What Causes Calamities

I hate to be a pessimist in my write-ups or even in my debates but the negativity around us always inspires me to travel through the world of Qur’an in search of a greener pasture.  The reality that stares at us today is that of a series of unwanted events characterized by carnage, terrible loss, lasting distress and severe affliction both in the domestic and in the international front. Today, very few things are worth our accolades: our religious, social, financial, educational and even political institutions are in total shambles. Yet, we tend to live comfortably within the blame circle we have ignorantly created around us. The leaders are blaming the masses and the masses are unleashing their tantrums against the leaders, each one blaming the other for the calamities that has befallen their respective nations.

When you look at the Muslim nations today, they are leaderless and by this I mean they lack leaders who have fear of Allah. The political event of our contemporary world is something that calls for a deep and thorough analysis from a religious point of view. We have witnessed and are still witnessing a swift shift of paradigm in the political landscape especially in the gulf of Arabia. Nations that were subjected to the firm authoritarian grip of a few are now chanting a different slogan of hope and prosperity. But alas! The problem isn’t solved yet, because what really brings peace in an area is the relationship of its inhabitants with Allah and their fellow creatures. What we are witnessing now is an inevitable reality that is bound to come in to play. The sun will set over every empire, more so if its leadership lever is resting on the fulcrum of injustice, inhumane treatments and selfishness and usurping of leadership positions making them an exclusive art of nepotism. Indeed the end of any oppressive leader whether a Muslim or an unbeliever is disgrace and humiliating defeat through the hands the forces of Allah.

The lamentable situation we are in today such as high cost of living, high crime rate, high unemployment rate, the ousting and killings of brutal dictators and innocent people, famine, earthquakes, hurricane, tornado, high rate of drug usage and trafficking, divorce, anarchy, accidents on our roads, water ways and air spaces, leaders without focus, leaders with anti-people policies, massive failure in academic endeavors, the collapse of family institutions and the rise of blood thirsty population etc by Allah are all due to what we have earned.

In case we are still debating the reason behind the calamities that are descending upon us like rain drops on a roof top then let’s knock at the doors of the Glorious Qur’an to find the answer to our most disturbing questions. Allah in His inimitable style says it so amazingly that:

“Evil (sins and disobedience of Allah, carnage, disasters, wars, calamities etc.) has appeared on land and sea because of what the HANDS of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds, etc.), that Allah may make them TASTE A PART of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allah, and begging His Pardon)”. Rum: 41

You will agree with me that there are no coincidences in life, as students of knowledge we believe in cause and effect. These things aren’t just random events but a well orchestrated one by Allah to make us taste a part of the sins we are committing. Allah is so merciful that He doesn’t go for tit for tat and this could be explained in the following verse

“And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He

Pardons most of it.” As-Shurah: 30

Whenever there are calamities around us then it is a clarion call on us to examine our ways. It doesn’t serve Allah any purpose to punish us for nothing. In Suratul Nisa’i: 147, Allah asks

“Why should Allah punish you if you have thanked (Him) and have believed in Him? And Allah is Ever All Appreciative (of good), All Knowing.”

The gist is, the nations of the world today have deserted the Qur’an and have idolized a sinful way of life, and material affluence and struggle for resources have taken us far away from our spiritual realm.

What is the reality of our condition today? Our economic system is based on usury (compound interest) hence we have a failed economy. The Prophet (saw) said:  

“Interest is a conglomeration of 73 sins the list is cohabiting with one’s own mother”.  Fornication has long become a norm in our societies and the Prophet (saw) said:  “The nation that has taken to fornication and interest should await the chastisement of Allah”.  In a lengthy hadith it was narrated that: “When my Ummah will be involved in fifteen activities then calamities will descend upon them

1-      public finance will be regarded as a personal property (looting by public official)

2-      Amana (trust) will be abused

3-      Zakat will be considered as tax (burden)

4-      Wives will be obeyed (in Allah’s disobedience)

5-      Mothers will be disobeyed

6-      Friends will be well treated (love to be identified with friends than our parents because of social status)

7-      Parents will be ill-treated

8-      Noise and commotion will be common in the masjids

9-      Unqualified persons will occupy positions of responsibility

10-  Respect will be shown to some people merely to escape their tyranny

11-  Liquor will be consumed openly

12-  Men will done silk garments

13-  Singing girls will be available for entertainment (Music)

14-  Musical instruments will be rampant

15-  The pious predecessors will be reviled and vituperated (the Shiites that insult the Sahabah)

Brothers and sisters! These are the causes of the calamities that are befalling us. Our actions have a direct bearing on the stability of our nations. On the strength of Hassan (RA): Our master (saw) said: “By Him in whose control is my life! Any scratches, twitching of the veins, slipping of d foot or a flying stone suddenly striking the body, all are due to committing of sins”.

The solution is not far-fetched, Allah says:  “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 (by committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allah). But when Allah wills a people's punishment, there can be no turning back of it, and they will find besides Him no protector”. Suratul ar’Rad: 11.

Possible solutions:-

Prayer: we have to be prayerful and put all our hopes in Allah

Educational: we need to inculcate within us a total ethical re-orientation by Islamizing our social lives.

Abstention from mutual rivalry and fighting.

Discarding our cultural baggage that is in conflict with the shariah.

Let the government be more sincere in her slogan of fighting corruption and insurgents.

We should be proactive in benefiting humanity for the sake of Allaah regardless of color creed or background.

Those guilty of sins must be punished regardless of their acquired statuses in the society.

We must look beyond political gains and start seeing ourselves as potential selfless people and not selfish and greedy ladened people.

And let both the leaders and the led know that whenever calamities descend they don’t differentiate whom to afflict, it’s a collective destruction. Hence, we need a collective social responsibility to make the relevant changes needed in our lives. May Allah save us from the evils of our souls.

Yours in Islam: Abdullah Musa Abdul (Penabdul).