Certainly, it’s no news that most Nigerians are experiencing hard times occasioned by inconceivable inflation on nearly all essential commodities of everyday life particularly feeding and transportation. It’s a trying moment for most people; as workers, students, artisans, transporters, big and petty business owners. Believing that the middle class has since gone into extinct, the gap has continued to widen that one wonders if those left in the upper class is anything significant to reckon with.
The burden of survival is progressively pushing many citizens to a very tight corner within the perimeters of life; almost seeking to exhaust their patience, overwhelm their self-discipline, and possibly tinker with their faith (Iman). Nonetheless, the true knowledge of Allah, and of His nature and attributes is a strong weapon with which to overcome life challenges. To achieve this and consequently survive the stormy sea of life requires proper understanding of Allah’s attributes as mentioned in Qur’an 2:255; otherwise referred to as “Verse of the Throne,” (or Aayat ul-Kursiy in Arabic).
The verse (in Qur’an 2:255) reads, “There is no God but He, The Living, The Self-Subsisting, The Eternal. No slumber can seize Him or sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permits? He Knoweth what (appears to His creatures) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He wills. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the Most-High, the Supreme (in glory).”
No one can clearly explain Allah’s attributes better than Himself, the Omnipotent and Omniscience. The verse consists of well-chosen words that are exclusive to Allah, the one true Living God. His life is neither dependent upon other beings or things nor is it limited to time and space. While man’s life was created and subjected not only to death but also to the need for rest or slowed-down activity, Allah, the Creator of everything in creation has no need for rest or sleep. Like His being, Allah is perfect and absolute.
If we sincerely believe that the keys of life and death, and the mysteries of everything around us are prerogatives of Allah in addition to the conviction that Allah’s omniscience is ageless, endless, and changeless; the onus is on us to therefore seek the path of goodness, kindness, upright conduct and charity. Allah who neither slumbers nor sleeps knows best our situation, whether pleasurable or unpleasant. With a conviction that Allah is aware of the challenges (whether peculiar or abnormal) confronting us individually and collectively, trying moments should give us less worry whenever they dare us because He (SWT) alone knows the reasons for such; and Allah alone also knows best the solutions to our challenges. Yes, Allah knows how to exploit, overturn, and reverse hopeless situations to our advantage.
Part of the teachings of “No slumber or sleep can seize Him” in Qur’an 2:255 is that affliction(s) suffered by a community or nation probably due to the spiritual, political and socio-economic sins of a few does not mean that Allah is unaware of the sufferings or predicaments of the majority. Of course, Allah is not oblivious of our injustices against one another as well as man’s inhumanity against another. Truly, the sins of the unjust among leaders and the led are intact with the two recording Angels.
It is part of Allah’s infinite mercy and forgiveness that He gives respite for repentance to sinners. If Allah were to punish man for every wrong or shortcoming, not a single living creature on earth would escape punishment. Allah states in Qur’an 16:61 “If Allah were to punish men for their wrongdoing, He would not leave on the (earth) a single living creature: But He gives them respite for a stated Term: When their Term expires, they would not be able to delay (the punishment) for a single hour, just as they would not be able to anticipate it (for a single hour)”.
Nevertheless, we should not be foolish to take advantage of the respite given by Allah to be a license for transgressing the bounds set by Islam. The respite is also not an escape route from the consequences of one’s wrongdoings. No doubts, Allah who does not slumber or sleep has knowledge of the deeds and misdeeds of every being who shall sooner or later be rewarded or sanctioned accordingly.
Allah who neither slumbers nor sleeps is aware of an individual’s unfriendly situations when he suffers natural calamities, perpetual failures in life struggles, loss in businesses, sicknesses (whether manageable of terminal), loss of job, failure in examinations, etc. Believers in these circumstances are encouraged to persevere and seek Allah’s divine intervention. Allah commands in Qur’an 2:153 “O ye who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and prayer: For Allah is with those who patiently persevere.” Aayat ul-Kursiy can be recited as a broad-spectrum supplication for seeking solace and Allah’s intervention in all matters; as regularly as may be required. May Allah guide us to understand the real message of the Qur’an, amin.
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