Addressing the CoVid19 Pandemic: Calamities in the Life Journey of a Believer

Addressing the CoVid19 Pandemic:  Calamities in the Life Journey of a Believer

The Definition of Musibah (Calamity or Misfortune)

1. Literally, musibah means "misfortune” or in the Arabic dialect is spoken by masobah ‘being inflicted’ and masubah ‘inflicted upon’, meaning "hateful events that afflict mankind." In life, calamities include disasters and all kinds of adversities or events that lead to losses, demises, difficulties and problems, which can result in disappointment, sadness, anxiety, fear and even despair.

2. Misfortune derives from the word ashaaba, yushiibu, musiibatan, meaning that everything that inflicts comes down to something bad or good. However, it is generally understood that musibah is always identical to hardship. While in fact, pleasure is also considered musibah. By the way of musibah, Allah swt wants to test those who are the best in deeds, those who are patient and persevere and hold upright conviction and trust in Allah.

Something that befalls human life, including the misfortune that ensues, is determined by Allah. Therefore misfortune must be met with patience and acceptance.

مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَا إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ

No misfortune ever befalls on earth, nor on yourselves but We have inscribed it in the Book before We make it manifest. Surely that is easy for Allah. ( Al Qur’an: Al-Hadid [57]: 22)

Sayyidina Ali said, "If you are patient, fate will prevail, and you shall be rewarded. If you grieve, destiny shall still be your fate, and you will be sinful."

Addressing Calamity or Misfortune:

1. Although misfortune is something that is not favoured by humans, our thoughts ought to accept it positively and to have a positive disposition towards Allah. In Islam, misfortune does not merely bring about discord and loss. Disasters can also manifest the goodness and noble triumph of humans. As the following hadith states:

"If God wants good things for His servants, then He will hasten His punishment for his servants’ sins on this world. And if Allah wills evil to His servant, then Allah withholds His punishment until the Day of Judgment. " (Hadith narrated by Tirmidzi)

Therefore, never ever hold the notion of prejudice towards Allah when encountering any misfortune. The Prophet ﷺ said,

"Let not one of you die, except that he be gracious with positive disposition towards  Allah." (Hadith narrated by Muslim)

3. Never despise or denounce misfortune and refrain from complaining, let alone blame Allah Almighty and never ever regard it as His injustice. Be blessed and pleased with the destiny of Allah swt and patiently enduring the misfortune of makes a person dearer and more loved by Allah swt. Being pleased is described by the sage Imam Shafie as "you are pleased  to be tested by misfortune just as you are pleased to receive grace and bounties." Patience and perseverance in dealing with calamity is the best attitude of the believers, as the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said;

"The believers are amazing, everything works out well for them, and no one else is like the believer. When rewarded with pleasure he is grateful, and when disaster strikes, he is patient. This is what makes him to be always in goodness.”(Hadith narrated by Muslim)

4. Arising from the calamities faced with patience and husnuzzan - positive disposition by the believer, is Allah’s everlasting Love and Forgiveness which are precious and  greatly coveted by the servants of Allah swt who believe.

"No affliction that a Muslim suffers from fatigue, years of pain, anxiety, sadness, suffering, distress, or just a thorn prick, except that Allah removes his sins." (Hadith narrated by Bukhari).

"Do not scorn fever and illness, for it will remove  the sins of the children of Adam, just as the iron smith can remove iron rust." (Hadith narrated by Muslim).

"There is no Muslim who is afflicted with a disease or such, except that God will let his sins fall like a tree dropping its leaves." (Hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim).

''By My Greatness and Glory I do not bring forth my servant out of this world whom I desire for his good, so that I might atone for his sinful deeds through his sickness of his body, his loss of wealth, his loss of his children. When there is still a sin left which makes him feel heavy at the time of death, till he meets Me like a newborn baby.'' (Hadith Qudsi)

5. In addition, we should always pray, supplicate and self reflect, self appraise. Self reflect in order to to look for mistakes or sins that we have committed in the past, whether intentional or unintentional, and then seek forgiveness and make repentance and carry out corrections for the mistakes and wrongdoings that we have done.

6. Allah swt also explicitly commands us to always say the phrase 'istirja’ (seeking to return to Allah) which is "inna-lillahi-wa inna-ilai-hi raa-ji`uun" – ‘Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Allah we shall return.’

Umm Salamah, one of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, said that she had heard the Prophet ﷺ say,

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُول:  مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ تُصِيبُهُ مُصِيبَةٌ فَيَقُولُ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ، اللَّهُمَّ أْجُرْنِى فِى مُصِيبَتِى وَأَخْلِفْ لِى خَيْرًا مِنْهَا إِلاَّ أَجَرَهُ اللَّهُ فِى مُصِيبَتِهِ وَأَخْلَفَ لَهُ خَيْرًا مِنْهَا . قَالَتْ فَلَمَّا تُوُفِّىَ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ قُلْتُ كَمَا أَمَرَنِى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْلَفَ اللَّهُ لِى خَيْرًا مِنْهُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم.

"Any servant (of Allah) who is struck by a tragedy who then says:" Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rooji'un. Allahumma’jurnii fii mushibatii wa akhlif lii khoiron minhaa - Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Allah we shall return. O Allah, reward me for the misfortune that befell me and reward me for the better", Allah shall reward him for his misfortune and replace it with much better than that." When, Abu Salamah (my husband) died, I also recited that prayer just as the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had commanded. Allah also gave me a better husband than my former husband, it was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

USRAH NOTES

Presented by Ab Halim Ismail,

Vice President

Movement for an Informed Society Malaysia WADAH

Wadah Pencerdasan Umat Malaysia WADAH