Talib Shahin
Regardless of armed richness, social standing, and financial prosperity, today we are powerless and penniless beggars. An outbreak of this novel virus reminds us our ghost realities, doubtlessly, we were created infirm. Coronavirus emerged suddenly posing alike danger to both rich and poor and shook the very existence of tectonic powers. However, will life return to normal soon or not, there cannot be a simple answer to such a hypothesis. However, in upcoming times our attitudes should change definitely.
As religious scholars and ideologues can be seen as calling the pandemic wrath from Almighty Allah as man has lost his way and is walking blindly on the roads of evil and destruction. That Almighty mentions “Such were the towns we destroyed when they committed inequities; but we fixed an appointed time for their destruction” is making rounds on social networking sites ever since fear and terror broke out as a result of this novel pandemic. People took the advises of religious scholars and healthcare professionals on a serious note resulting in the synchronized shutdown across world. However the applications of law of punishment of God is a separate topic and quite diverse in its meanings and it cannot be discussed in a single piece of article, rather it requires tons of paper and sea of ink, I would try to provide a precise and brief summary on the issue.
Nevertheless, some people may misunderstand that Almighty inflicts injustice at nations but the reality is not so, rather a nation herself destroys it by its misguided inequities. Molana Maududi, one of the greatest scholars of our time in his book “Insights Into Islamic Thought” discusses explicitly the psychology of law of punishment of God. Molana notes it in three sections;
When the prosperity of a nation goes high, it inclines towards wrong and misguided activities and its dynamism as such turns from virtues towards vices.
God does not snatch the reward which he gives to a nation; the unjust nation herself destroys it.
Almighty does not punish a nation on her tyranny on herself in a hurry, but gives time and goes on warning her so that they may listen to the advisement and correct themselves. (Page-151-153)
When seen thoroughly we come to know that whole world has come in the grip of this law of punishment. It becomes child easy to relate above texts with ongoing world happenings. Many healthcare professionals have declared the situation beyond human intellect therefore, forcing masses to think things of actual repute. Let’s forget the virus for a moment and observe the world outside us. Things would compel you to hang your heads in shame and absolute disgrace. Every day we come across the shameful happenings but we stay silent, watch like we have nothing to do with. We are such applied to the cruel environment of survival of fittest that we have developed best the quality of ignoring scenes. This is the disease that all people of world are infected with. Terrorism, drug addictions, kidnapping, murders, obscenity, pornography, human rights violations, bigotry and what not else has made way in our societies. Our goodness is buried deep somewhere in the narrow tunnels of individualistic confines and we never try looking beyond. Now many may question that all people are not same in their deeds, some are deeply religious while some are milk innocents, when do then all of us become victims of divine punishment. The respected prophet (S.A.W) speaks explicitly on this topic as follows:
“Allah does not punish the common people for the sins of special persons so long as a situation reaches that they look sins committed before them and do not stop even having power to do that. When they do it, Allah punishes all special and common people.” (Narrated by Ahmad)
Now see how the man has turned a savage beast in acts of evil and deceptions. Even in these confusing times we can see nations like United States and North Korea testing arms. United States recently tested its hypersonic missile before Corona virus took it to ventilator. Same is case with North Korea. While the rest of world is battling for life before impatient death, North Korea tested series of ghosty missiles amid corona virus lockdown for two consecutive days. We all say that world is going to be a worst hit by this pandemic, but we seem least serious on our part. Our actions convey we are doomed to ruin and we deserve no right to live more.
Everywhere in the world, minorities are housed in destruction and havoc. Murky deals and wild use of ominous arms have crippled the very basics of humanity. Triggered in mid of 20th century, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to haunt the riches of humanity and mercy. From West Bank to Gaza Strip to Lebanon, devastated buildings and terrified masses depict pictures of ongoing baleful famine in the regions. Till date all the major voices have been silent watching who kills whom. That human rights violations are overlooked everywhere is the crystal clear fact in current times is my actual concern. Coronavirus kills ruthlessly its victims but at some point, sooner or later, cure will be developed for COVID-19 finishing this crippling war against humanity. But there is no cure for “OCCUPATION VIRUS” that has been maiming the petals of humanity for the past few centuries. None is interested in bringing out a vaccine for this lethal ever virus that did cost some million innocent lives in Middle East and other conflict prone regions of world.
After Corona virus bides us a goodbye, we should rethink our faulty existence and foul habits we repeat every day. Rest if we continue to stab ourselves in back then as per divine we are animals, rather we are worse than them. Even it seems absurdity at highest degrees still there is a tender hope of peace restorations across the world in forthcoming age. Hollow looks the claim that world powers will prioritize healthcare over insane race of arms.
Still we await retrieval parcels, see what happens tomorrow. However, if the power corridors continue to commit the deadly injustice in Palestine, Syria and other crippled regions of world then bio ghosts more horrific than Corona are expected to revisit. Almighty Allah openly concludes; ‘If He wishes, He can remove you and put in your place a new creation. That surely is not difficult for Allah.’
Aabid Shahin is the author of forthcoming book “Undead Fantasy” and studies Mass Communication and Multimedia Productions at the University of Kashmir. He can be mailed at talibshahin927@gmail.com