> Issues Related to Qadr (Divine Decree)

[optimist]

Salam,

The human body, like everything, is subject to natural physical laws. “Every living being has to die” – (3:184), “Even if you take refuge inside strong fortresses!” – (4:78). “You cannot run away from it!” – (62:8). So much so that the Messenger himself was told: “They (your opponents) have to die, and so have you!” --- (39:31).
Sura Aal-e-Imran says (traditionally translated) in 3:145: “No one can die but with Allah’s izn (order) – this has been written down!”

وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَنْ تَمُوتَ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ كِتَابًا مُؤَجَّلًا

Please consider carefully the terms ‘izn’, ‘kitab’ and ‘ajal’ used in this verse;
izn: divine law
ajal: period or end of a period
Kitab: code of law

Thus, the above verse (3:145) means that life and death occur according to divine (natural) law. The time-period spanning a man’s birth and death (ajal) is his age which is determined according to the divine law: “Every period as a law ---” (13:38). The end of such a period (death) cannot be shifted forward or backward –“ (63:11). That is ‘death’ is the moment when age (period of time) ends, whenever it occurs. So, the problem of its occurring before or after ‘the determined moment’ simply doesn’t arise. The really relevant question,

Can Man Control Aging? therefore, is whether age (time-period between birth and death) can be shortened or lengthened. ‘Young’ and ‘old’, in connection with age, are relative terms, measured against ‘normal’ age-span of a particular group. It is a known scientific fact that the normal life expectancy in any given group can be controlled through hygiene, eating habits, prevention and treatment of disease, and the standard of living etc. It applies to groups as well as individuals.

This fact is referred to by the Quran as” “Age is not pro-longed or shortened for anyone except according to law ---“ (35:11). It is obvious that the precise period of time (age) is not pre-determined. It can be controlled through natural physical laws mentioned above in addition to factors like hereditary tendencies, as well as post-natural care, physical and mental well-being etc. These very rules (values) determine one’s, and a group’s, age: “We have established laws of death for you (all) ----“ (56:60). It is Man’s choice to violate, or abide by, those rules: “And don’t put yourselves to death with your (own) hands! --- (2:195). Furthermore, the principle in point is amply shown by the punishments (and the difference thereof) for deliberate and accidental killing of a human being – cold-blooded murder is punishable by a sentence while accidental killing may be dealt with ‘blood-money’ ---- (4:92-93).

Sura Maaeda: “Whoever kills someone without due cause (cold-blooded murder) or spreads anarchy (treason, mutiny, rebellion etc) really kills the entire mankind. And whoever gives life to one person really gives it to the entire human race!----“ (5:32). How can a life be saved if it is pre-destined to end at a particular moment in time? This is why battling soldiers are instructed to take precautionary measures for their safety --- (4:71). In times of danger, the prayer congregation will be held in groups taking turns in guarding their fellow soldiers (4:102).

We are left with the problem of fear of death. This can be dealt with by examining, and then accepting, the Quranic concepts of life and death. It basically says that human existence does not end with the physical death. A human being, having led a Quranic life, becomes equipped to move into the next evolutionary phase after death: “Death and life have been created so that you can test yourselves for capabilities of better work: --- (67:2). Iqbal, Poet of the East, so beautifully puts it one of his Persian works: “A convinced man smiles in the face of death”.

One who puts his life on the line in Allah’s cause deserves the highest merit. Such people do not really die: “But they are alive and your are not aware of it!---“ (2:154).

Wassalam

[salman]

and who wrote this nonsense? this guy should be given 100 lashes in the public for writing & promoting such heresy! Why do these people even call themselves Muslims? May Allah guide them and if they do not want guidance then may Allah destroy them for distorting the teachings of His deen, ameen.

[optimist]

Originally Posted by salman

and who wrote this nonsense? this guy should be given 100 lashes in the public for writing & promoting such heresy! Why do these people even call themselves Muslims? May Allah guide them and if they do not want guidance then may Allah destroy them for distorting the teachings of His deen, ameen.

Salam,

It is for an intelligent discussion I posted the above. You can bring supporting evidence to disprove what is stated. Can you tell me why there is life expectancy difference between countries to countries based on the standard of living, healthcare facilities, etc? Please refer this link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Life_Expectancy_2008_Estimates_CIA_World_Fact book.png

The reason why life expectancy in USA is more when compared to India or backward countries, is not because Allah deliberately doing some special previledges to the people living in USA. It is Allah's law “Every living being has to die” – (3:184). However, one can prolong life based on the natural laws Allah has set in this world. Life expectancy could be increased through hygiene, eating habits, prevention and treatment of disease, and the standard of living etc.

For instance, in the United States, the 1900s were marked by a rather low life expectancy. About half of all children born in 1900 were only expected to live to reach the age of 50. Today, life expectancy has changed dramatically, as the average person (of any sex) in the United States is expected to live to be about 77 years old.

we all know that if we provide artificial ventilation to a patient who is unable to breath normally <NOBR>until natual breathing </NOBR><NOBR>is re-established the patients </NOBR>life could be prologed. But if we don't do so the patients life will be in a risk. But again it will work only according to the natural laws set by Allah. No artificial ventilation could be possible after a particular stage.

How do you explain all this?

Wassalam

[salman]

and why do you want to start this discussion during this month despite the fact I told few weeks in advance that put a hold on these during the month of ramadhan? and no disrespect toward you brother but these arguments are so pathetically poor that they are not even worth wasting our time.

and you smartly ignore my question: who wrote this nonsense, is it you? or someone else? If you then you should seal your mouth as you are not qualified to interpret the Qur'an. If by someone else then do not bring their garbage falsehood here and this person should be given 100 lashes in public for such heresy.

is your God so jahil (aoudbillah) that He does not know about these health factors or what have you? This is what your implying when you say death time can be prolonged when it is established, without any doubt, in deen al-Islam that death and birth times are absolute and can never be changed and no one has the knowledge of this. Can you live more than what is decided and written for you? If it is written that you are going to live 60 years then you are going to live 60 years and if it is written that you are going to live 10 years then that what is going to happen. Taking care of your health and thus 'prolonging' your age does not mean you can control your age, it was written down for you that you will live that longer. Enjoying the benefits of better health-care or environment does not mean that we are prolonging or controlling our age rather this factor was already known to Allah so He wrote down for how long a person will live. If we can control our age, then why do we let people die? Why do you let children die in young age or young men? What about young people dying in these well-off countries? How come they couldn't control their age!?

your misunderstanding of deen is now becoming a serious issue and I fear that it will eventually take you out of Islam; therefore, my advice to you is that focus on your daily acts of ibadah and stop reading the works of heretic modernists (may Allah destroy them). Such discussions are not beneficial for you and neither they are beneficial for others. Even if we agree with you that we can control our age so what? How is this going to help me, you and others with my ibadah? Ask yourself, are you bringing up these issues to learn or are you doing it just for sake of debating and wasting time? Are these helping you to please Allah? Ask these questions to yourself!

seriously, for Allah's love, fear Him, this is a month of ramadhan. and do not force us to say things which may make us fall into sins and violate your rights upon us.

by Allah know that my heart is grieving and my harshness is only due to care for you.

[optimist]

salam,

In this case, can you hide or block this topic till the end of ramadan.

Actually my intention was to learn. I want to go through all the Quranic verses on this points. May be many members can post more solid arguements on this subject. I am looking for more solid reasoning rather than saying since Allah knew so and so person will be taking poison Allah fixed his life term accordingly, or since Allah knew someone will be using an artificial ventilation Allah fixed him life extending a few more days, or that since Allah knew that in USA and Japan since there will be advancement in medical and standard of living, Allah put a longer date for life expectancy for the people living in those countries.

Anyhow, I will post again on this thread only after ramadan.

wassalam

[salman]

^What is the definition of your solid argument? If this is the case then nothing will convince you. and so you believe that your God was jahil as He did not know when the man was going to born or when was going to die and so He did not fix the date for him. Praise to be Allah, He is free from such heresy.

Do you deny Qadr (divine decree)? Why it is not a solid argument that Allah knew it due to His knowledge and thus He decreed the date for him? This is the end result of reading the works of heretics - first they deviate you on fiqhi issues and then tawheed issues. By the way, you are not the first one who said this. The heretic ancestors of heretics from whom you take this idea were none other than the qadriyyah who denied the Qadr, then the jahmiyyah and those who followed them were mutazilite and ash'aris. All these deviant groups appeared in early centuries of Islam, heavily influenced by their Greek gods (philosophers), and they were all rebuked by the noble Salaf (may Allah have mercy on them).

Have you ever heard of the famous hadith known as hadith of Jibreel? O wait, you do not accept ahadith. Allah says in His Book (interpretation of the meaning): Know you not that Allaah knows all that is in the heaven and on the earth? Verily, it is (all) in the Book (al-Lawh al-Mahfooz). Verily, that is easy for Allaah [Surah al-Hajj (22):70]

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah wrote the decrees concerning all created beings fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth” [Narrated by Muslim, 2653].

It is narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) heard that some people were denying al-qadar. He said: “If I meet these people I will tell them that I have nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with me. By the One by Whom ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar swore, if one of them had gold equivalent to Mount Uhud and he spent it, Allaah would not accept it from him unless he believed in al-qadar” [Narrated by Muslim, 8].

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The first thing that Allaah created was the Pen, and He said to it, ‘Write!’ It said, ‘O Lord, what should I write?’ He said: ‘Write down the decrees of all things until the Hour begins” [Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4700; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood].

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Every one of you is collected in the womb of his mother for the first forty days, and then he becomes a clot for another forty days, and then a lump of flesh for another forty days. Then Allah sends an angel to write four words: He writes his provision, his deeds, his life span, and whether he will be blessed or wretched. Then he blows the soul into him” [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim]

If this is not a strong evidence for you then nothing can be strong! And may Allah clear up your mind brother, ameen

[salamfromrom]

Is the Moment of Death Pre-destined?

Yes offcourse brother.

Can Man Control Aging?

Man can control only what it is decreed for him to control. As for the ''life-prolonging'' techniques mentioned above, they are by the mercy of Allah(swt). Remember the ayat ''Allah helps those who help themselves''

I really don't understand the point for this thread, no offence.

salam a leikum

[Aayah]

Actually the first thing came to my mind when I was reading the first few lines was "What the heck is this?!!!!"

sorry brother optimistic, no offend but I really recommend you to study the topic of Qadr (destination) very well before bring some weird arguments here even if it wasnt you who wrote them

If the life average or what they call "life expectancy" is high in some places its is pr-destined by Allah
If it was high because the life style of people and their eating habits, its also pre-destined by Allah and those habits are reasons of their long life but knowen in the Ilm of Allah

The reason why life expectancy in USA is more when compared to India or backward countries, is not because Allah deliberately doing some special previledges to the people living in USA. It is Allah's law “Every living being has to die” – (3:184). However, one can prolong life based on the natural laws Allah has set in this world. Life expectancy could be increased through hygiene, eating habits, prevention and treatment of disease, and the standard of living etc.

Even if the "life expectancy" in a backward country is low due to some certain diseases or some other economical reasons....its also a pre-destined

The topic of Qadar and how our destination and future is already pre-destined in the knowledge of Allah is something we humans can't simply indwell on without enough knowledge

May Allah guide you to the truth!
Wasalam Alykom

[optimist]

Originally Posted by salman

^What is the definition of your solid argument? If this is the case then nothing will convince you. and so you believe that your God was jahil as He did not know when the man was going to born or when was going to die and so He did not fix the date for him. Praise to be Allah, He is free from such heresy.

Salam,

Please don't misunderstand what I am saying. If anyone says Allah does not know when an man is gonig to die, or if anyone claims there are some hidden things in the universe outside the knowledge of Allah, he is a Kafir, kafir, kafir. But there is a big difference between Allah's knowledge and Allah's will and decree.

It was kafiroon who claimed Allah wills everything. I quote;

Those who give partners (to Allah) will say: "If Allah had wished, we should not have given partners to Him nor would our fathers; nor should we have had any taboos." So did their ancestors argue falsely, until they tasted of Our wrath. Say: "Have ye any (certain) knowledge? If so, produce it before us. Ye follow nothing but conjecture: ye do nothing but lie."(6:148)<o:p></o:p>

("Ah!") they say, "If it had been the will of (Allah) Most Gracious, we should not have worshipped such (deities)!" Of that they have no knowledge! they do nothing but lie! (43:20)<o:p></o:p>

And when it is said to them, 'Spend out of that which God has given you,' those who disbelieve say to those who believe, 'Shall we feed him whom God would have fed, if He had so willed? You are but in manifest error.' (36:47)

I am not posting anything more since I had stated I would not post anything on this subject until after ramadan. But I wanted to clear a misunderstanding. Insha Allah we can discuss more about this after Ramadan

wassalam

Originally Posted by Aayah

If the life average or what they call "life expectancy" is high in some places its is pr-destined by Allah
If it was high because the life style of people and their eating habits, its also pre-destined by Allah and those habits are reasons of their long life but knowen in the Ilm of Allah

Salam,

So according to you, the fact that the people in a nation live in poverty is because Allah so decreed and willed it to happen!! Such an understanding is complete wrong.

Insha Allah I will answer you after Ramadan

wassalam

Originally Posted by salamfromrom

Man can control only what it is decreed for him to control.

Salam,

When you say "Man can control only what is decreed for him to control", you are only saying the same thing I have posted in a different way. I hope you have a claim that a person who cares his body, doing proper excercise all the time, taking good diet, not taking any harmful alcohol or other harmful drugs, taking proper medication etc, are all something which is decreed and willed by Allah? We all know Michael jackson died due to deliberate misuse of Drugs. Do you think Allah willed and decreed Michal Jackson to do so?

When a plague broke out Omar suggested to keep out of the affected area. At that time, Abu Obaida commented, “You are trying to escape Allah’s law?”. “Yes”, Omar replied, “I am escaping from His (one) law to His (other) law,”. If one stays in a plague-infected area, death comes according to God’s taqdeer (law). But, if one leaves the epidemic-affected environment for cleaner, safer ground, death is avoided according to Allah’s ‘taqdeer’ (law). The choice between the two ‘taqdeers (laws) is entirely Man’s own.

wassalam

[optimist]

Sura Shura says: “There is no tragedy which befalls you but as result of your own handiwork” (42/30).

Well, you must have come across routine events like the following:

i) When a patient recovers, it is credited to the perseverance and skills of physicians; but failure of treatment is attributed to destiny, pre-determined by Allah.

ii) Success in an academic examination is credited to the diligence of the candidate whereas failure is attributed to Allah.


The Arabic word ‘museeba’ stems from the three-letter root ص و ب , which carries the basic and intrinsic meaning of something descending to come to its resting place. The Quran uses ‘museeba’ in contrast to ‘hasana’ (9/50) meaning something pleasant. Hence the popular use of ‘museeba’ for an unpleasant event.

The point to ponder is whether ‘musaaeb’ (tragedies and afflictions) are caused by Allah or by Man (individually or collectively). The Quran presents an elaborate reply.

‘Musaaeb’ are caused by Man’s actions

Sura Shura says: “There is no tragedy which befalls you but as result of your own handiwork” (42/30). Sura Aale-Imran states that when they (people) are struck by an affliction, they wonder where it came from (أنى هـذا) - ‘ Tell them: “it is of your own doing” (3/164). Sura Nahal also says the same: “Their own wrongdoing brought tragedy to them” (16/34).

The Reprieve

Allah’s established procedure for wrong / bad actions is that their consequences are not readily observable initially and take some time in materializing. This time gap is the grace period of reprieve. In Sura Az-Zumr, it is stated that people who chose to go gleefully away from Allah’s way, defying and ridiculing His laws but in a little while “what wrong they have done will bear result and that (Divine Law ) which they are ridiculing now will surround them” (39/48).

The Quran uses a very meaningful expression for this grace period of reprieve between an action and the subsequent result of it. It likens it to someone sending (this result) on before he starts his own journey. Reaching the destination, one finds that result already waiting (for the sender). The Quran uses the expression (بما قَدّمَت أيديهم) - ‘whatever their hands send on before’. Sura Aal-e-Imran talks about Allah recording all the crimes committed which will bear results as life goes on and they will be told: “This is what your hands sent on before” (3/181-182). These results have also been referred to by the expression (ما اسلفت) - i.e. “those which have passed (this path) before” (10/30). Sure Al-Hajj also uses the same expression in (22/9-10). Sura Al-Qasas states about the children of Israel (Jews) that when they are faced with a bad situation, which they have themselves sent on before, they start moaning and complaining (28/47); also: 4/62. Sura Rome talks about people’s attitude of crediting success to themselves boastfully, but getting depressed and frustrated over tragedies which they have already sent on themselves before (30/36). It is repeated in 42/49. Sura Al-Fajr states that faced with the ultimate destruction, Man will call out in despair, “only if I had sent something on for my life!” (89/24).

This applies to tragedies and afflictions as well as bounties and benefits. Sura Muzammel says: “Whatever good you send on for yourselves will be ready with Allah” (73/20).

The same phenomenon is also referred to as “whatever their selves send on for them” (5/80). The Quran holds Man’s personality (self) responsible for his actions since it is the seat of his power of choice and free will. That is why it says: “Self (the human personality) should keep an eye on what it sends on for tomorrow (the future)” (59/18). About realization of results it says: “Self will come to know what it sent on or left behind” (82/5) because “We write down what they send on and what they leave behind” (36/12) and that “Everything is registered in a clear book which is (always walking) ahead of them” (36/12).

Thus, all tragedies and afflictions are brought upon Man by himself (individually or collectively). Sura Baqara talks about the calamities befalling the children of Israel saying: “Their tragedy was of their own doing” (2/79) because “they were unfair and law-breakers” (2/59) - also: 2/61; 3/111.

Ignominy and Disgrace

In fact, Allah’s universal law (that ignominy and disgrace are results of Man’s own actions) applies to anyone and all. When a nation chooses to ignore even a part of Allah’s law, they are ‘disgraced in this world and subject to severe punishment on the Day of Judgment” (2/85) - also: 2/114; 22/9-10. Sura Al-Fajr states the same in a different way: “When Man is disgraced, he says “O my God! You disgraced me for nothing!” (89/9-16). Allah replies that it is not true. “Allah doesn’t disgrace anyone. You have been disgraced by our own wrongdoing -- you used to abandon the helpless of your society; you had all the vices of a capitalistic economy -- such actions brought ignominy to you, not Allah!”, also 92/4-10.

Allah is not unfair

The fact that Allah doesn’t disgrace anyone without due cause (one’s own wrongdoing), as this is unfair, has been illustrated many times over in the Quran. Sura Aal-e-Imran talks about the tyrants of society being eventually destroyed, and -- “Allah is not unfair to them but they are unfair to themselves” (3/116). Sura Tauba, after speaking of destruction of the nations of the past, says: “Allah did not treat them cruelly, but they brought it upon them themselves” (9/70). Also in 11/101; 16/33 and 29/40. Sura Younis states: “Allah is not unfair to people in the slightest, but they do it to themselves” (10/44). Allah is omnipotent and Man is His (weak and vulnerable) creation. Allah’s being cruel and unfair to Man is inconceivable. People bring tragedies to themselves by their own hands (ذلك بما قدمت يدك) “Allah is not cruel to His creatures” (22/10). In fact, “Allah doesn’t (even) intend to be cruel to His people” (40/31). He argues: “Why will Allah torture you if you accept (the validity of His laws) and (show that you) are convinced ( of their practical value)?” (4/147).

Allah is not a sadist. In His domain “every decision is based upon the Truth” and “everyone gets the result of one’s actions” and “no one is wronged” (39/69-70). About the time of Man’s actions bearing results, it says: “that day everyone will get what he worked for and no one will be wronged” (40/17). Also: “Decisions will be taken justly and fairly and no one will be wronged” (10/47) - also: (10/54).

Two verses from An-Nisa

In this regard, two ‘verses’ from Sura An-Nisa are quite significant. Talking about the ‘reverse’ mentality of a certain group of the Prophet’s era, the Quran says: “when they are in a pleasant situation, they attribute it to Allah, but blame the Prophet for their troubles. Tell them “everything is from Allah” (‘s law) 4/78. Further, it says: “What is (wrong) with them? They don’t try to understand. Remember, the pleasantness you get is from Allah and your troubles are from you yourselves” (4/79).

There is an apparent contradiction here. One verse says the good and the bad all come from Allah, whereas the other verse appears to say the good is from Allah but the bad is from Man. The apparent contradiction can actually be resolved thus:

i) All events- good or bad - occur according to natural (Allah’s) laws

(كل من عند الله).

ii) Allah’s Law - if followed - shall bring good to you -

ما اصابك من حسنة فمن الله

but

iii) If you follow the path of your own choice (other than Allah’s), the natural result will be trouble. ما اصابك من سيئة فمن نفسك

Simply put, then, all events (actions) bear results pre-determined by Allah’s law. If one follows the natural (Allah’s suggested) course, one benefits. Otherwise (when one defies the divine law) the natural consequence is tragedy.

Therefore, all good is from Allah whereas evil is brought upon Man by himself.

By Chance

It is true that:

i) Occasionally, an event has to be attributed to ‘chance’ as we cannot explain it, and

ii) an individual is sometimes beset with tragedy not directly attributable to the person concerned. Sometimes, Allah’s law appears to be working in the opposite direction (producing evil instead of good), as in the case of an honest official who suffers in a dishonest society.

As to ‘chance’ in (I) above, there can never be an ‘effect’ without a ‘cause’ in the universe. But, the cause has to be discovered by Man. During the early period of its history, mankind used to attribute, due to lack of knowledge, almost every phenomenon to chance. That has been changing through Man’s march of civilization. Even today, certain uncivilized tribes in various parts of the world attribute certain phenomena to gods and goddesses. It is not so any longer when scientific discoveries unravel the mysteries of Nature. This situation improves with every generation. This ignorant state of affairs may be observed in certain sections of society even in the civilized world. As Man moves forward in the realm of science, ‘chance’ will give way completely to factual knowledge attained by mankind. Man has the potential to discover the entire Universe (2/31).

‘Chance’ is nothing but lack of knowledge!.

Individuals in an Unfair Society

As to (ii) above, an individual is a part / member of a society and, as such, is affected by it anyway. For example, a good harvest benefits even those not connected with farming at all. On the other hand, a bursting dam extends its damage even to those who have nothing at all to do with its construction or maintenance. This is why the Quran say: “Try to protect your society against a danger which is not restricted to the people responsible for it” (8/25).

Man behaves oddly in a society. Benefiting from the good - facilities, benefits etc. - one never refuses them on the grounds that one is not directly responsible for them. On the other hand, however, one is always complaining about the badness of society for which, again, one is not directly responsible. This attitude is referred to in the Quran: “When Man is enjoying Our bounties, he turns away (arrogantly from Allah’s law), but when evil comes to him, he raises hue and cry” (17/83). It goes on to say: “Say, everyone works according to one’s tether”, therefore is directly or indirectly responsible for what happens in society. The Quran gives a graphic illustration of this in Sura Sabaa (the leaders and the led quarreling about, and blaming one another for, society’s ills): “If you just imagine the time when the transgressors will be in Alllah’s presence blaming one another for their mistakes. The led will say to the leaders, ‘but for your misleading leadership we would have followed Allah’s laws’. The leaders will say, ‘Why blame us? We didn’t stop you from following the right path. you wronged of your own choice. You blame us wrongly!’ The led will say, ‘ You crafted a society which kept us away from the right path. How can you escape responsibility?” (34/31-33). But, excuses of both will be rejected and punishment will come to them equally: (37/33) - The leaders for their wrongdoing and the led for being their power base.

This then, is the Quran’s view of an individual and society. A society is nothing but a collection of individuals who have the potential of enforcing change. Please note that the Quran does not accept as valid the excuse of being helpless from free-willed Man. This very excuse brought upon Iblees the eternal punishment of being banished from benefits. It is perfectly possible, though, that individuals fail in their initial attempt(s) to bring about change in their society. But this is very different from presenting helplessness as an excuse for inaction. People who try are commended by Allah (2/157), others will naturally go to hell (4/97).

Early Muslim History

This, therefore, is the Quran’s position on social tragedies. As long as Muslims kept in view this Quranic position, they faced problems logically, factually and on the basis of cause & effect. The public would point out any flaws in administration and the officials would attend to them. Any difficulties on the social level were dealt with by improving the people’s own individual (or collective) behavior. No one would blame problems on Allah or pre-determined taqdeer (destiny)!

A Conspiracy

Later, the rulers grew more and more oppressive which resulted in ever-increasing social ills, problems and tragedies. To avoid any public uprising against them, the rulers collaborated with the clergy - no Pharaoh can claim to be the supreme provider (أنا ربكم الأعلى) without help from Haman (the clergy) - who began propagating the view that the rulers, their oppression and power, all social problems and individual tragedies etc. occur by the pre-determined will of Allah and thus is unavoidable and is to be patiently accepted as fate. Any dissent - even a mere thought of it - is going against the will of Allah is apostasy!

This propaganda through the years established as an article of the faith (anti-Quranic) belief of (pre-destined) calamities as the will of Allah.

Please remember, the Quran announces: “There is no calamity but brought upon you by your own hands” (42/30) - be it individual, like touching a flame, or collective as a dam giving way or the righteous suffering in a wrong society!.

This last point needs a little more elaboration. Sura Maida says: “O the convinced people! Keep a watch over your selves. If you keep to the right path, the wrongdoers will not be able to bring any harm to you” (5/105). This verse reveals great truths.

It says one will be safe from wrongdoers if one is on the right path. But our experience is in contradiction of this. A righteous, honest person is conspired against, wronged, and harmed by the devious. How, then, the Quran can claim what it does? This requires some deliberation.

As stated previously, Man has two levels of life. One is physical, subject to natural physical laws. On this level, there is no distinction between the good and the bad people. A flame burns anyone - believer or non-believer alike, poison kills both. Tilling land according to sound agricultural knowledge brings good harvest to everyone.

Sura Beni Israel Says:

“Our law is that whoever desires the worldly benefits and strives for them according to our deliberately established natural laws, gets them. But, the future for such a person is bled and hellish.

Contrarily, whoever desires benefits of both worlds - present & future - and strives for them accordingly, convinced of permanent values, gets good results in the present as well as the future.

Thus, both categories keep moving forward in life. Your Provider does not deprive either of the two categories of the due result of their efforts. (17/18-26).

That means the physical laws work equally for both Muslims and non-Muslims.

This is repeated in (42/20). This, therefore is Allah’s law on the physical level.

The other level of life - the human - is higher than the physical and is governed by permanent moral values. Living according to these values sustains and nourishes the human personality. Defiance of these values results in stalling the growth of the human personality. This is known as the future or the hereafter. But, importantly, at this level both the physical and the human lives co-exist. In a righteous (Islamic) social situation both levels of life are duly looked after without any mutual clashes. Not so in a wrong (un-Islamic) social set-up. These are clashes between the righteous people (convinced of the permanent values) and the wrongdoers (the unconvinced). In such situations, the righteous do not like to give up permanent values in favor of the worldly benefits. That is why the righteous sometimes suffer on the physical-life level. But their personalities (أنفسكم) remain protected (5/105), and the benefit and damage to the human personality can only be judged when weighed in Allah’s balance of the Law of Returns (5/105).

Importance of Material Benefits

The Quran does not ignore the material side of physical life, but considers it very important. It says of a ‘momin’s’ (the convinced, righteous person) life, “good in the world and good in the hereafter” (2/210). The question to consider is: How to strike a balance between the two levels of life? That is the whole point of the Quranic program. The clash between a righteous and a materialistic person is termed as the clash between the Right and the Wrong. When the righteous lose this battle, it is because they, in a wrongful society, exist as individuals whereas the materialists gang up. The Quran suggests the righteous get together and form an alliance against the wrongdoers. This is not easy, though.

Clash of Right & Wrong

It is a continual fight termed as ‘jehad: Sura Baqara says: “Do you hope to enter Paradiseeffortlessly? You also, just as the righteous of yester- years, have to go through crushing struggle. They used to fight on and on under grueling circumstances, occasionally wondering when their efforts would bear fruit. It was only then (after a long, sustained, crushing battle) that they would be successful with Allah’s help. Remember, you have to do likewise!” (2/214).

As an example, the Quran speaks of the Battle of Ahzaab: “During that awful time, you were surrounded by the enemy forces, you were frightened blind with your hearts pounding wildly and (the not-so-convinced among) you were beginning to doubt the validity of Allah’s promises. Under such awesome circumstances, the convinced displayed their steadfastness in the face of problems! (33/10-11). Such are the situations when the righteous face (physical damage and loss:

“You will face war and killing, shortage of food, loss of life and property, damage to crops and orchards. But eventually, good news will come to the steadfast who constantly keep in view their target of replacing the wrong evil system with the right good one. They say” “We are devoted to this cause. Regardless of problems and difficulties, we will keep striving to achieve that goal by moving towards that target” (2/155-156).

Obviously, one needs, along with steadfastness, material equipment. That is why it says: “Be ready to defend your borders” (8/60). On a battlefield, the righteous suffer from a technical mistake just as any other fighting force. One very illustrative example from Muslim history is the Battle of Ohud where the Muslims were defeated incurring heavy losses and the Prophet, after being injured, had to be rescued.

For such occasions, the Quran comforts the righteous: “Why worry over your problems? Your opponents also face them” (4/104). “These universal laws apply to all mankind” (3/139).

If the righteous come out victorious, they establish a just society in which (5/105) becomes practically operative, and so does 2/210.

Those who die before the establishment of such as a social system suffer in this world and life but their life in the hereafter is enviable. They are called ‘Killed in Allah’s path’ and they are to be considered alive and shall live for ever (2/154).

This success, however, comes with Man’s own effort which bears fruit in a collective (social) form of life of a nation.