Aslam

Praise be to Allah.

This is an important verse which indicates that Allaah, may

He be blessed and exalted, in His perfect justice and wisdom does not change

the condition of the people from good to bad or from bad to good, from ease

to hardship or from hardship to ease, unless they change their condition

themselves. So if they are in a state of righteousness and goodness and they

change, Allaah will change things for them with punishment, calamities,

hardship, drought, famine, disunity and other kinds of punishments as

appropriate requital. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And

your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves” [Fussilat 41:46].

Or He may give them respite and give them time so that they

might truen to the right path, but if they do not then they will be seized

unexpectedly, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been

reminded, We opened for them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in

the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden,

We took them (in punishment), and lo! They were plunged into destruction

with deep regrets and sorrows” [al-An’aam 6:44].,

meaning despairing of all goodness -- we seek refuge in Allaah from the

punishment and wrath of Allaah. Or they may be given respite until the Day

of Resurrection, when their punishment will be more severe, as Allaah says

(interpretation of the meaning):

“Consider not that Allaah is unaware of that which the

Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrongdoers) do, but He gives them respite up to a Day

when the eyes will stare in horror”[Ibraaheem 14:42],

meaning that they are given respite until after death, and that will be a

greater and more severe punishment.

Or they may be in a state of evil and sin, then they repent

to Allaah and turn back to Him, and they regret their sins and adhere to

obedience, so Allaah changes their state of wretchedness, hardship and

poverty to ease, unity and righteousness because of their good deeds and

their repentance to Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted. It says in

another verse (interpretation of the meaning):

“That is so because Allaah will never change a grace which He has bestowed

on a people until they change what is in their ownselves” [al-Anfaal 8:53].

This verse tells us that if they are in a state of ease, comfort and

goodness, then they change and turn to sin, their situation will be changed

-- there is no power and no strength except with Allaah -- or they may be

given respite, as stated above. The opposite is also true: if they were in a state of evil and sin, or disbelief and misguidance, then they repent, regret their sin and adhere to obedience to Allaah, Allaah will change their situation from bad to good; He will change their disunity into unity and harmony; He will change their hardship to ease, well being and plenty; He will change their situation from draught, famine, , lack of water and so on to rainfall, fertile land and other kinds of goodness. End quote.