Making sense of Calamity

So now from the last hold seminars will always encourage me honestly, I have, you know, no, you don't have muscle alojado no doubt the events of what are happening in Turkey and Syria in terms of the earthquake or something that it's incredibly touching to all of us. The videos and images are impacting every one of us and drives us to want to do something drives us to want to change drivers to even probably want to go there to physically lift every child, every woman, every man, every old person, and every person that we can meet out of the rubble to help them as best as we can. It drives emotion in us. And it's very important for us to also understand that from our faith, it is

important to reflect on events like this to try to make sense of calamities. And that's what I wanted to talk about today. Really, how do we make sense of a calamity that has taken the lives of over 16,000 people and counting, and they're still stuck in the rubble there still may be crying out for help. There's very difficult images, very difficult videos, and even for me being vulnerable, extremely difficult to watch. In fact, something I don't want even see something that I don't feel that I have the capacity to handle at times and that's okay. The reality is that our faith gives us something that is an incredibly comforting thing in these times. And that is we have certainty that

the Lord Almighty is the one that is in control. And Allah subhanho wa Taala our Lord and Creator has wisdoms for everything and a purpose that He has brought us here and a purpose that He will also transfer us to the next life. That is why there's one particular ayah in the Quran, that is very, very powerful, that I would like to reflect with you all in Sharla, Allah Subhana Allah says, in Surah, Turabian wema also asked me mostly but in Ellerbee, nila, woman you mean below here heading.

One la Hubei coalition in early Allah spent Allah says, no disaster strikes except by the permission of Allah. And whoever believes in Allah, He will guide their heart. And Allah is Knowing of all things. One of these calls into theater. He says that about this particular verse in the Quran, whoever suffered an affliction or calamity, and they knew that it occurred by Allah subhanaw taala, his judgment and decree. And they patiently abide, waiting Allah's reward, and Allah guides their heart, and will compensate them for their loss in this life. By granting them guidance to their heart and certainty and faith. Allah will replace whatever they lost for them with the same or what

is better in the next ultimately what we have. And the only thing that we really truly have is knowing that the life that we live today has meaning. And that conviction that we have, in knowing that everything has meaning everything has purpose, that leads us to the hereafter, where it will be an everlasting abode, that nothing just goes by. And life is not just lost, and children don't die and people don't lose their homes. And the calamities and afflictions that happen before us. They don't just happen to differ for absolutely no reason. But rather, there is a great wisdom behind all of this. There's a mechanism and there is a comfort in that purpose. And that is why I leave it to

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reported from a basketball belong to a great companion of the Prophet Muhammad Salam who said Whoever believes in Allah He guides his heart in this I am means that Allah will guide their hearts to certainty.

And that ultimately is one of the greatest comforts that we have. Therefore, they will know that whatever reached them will not have missed them, and whatever missed them will not have reached them. And another explanation of the Quran known as Marathi Hanalei, the scholar says, that guides his heart means that during the affliction or at the time of their death, or in sickness, poverty, desperation, or anything of the like, so they assuredly know that it is all from Allah so that they submit to the decree of Allah subhanaw taala. And thus guides their heart means submitting to the Command of Allah. Similarly, when Allah subhanaw taala said in another previous verse, those who

went affliction befalls them, they say, We belong to Allah and to Him we return until the end of the ayah. They are the ones that are truly guided. So the scholar says, the people of understanding say guides their heart, to what to thankfulness and prosperity, and patients during calamity. This is the meaning of the statement of even our best that we've mentioned previously. And a great scholar as a judge, he says, in the citation, it refers to bring in tranquility to the heart and rest. And Allah subhanaw taala says, and Allah is fully knowing of all things, it can possibly an indicator of making the heart tranquil during the during a calamity during an affliction, because you essentially

SUBMIT yourself to understanding Allah's knowledge encompasses all of ours, and Allah's wisdom encompasses it as well. So we find reliance on Allah in the knowledge of Allah

And we find patience, and knowing that Allah subhanaw taala has purpose is greater than all of us. This is an amongst some of the greatest forms of comfort that we can have as believers. Compare the heart of one who was content with the almighty with one who is desperate with one who goes through chasing this entire world in order to build their paradise in it. How is it that we can see this earthly paradise can crumble before our eyes in seconds? He had not realized what's greater than that. So the promise that the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said that the status of the one who dies by a building collapsing on them reaches the state of martyrdom among the highest states and

stations of paradise gives us solace in the compassionate Lord, in this trying time of tragedy. May Allah have mercy on those who have deceased, Grant cure for those who have been sick or injured and grand souls to the hearts of those who have lost? And may our wealth be a means of being in their aid in our bodies if we're able as well? May Allah allow us to find comfort in the purpose that He has given us?