When Talut marched out with the army, he said, ´Allah will test you with a river. Anyone who drinks from it is not with me. But anyone who does not taste it is with me — except for him who merely scoops up a little in his hand.´ But they drank from it — except for a few of them. Then when he and those who had iman with him had crossed it, they said, ´We do not have the strength to face Goliath and his troops today.´ But those who were sure that they were going to meet Allah said, ´How many a small force has triumphed over a much greater one by Allah´s permission! Allah is with the steadfast. (Quran 2:249)



Would you think that you could go to Paradise without experiencing the kind of suffering others have experienced before you? Distress and afflictions battered them until the Messenger and the believers said, "When will God send help?" Certainly God's help is near. They ask you what to spend for the cause of God. (Muhammad) tell them that whatever you spend, give it to your parents, the orphans, the destitute, and those who may be in urgent need of money whilst on a journey. Whatever good you do, God certainly is Aware of it. Fighting is made MANDATORY for you, but you dislike it. You may not like something which, in fact, is for your good and something that you may love, in fact, may be evil. God knows, but you do not know (Quran 2:214-216)