Quran Reflection -- Learn From The People Before Us

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Surah Al-A'raf is about the perpetual battle between people who believe in Allah who want to live an ethical and moral lives versus those who do not. There is a detailed description of past prophets, events about their communities, their reward and punishment and the punishment which overtook them.

Allah Most High says in Surah Al-A'raf,

الٓمٓصٓ ﴿١﴾ كِتَـٰبٌ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ فَلَا يَكُن فِى صَدْرِكَ حَرَجٌ مِّنْهُ لِتُنذِرَ بِهِۦ وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٢﴾ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۗ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٣﴾ وَكَم مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهَا فَجَآءَهَا بَأْسُنَا بَيَـٰتًا أَوْ هُمْ قَآئِلُونَ ﴿٤﴾ فَمَا كَانَ دَعْوَىٰهُمْ إِذْ جَآءَهُم بَأْسُنَآ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَـٰلِمِينَ ﴿٥﴾

Alif, Lam, Meem, Sad. (1) [This is] a Book revealed to you, [O Muhammad] - so let there not be in your breast distress therefrom - that you may warn thereby and as a reminder to the believers. (2) Follow, [O mankind], what has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow other than Him any allies. Little do you remember. (3) And how many cities have We destroyed, and Our punishment came to them at night or while they were sleeping at noon. (4) And their declaration when Our punishment came to them was only that they said, "Indeed, we were wrongdoers!" (5) [Quran Al-A'raf]

Allah rhetorically asks how many nations were destroyed. Allah is reminding us that disobeying Allah has consequences. Allah does not destroy a nation until they were given many chances. Allah does not love to inflict punishment but some people deserve it. Even when they deserve it Allah gave them chances.

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱتَّقَوْا۟ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَـٰكِن كَذَّبُوا۟ فَأَخَذْنَـٰهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ ﴿٩٦﴾ أَفَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا بَيَـٰتًا وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ ﴿٩٧﴾ أَوَأَمِنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتِيَهُم بَأْسُنَا ضُحًى وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ ﴿٩٨﴾ أَفَأَمِنُوا۟ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْقَوْمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ ﴿٩٩﴾ أَوَلَمْ يَهْدِ لِلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ أَهْلِهَآ أَن لَّوْ نَشَآءُ أَصَبْنَـٰهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ ۚ وَنَطْبَعُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ ﴿١٠٠

And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning." (96) Then, did the people of the cities feel secure from Our punishment coming to them at night while they were asleep? (97) Or did the people of the cities feel secure from Our punishment coming to them in the morning while they were at play? (98) Then did they feel secure from the plan of Allah? But no one feels secure from the plan of Allah except the losing people. (99) Has it not become clear to those who inherited the earth after its [previous] people that if We willed, We could afflict them for their sins? But We seal over their hearts so they do not hear. (100) [Quran, Al A'raf 7:96-100]

The reality of these verses is right here in front of our eyes in this current Covid-19 pandemic. The whole world has come to a screeching halt. The global economy collapsed. As of this writing, almost 4 million confirmed Covid-19 cases, more than 250,000 reported deaths, and the toll is rising. Lockdowns are imposed and people are scared and exhausted. Who could have imagined this? It all happened suddenly and instantaneously in a matter of a few days. Why are we being inflicted with Covid-19? There is no question that this is a communal punishment عذاب because of too much wrongdoings, transgressions, injustices (ظلم ), immorality (فحشاء) and corruption (فساد) going around in the globe. Finally enough is enough. We need to repent to Allah so we are not punished at an individual level.

We should be wise enough to take lesson from the events of other people and avoid doing things that had led them to death and disaster, and we should strive to follow the practices that led the prophets and the believers to eternal success. Let us wake up and understand that Allah is giving us an opportunity to be better through this pandemic. It is meant as a mercy, not a punishment if we turn back to Allah.

May Allah enable us to realize our own shortcomings and always turn back to Him. Aameen.

لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers. [Quran, Al Anbiya' 21:87]

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam