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In the name of Allah most gracious most merciful
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatuallahi wa barakatuhu
Why Calamities and Destructions
are happening to Muslims?
by Khalid Latif
One question that may arise in our mind is why are calamities and
destructions happening to Muslims?
Yes, indeed the oppressors are the wrong doers. They make destruction
and kill Muslims and steal their properties. On the other side, it is
worth for us to look on ourselves so that we can improve our weaknesses.
I would like to quote a Hadith… and I don’t intend to elaborate on it.
Let us read and we judge it ourselves :
The companion ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas RA narrated that the Prophet
sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:
“5 matters result when 5 things happen: If people break their covenant
with Allah, He will send an enemy against them; If they rule by other
than the Law of Allah, poverty will spread among them; If they become
deceptive in trade, Allah will deprive them of crops and they will be
struck with famine; And if they withhold the payment of Zakaah, they
will be struck with drought.” [At-Tabaraani]
In another narration he sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “If they
break the covenant of Allah and His Messenger, Allah will send an
external enemy against them who will seize some of their possessions; If
they do not rule by the Book of Allah, nor attempt to implement
everything in it, Allah will spread enmity among them.”
Conversely, obeying Allah and His Messenger sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa
sallam is the source of victory. Allah says: “O you who have believed,
if you support Allah, He will support you [by giving you victory].” [Surah
Muhammad Ayah 7]
Indeed, Allah gives victory to those who deserve it. And most of the
times defeat comes from ourselves. One night, Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqaas, may
Allah be pleased with him, was checking on his army during the battle of
Qaadisiyyah. He passed by the tent of one group of soldiers at night and
found the men inside praying Qiyaam, or voluntary night-prayer, and
remarked: ‘Victory comes from such a tent’ then he passed by another
tent and found the men inside sleeping and remarked: ‘Defeat comes from
such a tent.’
This was despite the fact that the men who were sleeping only missed a
recommended prayer and not an obligatory one; yet Sa’d considered
missing this recommended act to be a reason for defeat.
Let us avoid destructions, disasters and humiliation. Muslims have
experienced too many appalling tragedies in their own land. It was
Bosnia; Afghanistan; Iraq and now (always) Palestine, and tomorrow we
never know whose turn.
The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam was once asked:
“Would we be punished by disasters which befall us while we have
righteous people amongst us?’ he sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam replied:
“Yes, if evil becomes widespread.”
Allah says clearly on this issue in al Quran: “And fear the Fitnah
(affliction and trial, etc.) which affects not in particular (only)
those of you who do wrong (but it may afflict all the good and the bad
people), and know that Allah is Severe in punishment". [Surah Al-Anfaal
Ayah 25]
Therefore, if Muslims truly wish for safety from destruction and given
victory, then they must change and improve what is in them as Allah says
that which translates as: “For each (person), there are angels in
succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of
Allah. Verily! Allah will not change the good condition of a people as
long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves. But when
Allah wills a people's punishment, there can be no turning back of it,
and they will find besides Him no protector.” [Surah Ar-Ra’d Ayah 11]
Allah Knows Best
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