Difficult Times, Crisis, Trials & Tribulations

3:120 - 124

3:140 If misfortune touches you, (know that) similar misfortune has touched (other) people as well; for it is by turns that We apportion unto men such days ( of fortune and misfortune); and (this) to the end that God might mark out those who have attained to faith, and choose from among you such as bear witness to the truth ………..

3: 142 Do you think that you could enter paradise unless God takes cognizance of your having striven hard (in His cause), and takes cognizance of your having been patient in adversity?

3:154 ….Say: " Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death". But that Allah might test what is in your breasts and purge what is in your hearts. Ali

And (all this befell you) so that God might put to a test all that you harbor in your bossoms, and render your innermost hearts pure of all dross: for God is aware of what is in the hearts. Asad

3: 166 and all that befell you on the day when the two hosts met in battle happened by God's leave, so that He might mark out the (true) believers, and mark out those who were tainted with hypocrisy and ,…………"

(Thinking preceedes God's action)

3:171 They rejoice in the glad tiding of God's blessings and bounty, and that God will not fail to requite the believers who responded to the call of God and the Apostle after misfortune had befallen

3:173 those who have been warned by other people, "Behold, a host has gathered against you; so beware of them" - whereupon this only increased their faith, so that they answered, "God is enough for us; and how excellent a guardian is He!"

(re: Uhud)

3: 174 (re: Uhud) and returned (from the battle) …without having been touched by evil: for they have been striving after God's goodly acceptance-and God is limitless in His great bounty.

3: 186 [al-Imran, Medina 89]

Asad ……….But if you remain patient in adversity and conscious of Him – this, behold, is something to set one’s heart upon.

Pickthall Assuredly ye will be tried in your property and in your persons, and ye will hear much wrong from those who were given the Scripture before you, and from the idolaters. But if ye persevere and ward off (evil), then that is of the steadfast heart of things.

Transliteration Latublaunna fi amwa_likum wa anfusikum, wa latasma'unna minal lazina u_tul kita_ba min qablikum wa minal lazina asyraku_ azan kasira_(n), wa in tasbiru_ wa tattaqu_ fa inna za_lika min'azmil umu_r(i).

[[ Ali’s note 493 Not wealth and possessions only (or want of them), are the means of our trial. All our personal talents, knowledge, opportunities, and their opposites,-in fact everything that happens to us and makes up our personality is a means of our testing. So is our Faith: we shall have to put up for it many insults from those who do not share it. (3.186)

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6: 40 Say: “ Can you yourselves invoking any but God when God’s chastisement befalls you or the Last Hour comes upon you?” [Tell me this] if you are truthful.

6; 41 Nay, but it is Him alone that you will invoke – whereupon He may, if He so wills, remove that which caused you to call unto Him; and you will have forgotten all that to which you ascribe divinity side by side with Him.”

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11: 9

Asad And thus it is: if We let man taste some of Our grace, " and then take it away from him behold, he abandons all hope, 17 forgetting all gratitude [for Our past favours].

Pickthall And if We cause man to taste some mercy from Us and afterward withdraw it from him, lo! he is despairing, thankless.

Transliteration Wa la'in azaqnal insa_na minna_ rahmatan summa naza'na_ka minh(u), innahu_ laya'u_sun kafu_r(un).

11: 10

Asad And thus it is: if We let him taste ease and plenty 18 after hardship has visited him, he is sure to say, "Gone is all affliction from me!"- for, behold, he is given to vain exultation, and glories only in himself 19

Pickthall And if We cause him to taste grace after some misfortune that had befallen him, he saith: The ills have gone from me. Lo! he is exultant, boastful;

Transliteration Wa la'in azaqna_hu na'ma_'a ba'da darra_'a massathu layaqu_lanna zahabas sayyia 'a_tu 'anni, innahu_ lafarihun fakhu_r(un),

[[ Asad’s notes – 16-19 - 16 The sequence makes it clear that the generic term "man" referred to in this and the next verse applies, primarily, to the agnostics who are either unconvinced of the existence of God or are "bent upon denying the truth"; in its wider implication, however, it applies also to those who, while believing in God, are weak in faith and therefore easily swayed by external circumstances, and particularly by whatever happens to themselves.

17 Lit., "he is [or "becomes"] utterly hopeless" or "despairing" (ya'us); inasmuch as he attributes his past happy state to a merely accidental chain of causes and effects - in short, to what is commonly regarded as "luck" - and not to God's grace. Hence, the term ya'us, in its Qur'anic usage, is indicative of spiritual nihilism.

18 This combination of two words is necessary to bring out the full meaning of the noun na'ma' which occurs in this form in the Qur'anonly once. For my rendering of la'in as "thus it is: if...", etc., see note 1 1 above.

19 Lit., "he is exultant beyond all measure, excessively self-glorifying" - i.e., he usually attributes the turn of fortune to his own good qualities and his supposed "good luck". ]]

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14: 10

Asad …….”Can there be any doubt about God,……..”……….It is He who calls unto you, so that He may forgive you of your sins and grant you respite until a term.

Pickthall Their messengers said: Can there be doubt concerning Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? He calleth you that He may forgive you your sins and reprieve you unto an appointed term. They said: Ye are but mortals like us, who would fain turn us away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring some clear warrant.

Transliteration Qa_lat rusuluhum afailla_hi syakkun fa_tiris sama_wa_ti wal ard(i), yad'u_kum liyagfira lakum min zunu_bikum wa yu'akhkhirakum ila_ ajalim musamma_(n), qa_lu_ in antum illa_ basyarum misluna_, turidu_na an tasuddu_na_ 'amma_ ka_na yanbudu a_ba_'una_ fa'tu_na_ bi sulta_nim mubin(in).

[Asad note 13: …””until the end of your life in this world”. This is, I believe, and indirect allusion to the calamities which are bound to befall, even in this world, “those who are bent on denying the truth” [see the last para of 13:31 and the

note 57 ] –implying that they who consciously respond to the call of God, conveyed through His prophets, would be immune to this kind of suffering and would be graced with abiding spiritual happiness (cf. 13:29). ]

30 Ar-Rum (The Byzantines)

Mecca Period [6-7 years before Hijra]

30:51 [ Asad ] But thus it is: if 45 We send a wind [that scorches their land], and they see it turn yellow, they begin, after that [erstwhile joy], to deny the truth [of Our almightiness and grace]! 46

(30:52) And, verily, thou canst not make the dead hear: and [so, too,] thou canst not make the deaf [of heart] hear this call when they turn their backs [on thee] and go away,

(30:53) just as thou canst not lead the blind [of heart] out of their error: none canst thou make hear [thy call] save such as [are willing to] believe in Our messages, and thus surrender themselves unto Us. 47

[[ Asad’s notes - 45 The particle la'in(lit., "indeed, if...") is often used in the Qur'an to express the recurrent, typical character of the attitude or situation referred to in the sequence; in all such cases it may be suitably rendered as "thus it is: if ...", etc.

46 For a full explanation of this verse, see 11:9 and the corresponding notes 16-19. ]]

وَلَئِنْ أَرْسَلْنَا رِيحًا فَرَأَوْهُ مُصْفَرًّا لَّظَلُّوا مِن بَعْدِهِ يَكْفُرُونَ ﴿٥١﴾

30:51 [Ali] . And if We (but) send a Wind from which they see (their tilth) turn yellow, behold, they become, thereafter, ungrateful (Unbelievers)!

C3569. Another Parable from the forces of nature.

We saw how the Winds gladdened, vivified, and enriched those who utilized them in the right spirit. But a wind might be destructive to tilth in certain circumstances: so the blessings of Allah may-by the wrongdoers resisting and blaspheming-bring punishment to the wrongdoers. Instead of taking the punishment in the right spirit-in the spirit in which Believers of Allah take their misfortunes,-the Unbelievers curse and deepen their sin!

فَإِنَّكَ لَا تُسْمِعُ الْمَوْتَى وَلَا تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ الدُّعَاء إِذَا وَلَّوْا مُدْبِرِينَ ﴿٥٢﴾

52. So verily thou canst not make the dead to hear, nor canst thou make the deaf to hear the call, when they show their backs and turn away.

C3570. The marvels of Allah's creation can be realized in a general way by every one who has a disposition to allow such knowledge to penetrate his mind.

But if men, out of perversity, kill the very faculties which Allah has given them, how can they then understand?

Besides the men who deaden their spiritual sense, there are men who may be likened to the deaf, who lack one faculty but to whom an appeal can be made through other faculties. such as the sense of sight; but if they turn their backs and refuse to be instructed at all. how can the Truth reach them?

وَمَا أَنتَ بِهَادِي الْعُمْيِ عَن ضَلَالَتِهِمْ...

53. Nor canst thou lead back the blind from their straying:

C3571. See last note.

Then there is the case of men about whom the saying holds true, that none are so blind as those who will not see. They prefer to stray in paths of wrong and of sense-pleasures. How can they be guided in any way?

The only persons who gain by spiritual teaching are those who bring a mind to it-who believe and submit their wills to Allah's Will.

This is the central doctrine of Islam.

...إِن تُسْمِعُ إِلَّا مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِآيَاتِنَا فَهُم مُّسْلِمُونَ ﴿٥٣﴾

only those wilt thou make to hear, who believe in Our Signs and submit (their wills in Islam).