Yes, The introduction of the new Naira notes into our nation’s economy has become a metaphor; a metaphor of the difficult , rather, the strange times we are in presently. Yes. Trying times may not necessarily be strange times. Whereas trying times may be familiar in that there could be precedents in history for them, strange times, on the other hand, are usually uncanny, unprecedented, aberrant and extremely stupefying. The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, (upon him be peace and blessings of the Almighty) is reported to have said that at the end of time humanity would see things that their forebears never witnessed before. Strange indeed is this time when children now grow grey hairs at birth, when women sell their pudenda and the fruits of their wombs for money, when teenagers now desire to compete with their fathers for material acquisitions, when sons now murder their fathers in unconscionable pursuit of wealth. Is it not strange that nowadays, teenagers now suffer from hypertension?
I think we are indeed in strange times in our nation today. Or how else do we begin to make sense of these contradictions that stare us all in the face with reference to the affairs of this nation. How do we make sense of the tragedy of the yam farmer who imports pounded yam from the distant village? How do we make sense of the seeming nonsense of the current suffering our compatriots are going through in their efforts to access their hard-earned monies? For how long shall we endure these inanities?
But brethren, going through difficult times such as the ones we are in presently are ironically in line with the Sunnah of the Almighty. In other words, earthly life and living has not been designed by our Creator to be a bed of roses. This is amply exemplified in the life of our Prophet; a life that mirrors human life (permit the tautology) as an undulating landscape or a ride in a ship on an ocean full of storms and typhoons. Quran 2; 214 hints at this when companions of the Prophet, having been inundated with a series of trials and tribulations, began to wonder saying ‘when shall the help of the Almighty come?’. The Prophet was then told to tell them, ‘indeed the help of the Almighty is near’. In Surah Al-Inshirah, ayat 5-6, the Almighty informs us that earthly trials are nothing but precedents to their resolution; that Indeed with difficulty there is an ease.
In other words, our earthly life is figured in a cycle, or rather a binary of scarcity and plenty, of happiness and sadness and of fear and hope. We can rest assured that these trying times will soon come to pass. They are never meant to last.
But though these readings may be factual, I could still hear the following questions on the lips of our compatriots- Why do we have to go through difficulties on earth; why is it that the Almighty has not granted that our life should be devoid of trials and tribulations? Why do people of the truth have to be tried, tortured, oppressed, and killed by the people of falsehood? Why is it that He, the Almighty, would not grant unto His people victory such that they do not have to suffer through tough times? Why do we have to see innocent people killed and injured? Why do Muslims suffer the consequences of Islamophobia which take away their right or their spirit to say the least? Why is it that the righteous do not always have the righteous as king?
The words of Allah in the Qur’an and those of His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), contain ample answers to these questions; that there is divine wisdom behind all events in the phenomena. Whereas it is within His power to make all of the above happen, His sunnah (law) however is to make humans partakers of His divine plans; to cause events to happen through us so that we can be tested, so that we can ultimately earn and merit eternal grace and redemption. He says it is He who created death and life to test you (Quran 67: 2). In other words, life on earth is like a school; no student can lay claim to success unless and until after he has gone through an examination. Earthly tests are therefore meant to show who would stand for the truth and support it. He says again: Do people think that they will be left to say, we believe and they will not be tried? (Quran 29;2).
Difficult times are therefore decisive and differentiating. They show those who are truthful to their faith and those who are not. Difficult times are equally not ends in themselves; they are means towards nobler ends. To say this does not however mean perpetrators of conditions that make life difficult for people on earth shall enjoy redemption. Hoarders of the new Naira notes should not expect any divine commissions for orchestrating these strange times in Nigeria. Rather, they should await divine retribution. Those who feast on and expect to prosper from the difficulties people are currently facing in our nation should know that divine retribution is near. It is not in line with His Sunnah to reward iniquities unless its perpetrator repents and makes atonement.
If you are directly in charge of these affairs, remember that the Almighty is going to ask you to account for your acts of omission and commission. If these strange times are orchestrated by you as a strategy to increase your wealth and capital, remember that the Almighty is well-apprised of your plots. He shall hold all of you to account when the time is ripe.
