loading

Living The Quran

«FIRST <PREV | NEXT> LAST»

From Issue: 564 [Read full issue]

Destiny
Al-Hadid (The Iron) Sura 57: Verses 22-23

"No affliction occurs on the earth, or in your own persons, but it is recorded in a Book before We bring it to existence - doing so is surely easy for God. So that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor exult because of what God has granted you: God does not love anyone proud and boastful."

God records such acts out of His Eternal Knowledge and keeps them recorded, and then brings them into existence by His Power for many wise purposes - such as to punish the sinful as they deserve, or to warn them against their end, or to forgive the sins of believers or to promote the sinless to higher ranks.

The verse also includes a consolation for people in affliction. When we consider any misfortune in the light of Divine Destiny, or as an application of Divine Destiny, we may find rest and not feel the need to complain about it.

Destiny exists so that pious people do not ascribe their good acts to themselves and thereby become proud. Destiny exists so that the successful and the wealthy are not proud of their successes or wealth.

Past and present misfortune should be considered in the light of Destiny so that we do not grieve for what has befallen us and what we have not been able to obtain.

Compiled From:
"The Quran: Annotated Interpretation in Modern English" - Ali Unal, pp. 1110, 1111

«FIRST <PREV | NEXT> LAST»