Good and evil, the will of Almighty Allah

Good and evil, and the will of Allah

 

In reality, Almighty Allah is the One who grants all good.  He is the One who endows comfort and solace.  He is the One who grants success to one and all.  He grants comfort and He showers mercy.  Along with all this, the Lord Almighty also tests His slaves.  Sometimes He tests them with His bounties and sometimes He tests them through trials and difficulties to see which slave of His turns to Him in times of plenty and quietude and who distances oneself from Him. 

 

Almighty Allah makes it clear whether the slave turns to Him with thankfulness or turns away from His door, whether the slave is patient on the trials and tribulations or despairs and swerves from His path, whether the slave stays on the illumined paths of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah or loses himself/herself in the darkness of disobedience and noncompliance.  Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran:

 

And when We bestow upon man (some) blessing, he turns away (from gratitude) and escapes, but when some distress comes upon him, he despairs (i.e., he is neither grateful nor patient).  Say: ?Everyone acts according to his own (respective) style and nature, and your Lord knows full well who is best guided to the straight path.  Surah Bani Israil (17:83, 84)

 

It is the belief of every Muslim that good and evil are both from Allah and that bounties are granted from His door.  Trials and tribulations are also by His design.  Spring and bloom are also from Him and storms and droughts are also from Him, protection of life and wealth is also from Him and danger to them is also from Him.  Thus, He tests His slaves in every manner.  When we believe in Almighty Allah and the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), we will surely be tested, as Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran:

 

Alif, Lam, Mim. (Only Allah and the Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him] know the real meaning.)  Do people think that they will be released (just) on saying: ?We have believed,? and they will not be tried?  Surah Ankabut (29:1, 2)

 

Our blind beliefs impel us to think that the month of Safar has come, God knows how these days will be spent, in what difficulties will we be embroiled, what disease will we be afflicted with?

 

It should be remembered that months and days don’t bring difficulties; hardships don’t come because of a particular month.  If we reflect on this, we will understand that these difficulties are a direct result of our bad deeds.  In the month of Safar, we should think over carefully whether our blind beliefs haven’t led us to this end.

 

If we surrender all our affairs to Almighty Allah and His glorious Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) then neither will we fall prey to these suspicions nor will such thoughts worry us.

 

The blind beliefs of the nation of Thamud

 

The Holy Quran mentions the blind beliefs of the nation of Thamud that out of fear of hunger and thirst they rejected the bounty of Almighty Allah. That dromedary that had been sent to them as a sign of Allah’s power, they slaughtered that dromedary, kept on disobeying Almighty Allah and because of this, they were punished.  They were not prepared to let Hadhrat Saleh (May peace be upon him) and his followers to even stay with them.  They told him that we consider you and your followers as inauspicious that this difficulty has come on us because of you.  It is given in the Holy Quran:

 

They said: ?You have caused us misfortune, and so have your companions.? (Salih) said: ?(The cause of) your misfortune is (written) with Allah; you people have rather been put to trial.?  Surah Naml (27:47)

 

This verse of the Holy Quran shows us that difficulties are a result on one’s own deeds.  Holding others responsible for them is not the practice of Muslims.  It is in fact the practice of those who deny Allah, as mentioned in this verse of the Holy Quran:

 

And whatever misfortune befalls you (comes upon you) as a result of that (evil work) which your own hands have done whilst He forgives most of your (misdoings).  Surah Shoora (42:30)