PART 5 – PURPOSE AND WISDOM OF THE CREATOR
What can be seen as a tragedy to some, can be seen as an elevation to others. For example, if the victims of natural disasters were to be patient, submit thankfully and turn to God for help, then this traumatic incident can be a cause of their blessing and rewards in the eyes of Allah in the hereafter. If they bear the suffering with complaints, hysteria, lack of faith and anger, this eradicates Allah’s mercy on them, causing a real disaster in dunia and akhirah.
Simultaneously, the rest of humanity is being tested whenever a natural disaster occurs. The ones who escaped will still shoulder the responsibility to help those in need, from wherever they are located. Even from a distance, they are being tested. Did they send aid: food, provisions, clothes or money? Do they deploy people to help rebuild? Did they supplicate for the victims and the survivors? Did they share their abundant resources?
During the leadership of the second Caliph of Islam, Umar ibn Khattab (RA), Arabia fell into severe drought followed by a famine. People began to die because of hunger and epidemic disease. When the situation saw no signs of abating, Umar wrote to the provincial governors of Syria, Palestine, and Iraq for aid. The governors immediately shared their resources and dispatched caravans, consisting thousands of camels and other supplies, and rescued thousands, if not millions of people throughout Arabia from starvation. Imagine the situation in today’s political climate, where entire nations are indifferent to the struggles of others even when their plight is being broadcasted through the media, news and other channels.
In Islam, poverty, calamity and famine are means of Allah testing us in the continuous battle of good against evil. The justice of Allah takes everything into calculation – the victims and those of the rest of the world.
Everything was Created for Us
There are many things that we are ignorant about, including our bodies and the planet we live on. Even collectively, man is severely limited in knowledge. True knowledge only lies with the Creator, and only when we seek Him can we find the answers.
In one report the Creator said: “I created you mankind for the hereafter, and I created the earth and what it contains for you.” In another report He said: “Oh the earth, whoever serves Me, be slave to him. And whoever serves you, make him your slave.”
If we are humble and obedient to the Creator, we will always be content. And if we choose to only satiate our desires, we will be suffer agony and hardship.
“The Most Gracious (Allah)! He has taught (you mankind) the Qur’an (by His Mercy). He created man. He taught him eloquent speech. The sun and the moon run on their fixed courses (exactly) calculated with measured out stages for each (for reckoning).” (Al-Qur’an, verse 55:1- 55:5)
Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High, Who has created (everything), and then proportioned it. And Who has measured (preordainments for everything even to be blessed or wretched); and then guided (i.e. showed mankind the right as well as the wrong paths, and guided the animals to pasture). (Al-Qur’an verse 87:1 – 87:3)
If we read the above, we find His message very clear. He creates and ordains us, and then He guides whomever He wants.
We erroneously believe that we are free to do whatever we want, without direction or guidance. Once a situation occurs, we despair to the point we hurt ourselves and others.
Accidents, illness, loss of beloved ones, money or jobs can remove what we believe we are entitled to. We feel as if our rights have been robbed. We lose bearing and purpose in life. All this because we lack comprehension on our purpose on earth, and why certain things happen unexpectedly and uncontrollably. Eventually, because of our lack of understanding, we rebel against the situation and ultimately against the Creator.
If you truly grasp the multi-dimensional facets of life and what is happening around you, you will find that out your problems are insignificant in the main journey of this life and hereafter. Once we comprehend the meaning of our living and death, body and soul, and the purpose of our life, we will find out that we can accomplish a lot of goodness, and attain happiness, and tranquility, no matter what the circumstances.
The Creator created us and everything to see who among us will realize His existence and presence, His bounty and grace, and His wisdom. Observe our precisely blueprinted planet. Its landscape varies from desert sands to polar glaciers, mountains to oceans. We enjoy different seasons and climates. The more scientific research is done, the more we realize how complex, intertwined but orderly this wondrous creation is. And we are a mere speck in the universe!
The real purpose of these creations is to manifest the power and existence of our Creator, including the realization that everything is a trial to see if we are thankful or ungrateful. We have to understand the dynamism of life. The seen and absence, light and darkness, happiness and sadness are all part of our journey over which we have no control.
If we understand this, coupled with our constant struggle to achieve good over evil, we will comprehend that the real issue is to stay on the straight and guided path at every juncture, despite every calamity, tragedy and corruption. What makes us survive in this world and the next is hold on to our connection with Allah through the times of ease and adversity, calm or storm. Calling Allah at every opportunity is the only way that we can one feel peace in the chaos of this world and rise above all the perceived injustices we witness.
“Oh Creator, guide me to what You want from me.
Show me how I can gain Your pleasure and happiness in this life and hereafter.
Let me be good: supporting and spreading goodness.
Allow me to pass the trial of this life with happiness and tranquility for me and others.
Give me the Light and Vision to be able to see the real picture, the real life.”
May the Almighty Creator guide us all to happiness and success in this life and hereafter. Ameen.
