exalted,in Soorat al-Ra'd (interpretation of the meaning): "Verily,
Allaah will not change the (good)condition of a people as long as they
do not change their state (of goodness) themselves (by committing sins
and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allaah)" [al-Ra'd 13:11]?.
Praise be to Allaah.
This is an important verse which indicates that Allaah, may He be
blessed and exalted, in His perfect justice and wisdom does not change
the condition of the people from good to bad or from bad to good, from
ease to hardship or from hardship to ease, unless they change their
condition themselves. So if they are in a state of righteousness and
goodness and they change, Allaah will changethings for them with
punishment, calamities, hardship, drought, famine,disunity and other
kinds ofpunishments as appropriate requital. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): "And your Lord is not at all unjust
to (His) slaves" [Fussilat 41:46].
Or He may give them respite and give them time so that they might
truen to the right path, but if they do not then they will be seized
unexpectedly, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): "So, when
they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened
for them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of
their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We
took them (in punishment), and lo! They were plunged into destruction
with deep regrets and sorrows" [al-An'aam 6:44]., meaningdespairing of
all goodness -- we seek refuge in Allaahfrom the punishment and wrath
of Allaah. Or they may be given respite until the Day of Resurrection,
when their punishment will be more severe, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Consider not that Allaah is unaware of that which the Zâlimûn
(polytheists, wrongdoers) do, but He gives them respite up to a Day
when the eyes will stare in horror"[Ibraaheem14:42], meaning that they
are given respite until after death, and that will be a greater and
more severe punishment.
Or they may be in a state of evil and sin, then they repent to Allaah
and turn back to Him, and they regret their sins and adhere to
obedience, so Allaah changes their state of wretchedness, hardship and
poverty to ease, unity and righteousness becauseof their good deeds
and their repentance to Allaah,may He be glorified and exalted. It
says in another verse (interpretation of the meaning): "That is so
because Allaah will never change a grace which He has bestowed on a
people until they change what is in their ownselves" [al-Anfaal 8:53].
This verse tells us that if they are in astate of ease, comfort and
goodness, then they change and turn to sin, their situation will be
changed -- there is no power and no strength except with Allaah -- or
they may be given respite,as stated above. The opposite is also true:
if they were in a state of eviland sin, or disbelief and misguidance,
then they repent, regret their sin andadhere to obedience to Allaah,
Allaah will change their situation from bad togood; He will change
their disunity into unity and harmony; He will change their hardship
to ease, well being and plenty; He will change their situation from
draught, famine, , lack of water and so on to rainfall, fertile land
and other kinds of goodness. End quote.
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