Soften Our Hearts and Repent

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

In Surah An-'Aam, we are told that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala sent Messengers to many nations and also they were sent many calamities. Why? So that they might turn back to Him. Allah is asking why when the punishment came to them, they did not humble themselves in front of Allah but instead their hearts became hard and the shaytan made their deeds seem beautiful to them. They saw signs after signs but they did not take heed. They did not see the reality. Let's be careful that we are not guilty with any of these things when calamities come.

We are living in a COVID-19 pandemic. The freedom that we use to have, the economic success, flying, travelling, dining in restaurants, family gatherings, going to the masjid, going to the beach, everything have been taken away. Allah manifested how powerful He is and how weak His creation is. Our achievment and advancement mean nothing. How quickly that was demonstrated. We live in a reality that we don't know what the repercussions that this pandemic will being about. We don't even know when it is going to end.

This is the time our hearts are supposed to be soft, not hard, not let the shaytan make us think we are fine. A soft heart means that we humble ourselves to Allah, recognize our mistakes, recognize who our Lord is and turn to Him in repentance.

There is no question that the COVID-19 crisis is a type of communal punishment. But the communal punishment doesn't mean that every individual is guilty. It means a lot of individuals are guilty, that too many people have done too many wrongdoings and for too long. Allah is sending us a wake up call. Allah is telling us this is a worldly punishment and make sure we save ourselves from the real punishment.

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِالْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾ فَلَوْلَا إِذْ جَاءَهُم بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُوا وَلَـٰكِن قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٤٣﴾ فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُم بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْلِسُونَ ﴿٤٤
فَقُطِعَ دَابِرُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا ۚ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٤٥

And We have already sent [messengers] to nations before you, [O Muhammad]; then We seized them with poverty and hardship that perhaps they might humble themselves [to Us]. (42) Then why, when Our punishment came to them, did they not humble themselves? But their hearts became hardened, and Satan made attractive to them that which they were doing. (43) So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair. (44)So the people that committed wrong were eliminated. And praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds. (45)

May Allah forgive us for all our shortcomings and relieve us from this pandemic. Aameen.

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