Allāh ta'ālā is Hākim i.e. only what He permits can happen in the world, and He is Hakīm i.e. whatever He does is full of Wisdom. Allāh ta'ālā is also Al-'Alīm (the All-Knowing), Al-Khabīr (the Aware), Al-Malik (the Sovereign), Al-Azīz (the Mighty), Al-Khāliq (the Creator) and Al-Qahhār (the Dominant).

How can we the makhlūq, with our limited abilities, possibly comprehend His Divine Wisdom? We frequently witness events that defy understanding at the time, yet within hours, days or weeks we are forced to admit that what appeared to be a problem at the time was truly a blessing in disguise.

An event in the life of one of our pious predecessors Hadhrat Dhunnūn Misrī rahimahullāh helps illustrate this point. He narrates:

"I was resting by the bank of the River Nile when all of a sudden I caught sight of a huge scorpion heading towards the water's edge. I followed it, for I wanted to see the Wisdom of Allāh ta'ālā. When the scorpion reached the shore a turtle emerged from the water and the scorpion quickly crawled onto its back. The turtle then proceeded to swim to the opposite bank with the scorpion on its back. I entered the water to observe them in more detail. Upon reaching the other side of the Nile the scorpion jumped off the turtle's back onto dry land. I also came out from the water treading behind the scorpion until I arrived at a place where I saw a young man lying in deep sleep under the shade of a tree. I assumed that the scorpion had come from the other side of the river especially to sting this man, but I could not comprehend the Wisdom of Allāh ta'ālā behind this act.

Suddenly a poisonous snake came out of nowhere and headed for the young man. Just as the snake was about to bite him the scorpion sprang and, clinging to the snake's tail, stung it till it dropped dead on the ground. After accomplishing this deed, which had been ordained by Allāh ta'ālā, the scorpion left the scene and headed back towards the water where the turtle was waiting to carry it back to its own side of the Nile."

Without observing the full series of these events which human could have comprehended what Allāh ta'ālā was doing? Let us therefore view every incident and event on this earth, including the recent tsunami (2005), with this in mind that Allāh ta'ālā is Hākim and He is also Hakīm. Instead of wasting time in gossip let us contemplate the Power of Allāh ta'ālā, the inevitable death, and the reckoning. Let us repent sincerely, turn over a new leaf and make the most of our future lives before anything strikes us due to our wrong-doings.

Let us pray for the ones affected by the recent disaster, and assist them in whatever way we can to alleviate their pain and suffering. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu 'alayhi wasallam has said,

All creation are the 'iyāl [dependants under the care] of Allāh, and the most beloved to Allāh from all creation is the one who is best to His 'iyāl. (Al-Bayhaqī)

Truly, Sadaqah extinguishes the anger of the Rabb and prevents an evil death. (At-Tirmidhī)

Courtesy: Riyadul Jannah (2005)