Islahi Centre

Written by Abu Aadil

In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

All Praise is to Allah subhana wa ta’ala (the Most High) whom we ask for help and forgiveness. We seek the protection of Allah (SWT) from the sins of ourselves and our creeds. No one can misguide whom He guides, and whom He does not guide will never find guidance.

I testify that there is no God but Allah (SWT), the one with no partner, and that Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is His slave and messenger.

Allah (SWT) says in the Quran in chapter Al-a’araf (7:176) … So relate the story; perchance they may reflect.

Quran tells us many stories yet it is not a story book but guidance for the aalameen (human beings and Jinns). Insha Allah, I would like to talk about one of the story mentioned in the Qur’an and we‘ll go over the some of the lessons from that. It is the story of the Saba (Sheba).

To understand fully the allusions made in the Qur’an to the history of the Sabaeans, one should also keep in view the information that has been obtained through other historical sources about this nation.

Historically, Saba’ were a great nation of Southern Arabia, Which comprised some large tribes. Imam Ahmad, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr and Tirmidhi have related from the Holy Prophet (SAW) that Saba was the name of an Arab, from whose race issued the many tribes of Arabia.

They lived a life of enviable luxury in their land with plentiful provision, crops and fruits. Allah sent them messengers telling them to eat of His provision and be grateful to Him by worshiping Him alone. They followed the message, for as long as Allah willed, until they turned away from it.

Allah says in Chapter Saba’a:Indeed there was for Saba’ (Sheba) a sign in their dwelling place, – two gardens on the right hand and on the left (and it was said to them) “Eat of the provision of your Lord, and be grateful to Him, A fair land and an Oft-Forgiving Lord! (34:16).

This does not mean that there were only two gardens in the whole country, but that the entire land of Saba was like a garden. Wherever a man stood, he could see a garden on his right and a garden on his left.

The commentators of Quran, early scholars and historians tells us that there was a Dam (The Great dam of Ma’arib) and built during seventeenth century BC. The Sabaens built the dam to capture the periodical monsoon rain which falls on the nearby mountains and so irrigate the land around the city.

A number of the Salaf, including Qatadah, mentioned that a woman could walk beneath the trees, carrying a basket or vessel — such as is used for gathering fruit — on her head. Fruits would fall from the trees and fill the basket without any need for her to make the effort to pick the fruit, because they were in plenty and ripe.

It takes three days of journey to travel from the dam of Ma’arib to San`a’ during those days. Some say this area between the dam and San`a’ never had flies, mosquitoes, fleas, or any kind of vermin. This was because the weather was good and the people were healthy, and Allah took care of them so that they would single out and worship Him alone.

What happened?

Eventually the people of Saba turned away from worshipping Allah alone and showing gratitude to Him for the blessing that He had bestowed upon them. They started to worship the sun instead of Allah (34:16) They deviated from the Islamic monotheism.

The dam was destroyed due to the flood released from the dam. Some scholars including Ibn `Abbas, Wahb bin Munabbih, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak notes that Allah sent beasts from earth to destroy the dam causing flood upon them. The beasts include large rats which made holes in the dam.

Wahb bin Munabbih says, “They found it written in their Scriptures that the dam would be destroyed because of these large rats. So they had cats for a while, but when the decree came to pass, the rats outnumbered and ran over the cats into the dam, making a hole in it collapsing the dam.” Allah knows the best.

Water is source of life but for the tyrant Fir-aun and his army, water was the cause of death. Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur’an, “And to Allah belong the soldiers of the heavens and the earth, and ever is Allah Knowing and Wise” (Al-Fath 5-6)

Qatadah and others says, “The large rat is the desert rat. They gnawed at the bottom of the dam until it became weak. When the time of the floods arrived, the waters hit the structure collapsing the dam. The waters rushed through the bottom of the valley and destroyed everything in their path — buildings, trees, etc.” The trees on the mountains started dying out since the waters for them drained to the right and the left drying the them out. Those beautiful, fruit-bearing trees were replaced with something altogether different.

The statement continues with “And their two gardens were converted into gardens producing bitter bad fruit (ukul khamt),and some few Lote trees”. This is what happened to those two gardens after they had been so fruitful and productive, offering beautiful scenes, deep shade and flowing rivers; they were replaced with thorny trees, tamarisks and Lote trees with huge thorns and little fruit. This was because of their disbelief and their sin of associating others with Allah. They denied the truth and turned towards falsehood.

Allah (SWT) says in Qur’an that He gave them the reward for what they did: Like this We requited them because they were ungrateful disbelievers. And never do We requite in such a way except those who are ungrateful. (34:19)

Mujahid says, the meaning of `We punished them for their disbelief.’ is that “He does not punish anyone except the disbelievers.” Al-Hasan Al-Basri says, “Allah the Almighty has spoken the truth: no one will be punished in a manner that befits the sin except the ungrateful disbelievers.”

Narrated Ibn Umar (RA), Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said “If Allah sends punishment upon a nation then it befalls upon the whole population indiscriminately and then they will be resurrected (and judged) according to their deeds.”  (Sahihul-Bhukhari)

Some of us might think, after all this is just a story in the past; we are now strong and developed with technology and the equipments we have. The reality is we are not and the history proves that. Due to the scope of my topic I am not going further with that. But I would like to mention about one incident happened during 70s in United States. There are many other calamities which human has no control. It is about the Teton Dam. Recently I was able to watch a Television documentary on this Dam.

The History of the Teton Dam

The Teton Dam was a federally built dam on the Teton River in south eastern Idaho, which existed for less than one year before suffering a catastrophic failure on June 5, 1976.

The collapse of the dam resulted in the death of 11 people and 13,000 head of cattle. The dam cost about USD $100 million to build. Total damage estimates ranged up to $2 billion. The dam was never rebuilt.

The dam was located in the Teton Canyon approximately 44 miles (71 km) northeast of the city of Idaho Falls. The Bureau of Reclamation awarded the contract for Teton Dam, including the Power and Pumping Plant, to Morrison-Knudsen Company of Boise, Idaho. The contractor received the notice to proceed on December 14, 1971. Clearing of the job site started in February 1972. Completed in 1975, it was a 305 foot (93 m) high earth fill dam intended for irrigation, electricity, flood prevention, and recreation. The dam was built by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, which later received most of the blame for the collapse.

Allah (SWT) says in Holy Qur’an: Have they not traveled in the land and seen what was the end of those who were before them? They were superior to them in strength, and in the traces (which they left) in the land. But Allâh seized them with punishment for their sins. And none had they to protect them from Allâh (40:20).

Allah (SWT) tells us about the blessings which the people of Saba’ enjoyed; the luxuries and plentiful provision which was theirs in their land, with its secure dwellings and towns which were joined to one another, with many trees, crops and fruits. When they traveled, they had no need to carry provisions or water with them; wherever they stopped, they would find water and fruits. But because of their disbelief and ingratitude everything vanished and they have been dispersed to different part of the land.

Lessons from this story

1. We should have a strong belief in the almighty God (Islamic Monotheism) and in the life here after. We need to strengthen it.

From the beginning of the chapter we can read Allah (SWT) says: Those who disbelieve say: “The Hour will not come to us.” Say: “Yes, by my Lord, the All Knower of the unseen, it will come to you.” (34:3)

This divine statement makes the truth explicitly that nothing in this world other than belief in the Hereafter can ensure man’s adherence to the right way. If a man disbelieves that, he is to be raised back to life after death and has to render an account of his deeds before his God, he will certainly be misled and go astray, for he will never be able to develop in himself the sense of responsibility which alone can make him adhere to the right path.

That is why the artifice or trick of Satan by which he allures or tempts man to be heedless or neglectful of the Hereafter. The one who escapes this satanic enticement can never agree that he should sacrifice the interests of his real everlasting life to the interests of the transient or short-term life of this world. On the contrary, those under the influence of Satan or at least under the doubts entertained by him, disbeliefs in the Hereafter. Their deeds will be mechanical since they do no have pure intentions and sincerity there by ending up in hypocricy and showing off.

Whoever has gone astray in this world, has gone astray only due to the denial of the Hereafter, or some suspicion about it; and whoever has adopted righteousness has done so because his righteous deeds was issued from his belief in the Hereafter.

2. We need to be vigilant to the influence of shaithan,

And indeed Iblîs (Satan) did prove true his thought about them, and they followed him, all except a group of true believers (in the Oneness of Allâh). 34:19

Shaithan promises something but never fulfills. He tries to take you in the hell fire. Though he doesn’t have the power to force you to do something, he will deceive you when you forget. “…and let not the chief deceiver (Satan) deceive you about Allâh. Surely, Shaitân (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.” (35:6)

3. Know that we are nothing, and we are always dependent on our Lord. Never ever under estimate the power of Allah.

O mankind! it is you who stand in need of Allâh, But Allâh is Rich (Free of all needs), Worthy of all praise. (15) If He willed, He could destroy you and bring about a new creation. (16) And that is not hard for Allâh. (35:15-16)

4. Be satisfied with the blessing you have and never pray for taking that off from you.

This is what happened to the nation of Sab’a . Allah says in Qur’an: But they said: “Our Lord! Make the stages between our journey longer,” and they wronged themselves; so We made them as tales (in the land), and We dispersed them all totally. Verily, in this are indeed signs for every steadfast, grateful (person).” (34: 19)

They may not have prayed thus in so many words. As a matter of fact, whoever is ungrateful to Allah for His blessings, tries to please Allah, as if to say that he is not worthy of those blessings. Likewise, the nation which abuses the bounties of AIlah, in fact, prays to Him, as if to say, “Our Lord, withdraw Your blessings from us: we are not worthy of these.

5. Finally on my list, when ever the calamities, disasters occurs to a nation or to a people by natural cause or by human, for us believers there will be a great lesson.

Now the question is where do we stand? How do we respond?

The recent blockade of Gaza has pushed the 1.5 million Palestinians living there into what is possibly the worst humanitarian situation ever witnessed in Palestine.

A severe and growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza is threatening the lives of thousands who lack basic necessities such as food and medicines. The whole population has been punished by cutting them off from the rest of the world for many months. No consideration to their basic survival needs is addressed in one of the most populated area in the world.

They have reached a dire situation where parents are unable to find baby food for their babies and basic medicines for their sick children. Patients die daily in hospitals due to lack of medicines and medical equipment. It is shameful that a whole population is left to starve to death while the whole world is watching.

With over a million in need, conditions worsen as Gazens seek aid from other sources. Will you take a stand to help? How many of us could contribute?

Before pointing fingers on others, we need to take a look at our own selves. We are also tied up with this materialistic life, some of us doesn’t care about it, some of us do care but afraid of something. My humble request to you is do what ever you can; at least you can pray for the people who are going through these sufferings. This will be from our lowest level of imaan (faith).

I would like to add the Hadith of the Prophet (SAW) in this regard: Rasoolullah (SAW) said, whosoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart-and that is the weakest of faith (Muslim).