It rained after a pretty long dry spell in Kashmir valley, bringing respite to commoners from the scorching heat. This year, intense heat broke records of many decades. Farmers suffered huge losses to scanty rainfall and sizzling hot summer. Maize and pulses didn’t yield sufficient produce. Even paddy crop at some places fell prey to the prolonged dry spell. The blistering heat left many perennial streams and rivulets droughty. Scenario in hilly belts was even uglier and bleaker. Empty skies broke the backs of apple growers and orchardists. Apple didn’t attain the proper size and colour. Drinking water scarcity hit many areas of the valley. These extreme weather events are not the consequences of our insensitivity only, towards our environment but it is indeed a comeuppance inflicted on us by Allah SWT. Deliverance of divine verdict is subject to our deeds and actions. Decisions from empyrean come down according doings performed on the earth. History is witness to the fact that heavens have showered stones on nations that rebelled against the creator of this universe. The holy Quran narrates vividly how Thamud, Aad and others were annihilated when they turned deaf to the teachings and commandments of Allah SWT. Man as the divine ambassador has failed to submit his will to the will of Allah. An ambassador is supposed to act as per the bylaws of his master or the organisation he is associated with. He can’t propagate his own set of rules because he is already in subordination to his master. When he fiddles with the set constitution he is supposed to follow, he becomes a rebel and a recalcitrant. And rebels are reprimanded, rebuked and even exiled for the brazen violation of rules of their masters. Pages of history bear witness to the fact that Allah SWT has not spared the nations that would go astray, or repudiate the messenger of Allah, commissioned on them. Our state of affairs is not somewhat different than that of ummahas of Thamud, Aad, Loot and Nuh. We have breached and transgressed the divine decrees and imperatives. We deserve to be dethroned as the vicegerent of Allah SWT. We have not justified the entitlement of appellation “crown of all creation “. We have offended our Lord by disobeying and mocking His orders, rules and regulations. But, Allah SWT is still kind and generous on us for not initiating mass punishment upon us. It is undoubtedly the intercession of Mohammidi Arabi Salallahu-Aliahiwasalam which refuges us from the rage of Allah SWT. Otherwise, we could have met the fate like that of Thamud and Aad very earlier. This Ummah is blessed and privileged enough to have the patronage of Mohammadi Arabi Salallahu-Aliahiwasalam, lest we would have been tormented and punished by Allah SWT for our misdeeds and misadventures.
We need to mend our ways of living because the long arms of the almighty make no sound when it strikes. May Allah SWT bless us with His proximity, pleasure and approval!
Whole Jammu and Kashmir was craving for a heavenly shower for last four months or so. Bandaars ( Special meals ) and congregational supplications were organised across the length and breadth of the valley. Additional prayers were held in mosques, temples and shrines. Many devotees had tied votive rags in different shrines for a blessed downpour. The parched soil was in dire need of rain. But, it took us months together to coax the almighty. Allah SWT ( the omnipotent and the omniscient ) didn’t pay any heed to our cries and shouts till yesterday. And finally, Allah SWT unlocked His treasures. Rains encompassed everything with dense showers when angels of the skies squeezed the bosoms of the clouds, and left everything irrigated, flushed and tranquilized. The rain brought ambient peace to every creature. Blazing environs were extinguished, scalded chests were soothed, thirsty souls were calmed and bruised hearts were balmed. All and sundry took a sigh of relief. But, owing to our misdeeds and disobedience of Allah, the first rain brought huge destruction and devastation to property worth millions of rupees. It has also been detrimental to standing crops particularly for paddy. Thus, the much awaited blessing turned into a curse. Rivers and streams are now in full spate. God forbid, if the rains will continue to lash our valley for another day or two, the situation is mostly likely to turn grim and deleterious. We need to meditate and introspect ourselves. Are skies still open for blessings or have they ceased to shower the divine bounties on us? Is Allah SWT pleased with us or is he annoyed? We don’t need big books and intellectuals to answer these questions. We know it very well that we have waged a war against our Lord, and we are sure to lose it. Better is to surrender before Him because no one can do any harm or good to Him. We have disrupted the association with our Lord. The gap has widened a lot. We have forgotten our Lord, we have ceased to obey Him, we seldom worship Him. We have replaced His constitution with our own. We have lost the essence of being true slaves of Allah. Thus, we have invited His rage, indignation and wrath. But, the time is still ripe to peep into our consciences though much water has flown down the thames. We should go for our physical, mental and spiritual cleansing. Our hearts are virtually dead. They have become mere lumps of flesh and blood. There is neither compassion for our fellow beings nor love for the Lord. Even our hearts are bereft of the slightest fear of Allah SWT. Disobedience of Allah SWT will not only perish our hereafter but will certainly rot our lives completely. Let’s take pledge to live like true slaves of Allah SWT. When an employee or vicegerent acts against the wishes of his master, the master kicks him out for the alleged insubordination and disobedience. Allah SWT has said in the holy Quran, ” ( Inna Batsha Rabbika Lashadeed ) Indeed, the vengeance of thy Lord is severe “. Look how Pharoh, Nimrod, Karun and Abu-Lahab were perished and dishonoured by Allah SWT. The fate they met is an eye-opener for all of us but our hearts have become harder than stones, our eyes have lost the vision to see the truth and our ears have ceased to hear the facticity. Now, if we won’t stir our consciences, and try to win the approval and assent of Allah, then we are indeed among the most ill-fated ones. Allah is waiting for us to repent and regret, He wants us to be happy and prosperous but we are hell bent to curse our own souls. Allah SWT is the creator and the master of these skies, planets and stars. Skies have almost ceased to descend blessings; soils have almost refused to bear fruits, vegetables and other edibles because we have turned blind to the bounties and treasures of Allah SWT. We have become ungrateful to our sustainer and Rabb. Doors of repentance are still open. We need to mend our ways of living because the long arms of the almighty make no sound when it strikes. May Allah SWT bless us with His proximity, pleasure and approval!
(The author is a teacher by Profession. Views are his own) [email protected]