He had a pious and God-fearing son, named ꜤAli bin Fuḍayl رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه. This son was also extremely devoted to serving his parents. Narrations detail how he was unable to complete recital of Surah al-Zilzāl, as this sūrah describes the terrors of the Day of Judgement. Whenever he would recite or listen to it, his intense fear of Allah would lead to him losing consciousness.

He was still young when he passed away. Every parent can understand how painful the death of a young child is. Yet, observe the conduct of the father, Fuḍayl b. ꜤIyāḍ رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه! He did not cry or show any sign of sadness. Instead, a smile beamed from his face. People were hugely surprised by this. They asked, “We never see you smiling. Yet today you smile, on the day your child passed away. Why is this?” Fuḍayl b. ꜤIyāḍ رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه replied beautifully, “This happened by the decree of Allah. I am pleased with whatever He has decreed.”^[1]

اللہُ اَکْبَر This is what it means to be pleased with Allah as your Lord, and accept this reality. It is like saying, “Allah is my Lord. Whatever He decrees concerning me, I happily accept it from the bottom of my heart.”

Unfortunately, our state is totally opposite to this. If a single glass cup accidently breaks, we become incredibly angry in the blink of an eye. If our car tyre is punctured, we cannot endure it. If there is slight increase or decrease in temperature, if we are afflicted by a minor fever, if our business earnings are low for one day or our salary payment is delayed, Satanic whisperings enter our heart and complaints flow from our tongues.