EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA — Human life never unfolds with complete certainty. Health can deteriorate, families can face difficulties, finances can become strained, and the future can seem unclear. In such circumstances, Muslims are called to hold firmly to their faith and Islamic guidance.
That message was delivered by Untung Cahyono, an expert adviser to the Muhammadiyah Central Board’s Council for Waqf Utilization, during the Monday Night Study Session (24/08).
Untung began his lecture by inviting participants to reflect on what it means to practice Islam amid uncertain circumstances. He said following Islamic teachings may feel easier when life is going well, basic needs are met, health is maintained, and family life remains peaceful.
Yet circumstances can change at any time. Someone who normally has plenty of time for worship, for example, may face a very different situation when a family member falls ill and requires constant care and attention.
“Practicing Islam under such circumstances is not easy,” he said.
According to Untung, life’s challenges vary in both scale and scope. Uncertainty can begin at the personal level and extend to family life, society, and even the life of a nation. Muslims therefore need to learn how to respond appropriately to different circumstances without losing their religious grounding.
Remembering That the World Is Temporary
.Untung said one important foundation for dealing with uncertainty is recognizing that the world is temporary and constantly changing. What feels good, comfortable, and stable today may be different tomorrow.
He illustrated this through ordinary experiences. Wealth, vehicles, homes, conveniences, and even pleasures that once brought satisfaction all have limitations. Nothing worldly is truly permanent or eternal.
“The world is temporary and full of change,” he said.
Because worldly life is temporary, he cautioned against making worldly pleasures the ultimate purpose of life. Wealth, positions, popularity, and material satisfaction may all have a place in life, but they are limited. They can disappear, deteriorate, change, and eventually be left behind.
By contrast, the hereafter is a better and more enduring life. Untung emphasized that, according to Islamic belief, the blessings of the hereafter are not subject to decay, fatigue, sadness, or boredom. The highest form of that blessing is Allah’s pleasure.
He also cited the meaning of Surah an-Nahl, verse 96, which states that what people possess will perish, while what is with Allah will remain. For Untung, the verse serves as a reminder not to base one’s entire purpose in life on temporary things.
Uncertainty as a Test of Faith
An awareness of the changing nature of the world also shapes how Muslims understand life’s trials. Untung explained that uncertainty should not simply be feared. It can also serve as a test of a person’s faith.
He referred to Surah al-Ankabut, verse 2, which states that people will not simply be left to say that they believe without being tested. Life, he said, should not be approached with a false sense of security or complacency. Everyone needs to recognize that trials are part of the human journey.
Such trials can take the form of fear, financial hardship, the loss of loved ones, health problems, or other difficulties. What matters is how a person accepts, endures, and learns from those trials with patience.
“Uncertainty is a test of the quality of human faith,” he said.
Untung also connected uncertainty with the Islamic concepts of qada and qadar. He said belief in divine destiny should give Muslims peace when facing the events of life.
He explained qada as Allah’s eternal decree, while qadar refers to the determination or measure through which that decree is manifested in human life. Both form part of a Muslim’s faith in understanding the course of life.
Faith Must be Matched by Effort
However, Untung stressed that belief in destiny must not become fatalism. Believing in qada and qadar does not mean that people should stop striving and simply surrender their lives without making an effort.
“Belief in destiny does not mean sitting idle without making an effort,” he stressed.
A Muslim, he said, must continue to work, strive, and pray. Tawakal, or placing one’s trust in Allah, comes after making every reasonable effort. It should not be used as an excuse to abandon the effort itself.
Passive resignation can be especially harmful when it takes root among young people, he said. For example, people should not simply wait for circumstances to change on the grounds that everything has already been determined. They remain responsible for taking precautions, seeking solutions, working, and improving their circumstances. After making the effort, they can entrust the outcome to Allah.
According to Untung, belief in qada and qadar can bring several benefits. It can cultivate patience and resilience when facing hardship, humility when achieving success, and optimism after experiencing failure.
Faith in Allah, he said, should prevent people from giving up easily. Difficulties do not necessarily mark the end of the journey. People may experience failure, loss, or circumstances that differ from their plans, but none of these should stop them from making the effort to rise again.
