ভূমিকা

“And We did not send a prophet in any town but We vertook its people with distress and affliction hat they might humble themselves.” The Qur’ānic term /ba’sā’/ means some calamities which reach the soul, like death; while the term /darrā’/ means: financial damages. ^1 As an Allah’s way of treatment, there are some bitter events and calamities for all nations. It is noteworthy that difficulties and hardships are usually some functional factors in removing neglectfulness and in training man.

Also, calamities are not always the Wrath of Allah. They are sometimes the grace of Allah in the form of misfortunes. (Like some iron which, as a result of being heated in the furnace, becomes soft and changeable into different shapes. Afflictions cause man to be mild, too.) Difficulties also make Man humiliate and supplicate.

The verse says: “And We did not send a prophet in any town but We overtook its people with distress and affliction that they might humble themselves.” [^2] Imam Sadiq (as) in a tradition said: “Allah, Almighty and Glorious, said: ‘When the one who has known Me disobeys Me, I will set up, as an absolute master over him, the one who has not known Me’.” [^3] Hadrat abul-Hassan-il-Hādi, the tenth Imam (as) has said: “Verily Allah has a caller who calls every day and night ‘O’ servants of Allah! Stop!

“Then We altered the ill (circumstances) to good, until they multiplied, and said: ‘Distress and happiness did indeed touch our fathers’. So We seized them suddenly while they did not perceive.” The Arabic term /‘afau/, mentioned in this verse, means ‘the abundance of wealth and children’. The grace of Allah reached to be full unto them, but they did not become aware nor did they take an example.