Allah is all-knowing, and He knows the best situation to place each and everyone of us.
"He is the one who created death and life to test you, which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Mighty, the Most Forgiving" (al mulk: 2)
That we're living in these trying times is from His wisdom. Our potential for good deeds is maximised by living in the 21st century. If we lived in the time of the prophet, we might not stand the heat, the poverty, the temptations and suffering inflicted on us. We might have been (nauzubillah) his enemies, instead of his followers.
A lot of things are beyond our control. We did not ask to be born in an era when disbelief and godlessness are in charge of our political institutions, financial institutions and social institutions. We did not ask to be in an era when every attempt to bring people to the truth is brutally suppressed from the outside, and given sharp lashings from within.
But allah is all Mighty, and these crises are opportunities for us to shine, to act with the 'best of deeds'. Great villains bring forth great heroes. We can admire the steadfastness of musa because he stood up to fir'aun, the greatest tyrant of that age. If spiderman had fought against 'mat rempits' instead of a maniacal scientist with 4 mechanical arms, he would be just another regular cop with a fancy suit. We cannot say 'if only this didn't happen..'. Things happened. Fullstop.
What is required from us is to respond with the best of deeds. To follow the book of allah and the sunnah of his messenger and call people to them. And struggle to uphold them in every aspect of society, because only then can we solve our various problems.
The promise of allah will come true even if everything around us tells us otherwise.
Let's revise the awesome story of Musa. He and the children of israel were being pursued by fir'aun and his army. Imagine you being there. Firaun is chasing after you..you keep glancing back, afraid that they're catching up soon..you hurry along the route..
When all of a sudden you reach the sea. There's no possible way forward, just a vast expanse of blue.
Close behind was an army. In front was only sea. His followers were losing their minds.
"So when the two groups saw each other, the people of musa said 'most surely we will be overtaken'" (ash shuaraa: 61)
Your eyes are telling you that there's no hope. Your ears are telling you that there's no hope. Every single sign is pointing towards imminent doom.
But musa stood firm like a rock. "He said 'by no means; surely my Lord is with me. He will show me the way'"(ash shuaraa 62)
He held firm to the promise that allah gave him when he first received prophethood: "He said: we will strengthen your arm with your brother, and We will give you both authority, so that they shall not reach you; with our signs, you two and those who follow you will be uppermost" (al qasas: 35)
Then the most unlikely thing happened. The sea split, giving them safe passage while drowning fir'aun and his men.
Fast forward to : today.
The media is giving us little hope. The disbelievers are ganging up and putting their whole resources into use. The muslims are in great doubt, and some of them outdo some of the disbelievers in criticism.
We should be firm and say 'our lord is with us, he will show us the way'.
The truth will prevail, and the law of allah will reign supreme.
'And certainly We wrote in the Zabur (psalms) after the reminder that (as for) the land, My righteous servants shall inherit it' (al anbiya': 105)
Do the best of our deeds. If we could click and share, do that. If we could write, do so. If we could raise our hands and pray, awesome. If we could not raise our hands, pray in our hearts. If we could do more, do so.
