Recently my 8 year old has been reading the newspaper and talking amongst her friend about the recent flood catastrophe so one day she asks: “Why has Allah made so many poor people die in the flood? They didn’t do anything wrong.” Honestly, I am at a loss of words to this question but this is a question that is perhaps being pondered over globally whether any creed or cast? God is Omnipotent. Then how come Pakistanis are undergoing a series of misfortune? Mid 2010 has witnessed several tribulations for Pakistanis: The powerful Cyclone Phet that hit in June, then the Air Blue Crash taking innocent lives of 152 passengers, then the recent calamity of the flood that is spreading. These disasters seem endless as we head towards the end of the year.

The question arises: Is God angry with the Pakistanis and hence we as a nation are being punished? But why and what about the innocent ones like Sher Muhammad who says: Amongst other things he had lost were hundred and twenty bags of maize. “That’s all I had. I have lost everything, my cattle and my orchard of apples that was ready for harvest. But I am grateful to Allah that we are alive.” (Dawn: When water became malevolent: Ismail Khan, Thursday, 19 Aug, 2010). Sher Muhammad seems like a grateful servant of Allah yet he is enveloped in this affliction. One may wonder.

We are always so quick to point fingers at the Creator and have the audacity to question Him – why God Why? Why us? What have WE done wrong? Do we sit to reflect to search for answers to this grave questioning? The question to ask ourselves before we ask Allah about His role of protecting the world and showing His omnipotence by saving and not harming people is: have we fulfilled our role as Muslims submitting wholly to Allah in the society? Have we taken the time out to look into the Qur’an to see what is our purpose of creation? Combine Quran in light of the current happening and the answer is blatant.  The answer in retrospective to these questioning in light of the current happenings around us will point right back at us.

Increased Killing in Islamic Republic of Pakistan

No day goes by when an innocent’s blood has not been shed in vain. Find a day when the news does not show any robbery, daka taking place where a whole network of plotters are not part of that heinous plan. August 2010 has witnessed: the murder of MPA Haider Raza who was killed inside a masjid, the killing of the surgeon, Dr. Javed Shakoor (owner of M.O Memon Hospital) who was just heading to his car, the  recent brutal killing of young Sialkot Brothers (August 15). Dawn News reported in December 2009: LAHORE: Pakistan has topped the list of sacrifices rendered by media persons in the line of duty in eight South Asian states.

According to data collected by the police, target killings began in the city soon after the February 2008 elections. Falling into several categories — ethnic, sectarian and terrorist/militant — the killings have spiked this year, with 228 deaths recorded between January and early August. In the first two weeks of August alone, over 140 people were killed in tit-for-tat violence following the killing of an MQM MPA and an ANP politician. (Coming full circle: violence in Karachi By Cyril Almeida 25 Aug, 2010).

This overlap was with the Holy Month of Ramadan. The fact remains whether it be the Holy Month or not, humans have no right morally, religiously, socially or at any level to take another human life unless under the specific circumstances in light of the Qur’an.

Killing in Light of Religion

Quran says:

Because of that We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land – it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. And indeed, there came to them Our Messengers with clear proofs, evidences, and signs, even then after that many of them continued to exceed the limits (e.g. by doing oppression unjustly and exceeding beyond the limits set by Allâh by committing the major sins) in the land!.[] Maidah 32

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

The Hour will come after a long period of turmoil, His companions asked: ‘What will that turmoil be? The Prophet (pbuh) replied: ‘lots of killing”(Muslim)

Currently small factions of sects and cast and political parties that have been created in Pakistan are killing for no particular reason accept they have been commanded to do so by their leaders. They don’t even realize why they are killing.

Now one might say, well I’m not doing any of the above and nor are the poor victims of the flood or the crash. When you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem? We in fact we make this very society. We may not be killing but are we doing other things which is not helping curb Allah’s anger? The Qur’an has given us our roles – do we do it? Do we amr bil maroof and yanhouna anil munkar – enjoin good and forbid evil. Everyone stood and watched the show of the Sialkot Brothers without budging. They could have at least moved away from the spectatorship and that is the least that could have been done.

Disobedience of God is spreading in our community that you may think is not so unforgivable but small evil leads to big evils. A child takes small steps first and then starts running. When we allow exchange of arms, and small alcohol shops to be opened up in our residential and don’t question when Muslims are the shops’ most prized customers, we are accepting this change. When we accept the indecencies in dress code of our ladies in the society and proudly call it fashion. When we copy all other religions that promote singing and dancing and sadly even justify it, when we lie, backbite, go against our parents will, intermix with the opposite gender or break the smallest of promises do we wonder whether we are making Allah angry? These are all what we are not supposed to be doing and yet we allow it, accept it and hence are content with it.

Allah may be angry but He is so Merciful He is still warning us through these calamities.  There is still a chance to not be like those perished nations mentioned in the Quran. He is reminding our nation – I am still above all that you humans claim. This is our Lord-The Oft Forgiving, who has created the heaven and earth for us, He has given us water in the right measurement for our benefit; He has subjugated the sun, moon and stars to serve us. He has preferred us above all of His creations. What do we do in return for Him? And on the whole if He is angry, it is His will. What we need to worry about is asking for a lot of forgiveness and repent for all our past sins whether big or small. Sins are sins. We need to say sorry Allah, we will try to rectify our ways as you have ordained a way for us to follow – the perfect way; Please forgive us and have Mercy on us as a nation collectively so we can be rightly guided.

Few Buzzes on the topic on various websites:

http://www.buzzvines.com/earthquake-hits-pakistan-lightning-kills-god-angry

http://www.topix.com/forum/world/pakistan/TCM2E4G54VMIQ791Ja