Monday 5 October 2015

The Way of Allah about Calamities


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.

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