At the very beginning of this gregorian year 2020, the idea of a World War 3 was trending. America had just assassinated Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani and Iran was threatening to retaliate vehemently. With both countries being nuclear powers, there were speculations of a brutal war erupting and our lives being torpedoed in the process. Things died down between the two countries, everyone sighed in relief and life went back to normal. Little did we know, that a war was already underway.
A war by the almighty, Al Azeez, alJabbar. A war He had warned us about several times in the Qur’aan but we turned away in heedlessness:
أَمۡ أَمِنتُم مَّن فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ أَن يُرۡسِلَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ حَاصِبٗاۖ فَسَتَعۡلَمُونَ كَيۡفَ نَذِيرِ
Or do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven, will not send against you a violent whirlwind? Then you shall know how has been My Warning? Suuratul Mulk verse 17
A war being waged upon us by the soldiers of Allaah, soldiers so minuscule that we can not see them with our eyes, but yet their effect has just been as devastating.
A war which started in China in 2019 but has since swept swiftly across the globe, infecting approximately 1.5 million and killing 100 thousand people worldwide to date.
A war by soldiers about whom Allaah says in Suuratul Muddathir, verse 31:
وَمَا يَعۡلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ وَمَا هِيَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرَىٰ لِلۡبَشَرِ
And none can know the soldiers of your Lord but He. And this is nothing else than a (warning) reminder to mankind.
A war by soldiers that do not distinguish between the rich and the poor, the lofty and the lowly, the believer and the disbeliever, the young and the old, rather they afflict whomever Allaah decrees:
وَٱتَّقُواْ فِتۡنَةٗ لَّا تُصِيبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنكُمۡ خَآصَّةٗۖ وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ
And fear the fitnah which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong, and know that Allah is Severe in punishment. Suuratul Anfal, verse 25
A war by soldiers unwavering in their obedience to Allaah, like the angels described in Suuratul Tahrim, verse 6:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ وَأَهۡلِيكُمۡ نَارٗا وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلۡحِجَارَةُ عَلَيۡهَا مَلَٰٓئِكَةٌ غِلَاظٞ شِدَادٞ لَّا يَعۡصُونَ ٱللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمۡ وَيَفۡعَلُونَ مَا يُؤۡمَرُونَ
O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a fire whose fuel is men and stones, over which are angels stern severe, who disobey not, the commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded.
A war, the effects of which are beginning to take a toll; hospitals and medical personnel are overwhelmed, workers are getting the boot or paycuts, vendors are starving from loss of daily income, students and parents are at their wits end and the list goes on. So how does this war end?
Allaah narrates to us a similar situation faced by the three companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, who stayed away from the Tabuk expedition in Suuratul Tawbah verse 118:
وَعَلَى ٱلثَّلَٰثَةِ ٱلَّذِينَ خُلِّفُواْ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ضَاقَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتۡ وَضَاقَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ أَنفُسُهُمۡ وَظَنُّوٓاْ أَن لَّا مَلۡجَأَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّآ إِلَيۡهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ لِيَتُوبُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
And (He did forgive also) the three who were left behind, till for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their ownselves were straitened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah, and no refuge but with Him. Then, He accepted their repentance, that they might repent. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful.
So, there is no refuge or fleeing from Allaah and His war except to Allaah. Therefore, let us hasten to repentance and returning to Allaah, verily He is atTawwaab – the one who accepts repentance, al’Afuww – the oft pardoning, alGhafuur – the Forgiving, arRaheem – the Most Merciful and to Him belongs the most beautiful names.
AnAayahAtATime 