The document summarizes Arthur Ashe's response to a fan who asked "Why does God have to select you for such a bad disease?" when Ashe was diagnosed with cancer. Ashe explains that while millions play tennis, very few reach the top levels. He says that when he won Wimbledon, he didn't question why God chose him for success, so he shouldn't question why God chose him for illness now. The document also discusses how God uses both pleasure and pain to refine and advance human life.

1. Why Me?

2. The legendary wimbledon player was dying of CANCER…

3. From world over, he received letters from his fans.

4. One of which conveyed: -“Why does God have to select you for such a bad disease?

5. To this Arthur Ashe replied: 50,000,000 children start playing tennis. 5,000,000 learn to play tennis

6. 500,000 learn professional tennis. 50,000 come to the circuit. 5000 reach the grand slam…

7. 50 reach wimbledon 4 to semifinal 2 to the finals.

8. When I was holding a cup, I never asked GOD: “Why me?”

9. And today in pain I should not be asking God “Why me?”

10. Happiness keeps you sweet. Trails keep you strong. Sorrow keeps you human.

11. Failure keeps you humble. Success keeps you glowing.

12. And only God keeps you growing.

13. and only faith & attitude keeps you going…

14. God Almighty, in order to display His infinite power and unlimited mercy, has made inherent in man infinite impotence and unlimited want.

15. Further, in order to display the endless embroideries of His Names, He has created man like a machine capable of receiving unlimited varieties of pain, as well as infinite varieties of pleasure.

16. Within that human machine are hundreds of instruments, each of which has different pains and pleasures, different duties and rewards.

17. Simply, all of the Divine Names manifested in the macroanthropos that is the world also have manifestations in the microcosm that is man.

18. Beneficial matters like good health, well-being, and pleasures cause man to offer thanks …

19. and prompt the human machine to perform its functions in many respects, and thus man becomes like a factory producing thanks.

20. Similarly, by means of misfortune, illness and pain, and other motion-inducing contingencies, the other cogs of the human machine are set in motion and revolution.

21. The mine of weakness, impotence, and poverty inherent in human nature is made to work.

22. God Most High has made the garment of the body with which He has clothed man a manifestation of His art.

23. He has made man to be a model on which He cuts, trims, alters and changes the garment of the body, thus displaying the manifestation of various of His Names.

24. Just as the Name of Healer makes it necessary that illness should exist, so too the Name of Provider requires that hunger should exist.

25. It is by means of disasters and sicknesses that life is refined, perfected, strengthened and advanced; that it yields results, attains perfection and fulfils its own purpose.

26. The Lord of All Dominion has disposal over His dominion as He wishes.

27. In no way do beings have any rights before the Necessarily Existent One, nor can they claim them; their right is to carry out through offering thanks and praise, what is required by the degree of existence He has given them.

28. For example, minerals cannot say: “Why weren’t we plants?”; they cannot complain. Their right, since they have received mineral existence, is to offer thanks to their Creator.

29. And plants may not complain asking why they were not animals; their right is to offer thanks, since they have received life as well as existence.

30. As for animals, they may not complain that they are not humans; the right over them rather,

31. since they have been given the precious substance of spirit in addition to life and existence, is to offer thanks. And so on.

32. O complaining man! You did not remain non-existent; you were clothed in the bounty of existence.

33. You tasted life; you did not remain inanimate, nor become an animal. You received the bounty of Faith ; you did not remain in misguidance.

34. You have experienced the bounties of good health and well-being!

35. Cry not out at misfortune, O wretch, come, trust in God! For know that crying out compounds the misfortune and is a great error.

36. Find misfortune’s Sender, and know it is a gift within gift, and pleasure. So leave crying out and offer thanks; like the nightingale, smile through your tears!

37. If you find Him not, know the world is all pain within pain, transience and loss. …

38. So why lament at a small misfortune while upon you is a worldful of woe? Come, trust in God!

39. Trust in God! Laugh in misfortune’s face; it too will laugh.

40. As it laughs, it will diminish; it will be changed and transformed.

41. Presentation: Ahmet YORDAM

42. www.yolyordam.com