What do we think we know about Allah? Not as much as He knows about us, anyway. The least we can say is that Allah is beyond compare. He does not change: the same power as ever, the same infinite knowledge, the same vigilance, the same readiness, the same Godness. Allah is God. Man is man. Allah is One. Man is too many. Man can’t even be master of the planet earth. And when he forgets this fact, and behaves as if he were God, Allah wouldn’t hesitate to remind him through all kinds of misfortune and suffering. And yet Allah remains "Merciful, Loving." (11.90) "Is not He (best) Who answereth the wronged one when he crieth unto Him and removeth the evil?" (27.62) "If Allah took mankind to task by that which they deserve, He would not leave a living creature on the surface of the earth; but He reprieveth them unto an appointed term, and when their term cometh -then verily (they will know that) Allah is ever Seer of His slaves." (35.45) "Allah is Full of Pity, Merciful toward mankind." (2.143) That's the rule. Allah even cares about our feelings, irrespective of our faith. In the Quran we read: "O ye who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they (are), not let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith. And whoso turneth not in repentance, such are evil-doers." (49.11)
So it’s normal if Allah does not like us to be indifferent to Him. No matter
what we do, our belief in Allah will remain limited, and so will our gratitude
towards Him. We can never pay our parents back for their favours, what about
Allah? But if we don’t try our best to be thankful to Allah, who should we
thank?
Allah is great and wants man to be great too: by having more virtues than
vices, by having great values, by living up to one’s values, by purifying
oneself. Allah said to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): "And lo! thou art of a
tremendous nature." (68.4) Gratitude is one great value. Prostration to
Allah, for example, is an honour for man, not a belittling or a humiliation. Prostration
is glorification of Allah and sublimeness of the faithful’s conduct and soul.
When I believe in Allah I only bear witness to an independently existing fact.
I only acknowledge a fact -whether I exist or not, whether I believe or not.
Before Galileo (1564-1642) most people believed the earth was flat. Before
Hubble (1889-1953) most scientists believed there was one galaxy in the world.
What should be amazing to us is that this small brain which Allah created in
our (small) heads has already known so much about the world. That which we
can’t know we have to believe. We should admit that "of knowledge ye have
been vouchsafed but little." (17.85) And yet Allah does not want us to
blindly believe in Him. As we saw in the verses above, Allah calls on us
to reflect, to meditate, to contemplate the world around us.
Even if we are lazy, or don’t have the time or the means, we don’t necessarily
need to travel to faraway places in order to meditate. Just in the nearest
market, we find innumerable varieties of homegrown and imported fruits of all
colours, shapes and tastes. But we often take that for granted. A good believer
of our times may not be able to dive into the sea and see for himself the
incredible life of fish and sea plants. He may not be able to explore the
Amazon forest and other jungles or walk and hike in the high mountains or the
glaciers and see how people, animals and plants live out there. He may not be a
neurologist or a cardiologist or a botanist, but when he is in front of his TV
screen and the like and watches documentary films or reads books, he just can’t
help chanting subhanallah (All praise be to Allah) with his
heart and tongue. From his safe place at home he can meditate about the vast
space above and about those weak creatures living in the wilderness among wild
predators and those isolated people living in extreme weather conditions in an
uncharted country, or about the cells in his own body… Lessons learned from
these meditations can only boost the morale of "him who hath a heart, or
giveth ear with full intelligence." (50.37) A believer who thus meditates
on Allah’s infinite power and knowledge can only become stronger and stronger.
And when the circumstances are stronger than him (personal drama, war, acute
unemployment, illness, sudden inflation...) and the devil and the demons
surround him on all sides, well, this precious knowledge of Allah saves him, if
only to overcome a crisis the time it takes to recover his mental strength. And
that’s what’s meant by "a healing and a mercy". Allah says: "And
We reveal of the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy for
believers." (17.82) Allah "guideth unto Himself all who turn (unto
Him), Who have believed and whose hearts have rest in the remembrance of Allah.
Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest!" (13.27-28)
Think this through. How many times did you ever get tired, sick, demoralized or
depressed? Maybe few or several times. But how many times did you ever succeed
in stopping your days and nights from being eaten away like an unemployed
person’s savings? Never. We are weak. We are mortal. Allah is God. Allah is not
like us. That sounds obvious, to a believer at least, but we often tend to
forget it when we are well off.
Suppose I got up in the middle of the night and thought about the whole
picture, not only my daily worries and routine, what would I feel? Well, first
thing, even if I worship Allah in the watches of the night, He is still
occupied with the rest of the world -all the time. "Neither slumber nor
sleep overtaketh Him." (2.255) For Allah it’s all DAY. Even if I make this
kind of effort that many others wouldn’t care to make, what would that add to
Allah? It’s all symbolic, and Allah likes that. "He is Forgiving,
Responsive." (35.30) It’s a sign of love. "He is the Forgiving, the
Loving." (85.14) Even the best expression of gratitude can’t pay Allah
back for the slightest of His favours. I owe everything to Allah, my life plus.
If I am beautiful, it’s Allah who gave me my beauty. If I am strong, it’s Him who
gave me my strength. If I am smart, it’s Him who gave me my wits. If I am rich,
it’s Him who provided me. If I become famous, it’s Allah who makes me so. If I
belong to a rich, democratic and powerful state, that’s a favour from Allah
too. Whatever I am, whatever state I am in, it’s by the grace of Allah.
Whatever good I do, it’s thanks to Him, that's by Allah's leave. In the Quran
we read: "And whatever of comfort ye enjoy, it is from Allah."
(16.53) And that includes worshipping Allah! "...and of them are some who
outstrip (others) through good deeds, by Allah's leave. That is the great
favour !" (35.32)
To Allah I owe my life, so His Hymn I praise, and unto Him I prostrate. To Him
and of Him I say: Glory is to Allah. Praise is to Allah. There is none worthy
of worship but Allah. Allah is the Most Great. There is no might and no power
except by Allah's leave, the Exalted, the Mighty.
QUESTION: if everything about me belongs to Allah, what is left to me to pride
on? What am I doing in this world? What am I worth as a being on this earth?
Well, I am a teacher. I don't own the school where I work. But I can do my job
right; I can enjoy my life as a teacher; I get my pay and buy the things I
need. And I can be happy with that. Many people don't own their homes and don't
have a problem with that. See my point?
Do I "own" my vision and hearing, for example? Allah says: "Who
owneth hearing and sight; and Who bringeth forth the living from the dead and
bringeth forth the dead from the living?" (10.31) "Say: Have ye
imagined, if Allah should take away your hearing and your sight and seal your
hearts, Who is the God Who could restore it to you save Allah?" (6.46)
Do I own my body? Allah says: "He whom we bring unto old age, We reverse him in creation (making him go back to weakness after strength). Have ye then no sense?" (36.68) "Allah is He Who shaped you out of weakness, then appointed after weakness strength, then, after strength, appointed weakness and grey hair. He createth what He will. He is the Knower, the Mighty." (30.54) "And Allah createth you, then causeth you to die, and among you is he who is brought back to the most abject stage of life, so that he knoweth nothing after (having had) knowledge. Lo! Allah is Knower, Powerful." (16.70) "Allah receiveth (men's) souls at the time of their death, and that (soul) which dieth not (yet) in its sleep. He keepeth that (soul) for which He hath ordained death and dismisseth the rest till an appointed term. Lo! herein verily are portents for people who take thought." (39.42)
Do we "own" "our" water? "Have ye thought: If (all)
your water were to disappear into the earth, who then could bring you gushing
water?" (67.30)
Do we "own" our crops? What if Allah sent against them the flood and
the locusts and the vermin or just a few months' drought? Read, if you like:
"So We sent against them the flood and the locusts and the vermin and the
frogs and the blood -a succession of clear signs. But they were arrogant and
became a guilty folk." (7.133)
"Say: Have ye thought, if Allah made night everlasting for you till the
Day of Resurrection, who is a god beside Allah who could bring you light? Will
ye not then hear? Say: Have ye thought, if Allah made day everlasting for you
till the Day of Resurrection, who is a god beside Allah who could bring you
night wherein ye rest? Will ye not then see?" (28.71-72) "Say: Who
can avail you aught against Allah, if He intend you hurt or intend you profit?
Nay, but Allah is ever Aware of what ye do." (48.11) "Or who is he
that will be an army unto you to help you instead of the Beneficent ? The
disbelievers are in naught but illusion." (67.20)
"And remember Allah's favour unto you." (3.103) "Remember (all)
the bounties of your Lord, that haply ye may be successful." (7.69)
Yes, to many people Allah has nothing to do with our life or our success. But those who believe in Allah and the Hereafter want to know how they can best express their gratitude towards Him.
Well, if I cannot pay Allah back for His innumerable favours, I could still do
my best. The Quran is full of examples of what I could do for worship. At the
same time, I could pay it forward -to humankind- by serving people. "Allah
is He Who accepteth repentance from His bondmen and taketh the alms."
(9.104) Allah takes the alms, not for Himself, but for His bondmen -believers
and non-believers alike. "Allah is Full of Pity, Merciful toward
mankind." (2.143) "Allah giveth blessings without stint to whom He
will" (24.38), that is to believers and non-believers alike. "Each do
We supply, both these and those, from the bounty of thy Lord. And the bounty of
thy Lord can never be walled up." (17.20) And yet Allah gives me, as a
believer, the chance (and the honour) to do good, to give charity, if I can, to
His bondmen, out of love for Him, as a sign of gratitude to Him, and I don’t
say, like non-believers, who, "when it is said unto them: Spend of that
wherewith Allah hath provided you", they "say unto those who believe:
Shall we feed those whom Allah, if He willed, would feed? Ye are in naught else
than error manifest." (36.47)
Also, I may do challenging high studies and accumulate interesting experience
and then get a well-paid job and be proud about it. If I lose that job amid an
economic downturn, what do I do? I may have a serious social or health
problem that prevents me from finishing my education and getting my dream
job : what do I do, then? Of course, faith will not bring me a
concrete solution to a concrete problem, at least not right away, except in the
case of the "wronged one" when he "crieth unto"
the Lord (verse (27.62)). Just because I'm "a
saint" doesn't mean I'm going to walk on water or go through a mousehole.
But the fact that I believe that my livelihood (rizq) and age ('umr)
and everything about me are in the hands of Allah, of God, the Lord of the
Worlds, gives me some serenity. When somebody refuses to hire me or lays me
off, I know that's only a trial for me, and that that person or that business
cannot prevent me from getting what I want elsewhere, Allah willing. We all
need some kind of protection. The work unions were created for that purpose.
Health care and all kinds of social assistance were designed to this end.
Besides, the most generous relief plan, the kindest state help, is limited in
time. But when we are hard-pressed with rents to pay, with food to buy to one's
kids..., it's normal, it's human, to seek help from humans. We all need
protection. But what's the problem if Allah is my, our, Protector? On the
contrary, it's our best insurance! Allah says in the Quran: "Lo! those
whom ye serve instead of Allah own no provision for you. So seek your provision
from Allah, and serve Him, and give thanks unto Him, (for) unto Him ye will be
brought back." (29.17) "Say (unto them): If ye possessed the
treasures of the mercy of my Lord, ye would surely hold them back for fear of
spending, for man was ever grudging." (17.100) "Or have they even a
share in the Sovereignty? Then in that case, they would not give mankind even
the speck on a date-stone." (4.53) So everything that happens to me, good
or bad, is supposed to be some kind of education, of good upbringing, a kind
and thoughtful reminder for me. I should therefore think of others as much as I
think of myself. If I manage to curb my greed and selfishness, that's good for
me. Allah says: "And whoso is saved from his own avarice - such are they
who are successful." (59.9)
Have you ever seen a nest? Have you thought about it? If a man and a woman take
care of their offspring, they may hope to benefit from them in their old age.
But when a couple of swallows takes great pains to make a nest, and then takes
pains to feed and protect their chiks, these will grow up and become fully
fledged and fly away. Who will then pay back the parents for their kindness ? This
is but a mercy from Allah. In the Hadith we read: "Allah divided Mercy
into one hundred parts. He kept ninety nine parts with Him and sent down one
part to the earth, and because of that, its one single part, His Creations are
merciful to each other, so that even the mare lifts up its hoofs away from its
baby animal, lest it should trample on it."
That's when I can give; what about when I am in need of help? Well, when you
see a flock of swallows can you differenciate between them, can you tell who
from who? Allah says: "There is not an animal in the earth, nor a flying
creature flying on two wings, but they are peoples like unto you. We have
neglected nothing in the Book (of Our decrees). Then unto their Lord they will
be gathered." (6.38) Unless we use special cameras, we can't differenciate
between them, but those swallows know one another, one way or another, and each
knows its God. "Hast thou not seen that Allah, He it is Whom all who are
in the heavens and the earth praise, and the birds in their flight? Of each He
knoweth verily the worship and the praise; and Allah is Aware of what they
do." (24.41) Likewise, when I get up in the middle of the night and go
into the kitchen to get a glass of water, who is aware of that? If I pray to
Allah in the middle of the night, who is aware of that? None but Allah, Who
says: "Your Lord is Best Aware of what is in your minds. If ye are
righteous, then lo! He was ever Forgiving unto those who turn (unto Him)."
(17.25) "Those who avoid enormities of sin and abominations, save the
unwilled offences - (for them) lo ! thy Lord is of vast mercy. He is Best Aware
of you (from the time) when He created you from the earth, and when ye were
hidden in the bellies of your mothers. Therefor ascribe not purity unto
yourselves. He is Best Aware of him who wardeth off (evil)." (53.32)
"And thou (Muhammad) art not occupied with any business and thou recitest
not a Lecture from this (Scripture), and ye (mankind) perform no act, but We
are Witness of you when ye are engaged therein. And not an atom's weight in the
earth or in the sky escapeth your Lord, nor what is less than that or greater
than that, but it is (written) in a clear Book." (10.61) "Ask pardon
of your Lord and turn to Him repentant. He will cause you to enjoy a fair estate
until a time appointed. He giveth His bounty unto every bountiful one."
(11.3) Yes, one would say, but, still, that doesn’t answer the question! What
about when I am in need of help?
Well, when I do something good I am establishing a direct connection with my
Lord, with Allah Almighty. I show my care for Allah and He cares for me -even
when, because of my seemingly unending woes, I get the feeling that Allah has
forgotten all about me. The truth is nobody knows when salvation comes or what
it will be like. Even prophets can't know. Allah says: "Till, when the
messengers despaired and thought that they were denied, then came unto them Our
help, and whom We would was saved. And Our wrath cannot be warded from the
guilty." (12.110) "And (mention) Dhu'n-Nun, when he went off in anger
and deemed that We had no power over him, but he cried out in the darkness,
saying : There is no Allah save Thee. Be Thou Glorified! Lo! I have been a
wrong-doer. Then we heard his prayer and saved him from the anguish. Thus we save
believers." (21.87-88) Allah said that to His last Prophet! What about us,
who are quick to fall into despair?
Trial is not easy. It's not easy to see people look down on you because you're
jobless or single or sick or whatever. It's not easy to see people let you down
in you hour of need. It's not easy to see all doors shut in your face. It's
painful to see yourself like a wingless, tailless bird. It's not easy to feel
lonely. But trial is not the same for all. As in the Hadith, a man said:
"O Messenger of Allah! Which of the people is tried most severely?"
He said: "The Prophets, then those nearest to them, then those nearest to
them. A man is tried according to his religion; if he is firm in his religion,
then his trials are more severe, and if he is frail in his religion, then he is
tried according to the strength of his religion. The servant shall continue to
be tried until he is left walking upon the earth without any sins." Also
in the Hadith: "A believer does not receive (the trouble) of running a
thorn or more than that but Allah elevates him in rank or effaces his sins
because of that." Ibn Mas'ud, a companion of the Prophet (pbuh), reported:
"I visited the Prophet (pbuh) when he was suffering fever. I said, ‘You
seem to be suffering greatly, O Messenger of Allah.’ The Prophet (pbuh)
replied, ‘Yes, I suffer as much as two persons.’ I said, ‘Is that because
you have a double reward?’ He replied that that was so and then said, ‘No
Muslim is afflicted by a harm, be it the pricking of a thorn or something more
(painful than that), but Allah thereby causes his sins to fall away just as a
tree sheds its leaves’". Ayeshah, said that the Prophet (pbuh) (her
husband) said, "If a thorn pricks a believer or he is hurt more than that
then that is an expiation for his sins." What can be clearer than the
Hadiths above?
Allah does not try anybody except for a purpose that He alone knows. Trial (by
ordeal) means loss and suffering. But does misfortune only happen to strong
believers? What about ordinary people, believers or non-believers, who are
tsruck by flooding, drought, fires, war, epidemic, unemployment, inflation...?
Allah says: "He launcheth the thunderbolts and smiteth with them whom He
will while they dispute (in doubt) concerning Allah, and He is mighty in
wrath." (13.13)
Right now millions of souls have been lost to Covid-19. How many people learn a lesson from that? How many people lose not only an income or a loved one but their lives? In the Quran we read: "If ye are suffering, lo! they suffer even as ye suffer and ye hope from Allah that for which they cannot hope. Allah is ever Knower, Wise." (4.104) "Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they say, We believe, and will not be tested with affliction? Lo! We tested those who were before you. Thus Allah knoweth those who are sincere, and knoweth those who feign." (29.2-3) "If ye have received a blow, the (disbelieving) people have received a blow the like thereof. These are (only) the vicissitudes which We cause to follow one another for mankind, to the end that Allah may know those who believe and may choose witnesses from among you; and Allah loveth not wrong-doers." (3.140) "What concern hath Allah for your punishment if ye are thankful (for His mercies) and believe (in Him)? Allah was ever Responsive, Aware." (4.147)
It is this hope (of obtaining Allah's love and pleasure) that one should
treasure. Allah reminds the faithful that "…the mercy of thy Lord is
better than (the wealth) that they amass." (43.32) "This life of the
world is but a pastime and a game. Lo! the home of the Hereafter - that is
Life, if they but knew." (29.64) That's for believers only. Even if I had
everything I wanted my happiness wouldn't or shouldn't be total in a world
where I am not alone, where there are millions of homeless people, of orphans,
of single mothers without income...
Besides, trial has a prize. When you pass a test, you win –eventually- both the life of the world and that of the Hereafter. If I don't care about the Hereafter, if I only want social success and happiness and joy and eternal fun here and now, why should Allah care about me?
Allah says: "Say: Who hath forbidden the adornment of Allah which He hath
brought forth for His bondmen, and the good things of His providing? Say: Such,
on the Day of Resurrection, will be only for those who believed during the life
of the world. Thus do we detail Our revelations for people who have
knowledge." (7.32) "So Allah gave them the reward of the world and
the good reward of the Hereafter. Allah loveth those whose deeds are
good." (3.148)
Allah says in the Quran: "What have they (to fear) if they believe in
Allah and the Last Day and spend (aright) of that which Allah hath bestowed
upon them, when Allah is ever Aware of them (and all they do)? Lo! Allah
wrongeth not even of the weight of an ant; and if there is a good deed, He will
double it and will give (the doer) from His presence an immense reward."
(4.39-40) "That is because they have chosen the life of the world rather
than the Hereafter, and because Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk."
(16.107)
If we are vexed because of our material living conditions, in the Quran we
read: "How many were the gardens and the watersprings that they left
behind, And the cornlands and the goodly sites And pleasant things wherein they
took delight! Even so (it was), and We made it an inheritance for other
folk." (44.25-28) These people, who lived thousands of years ago, had all
signs of success. They had all the material comfort they expected. When they
passed away they left all behind. Allah says: "Eat of that which Allah
hath bestowed on you as food lawful and good, and keep your duty to Allah in
Whom ye are believers." (5.88) "O ye who believe! Observe your duty
to Allah. And let every soul look to that which it sendeth on before for the
morrow. And observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Informed of what ye
do." (59.18) "This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. Lo
! the home of the Hereafter - that is Life, if they but knew." (29.64)
"On the Day when every soul will find itself confronted with all that it
hath done of good and all that it hath done of evil (Every soul) will long that
there might be a mighty space of distance between it and that (evil). Allah
biddeth you beware of Him. And Allah is Full of Pity for (His) bondmen."
(3.30)
This is preaching, yes. But the fact is that even those who don't believe in
the Hereafter are not really so sure what may become of them after death. Allah
says : "If thou obeyedst most of those on earth they would mislead thee
far from Allah's way. They follow naught but an opinion, and they do but
guess." (6.116) "Most of them follow not but conjecture. Assuredly
conjecture can by no means take the place of truth. Lo ! Allah is Aware of what
they do." (10.36)
Even if the ice-cream seller does not see you, you can't just take the
ice-cream and go away. He gives you what you want, you give him his due. Even
if Allah did not ask of us anything at all, we should still be grateful to Him
for all He gives us -all the more so as "All that are in the heavens and
the earth entreat Him. Every day He exerciseth (universal) power." (55.29)
"See ye not how Allah hath made serviceable unto you whatsoever is in the
skies and whatsoever is in the earth and hath loaded you with His favours both
without and within?" (31.20)
How many people know of the Mississipi river? How many people know the
tributaries that feed into the Mississipi, the Amazon or the Nile rivers? Most
people either don't know or don't care. But Allah does know and does care.
"Not a leaf falleth but He knoweth it, not a grain amid the darkness of
the earth, naught of wet or dry but (it is noted) in a clear record."
(6.59) Well, tell that to the experts who say they are worried that Data
storage is becoming increasingly challenging due to Internet expansion.
Many may imagine the past and the future, but imagination is not equal to the truth. Allah says, for example: "Assuredly conjecture can by no means take the place of truth." (10.36) Allah not only "imagines", He knows. While writing a novel, for example, a novelist may forget a detail. He may forget that a character had a horse, a hat or a phone call. But Allah does not forget anything. "...and thy Lord was never forgetful." (19.64) "My Lord neither erreth nor forgetteth." (20.52) "And not an atom's weight in the earth or in the sky escapeth your Lord, nor what is less than that or greater than that, but it is (written) in a clear Book." (10.61)
Humans may never know the guy who started that devastating forest fire or the
greedy guys who contributed to drought in one place because of savage
deforestation and illegal logging. Allah knows them all. "Deem not that
Allah is unaware of what the wicked do. He but giveth them a respite till a day
when eyes will stare (in terror)." (14.42) The state may not know all the
citizens who are in need of urgent assistance. Allah knows them all. He says:
" (Alms are) for the poor who are straitened for the cause of Allah, who
cannot travel in the land (for trade). The unthinking man accounteth them
wealthy because of their restraint. Thou shalt know them by their mark: They do
not beg of men with importunity. And whatsoever good thing ye spend, lo! Allah
knoweth it." (2.273) "And let not thy hand be chained to thy neck nor
open it with a complete opening, lest thou sit down rebuked, denuded. Lo! thy
Lord enlargeth the provision for whom He will, and straiteneth (it for whom He
will). Lo, He was ever Knower, Seer of His slaves." (17. 29-30)
Before asking why Allah does not come to the rescue of those in urgent need,
one should ask: why does Allah bother to reckon every leaf that falls, every
grain amid the darkness of the earth, every wet or dry in a place where nobody
goes, where life is impossible? We may comprehend why Allah reckons our
slightest thoughts and deeds. He says: "… each soul requited that which it
hath earned; no wrong (is done) this day. Lo ! Allah is swift at
reckoning." (40.17) "And He forgiveth much." (42.30) But which
book can hold all this unimaginable amount of information about people,
animals, plants, rivers, mountains, deserts, glaciers, clouds, crops,
livelihoods -to speak only of our planet earth....? Which intelligence can
process all this data? "Lo! Allah is swift at reckoning." (14.51) "Hast
thou not known that Allah knoweth all that is in the heaven and the earth? Lo !
it is in a record. Lo! that is easy for Allah." (22.70)
And why all that? One probable reason is that this data is part of Allah's
bounty, Allah "Who created the heavens and the earth, and causeth water to
descend from the sky, thereby producing fruits as food for you, and maketh the
ships to be of service unto you, that they may run upon the sea at His command,
and hath made of service unto you the rivers; And maketh the sun and the moon,
constant in their courses, to be of service unto you, and hath made of service
unto you the night and the day. And He giveth you of all ye ask of Him, and if
ye would count the bounty of Allah ye cannot reckon it. Lo! man is verily a
wrong-doer, an ingrate." (14.32-34)
When I think about this I ask myself: hey, if Allah cares so much about so much, about so many, my humble person included, how can't I care about Him? With what face shall I return to Allah if He is not pleased with me? Will He be glad I returned to Him? Will He be happy to see me again? In the Quran I read: "Those are they who disbelieve in the revelations of their Lord and in the meeting with Him. Therefor their works are vain, and on the Day of Resurrection We assign no weight to them." (18.105) "Allah will neither speak to them nor look upon them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He make them grow..." (3.77) Shouldn't I care for Allah NOW so that He'll care for me THEN? Allah says: "They forget Allah, so He hath forgotten them." (9.67) "He will say: So (it must be). Our revelations came unto thee but thou didst forget them. In like manner thou art forgotten this Day." (20.126) If I like a song, for example, I may be tempted to repeat it all day long, but what about Allah, who says: "Therefore remember Me, I will remember you. Give thanks to Me, and reject not Me." (2.152) "And be not ye as those who forgot Allah, therefor He caused them to forget their souls." (59.19) "And when ye have completed your devotions, then remember Allah as ye remember your fathers or with a more lively remembrance." (2.200) "Such as remember Allah, standing, sitting, and reclining, and consider the creation of the heavens and the earth, (and say) : Our Lord! Thou createdst not this in vain. Glory be to Thee!" (3.191)
When I have everything I want I may be complacent in my relation to the Lord;
and when it's all over, when I can never come back to this world, I would
probably say: "Ah, would that I had sent before me (some provision) for my
life!" (89.24) "Would that I were dust!" (78.40) And it would be
said to me: "Thou wast in heedlessness of this. Now We have removed from
thee thy covering, and piercing is thy sight this day." (50.22) "Read
thy Book. Thy soul sufficeth as reckoner against thee this day." (17.14)
"Ye squandered your good things in the life of the world and sought
comfort therein. Now this day ye are rewarded with the doom of ignominy because
ye were disdainful in the land without a right, and because ye used to
transgress." (46.20) "Did I not charge you, O ye sons of Adam, that
ye worship not the devil -Lo! he is your open foe! - But that ye worship Me?
That was the right path. Yet he hath led astray of you a great multitude. Had
ye then no sense?" (36.60-62)
When we are being tried with ordeal we think right away of the way out. But
trial is, paradoxically, in man's best interest. It's meant to open our eyes to
the Truth of our existence in this world. That's why Allah says: "And if
Allah were to enlarge the provision for His slaves they would surely rebel in
the earth, but He sendeth down by measure as He willeth. Lo! He is Informed, a
Seer of His bondmen." (42.27) In other words, Allah wants to save us from
our lusts and illusions. He says: "Is he who relieth on a clear proof from
his Lord like those for whom the evil that they do is beautified while they
follow their own lusts?" (47.14)
Many things have changed in the world over time, but many things in man have stayed more or less the same. Man still kills and man still saves man from death. Think about this verse: "Allah (Himself) is Witness that there is no God save Him. And the angels and the men of learning (too are witness). Maintaining His creation in justice, there is no God save Him the Almighty, the Wise." (3.18) There is therefore human justice and divine justice. One aspect of this divine justice in this world is that we all see that Allah does not provide believers only. In the Quran we read: "And there is not a beast in the earth but the sustenance thereof dependeth on Allah He knoweth its habitation and its repository..." (11.6) (... bet it believing or not !) "Whoso desireth that (life) which hasteneth away, We hasten for him therein what We will for whom We please. And afterward We have appointed for him hell; he will endure the heat thereof, condemned, rejected. And whoso desireth the Hereafter and striveth for it with the effort necessary, being a believer; for such, their effort findeth favour (with their Lord). Each do We supply, both these and those, from the bounty of thy Lord. And the bounty of thy Lord can never be walled up." (17.18-20) That’s Allah's "justice", (in Arabic Al-Qist) meant in the verse "Maintaining His creation in justice". (3.18) Again that’s divine justice. In other words, it is an example for man. That's what Allah would like man to do on earth. Allah says: "Allah loveth the equitable." (49.9) "Lo! We offered the trust unto the heavens and the earth and the hills, but they shrank from bearing it and were afraid of it. And man assumed it. Lo! he hath proved a tyrant and a fool." (33.72) What's this "trust" (in Arabic amana)? It's the fact "...that mankind may observe right measure." (57.25) Explained in the Quran: "...and He hath set the measure, That ye exceed not the measure." (55.7-8) "Fill the measure when ye measure, and weigh with a right balance; that is meet, and better in the end." (17.35) "But observe the measure strictly, nor fall short thereof." (55.9) "Give full measure, and be not of those who give less (than the due). And weigh with the true balance. Wrong not mankind in their goods, and do not evil, making mischief, in the earth." (26.181-183) "Woe unto the defrauders: Those who when they take the measure from mankind demand it full, But if they measure unto them or weight for them, they cause them loss. Do such (men) not consider that they will be raised again Unto an Awful Day, The day when (all) mankind stand before the Lord of the Worlds?" (83.1-6) "O ye who believe! (...) help ye one another unto righteousness and pious duty. Help not one another unto sin and transgression, but keep your duty to Allah." (5.2) "O ye who believe! Be ye staunch in justice, witnesses for Allah, even though it be against yourselves or (your) parents or (your) kindred, whether (the case be of) a rich man or a poor man, for Allah is nearer unto both (them ye are). So follow not passion lest ye lapse (from truth) and if ye lapse or fall away, then lo! Allah is ever Informed of what ye do." (4.135) "O ye who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for Allah in equity, and let not hatred of any people seduce you that ye deal not justly. Deal justly, that is nearer to your duty. Observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Informed of what ye do." (5.8) "...But if thou judgest, judge between them with equity. Lo! Allah loveth the equitable." (5.42) "Lo! Allah commandeth you that ye restore deposits to their owners, and, if ye judge between mankind, that ye judge justly. Lo! comely is this which Allah admonisheth you. Lo! Allah is ever Hearer, Seer." (4.58) "And if two parties of believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them. And if one party of them doeth wrong to the other, fight ye that which doeth wrong till it return unto the ordinance of Allah ; then, if it return, make peace between them justly, and act equitably. Lo! Allah loveth the equitable." (49.9)
"O ye who believe! When ye contract a debt for a fixed term, record it in
writing. Let a scribe record it in writing between you in (terms of) equity. No
scribe should refuse to write as Allah hath taught him, so let him write, and
let him who incurreth the debt dictate, and let him observe his duty to Allah
his Lord, and diminish naught thereof. But if he who oweth the debt is of low
understanding, or weak, or unable himself to dictate, then let the guardian of
his interests dictate in (terms of) equity. And call to witness, from among
your men, two witnesses. And if two men be not (at hand) then a man and two
women, of such as ye approve as witnesses, so that if the one erreth (through
forgetfulness) the other will remember. And the witnesses must not refuse when
they are summoned. Be not averse to writing down (the contract) whether it be
small or great, with (record of) the term thereof. That is more equitable in
the sight of Allah and more sure for testimony, and the best way of avoiding
doubt between you; save only in the case when it is actual merchandise which ye
transfer among yourselves from hand to hand. In that case it is no sin for you
if ye write it not. And have witnesses when ye sell one to another, and let no
harm be done to scribe or witness. If ye do (harm to them) lo! it is a sin in
you. Observe your duty to Allah. Allah is teaching you. And Allah is knower of
all things." (2.282)
"Prove orphans till they reach the marriageable age; then, if ye find them of sound judgment, deliver over unto them their fortune ; and devour it not by squandering and in haste lest they should grow up Whoso (of the guardians) is rich, let him abstain generously (from taking of the property of orphans); and whoso is poor let him take thereof in reason (for his guardianship). And when ye deliver up their fortune unto orphans, have (the transaction) witnessed in their presence. Allah sufficeth as a Reckoner." (4.6) "Give unto orphans their wealth. Exchange not the good for the bad (in your management thereof) nor absorb their wealth into your own wealth. Lo! that would be a great sin." (4.2)
"And there may spring from you a nation who invite to goodness, and enjoin
right conduct and forbid indecency. Such are they who are successful."
(3.104) "Lo! comely is this which Allah admonisheth you. Lo! Allah is ever
Hearer, Seer." (4.58)
Hence the importance of (STATE) law and order. Caliph Uthman Ibn Affan
(576/573-656) said: "Allah takes away with the Ruler what is not taken away
by the Quran." (That's because some people obey rules out of fear of the
Ruler rather than the Quran.) Law and order are of paramount importance. If
people can't live in peace and serenity, most of them cannot accomplish their
two main missions in the earth : gratitude towards the Creator and solidarity
between humans.
And this man has always done, both in tribal and state systems. Allah says: "And if Allah had not repelled some men by others the earth would have been corrupted. But Allah is a Lord of Kindness to (His) creatures." (2.251) So it happened that we have laws; we have a judiciary (formal justice) and we have, in principle at least, social justice.
One may ask: if Allah is so "adamant" about justice, why does He make
people so different from each other in terms of colour, physical health and
shape, material living conditions, etc., etc.? Yes, it's Allah Who is behind
these differences. He says: "See how We prefer one of them above another,
and verily the Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in
preferment." (17.21) The differences are there, if not in the life of the
world, then it'll be there in the Hereafer. So would you tolerate these
differences in this world (which are only temporary) or those in the
Hereafter (which are everlasting)? If you think about it a little more
objectively, you will wonder whether these worldly differences are not really
the best proof, the clearest evidence, that there is actually a life after
death and that all our differences here are only a trial for each and every one
of us.
Allah did not make me poor or weak to make others revel in my misery, but for
you, when Allah gives you the means, to help me in a dignified way as a fellow
human being with a human soul like you. By doing so you are expressing
gratitude towards Allah and solidarity towards humankind. Of course, Allah
could help me directly, He could have put you in my place, but what makes you a
human if you don't help me? What makes me a human if I don't help you were you
in my place? Would I say: "Shall we feed those whom Allah, if He willed,
would feed?" (36.47)
Yet, one is not supposed to be “angelic”. An individual has his part of the
job, the state/community has its own. Even if you have the means to help
everybody around you, you are not supposed to give away all your money to
people, that's not your job and your money is not entirely yours. So just do
what you can, just show your humanity. Allah says: "And let not thy hand
be chained to thy neck nor open it with a complete opening, lest thou sit down
rebuked, denuded. Lo! thy Lord enlargeth the provision for whom He will, and
straiteneth (it for whom He will). Lo, He was ever Knower, Seer of His
slaves." (17.29-30) "And those who, when they spend, are neither
prodigal nor grudging; and there is ever a firm station between the two."
(25.67) Just be a human, treating the needy humanely. That’s all the point.
The Covid pandemic has shown how rich European states have asked for help, and
nobody, me first, sees any kind of disgrace in that. "O mankind! Ye are
the poor in your relation to Allah. And Allah! He is the Absolute, the Owner of
Praise." (35.15)
Human solidarity, both on the individual and collective levels, makes humans
beautiful; it spreads love amongst honest mankind. In Argentina, for example,
many people swapped goods or services during the economic crisis. This is
fabulous. The crisis may go, but good memories abide, stay with one for life.
In Gruissan, a French fishing village, the fishermen established kind of a
court to share the fishing zones in a fair way and they record everything
concerning their fishing activities in special records, some several centuries
old. This is amazing, and it's all human. In Morocco, too, we had a somewhat
similar system for sharing water in the old medinas. Some kind people collect
the unused food from restaurants and hotels, instead of letting it be thrown
away, and use it to feed people in need. Others make great efforts to reduce
plastic and other ocean and river pollution... In short, I can't enumerate all
good work done by so many people around the world. All this is human and all
this is wonderful! Even during wartime you have health personnel who risk
their lives in order to save people from danger. You also have many people who
donate money or whatever to care for animals. As I said, Allah is great and
wants man to be great too. Throughout Islamic history, many Muslims understood
this perfectly well. There has always been the Waqf institution,
which collects donations from voluntary donors and spends it, according to each
donor's wishes, on schooling, bridge/road/water well projects, etc. The State
itself is a form of solidarity in the sense that it collects taxes and so on
and spends them as necessary. When a town is leveled by an earthquake or a
tornado both poor and rich are affected. Not all rich people have private jets.
Many need roads and bridges and schools for their children, and the state is
there for help. But the state can't do everything. Calamities may be a (hard)
way to remind man of this fact.
Thankfully, my state can give me Food Stamps, unemployment benefits or any kind of assistance as a compensation for job loss, etc. What if I lost my life to something like Covid-19 or a hurricane or flash floods, etc. ? Allan can give me another life after death. No state can do that. Many people are grateful just because they survived a disaster. In the Quran we read: "Bethink thee of him who had an argument with Abraham about his Lord, because Allah had given him the kingdom; how, when Abraham said: My Lord is He Who giveth life and causeth death, he answered: I give life and cause death. Abraham said: Lo! Allah causeth the sun to rise in the East, so do thou cause it to come up from the West. Thus was the disbeliever abashed. And Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk." (2.258) We also read this: "Is it they who apportion thy Lord's mercy? We have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of the world, and raised some of them above others in rank that some of them may take labour from others; and the mercy of thy Lord is better than (the wealth) that they amass." (43.32) "This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. Lo! the home of the Hereafter - that is Life, if they but knew." (29.64) "That which ye have wasteth away, and that which Allah hath remaineth. And verily We shall pay those who are steadfast a recompense in proportion to the best of what they used to do." (16.96) "Knowest thou not that it is Allah unto Whom belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth; and ye have not, beside Allah, any guardian or helper?" (2.107) "Allah is able to do all things." (18.45)"...and He maketh none to share in His government." (18.26) "As for these similitudes, We coin them for mankind, but none will grasp their meaning save the wise." (29.43)
Why does one read stuff like this? The best explanation can't convince everybody. The mind may be strong, the heart may be strong, but the psyche loses its strength, abruptly or gradually, in the absence of material or moral support; so the nafs ammara revolts against the nafs lawama, and it may take some time before the soul is soothed. Sometimes it takes very little for the soul to be calmed down if the mind is already prepared. Hence the importance of Quran reading. Sooner or later the Quran, if read correctly, does help to allay one's fears of unemployment, illness, loss... In the Quran we read: "...and will give them in exchange safety after their fear." (24.55) "Lo! thy Lord enlargeth the provision for whom He will, and straiteneth (it for whom He will). Lo, He was ever Knower, Seer of His slaves." (17.30)
So who should I lean
on? By the way, during the reign of Caliph Umar (584-644) and some other Muslim
leaders, Muslims and non-Muslims alike were entitled to state assistance. This
was based on genuine Islamic principles, and did not depend on the goodwill of
the leaders. It's only a question of state funds availability. It's public
money. It is the duty of the State, when it can afford it, to help the needy,
not a favour from the top leader. Very few leaders would give out of their own
pockets. It may be an unfair move towards future generations if my state
borrows excessively in order to help me without making sure it can repay it in
the foreseeable future. Recent statistics show that public debt levels have
never been so high since WWII. In many states around the world many people
can't even get their monthly salaries or retirement pensions on time and many
businesses go bankrupt because they are overwhelmed by state payment delays.
Similarly, if Allah exhorts the faithful to help each other in a dignified way
through zakat and alms, even in normal times and when the state's coffers are
full, it's because, philosophically speaking, the only difference between the
haves and the have-nots is that Allah gives the haves directly and the
have-nots indirectly, through the haves. Allah gives me my salary through my
boss. So, for this matter, I give thanks to Allah, not to my boss or whatever.
I thank humans when they do good to me for the good they do to me “by Allah’s
leave”, but I believe that it’s all from Allah. I vote for the person who did
good to my community, because it is only natural to like and encourage people
who do good. The problem is, when each and every time I have a problem I turn
to the government/state for help. I could get the help I want, but the risk is
that my Iman could weaken over time due to this dependence on the state. And
then, every state has anything but unlimited means. If each government that
comes starts spending with all its might, to ensure social peace or for any
other reason, this could lead to socio-economic and even political disasters.
Hyperinflation, default… all this comes from that. And then I may need Allah’s
help, with illness, a loss, etc. After all, life is a feeling, it’s not all
about money. "Lo! Allah! He it is that giveth livelihood, the Lord of
unbreakable might." (51.58)
That's why Islam was accepted, at least in the beginning, as a way of life by non-Arab nations and became the Faith of great empires over a long period of time. If we Muslims of today are not that great, it's most probably because we don't want Islam as a way of life, but only as a religion, as rituals. The problem is therefore not with Islam. The problem is with us Muslims, me first. Think about this Hadith: "None amongst you believes (truly) until he loves for his brother" -or he said "for his neighbor- "that which he loves for himself." In the Quran we read: "If ye publish your almsgiving, it is well, but if ye hide it and give it to the poor, it will be better for you, and will atone for some of your ill-deeds. Allah is Informed of what ye do." (2.271) "O ye who believe! Render not vain your almsgiving by reproach and injury, like him who spendeth his wealth only to be seen of men and believeth not in Allah and the Last Day. His likeness is as the likeness of a rock whereon is dust of earth; a rainstorm smiteth it, leaving it smooth and bare. They have no control of aught of that which they have gained. Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk." (2.264) "A kind word with forgiveness is better than almsgiving followed by injury. Allah is Absolute, Clement." (2.263) "Know they not that Allah is He Who accepteth repentance from His bondmen and taketh the alms, and that Allah is He Who is the Relenting, the Merciful." (9.104) We are all poor in one way or another. You may be rich, but you would looked entreatingly at your doctor when you are sick. Would you then love it if a needy person look at you in a beseeching manner? If we believe in the Quran we should believe that money is Allah's money. Again in the Quran we read: "...and bestow upon them of the wealth of Allah which He hath bestowed upon you." (24.33) "And let not those who hoard up that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty think that it is better for them. Nay, it is worse for them." (3.180) "...If ye fear poverty (from the loss of their merchandise) Allah shall preserve you of His bounty if He will. Lo! Allah is Knower, Wise." (9.28) "And whatever of comfort ye enjoy, it is from Allah. Then, when misfortune reacheth you, unto Him ye cry for help." (16.53) "He it is Who hath placed you as viceroys of the earth and hath exalted some of you in rank above others, that He may try you by (the test of) that which He hath given you. Lo ! Thy Lord is swift in prosecution, and Lo! He verily is Forgiving, Merciful." (6.165) "Lo! thy Lord enlargeth the provision for whom He will, and straiteneth (it for whom He will). Lo! He was ever Knower, Seer of His slaves." (17.30) "And covet not the thing in which Allah hath made some of you excel others. Unto men a fortune from that which they have earned, and unto women a fortune from that which they have earned. (Envy not one another) but ask Allah of His bounty. Lo! Allah is ever Knower of all things." (4.32)
Most people don't seem to understand this. Allah says: "Verily Allah heard
the saying of those who said: "Allah, forsooth, is poor, and we are
rich!" (3.181) "And when it is said unto them: Spend of that
wherewith Allah hath provided you, those who disbelieve say unto those who
believe: Shall we feed those whom Allah, if He willed, would feed? Ye are
in naught else than error manifest." (36.47)
"Lo! verily the friends of Allah are (those) on whom fear (cometh) not, nor do they grieve." (10.62) "Lo! power belongeth wholly to Allah. He is the Hearer, the Knower." (10. 65) "They measure not Allah His rightful measure. Lo! Allah is Strong, Almighty." (22.74) "And there is not a thing but with Us are the stores thereof. And we send it not down save in appointed measure." (15.21) "And there is not a beast in the earth but the sustenance thereof dependeth on Allah. He knoweth its habitation and its repository. All is in a clear Record." (11.6) "And how many an animal there is that beareth not its own provision! Allah provideth for it and for you. He is the Hearer, the Knower." (29.60) "In Allah let believers put their trust." (58.10) "And whosoever keepeth his duty to Allah, Allah will appoint a way out for him, And will provide for him from (a quarter) whence he hath no expectation. And whosoever putteth his trust in Allah, He will suffice him. Lo! Allah bringeth His command to pass. Allah hath set a measure for all things." (65.2-3) "And Allah was predominant in His career, but most of mankind know not." (12.21) "Your wealth and your children are only a temptation, whereas Allah! with Him is an immense reward." (64.14-15)
"Whoso desireth the reward of the world, (let him know that) with Allah is the reward of the world and the Hereafter. Allah is ever Hearer, Seer." (4.134) "No soul can ever die except by Allah's leave and at a term appointed. Whoso desireth the reward of the world, We bestow on him thereof; and whoso desireth the reward of the Hereafter, We bestow on him thereof. We shall reward the thankful." (3.145)
