Between sin and physical disability
The creedsystem of Islam requires a Muslim to believe in destiny, good or bad. As believers too, Muslims are expected to consider whatever comes their way in this life, delightful or otherwise, as a trial from Allah (SWT). Indeed, belief in destiny referred to as Qadr in Islamic literature is one of the six fundamental […]
The creedsystem of Islam requires a Muslim to believe in destiny, good or bad. As believers too, Muslims are expected to consider whatever comes their way in this life, delightful or otherwise, as a trial from Allah (SWT). Indeed, belief in destiny referred to as Qadr in Islamic literature is one of the six fundamental articles of faith in Islam. Allah (SWT) mentions in Qur’an 3:186 “Ye shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and in your personal selves…”
The Qur’anic phrase “and in your personal selves” quoted above is interpreted to include trials experienced by those who suffer physical disability, permanent or temporary. Illness in whatever form is a trial from the Creator of the worlds including mankind. The faith of the deaf, dumb, blind and leper could therefore be said to have been put to trial by Allah (SWT); not because of their spiritual, social, political or economic status but because Allah (SWT) intendsto validate the sincerity in their faith. Whether the trial experienced by a personcomforts or hurts him, Islam exhorts him to remain grateful to Allah (SWT) as he gets reward for remaining grateful in times of comforts and for remaining patient in the case of adversities.
Trials in life should be seen in the lightof spiritual optimism; with a beliefthat Allah (SWT) desires good for the person experiencing it. Through trials, our sins are expiated as we are also reminded by challengesto take advantage of the respite granted by Allah (SWT) by putting forth good deeds. Imam Bukhari relates that Abu Hurayrah (RA) reported that the messenger of Allah (SAW) said “If Allah meanswell for a person, He afflicts him with trials”. Imam At-Tirmidhi also relates in one tradition that the Prophet (SAW) said, “Verily, greater rewards come with greater trials. Verily, when Allah loves a people, He tests them. Whoever is pleased (with it) will receive Allah’s blessings andwhoever is displeased (with it) will receive Allah’s displeasure”.
As a result of the trial processes which people (including the physically-challenged) pass through, it is assumed that such people would attain greater spiritual rankhigher than that achieved by those who may not have been tried. In other words, physically-challenged persons should be seen to be more pious than those who are able-bodied. They should be more pious than others not physically challenged. Unfortunately, this suppositionis being proven wrong by the attitude of some physically-challenged persons. The involvement of physically-challenged persons in crimes and immoralitieslends credence to the insinuation that some of them have, by their attitude, refused to imbibe the spiritual lessons taught by trials. Neither do such trials appear to have impacted positively on the quality of their faith.
I found it mind-boggling when the Daily Trust newspaper carried a story some time ago that blind candidates collude to cheat during examinations. The head of Test Administration of the West African Examinations council (WAEC) in Nigeria, Mrs. Francis Iweha-Onukwu, who made the revelation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)said improper guidance is one of the reasons responsible for the high incidence of collusion among blind candidates who cheat during examinations. This reason, however, cannot justify the perpetration (in any form) of examination malpractice by a physically-challenged candidate.
More disturbing is the case of two blind men in Minna who reportedly lured some small boys to engage in sodomy. According to the chairman of the Minna branch of the National Association of the Blind who granted an interview to BBC Hausa service, the suspects confessed to their crimes when the matter was reported to the palace of the Emir of Minna. During police interrogation, one of the suspects admittedthat he has been into the criminal act for some time; adding that he usually lured his victims (who were usually children attending AlmajiriQur’anic schools in Minna) with the sum of N200. Although the second suspect identified as Sadiku escaped to Lagos to evade arrest, he was captured through his mobile phone with the help of other blind persons living there. When Sadiku was brought to Minna, he was asked to explain why he engaged in such a criminal and forbidden act, he said it was caused by fate (Kaddara in Hausa). Haba! Sadiku!!
A friend who lives in Abuja recently told mea bizarre story of what he saw when he had a cause to go to a police station inKubwa. There, he saw two physically-challenged persons, a leper and a blind man, being interrogated at the police station. They were there for the police to settle the case between the two of them. The blindman alleged that the leper had stolen his money and that it was not the first time he robbed him of his “hard-earned” money. Subhana-llah! This matter actually goes beyond the laughter it could trigger in some people. If it is unbecoming for able-bodied persons to engage in crimes or sin against Allah’s injunctions, it becomes a double tragedy for physically-challenged persons to do so; having already been put to trial by the Cherisher of mankind. Scholars and religious leaders have a duty to educate and enlighten Muslims generally on the need to fear Allah (SWT) in all they do and say.
Those who have been subjected to trials including the physically-challenged but refused to be guided; and instead engaged in deeds that depict ingratitude to Allah (SWT) are losers in this world and the hereafter. This is the message passed by Allah, the Irresistible, in Qur’an 22:11 wherein He states “…If a trial comes to them, they turn on their faces: They lose both this world and the hereafter; that is loss for all to see”. May Allah (SWT) guide us as physically-challenged and able-bodied persons to protect and preserve our faith against the evil machinations of the sneaking whisperer, amin.