(5) As a matter of fact...

(5) As a matter of fact, we should try to find out the cause and reason for our misfortunes and afflictions within ourselves and in the latter part of the preceding verse as we read, “Since wealth does not necessarily guarantee everlasting happiness then why do you not honour the orphans, or urge one another to feed the destitute?” Thus, your carelessness resulted in the wrath of Allah. This verse too tells us about our deeds being the cause of our misfortune and deprivation of Allah’s Mercy.

The Holy Qur’an says: Eat of the lawful and good things which Allah has provided for you and give thanks for His favours if it is He Whom you worship (6) In this verse, Allah tells of a place where Allah’s blessings and bounties were in abundance but its inhabitants became ungrateful to Allah and thus became guilty of infidelity. And Allah plunged them into hunger, poverty and terrible fear. This verse also establishes that ungratefulness to Allah becomes the cause of afflictions.

We have already mentioned before that the misdeed of the people is the cause of their troubles and afflictions and consequently Allah’s wrath befalls them. Here the following two questions arise. (i) We see that those who indulge in all sorts of misdeeds, cruelties and oppression are leading a very prosperous life! Why is it so?

(ii) We say that it is due to our misdeeds that misfortune and afflictions befall us but those people whose misdeeds are even worse than ours are not subjected to any afflictions! Why is it so? In the eyes of Allah, all the people are not accounted for in the same way, because: (i) Allah punishes some people or a nation at once. (ii) Allah gives time to some people or a nation.

(iii) Allah does not punish a certain group of people or a nation at all and despite their misdeeds, they lead a comfortable life until Doomsday as according to the Divine Outlook on the Universe and life this world is not separated from the Hereafter. It is possible that a teacher may be having different standards for reprimanding his pupils.

He may punish some at once as a result of his anger, but he may leave some alone for a certain period of time, and against some who are the worst he may take no action at all, and leave them to themselves until the end of the session for the purpose of awarding the marks.