Dear brothers, sometimes we are surrounded by blessings, yet forget to acknowledge that they come from Allah. Then, in a moment of heedlessness, we lose some of those blessings.

Brothers, let me share a real story: A friend of my friend studied a rare specialty in France. When he returned home, he landed a top position —just below ministerial rank. He had a home in one of Damascus’s most prestigious neighborhoods, a car, youth, and good looks. Everything was exactly as he had dreamed. Then he lost his eyesight. For a month, they tried to support him—sending the mail to his home, assigning a senior employee to read documents to him so he could approve or reject them. Eventually, they dismissed him. My friend visited him later, and he said: “By Allah, I wish I were begging on the street with nothing but this coat, if only Allah would restore my sight.”

Sometimes you have everything, but losing just one thing reminds you of Allah. If only we would remember Him while life is good—while we are healthy, young, and strong. The problem is that almost all of us only turn to Allah only when hardship strikes.