There is no
doubt that human beings are tested by Allah in this life. They are tested in
different ways.
Allah
Al-Mighty said:
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنْفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ
“Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger
some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil) but give glad tidings
to those who patiently persevere.” (2: 155)
الَّذِينَ
إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
“Who say when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah we
belong and to Him is our return." (2:156)
أُولَٰئِكَ
عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ
“They are those on whom (descend) blessings from Allah and
Mercy and they are the ones that receive guidance.” (2:157)
The word “MUSIBA” i.e. calamity is the keyword mentioned in
the Qur’an for all such painful calamities which occur from time to time either
in the life of an individual or for a group of people at a certain place on a
certain time. One of these calamities was witnessed by the pilgrims at ‘Mina’,
a place of the congregation of the pilgrims outside Makkah during Hajj this
year. About eleven hundred pilgrims died during a stampede by two huge waves of
pilgrims colliding with one another while some of them were heading towards
Jamarat (the Pillars meant to be pebbled at by them) and some others were
retreating after they had carried out the pebbling. Many more, in hundreds,
were injured and are being treated in the hospitals at Makkah.
So what is the explanation for all that happened? Let us go
back to three verses of the Qur’an to understand this issue.
مَا أَصَابَ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ نَبْرَأَهَا ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ
“No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is
recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence: that is truly easy for
Allah” (57:22)
لِكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ
“In
order that ye may not despair over matters that pass you by nor exult over
favors bestowed upon you. For Allah loveth not any vainglorious boaster”
(57:23)
The first thing is that whatever happens in this world,
whether in an individual’s life or in the land in general, has been recorded by
Allah; the record which is known as “ An Exhaustive Book” or “Preserved Tablet”.
It shows the vast knowledge of Allah. He knows everything that is going to
happen even before it happens. This is also known as ‘Qadar’ or
pre-destination.
The faith in destiny helps a human being in two ways:
(i)
Despair
does not overcome him if he doesn’t find what he desired. Let him work hard to
achieve but let not him be in a state of despair and gloom if he was not able
to get what he wanted because that was his destiny. This faith saves him from
falling into depression and stops him from committing suicide out of despair.
(ii)
Even
if he achieves what he wanted, he finds himself thankful to Allah. He will
never behave like a boastful person who considers all his fortunes a handicraft
of his own.
The second verse is that of Surah Al-Tagabun:
مَا أَصَابَ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَمَنْ يُؤْمِنْ
بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
“No kind of calamity can occur
except by the leave of Allah: and if anyone believes in Allah (Allah) guides
his heart (aright): for Allah knows all things.” (64:11)
Nothing happens in the world
except with the permission of Allah. The faith leads him to a state of peace
and tranquillity. Once the calamity hits him, he simply says:
“Inna lilahi wa inna ilaihe
rajioon”.
“We are for Allah and we are
going back to Allah”
Only a man embedded with patience
could utter such words.
The Prophet (SAW) said according
to a Hadith narrated by the companion Suhaib:
“How amazing is the matter of a
believer! If something good happens to him, he becomes thankful so it brings
good to him. And if something bad happens to him, he becomes thankful; so it
brings good to him.” (Sahih Muslim)
Thus a believer is always in the
state of either thankfulness or patience. In both ways he is content, sober and
composed. He doesn’t wail and cry on facing troubles and disasters and he is
not boastful and haughty if blessed by fortunes.
The third verse is that of Surah
Al-Shura:
وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَنْ كَثِيرٍ
“Whatever misfortune happens to
you is because of the things your hands have wrought and for many (of them) He
grants forgiveness.” (42:30)
That is the crux of the matter.
Whatever bad happens to us, it might be a trial from Allah, but in most cases,
it happens because of the earning of our own hands.
Let everyone among us check,
whenever a calamity happens, what bad have I done in my life for which I have
to pay the price?
According to this verse, a lot of
our mistakes and follies are forgiven by Allah and we are punished because of
some among them.
And if Allah were to seize men for what they
do, He would not leave any moving creature on the back of the earth, but He
lets them loose until an appointed time, and when their promise will come, then
no doubt, all bondmen of Allah are in His sight.
What happened to the believers, while the
Prophet (SAW) was still among them during the battle of Uhud in the second year
of Hijrah, is a good example of this Sunnah of Allah.
Because the majority of those guards who
were appointed by the Prophet (SAW) on the mountain behind the Muslim forces
facing the enemy, disobeyed the commandment of the Prophet (SAW) by leaving the
post at the first sign of victory, the Muslims had to suffer a loss of seventy
fighters in the battle field. Once the post was vacated, Khalid bin Walid, a
commander of the Makkan attacking force, penetrated his way through this post
and charged the believers from behind. And this is how their victory turned
into a disaster.
The whole episode has been described in
Surah Al-Imran beginning from Verse no. 152. Here the first two verses
(152-153) are given which shed light on this Sunnah of Allah in a most vivid
way:
And verily, Allah did prove the truth of His
promise to you when you were killing the infidels by His leave, until when you
showed weakness and quarrelled about the order and Dis-obeyed after He had
shown you the thing you desired for. Of you someone desired the world and of
you someone desired the Hereafter, then He turned your faces from them that He
might; test you; and no doubt, He forgive you and Allah is Bounteous over
Muslims.
When you were going up and did not look back
towards anyone and Our Messenger was calling you in another group, therefore He
gave you, sorrow in recompense for a sorrow, and forgave in order that you
might not grieve for what sent out of your hand and what befell you. And Allah
is informed of your doings.
What! When any calamity reaches you, though
double of which you had caused to reach (to them), you began to say,
"Whence it came". Say you; 'It is from your own side'. Undoubtedly
Allah can do everything.
So, the sense of calamity is the human being, himself or
herself of people suffer as well, their suffering attracts the mercy of Allah.
Their sins are forgiven and they secure their place in Heaven.
The events in Mina during this Hajj, should be seen through
this Sunnah of Allah.
And be the Blessing of Allah on the Prophet Muhammad and His
Progeny, and his Companions and his followers.
