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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur'an vol. 5 Section 5 How the former disbelievers were seized with distress and affliction – Warning against the approach of the punishment Surah Al-‘An’am, Verse 42 وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلنَا إِلَى أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَاهُمْ بِالْبَأْسَاء وَالضَّرَّاء لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ 42.

"Indeed We sent (messengers) to nations before you, then We seized them with distress and affliction in order that they might humble themselves." The Qur'anic word /ba'sa'/ has been applied in the senses of difficulties, fight, poverty, famine, flood, earthquake, and infectious diseases; and the Arabic term /qarra' / has been used in the Arabic language with the meanings of: 'sorrow, grief, disgrace, ignorance, and failure'.

The appointment of Divine prophets, of course, and completing the argument has been a process and a Divine way of treatment in the length of history. So, the history of the past is an example for the coming generations. Meantime, difficulties are some means for regarding Allah and managing transgressors. Therefore, neither any welfare is a grace nor any difficulty is a wrath. At the time of calamities, the hands are raised up for supplication and asking help.

The verse says: "Indeed We sent (messengers) to nations before you, then We seized them with distress and affliction in order that they might humble themselves." It is cited in Nur-uth-Thaqalayn, vol. 1, p.

717 that Imam Ali-ibn-Abi-Talib (as) said: "If people invocate truthfully to Allah when calamities fall down upon them, they will be removed from all their difficulties....." Surah Al-‘An’am, Verse 43 فَلَوْلا إِذْ جَاءهُمْ بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُواْ وَلَـكِن قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ 43. " Why then did they not entreat when Our distress came to them ? But their hearts were hard, and Satan made all that they used to do seem fair unto them.

" To be heedless unto divine warnings and not to be regardful is a sign of hard-heartedness. It is for this reason that the verse implies why they did not take counsel from these painful and awakening factors, and they did not awaken from the sleep of negligence, and did not return toward Allah*.* The Qur'an says: "Why then did they not entreat when Our distress came to them?..." In fact, the reason of their unawareness was two things.

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