You can never really get to know something about someone (yourself especially)... until you are faced with something of the opposite...
for instance;
1. You'll never know if you're patient, until the point where something really angers you...
you may think you're the patient type... but when something makes you mad... what will you do? curse? make a face? punch the wall? or will you keep your cool? say 'astaghfirullah'? take 'wudhu'? solah?
2. You'll never know if you're brave, until the call of war has been made upon you? or maybe stand up for what is right. You may think that you're brave, but will you valiantly respond to the call with jihad? or will you cower in fear and make excuses
will you bravely stand up for the truth or will you just cowardly accept and allow the injustice, oppression and iniquity?
3. You'll never know if you're a true 'brother' (or sister) to your fellow muslims , until something is asked from you for them. Like when your brother is deep in debt. You may picture yourself the best friend someone could have, generous and all that. but would you hurry to help him? or would you flinch, hesitate and make excuses of your own financial dificulties?
4. You'll never know you're Iman, until you're left all alone by yourself. when your housemates are home, maybe you'll never miss a solah fardhu at the mosque because you might feel ashamed that they all went. but when you're home alone? will you still go to the mosque, or will you in your laziness just pray at home (for the sisters maybe praying early would be a more appropriate example.
lots of other examples of these
"You'll never know.... until" s can be made...
this post is just food for thought
