A Community in Shock
We are sometimes faced with calamities which make us fear for the safety of ourselves and our families. One such incident took place in New Zealand, which shook the whole world. We seek guidance from the Quran and Sunnah.
Patience and Prayer
Allah SWT is asking us for patience because He alone knows the wisdom behind what happens, and daily prayer helps us be patient and steadfast.
یَا أَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَعِینُواْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلاَةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِ ینَ وَلاَ تَقُولُواْ لِمَنْ یُقْتَلُ فِي سَبِیلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَ اتٌ بَلْ أَحْیَاء وَلَـكِن لاَّ تَشْعُرُ ونَ وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفْ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمَوَ الِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَ اتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِ ینَ الَّذِینَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِیبَةٌ قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَیْهِ رَ اجِعونَ أُولَـئِكَ عَلَیْهِمْ صَلَوَ اتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَ حْمَةٌ وَأُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ“O you who believe! Seek help in patience and As-Salât. Truly! Allâh is with As-Sâbirun (the patient). And say not of those who are killed in the way of Allâh, 'They are dead.' Nay, they are living, but you perceive it not. And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sâbirun (the patient), who, when afflicted with calamity, say: 'Truly! To Allâh we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.' They are those on whom are the Salawât from their Lord, and Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones.”
Al-Baqara 2:153-157
No One Knows Where They Will Die
The brothers, sisters, and children who died in Christchurch did not know that day would be their last.
"Wheresoever you may be, death will overtake you even if you are in fortresses built up strong and high!" (An-Nisa 4:78). "Everyone shall taste death. Then unto Us you shall be returned" (Al-Ankabut 29:57).
وَمَا تَدْرِ ي نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا وَمَا تَدْرِ ي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِیمٌ خَبِیرٌ“No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die.”
Luqman 31:34
Shahadah — The Status of the Martyrs
Those who died were shaheed in the real sense, killed unjustly, with two characteristics different from those who die in their beds. First, they should be buried without a ritual bath, though the Janazah prayer is offered on them and they are given a proper kafn. Second, they deserve a great reward in the Hereafter, and it is hoped Allah forgives their sins and admits them to Jannah; some traditions state the body of such a person remains protected from contamination or dissolution in the grave.
Test, Statement, and Promise
We are reminded that this is a test from Allah, part of life. What to say, as always: "Truly! To Allâh we belong and truly, to Him we shall return" — leaving matters over to Allah, since we came from Him and to Him we return, applicable to any loss, not only loss of life. And the promise of reward stands: they are those on whom are the Salawât from their Lord, and Mercy, and they are the guided-ones.
Guidance from the Prophet (PBUH)
Abu Yahya Suhaib ibn Sinan (RA) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "It is a strange thing for a believer — everything is good for him. Whenever good reaches him, he is thankful, hence he is rewarded; and whenever he is hit by calamity, he is patient and steadfast, hence he is rewarded" (Muslim).
Anas (RA) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "The level of reward depends upon the gravity of the test, and when Allah Almighty likes a group of people, He tests them; whoever accepts happily, it is to his credit and he will be rewarded; and whoever is disappointed and unhappy, it is to his credit and he is to be punished" (Tirmidhi).
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "The test from Allah continues to stay with the believing male and female in himself, in his child, and in his wealth till he meets Allah Almighty and has no sins" (Tirmidhi).
What Should We Do
This ayah tells us to do whatever we can to protect ourselves — ideas being discussed include armed guards or people taking turns keeping watch, some standing guard while another group prays. We find a reference for this precaution in An-Nisa 4:102, where the Prophet is instructed to have believers pray in shifts during danger, retaining their arms, being fully prepared against a surprise attack, while it remains permissible to lay down arms during prayer if troubled by rain or illness.
وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُم مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رِّ بَاطِ الْخَیْلِ تُرْ هِبُونَ بِهِ عَدْوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ وَآخَرِ ینَ مِن دونِهِمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَهُمُ اللَّهُ یَعْلَمُهُمْ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِن شَيْءٍ فِي سَبِیلِ اللَّهِ یُوَفَّ إِلَیْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تُظْلَمُونَ“Hence, make ready against them whatever force and war mounts you are able to muster, so that you might deter thereby the enemies of God, who are your enemies as well, and others besides them of whom you may be unaware, [but] of whom God is aware; and whatever you may expend in God's cause shall be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged.”
Al-Anfal 8:60
Steps to Take
- Have faith in Allah — 'And he who believes in his Sustainer need never have fear of loss or injustice' (Al-Jinn 72:13).
- Be steadfast and persevere — 'Behold, as for those who say, Our Sustainer is God, and then steadfastly pursue the right way, upon them do angels often descend, saying: Fear not and grieve not, but receive the glad tiding of that paradise which has been promised to you' (Fussilat 41:30).
- Do good — 'whereas anyone who will have done [whatever he could] of righteous deeds, and was a believer, need have no fear of being wronged or deprived' (Ta-Ha 20:112).
- Have taqwa — self-consciousness, self-control, and obedience to Allah (Al-A'raf 7:35).
- Be a friend of Allah — 'Oh, verily, they who are close to God — no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve' (Yunus 10:62).
- Make dua — 'hence, do not spread corruption on earth after it has been so well ordered. And call unto Him with fear and longing: verily, God's grace is ever near unto the doers of good!' (Al-A'raf 7:56).
A Dua for Times of Distress
An Urdu poet, Jauhar, wrote: "Qatal e Hussain Asal Mein Marg e Yazeed Hai, Islam Zinda Hota Hai Har Karbala Ke Baad" — the martyrdom of Hussain (RA) is actually the death of Yazeed; Islam is reborn after every Karbala. There are many instances in history where a calamity becomes a blessing — the rise of the Mongols eventually resulted in some becoming Muslims, and the Crusades followed by the fall of Cordoba and Baghdad led to the rise of the Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals.
We witnessed an outpouring of sympathy for Muslims worldwide: interfaith vigils, the New Zealand Prime Minister's response, Justin Trudeau's visit to a mosque in Canada, recitation of the Quran in the New Zealand Parliament, a 'wear a hijab' day, and condolence messages from world leaders.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ، وَضَلْعِ الدَّیْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ“O Allah, I seek refuge in you from grief and sadness, from weakness and from laziness, from miserliness and from cowardice, from being overcome by debt and overpowered by men.”
Hadith, Al-Bukhari
Closing Dua
O Allah! Forgive the living and the deceased, present and absent, young and old, males and females. To whomsoever You give life, keep him faithful, and whomsoever You take in death, take as a believer. Forgive the deceased brothers and sisters and show them Your mercy — You are the Forgiving, the Merciful.