Al-A'raaf (The Heights)

94. “And We did not send a prophet in any town but We overtook its people with distress and affliction that they might humble themselves.”

The Qur’ānic term /ba’sā’/ means some calamities which reach the soul, like death; while the term /darrā’/ means: financial damages.¹

As an Allah’s way of treatment, there are some bitter events and calamities for all nations.

It is noteworthy that difficulties and hardships are usually some functional factors in removing neglectfulness and in training man. Also, calamities are not always the Wrath of Allah. They are sometimes the grace of Allah in the form of misfortunes.

(Like some iron which, as a result of being heated in the furnace, becomes soft and changeable into different shapes. Afflictions cause man to be mild, too.) Difficulties also make Man humiliate and supplicate.

The verse says:

“And We did not send a prophet in any town but We overtook its people with distress and affliction that they might humble themselves.”2

Imam Sadiq (as) in a tradition said:

“Allah, Almighty and Glorious, said: ‘When the one who has known Me disobeys Me, I will set up, as an absolute master over him, the one who has not known Me’.”3

Hadrat abul-Hassan-il-Hādi, the tenth Imam (as) has said:

“Verily Allah has a caller who calls every day and night ‘O’ servants of Allah! Stop! stop sinning Allah! If there were not grazing animals, milking babies, and (in prayer) bowing aged ones, there would be showered a punishment over you by which you might be severely bruised’.”4