Translation
We [God] do not send a Prophet to a land except that We make its inhabitants face misfortune and hardship (as a consequence of their conduct with respect to the prophet, his message, and social justice) so they (will have further reasons to reflect and) perhaps become humble. Then We shift their condition from difficulties to ease (and good as they perceive it) until they become affluent and self-assured and begin to convince themselves that hardship and difficulties were for previous generations only. Then We take them (to account for their conduct) by surprise while they are oblivious (to such outcome) (see also 6:41–46).
If the people of these towns believed (in God) and acted with conscience and a sense of responsibility, We would have opened up blessings from all around them—from the sky and the earth, in abundance. But they rejected (the message and did not strive to understand), and, as a result, We make them face the consequences. Do the people of these towns feel that such consequence will escape them while they sleep at night, or go on with their daily routines by day? Are they secure against what God plans (in response to their conduct)? No one should be so self-assured except those who wish to suffer losses.
Does it not occur to those who inherit the earth after its previous inhabitants that if We (God) please, We will take them to account for their sins and make their hearts incapable of comprehending (the truth)? Such were (the human conditions in those) towns whose narratives We bring to you (in the above stories). Surely such messengers came to each generation with comprehensible guidance, but they refused to accept (reconsider) what was rejected before (by their previous generations). This is how God incapacitates the hearts of those who deny the truth. We did not find in many of them a commitment to the natural order of creation (ahd—a bond with God), and we found most of them to trespass (the limits). 373
Interpretation
373 These verses draw our attention to the inevitable cycle of humanity’s struggle with good and evil throughout human history. Prophets and messengers who are sent by God and other people of conscience, who come to acknowledge and act according to the realities of life and accept God’s guidance as inspired by the Creator and Sustainer of mankind, bring such guidance and truth to the attention of all people in their communities and contemporary societies. The hardship, disappointments, physical ailments, loss of life and property, natural calamities, lack of control over events and outcomes, and so on are constant reminders that we are subject to a larger force and are part of a larger cosmos that we did not build, nor did we develop its inner workings. The sooner we acknowledge our origin and align ourselves with the natural order and natural bond (ahd—see term 18, volume 1) of things as they exist, the better we will be guided by God through His emissaries. The exercise of human freedom but acting with a sense of responsibility, an abundance of knowledge but putting it to useful purposes, the empowerment of individuals, communities, and nations with human capital, natural resources, intellectual prowess, and spiritual endowments—all of these can advance the causes of justice, human dignity and equality, good governance, civil society, and a sense of oneness of humanity in this global village of ours—a gift from God that should not be taken lightly.
Time and again, human societies, sometimes entirely and sometimes a group within a society, become lax to such commitments and ideals and perceive that the ease of life they master, the power they attain, and the intellect they gather as their own possessions and use them to exploit others; create social injustice and corruption; and accumulate more power and wealth through corrupt practices in governance, financial markets, business dealings, and conspiracies among the rich and the powerful. Every now and then, God restores order by overpowering one group by another and temporarily disrupting their living conditions as a consequence of their actions or lack thereof. But, more importantly, God wants us to consider the possibility that perhaps if we were to accept the natural order of things, be true to our inner compass that God has breathed into us, and genuinely endeavor to establish a society based on truth and goodness, the possibilities will be far greater than our current unjust and hasty ways to benefit a few at the expense of many.
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REFLECTION
Being aware of the underlying dynamics of our society, understanding the power of faith in God and in our common humanity, and being committed to human equality and human dignity are the true drivers for human upliftment and the attainment of true purpose in life.
ACTION
As we read this book and other books of revelation and gather knowledge from all other fields of human endeavor and natural laws, we need to maintain a constant effort and vigilance in our education system, in our political environment, in our financial dealings and business activities, and in our relationships with other human beings and the natural world in which we live to be purpose driven for goodness and to improve human conditions. This is incumbent on each generation, and every one of us must play his or her unique role within his or her sphere of influence and relationships.