"Where is God? Why is he not taking revenge for Gaza?" he asked the questioners

Imam Muslim, Imam Ahmad, Imam Nasa'i and Imam Abu Dawud narrated the following hadith from Abu Hurairah, may God be pleased with him: A group of people from the companions of the Prophet came to the presence of the Prophet and said: "O Messenger of God, we feel such a state in ourselves that we are afraid to tell about it. We don't want that situation to happen to us," they said. Then the Prophet was asked: "Is this happening to you?" The Companions replied: "Yes." Our Prophet said: "This is the true faith."

Before going to the main topic, let's understand this hadith better. Satan is the enemy of believers. He is busy misleading them in various ways, misleading them, tempting them and putting doubts in their hearts. But Allah wants his believing servants to be steadfast in their faith. Our Prophet also taught his ummah how to overcome such doubts and temptations. In the above hadith, several companions asked the Prophet about the doubts and temptations that were happening to them and said, "We are afraid to talk about these doubts. We don't want this situation to happen to us." That is, the Companions did not want to remove the temptations and doubts from their hearts. Our Prophet clarified the matter by asking: "Is this really happening to you?" Then they said, "If the temptations of the devil appear in your heart, and something inside you prevents you from letting them out, then this is true faith." (The commentary on the hadith was added by the translator)

Troubles and conspiracies are Satan's playground and an opportunity for him to crack the faith of a believer and destroy his trust in God from his heart. We are weak human beings. God's wisdom in some events is not known to us. We only make conclusions based on what we see with our eyes. Sometimes, due to the events that happen, like the companions mentioned in the above hadith, thoughts come to our hearts that we are afraid to even say. And we apologize immediately to get these thoughts out of our minds. This is not because our faith is defective, on the contrary, it is true faith, as our Prophet said above.

So, whenever you find yourself in a strange situation, when your mind is unable to understand the wisdom of the situation, leave it to the Lord. Because He is the One who does not give account to anyone about what he has done, and is wise in his work. We are only his slaves.

Satan sometimes asked, "Where was God during all the bloodshed in Gaza?" Why is he not taking revenge for the babies who were left under the ruins, for the mothers who lost their children, for the poor old people? "Isn't God powerful enough to disable military planes and stop rockets?"

First, this world is a world of trials, not a world of punishment and retribution. God tests us servants: why did you do this, why didn't you do it. A servant cannot test Allah by asking why you did this and why you are not doing this.

Secondly, conclusions are made based on the final result, not based on the current situation. If you lived in the time of Pharaoh and saw Pharaoh throwing young babies into boiling water and burning them until their flesh was separated from their bones, you would say, "Where is God, why is he not taking revenge for these children, what is the fault of these children?" But look how the story unfolded later! God drowned Pharaoh and his army in the sea, and they still have a painful, eternal torment. The killed children and their parents were testified by our Prophet that they are in paradise.

Thirdly, Allah gives opportunity to the oppressor and gives him power. But this does not mean that everything is over in this world. There is an end, there is a reckoning. Remember the incident of Ukhdud. All those who believed were burned in the abyss. And the baby spoke up and said, "Mother, stand firm, endure, for you are on the side of truth." There is no news that God took revenge for this oppression in this world. But there are certainly messages about the inevitability of punishment in the Hereafter.

The results of wars are not always as they seem to us. If a person wins all the battles in this world and ends up being thrown into hell, would that be a victory?! If a person is oppressed, suffering, and oppressed in this world, but remains firm on the truth and reaches heaven, isn't that person the real winner?!

Fourthly, if Allah Ta'ala takes revenge for every injustice in this world, where is the test of this world left?! If truth always won every battle, the ranks of those fighting on the side of truth would be filled with people who worship results.

But it won't happen. Allah Almighty has made this world a test that shakes the hearts. If there were no tyranny and crimes, what would be the test of jihad imposed on slaves. As Allah, the Exalted, allows oppressors to become powerful, He selects His faithful servants who fight in His way.

Fifthly, as an ordinary woman has to endure labor, blood loss, and pain in the process of giving birth to a child, it is natural that the labor of a free nation is much more difficult than that of a woman in a free state.

If you had been present at the time when Abu Jahl Umayya, may God bless him and grant him peace, beat his feet to the ground and then pierced his body with a spear, you would have said, "Where is Allah, why is he silent?"

But think about it, where is Abu Jahl and Umayya?!

Or remember Hazrat Bilal. Umayya ibn Khalaf threw a large stone at the chest of the Prophet. Even if you saw this situation, you would say, "Where is God, why is he not helping Bilal?"

But think about it, where is Umayya and where is Hazrat Bilal?!

At the time of these events, no one imagined that the Muslims would win. But the reality is that everyone knows what the result was. Muslims entered Mecca from all four sides and won.

Therefore, know that Allah Almighty is the Most Competent in His affairs. Every event has its appointed time. If you have a mind, think, or just surrender to God's wisdom. Don't ever give in to the temptations of the devil. God is not oblivious to the actions of the oppressors!

Adham Sharkovy, "Watan" newspaper, Qatar.