Episode 23 - What if??

What if calamities and joys befall people without wisdom, but randomly, so they may strike you and leave others, neither for wisdom nor prior knowledge? What if Allah and all the decrees of fate are entrusted to angels whom we know nothing about their mercy, wisdom, or justice? What if calamities are detached from recompense, such that you are afflicted and others are blessed, then you both end up the same in recompense and fate if your deeds are equal, and your patience with your afflictions is in vain?

Strange questions, aren't they? But I found in them an answer to an old question I have long asked myself: What is the meaning of Allah making the afflicted patient with their afflictions, as they are decreed from ancient times? As He says: {مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٖ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فِيٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ إِلَّا فِي كِتَٰبٖ مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن نَّبۡرَأَهَآۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٞ ٢٢ لِّكَيۡلَا تَأۡسَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمۡ وَلَا تَفۡرَحُواْ بِمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخۡتَالٖ فَخُورٍ ٢٣}[Al-Hadid: 23,22]..

Therefore, these calamities are not random, but decreed before they occur, so there is no need for sorrow. And Allah did not entrust anyone – whom we know nothing about – to decree them, but: {مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۗ}[Al-Taghabun: 11].. Allah, whom we know is: 1. Knowing, who places blessings in trials from where we do not know: {وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تَكۡرَهُواْ شَيۡـٔٗا وَهُوَ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡۖ وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيۡـٔٗا وَهُوَ شَرّٞ لَّكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ ٢١٦}[Al-Baqarah: 216].. 2. And we know about Him that {ٱللَّهُ لَطِيفُۢ بِعِبَادِهِۦ}[Ash-Shura: 19].. He decrees what He decrees for us with kindness. 3. And we know about Him that He is wise, as Yusuf (peace be upon him) said – after seeing the victories of his Lord in affliction –: {إِنَّ رَبِّي لَطِيفٞ لِّمَا يَشَآءُۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ ١٠٠}[Yusuf: 100].. 4. And we know about His justice and favor, as Yusuf (peace be upon him) also said: {إِنَّهُۥ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيَصۡبِرۡ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجۡرَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ٩٠}[Yusuf: 90]..

Therefore, when we hear the verses that speak of destiny, and the hadiths like ((And know that what has befallen you was not to miss you, and what has missed you was not to befall you)), let us know that they remind us of the truth that these decrees are decreed by Allah, whom we know about His knowledge, wisdom, kindness, mercy, and justice, so let us submit ourselves to Him with tranquility.