Exalted be He) and His Messenger (peace be upon him), understanding the religion, and preparing themselves for the trials ahead of time so that they may be well prepared and informed when they occur. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, and know that Allâh is Severe in punishment. The severe penalty is for whoever disobeys Him and commits what He made unlawful and violates His Laws. Allah (Exalted be He) says, Your wealth and your children are only a trial Another kind of Fitnah is wealth and children. If man fears Allah (Exalted be He) concerning his wealth and children, he will be happy. Otherwise, he will be ruined if he prefers the worldly life to the Hereafter and seeks after forbidden lusts and whims.
He (Exalted be He) says, And surely, We shall try you till We test those who strive hard (for the Cause of Allâh) and AsSâbirûn (the patient), and We shall test your facts (i.e. the one who is a liar, and the one who is truthful). He tests people so that He makes evident those who strive for Allah's cause and are patient. and We shall test your facts (i.e. the one who is a liar, and the one who is truthful). That is to make evident through apparent (real) knowledge this kind of people, although Allah (Exalted be He) knows everything and nothing is hidden from Him; He encompassed all things in His Knowledge. Allah (Exalted be He) says, that you may know that Allâh has power over all things, and that Allâh surrounds all things in (His) Knowledge.
Allah (Exalted be He) knows all things but He tests people so that He makes evident through apparent (real) knowledge the patient and those who strive for His cause. This fact should be clear for people and disclosed through real knowledge as He (may He be Praised) says, And surely, We shall try you till We test those who strive hard (for the Cause of Allâh) and AsSâbirûn (the patient), and We shall test your facts (i.e. the one who is a liar, and the one who is truthful).
On the eleventh of Muharram,
1411 A.H., corresponding to 2 August, 1990 A.D., the Iraqi ruler invaded his neighboring country, Kuwait. His transgressing and destructive troops invaded the country. They stole property, caused bloodshed, violated honor and made citizens homeless. The invasion has sparked international condemnation. The entire world therefore mobilized troops on the Saudi borders and exerted great effort to convince the Iraqi ruler to withdraw his troops from this country. However, he refused and insisted on his transgression and aggression. This is the sound wisdom of Allah Who is the Wise and Knowing. He previously encompassed in knowledge that this affliction; i.e. this war would occur. This war which can not be ended through peaceful solutions is considered a Fitnah. Allah (may He be Praised) says, it may be that you dislike a thing and Allâh brings through it a great deal of good. Allah (Glorified be He) also says: Jihâd (holy fighting in Allâh's cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allâh knows but you do not know. We hope this war brings good for us and all Muslims and evil for the enemies of Islam as He (may He be Praised) is the Most Knowing and Wise. We hope this event be a warning for us and others to return to Allah (Exalted be He) and hold fast to His religion and fully prepare ourselves