FLOURISHING THROUGH FAITH AND PIETY (VERSE NO. 96 - 100)

      In conclusion to the story of the five prophets, and their people who were severely punished for their sins, a fact is revealed here that, the Merciful and Gracious God, has not created His servants to punish and torture; even to gain the least in their creation. He has rather created to have mercy and favour on them and to cherish and to flourish them. God's purpose of the creation is not merely to give life and to take life, but rather to promote and progress man towards eternity and divinity, and to grant them supernatural power. But, what is to be done, if man deliberately rejects his Lord's favour and Mercy, and violates His rules and regulations that are naturally legislated for man's own good? Why should Allah punish us when we believe in Him and are thankful for his bounties?:

      If the people of the towns had believed, and avoided evil deeds, We would have opened upon them Blessings from the sky and earth, but they belied and rejected and so We seized them for what they earned.''

      Blessings of God from overhead and sky can be the rain and its effect on man's plantation- solving our problems and difficulties, and answering our prayers and supplications.

      The next verses refer to God's wrath and tricks that: ``Do the people of the towns feel secure of our hardness coming to them...

      Do they feel secure of Allah's tricks (plans)? No one feels secure of Allah's tricks except the people who are losers.''

      It comes when it comes, with utmost justice and rightfulness- It may come by day or by night, and no one who commits sin should feel secure of its coming. Everything in existence has an account, and is under the control of the All-mighty and All-knowing Lord. No one can escape God's plan, and feel himself out of it, unless he seeks his own ruin.

      Though the verses are related to the ancient people and prophets, they are generally applied to all ages and all men. It refers to one of the Divine Laws that God's wrath and punishment will eventually seize the faithless sinners. Even in this mortal life down here, the unbelievers who do evil deeds are not immune from God's chastisement. They may taste God's scourage in the form of earthquake, tornado and storm, flood and famine, war and waste of wealth and life, and etc. All of these are the reactions of our own action and are caused by our earnings!

WHY DO WE SEE SOME DISBELIEVERS IN AFFLUENCE AND PROSPERITY, IF SO?

      This is an old question that: ``We see many believer and honest men or nation, living a hard, unlucky life, and vice versa.''

This question may be answered by considering two points:

1- It is wrong to think that anyone who is wealthy and rich, he is prosperous and happy too. We may think that any nation who has advanced in industry and technology, they are fortunate and lucky. If we consider them with more attention, we find them the slaves of psychological and mental diseases- so much so that a great many of them must always carry some tranquilizing tablets and soothing medicines with them.

      The plants, besides contaminating our living environment, have their own disadvantages and weak points that are not few.

      Just now that I am writing these lines of the commentary, a news has been broadcasted that, in New York, the electric power has failed by some fault for a couple of hour, and people have fallen in darkenss. The news say: ``In the dark of the night hundreds of shops have been plundered- girls in the streets have been attacked and several men have been murdered! and that the police of New York has arrested three thousand men for robbery!'' That is to say; in an advanced and civilized and wealthy town, in a while of darkness due to the pause of power; thousands of people who claim to be civilized and educated, have invaded each other's life, prosperity, and their women's chastity! and they have neither feared their police nor their Lord.

      The same cut off of main power has frequently happened in where they are called arreared countries, but nothing of this kind of evil deeds happen. This is because, to some extent, the inhabitants of these countries believe in God and His reckoning.

      2- Someone may ask; why some Islamic countries who believe in God, and their principle tenet in morality to aviod evil, are so much lagging behind the carvan of progress?! The answer is:

      ``Being a nominal Muslim with some pretence of piety and virtue will never answer! Islam's Holy Book, began its carrier with the word: `EGHRA= READ, in its imperative mood. Islam is a religion of science, knowledge, and thought. In the sight of our prophet; an hour of thinking and contemplation worths a life time of worship and prayer! And one of the most important and most heard and uttered slogans of Islam is: ``The most honoured of you in the sight of Allah, is the most virtuous (pious) of you.''

      Belief is not merely a claim on the tip of one's tongue. In the sight of our prophet, it is testification at the heart, admission by the tongue, and action by the limbs.

      Unfortunately nowadays, Islamic instructions and rules and laws have been abandoned and are forsaken in almost all Muslim countries, and rare are the true Muslims although immense they count in the number! Just like Christians, to whom this applies that: ``There was only one Christian, and he was hanged!''