World is in turmoil but Allah will never forsake us

Created: Oct 14, 2023 07:58 AM

Although the doom may seem to be never-ending, the faithful should not lose hope

“In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. By the time! Surely man is in loss, Except those who believe and do good, and exhort one another to Truth, and exhort one another to patience.” — Koran:103:1-3

With the passage of time, and in a very short time the world has changed drastically. Not too long ago what was considered unacceptable is now perfectly acceptable.

I remember as a child, my beloved grandmother Henrietta Stubbs telling me that there will be a time coming soon, when wrong will be made to look right and right will be made to look wrong. I didn’t understand it then, but granny was certainly right, because this prediction is unfolding daily right in front of my eyes.

No matter how absurd things appear we must remain faithful and patient. Allah has promised us His help and we know without a shadow of a doubt that Allah’s promise is true.

The above Surah Al-Asr describes that only those who do righteous deeds whilst keeping the faith and helping others to do the same with patience and consistency will be rewarded.

At the moment, the world and its affairs are in constant turmoil. Wars, rumours of wars, global warming, cost of living crisis – the doom seems to go on and on.

However, all hope is not lost. Allah has promised those who have faith and do righteous deeds that He will surely make them successors in the Earth, just as He made those who were before them successors.

Allah tells us that He will surely establish for those who believe their religion which He has approved for them, and that He will surely change their state to security. Even though things may look bleak Allah is ever near and will never forsake us. Our success depends on our belief and obedience in Allah.

I am reminded of a profound quote by Haile Selassie: “Throughout history it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most, that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”

Haile Selassie’s quote upholds that of the Islamic perspective on resisting injustices and lack of action to prevent what is surely an evil. The following Hadith gives further insight:

“I heard Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, say, ‘Oh you people! I hear you reciting this verse: Oh you who believe! Worry about your own selves. If you follow the right guidance, no harm can come to you from those who are in error.’ (Al-Ma’idah 5:105)

“But I heard the Messenger of Allah say: ‘Indeed when people see an oppressor but do not prevent him from doing evil, it is likely that Allah will punish them all.”

In this case, silence condones, hence all who are silent are guilty and will be judged accordingly.

People the world over and Bermuda too must continue to speak out against injustices of any kind. There is power in the tongue. Martin Luther King Jr is quoted as saying “that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. The struggle is not over.

Bermuda have a blessed week and keep on keepin’ on. Allah loves consistency and perseverance. As salaam alaikum (peace be unto you).

• Linda Walia Ming is a member of the Bermuda Hijab Dawah team, a group of Muslim women who reside in Bermuda and have a goal of educating the community about the religion of Islam