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Divine law of punishment!

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By: Aabid Shahin

Regardless of the armed richness, social standing and financial prosperity, today we are powerless and penniless beggars. Outbreak of this novel virus reminds us our inherent infirmities, posing great danger to both rich and poor alike.

Will life return to normal soon or not? There cannot be a simple answer to this. However, in coming times our attitudes should change definitely.

Religious scholars and ideologues can be seen calling the pandemic a wrath from Almighty Allah as man has lost his way and is walking blindly on the road of evil, and destruction. That Almighty mentions “Such were the towns We destroyed when they committed inequities; but we fixed an appointed time for their destruction” is making rounds on social networking sites ever since fear and terror broke out as a result of this novel pandemic.

People took the advice of religious scholars and healthcare professionals on a serious note, resulting in the synchronized shutdown across world. However, the applications of law of punishment of God is a separate topic and quite diverse in its meanings and it cannot be discussed in a single article. But I would try to provide a brief summary on the issue.

Some people may misunderstand that Almighty inflicts injustice at nations, but the reality is not so. Rather a nation herself destroys it by its misguided thinking and actions. Molana Maududi, one of the greatest scholars of our time, in his book “Insights into Islamic Thought” discusses explicitly the psychology of law of punishment of God. Molana notes it in three sections:

  1. When the prosperity of a nation goes high, it inclines towards wrong and misguided activities and its dynamism as such turns from virtues towards vices.
  2. God does not snatch the reward which he gives to a nation; the unjust nation herself destroys it.
  3. Almighty does not punish a nation on her tyranny on herself in a hurry, but gives time and goes on warning her so that they may listen to the advisement and correct themselves. (Page-151-153)

When seen thoroughly, we come to know that whole world has come in the grip of this law of punishment. It becomes child easy to relate above texts with ongoing world happenings. Many healthcare professionals have declared the situation beyond human intellect, therefore forcing masses to think things of actual repute.

Let’s forget the virus for a moment and observe the world outside us. Things would compel us to hang our heads in shame and absolute disgrace.  Everyday we come across the shameful happenings but we stay silent, watch like we have nothing to do with it. We are so applied to the cruel environment of survival of the fittest that we have developed the quality of ignoring scenes. This is the disease that all people of world are infected with.

Terrorism, drug addiction, kidnappings, murders, obscenity, pornography, human rights violations, bigotry and what not has made way in our societies. Our goodness is buried deep somewhere in the narrow tunnels of individualistic confines and we never try looking beyond.

Now many may question that all people are not same in their deeds. When do then all of us become victims of divine punishment? The respected Prophet (SAW)  speaks explicitly on this topic: “Allah does not punish the common people for the sins of special persons so long as a situation reaches that they look sins committed before them and do not stop it even after having power to do that. When they do it, Allah punishes all special and common people.” (Narrated by Ahmad)

Now see how the man has turned savage in acts of evil and deception. Even in these confusing times, we can see nations like United States of America and North Korea testing arms. United States recently tested its hypersonic missile before coronavirus took it to ventilator. Same is the case with North Korea. While the rest of world is battling for life before impatient death, North Korea tested series of ghostly missiles amid coronavirus lockdown for two consecutive days. We all say that world is going to be worst hit by this pandemic, but we seem least serious on our part. Our actions convey we are doomed to ruin and we deserve no right to live more.

Everywhere in the world minorities are housed in destruction and havoc. Murky deals and wild use of ominous arms have crippled the very basics of humanity. Triggered in middle of 20th century, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to haunt the riches of humanity and mercy. From West Bank to Gaza Strip to Lebanon, devastated buildings and terrified masses depict pictures of ongoing baleful famine in the regions. Till date all the major voices have been silent watching who kills whom. That human rights violations are overlooked everywhere is the crystal clear fact in current times is my actual concern.

Currently it is the coronavirus which is killing its victims ruthlessly. But at some point, sooner or later, cure will be developed for COVID-19, which will put this virus and its threats to rest, forever. But there is no cure for “OCCUPATION VIRUS” that has been maiming the petals of humanity for centuries. None is interested in bringing out a vaccine for this “lethal virus” that has costs millions of innocent lives across the world.

After coronavirus bides us goodbye, we should rethink our faulty existence and foul habits we repeat everyday.  Rest assured that if we continue to stab ourselves in back, then as per divine we are animals, rather we are worse than them. Even as it is absurdity at its highest, but there is little hope that the world powers may prioritize healthcare over insane arms race.

If injustices continue in Palestine, Syria and other war-torn regions of the world, bio-ghosts far more horrific than the novel coronavirus, may have to revisit us. Almighty Allah openly concludes: “If He wishes, He can remove you and put in your place a new creation. That surely is not difficult for Allah.”

(Aabid Shahin is the author of forthcoming book “Undead Fantasy” and studies mass communications and multimedia productions at the University of Kashmir. He can be mailed at [email protected])

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