Lessons from History and Present Times
The Quran says that in human life there are always difficulties. Difficulty is an inevitable part of human life. The word ‘difficulty’ that has come in the Quran is in the sense of shock treatment. The Creator of the world is also managing the world after having created it. When He sees that in the human world something unwanted has happened, He gives a shock treatment. But this shock treatment is not in the sense of destruction, but in the sense of reform (islah). The situation we have been facing these days has been continuing since past four months, but you know that the situation has not acquired a destructive form for man. Whatever is happening is non-crippling. From this we can understand that this difficulty is not in the sense of destruction, but in the sense of reform. We must take lessons from it and reform ourselves. For example, people have acquired a lot of money in the present age. But they are using it in a very non-constructive way these days. The situation we are facing these days is a lesson for us so that we utilize money for reform, and not in wasteful things, such as in marriages or ostentation and display. If people develop the temperament of deriving lessons from this situation, there will be a lot of benefit – there will be no wastage of money, no materialism, no materialistic thinking, etc.
We must not consider the present situation as azab, or punishment. They must not speak on the lines of ‘azab’. We must take it as a shocking treatment. We must try to know where we went wrong. That is, they should know that they have made a mistake somewhere and must correct themselves. For example, they must think: ‘When we got a lot of money, we became materialistic.’ People began to waste money in unnecessary things and began to do extravagant expenditure in marriages. Instead of wasting money in marriages, they should spend money in education, especially in the education of girls. This will have a lot of positive benefit.
I believe that those who are saying that the present scenario is a punishment from God are not doing any good to people. We must not call it azab, rather we must say that this is a shock given for our reform. This is a shock treatment. If we take it in the sense of shock treatment, there will be enormous benefit. It would develop a new way of thinking in people. It would increase people’s spirituality. It would do away with materialism from people’s lives. I believe that people need to think and utilize this way of thinking for their reform (islah).
It has been four months, but no earthquake has struck which may have destroyed communities. There has not been massive destruction. This has not happened. The predictions of Stephen Hawking have not proved true yet. We are being given a time to think and a chance to correct our derailment. It is meant to bring humanity back on track after its derailment.
I will say that we do not need to despair in this situation. We must not be lacking in hope nor should we say that the Day of Judgment has come. All this is wrong. You need to take precautionary measures over what has happened. You should be cautious. Increase your level of caution. Learn to lead life in a better way. You should plan to spend your money in a better way. Abandon materialistic way of thinking. If people develop this temperament, it would be of great benefit. I pray to God to develop a mindset of reform in people. People need to engage in constructive planning and activities. People must develop the temperament of leading their lives full of hope. God-willing, I hope that people will develop this mindset of reform and their materialism will come to an end and they will no more waste money over unnecessary things. Then a new age of development will begin and an age in which people will plan their activities in a better way
I pray to God that people do not consider the present-day situation as azab. It should be regarded as a warning for reform. A new age will dawn. A new emergence will take place in people. Many big incidents have happened during my own life, for example, two atom bombs were dropped on Japan, an incident which has never happened again. But after some years, a new Japan arose. The same happened in Germany – after some years, a new Germany was born and it overcame the losses that it had suffered in WWII.
I pray that people should learn to rush toward God. People should learn to lead life in a constructive way. People should understand the system in place in nature and lead their lives in accordance with it. May God help you. May God make you capable of leading life with wisdom.
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