Allah Almighty has stated,
وَ خُلِقَ الْاِنْسَانُ ضَعِیْفًا(۲۸)
And mankind has been created weak.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (The Translation of the Quran)] (Part 5, Surah Al-Nisa, Verse 28)
Human beings have been created inherently weak, and the result of this weakness is that they are very easily inclined towards the desires of their baser selves, regardless of the amount of loss they will have to bear. It is incredibly difficult for human beings to be patient regarding their desires, irrespective of however harmful those desires prove to be for them. Allah Almighty, having mercy upon the weakness of His bondsmen, has allowed them to take benefit in many matters with a few limits and restrictions, and has only prevented them from those matters that could prove to be harmful for them individually or that could be a cause of great disorder or loss for society as a whole. There are many facets and aspects of mankind’s weaknesses which the Quran has mentioned in great detail; however, alongside actually mentioning them, it is a great favour of Allah Almighty that He عَزَّوَجَلَّ has also mentioned the solutions to all those weaknesses in the form of the Quran by mentioning the stories and accounts of the Prophets عَـلَـيْهِمُ السَّلَام as great examples for us, and in particular, He Almighty made the blessed life of the leader of the Prophets, the best of creation, the master of mankind, the perfect human being, the enlightened Sayyiduna Muhammad صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم a great example for us to follow.
Let us learn about the weakness of mankind and its remedy in light of the Quran:
It is a weakness of human beings that they easily lose hope and fall prey to ungratefulness when facing a difficulty; whereas when they are in ease and comfort, they are full of conceit, pride, arrogance, and heedlessness. In regards to this weakness, Allah Almighty states,
وَ لَىٕنْ اَذَقْنَا الْاِنْسَانَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةً ثُمَّ نَزَعْنٰهَا مِنْهُۚ-اِنَّهٗ لَیَـٴُـوْسٌ كَفُوْرٌ(۹) وَ لَىٕنْ اَذَقْنٰهُ نَعْمَآءَ بَعْدَ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتْهُ لَیَقُوْلَنَّ ذَهَبَ السَّیِّاٰتُ عَنِّیْؕ-اِنَّهٗ لَفَرِحٌ فَخُوْرٌۙ(۱۰)
And if We let man taste any Mercy of Ours and later withdraw it from him; he is definitely most despairing, ungrateful. And if We let him taste the favour after a misfortune that had befallen him, he will surely say that, ‘The evils have gone away from me.’ Indeed, (at that time) he is delighted, boastful.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (The Translation of the Quran)] (Part 12, Surah Hood, Verses 9 - 10)
The solution that the Quran has provided for this weakness is that instead of losing hope when facing a calamity, a person should keep his focus on the Mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ; instead of showing impatience, he should embrace the way of patience and should adopt trust in Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ; and instead of displaying ungratefulness, a person should show gratitude in the Majestic Court of Allah Almighty for the blessings that he currently possesses.
Instead of losing hope, he should focus his attention on mercy, because Allah Almighty is the Most Gracious and Most Merciful, and His Mercy is vaster than anything. He Almighty states,
وَ رَحْمَتِیْ وَ سِعَتْ كُلَّ شَیْءٍؕ-
And My Mercy encompasses all things
[Kanz-ul-Iman (The Translation of the Quran)] (Part 9, Surah Al-A’raf, Verse 156)
He Almighty also states,
لَا تَقْنَطُوْا مِنْ رَّحْمَةِ اللّٰهِؕ-
Do not lose hope in the Mercy of Allah.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (The Translation of the Quran)] (Part 24, Surah al-Zumar, Verse 53)
And He Almighty states,
وَ اللّٰهُ رَءُوْفٌۢ بِالْعِبَادِ(۲۰۷)
And Allah is Most Compassionate towards (His) bondsmen.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (The Translation of the Quran)] (Part 2, Surah al-Baqarah, Verse 207)
A person should have patience when facing a difficulty because Allah Almighty is with the one who is patient and one attains help from Him which strengthens the heart and gives a person courage and determination. This strength of the heart allows one to effectively deal with difficulties and hardships. Allah Almighty states,
اِنَّ اللّٰهَ مَعَ الصّٰبِرِیْنَ(۱۵۳)
indeed, Allah is with those who are patient.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (The Translation of the Quran)] (Part 2, Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 153)
Indicating towards patience and courage, Allah Almighty stated,
فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ اُولُوا الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ
Therefore, be patient (O Beloved) like the courageous Messengers had patience,
[Kanz-ul-Iman (The Translation of the Quran)] (Part 26, Surah al-Ahqaaf, Verse 35)
Likewise, having trust and reliance [in Allah Almighty] is a firm source of support that rectifies all the affairs of a person and brings him under the protection and complete care of Allah Almighty. He Almighty states,
وَ تَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَیِّ الَّذِیْ لَا یَمُوْتُ
And trust the Ever-Living One Who will never die,
[Kanz-ul-Iman (The Translation of the Quran)] (Part 19, Surah Al-Furqan, Verse 58)
He Almighty further states,
وَ مَنْ یَّتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللّٰهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهٗؕ-
And whoever relies upon Allah, so He is Sufficient for him;
[Kanz-ul-Iman (The Translation of the Quran)] (Part 28, Surah al-Talaaq, Verse 3)
In order to bolster one’s resolve when facing difficulties, through faith and trust [in Allah Almighty], one should keep the account of the life of Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام in mind in which Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام left Egypt with his nation, Bani Israel, whilst Fir’awn and his army pursued them until they got close to them. The situation was such that on one hand, the Bani Israel had no weapons; whereas on the other hand, Fir’awn was before them in a state of rage with his army, weapons, strength, pomp, and awe. The Quran explains this apparent condition of the companions of Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام whilst they were unequipped and weak as follows:
فَلَمَّا تَرَآءَ الْجَمْعٰنِ قَالَ اَصْحٰبُ مُوْسٰۤى اِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُوْنَۚ(۶۱)
And then the two groups came in front of each other; those with Moosa said, ‘They have overtaken us.’
[Kanz-ul-Iman (The Translation of the Quran)] (Part 19, Surah al-Shu’ara, Verse 61)
However, in this dire situation, the courageous Prophet of Allah, Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام showed great reliance and trust, and instead of expressing worry and concern, Sayyiduna Musa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام said,
اِنَّ مَعِیَ رَبِّیْ سَیَهْدِیْنِ(۶۲)
Indeed, my Lord is with me, He will now show me the way.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (The Translation of the Quran)] (Part 19, Surah al-Shu’ara, Verse 62)
And then this is exactly what happened. Allah Almighty created a path in the sea; regarding which He Almighty states,
فَاَوْحَیْنَاۤ اِلٰى مُوْسٰۤى اَنِ اضْرِبْ بِّعَصَاكَ الْبَحْرَؕ-فَانْفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرْقٍ كَالطَّوْدِ الْعَظِیْمِۚ(۶۳) وَ اَزْلَفْنَا ثَمَّ الْاٰخَرِیْنَۚ(۶۴) وَ اَنْجَیْنَا مُوْسٰى وَ مَنْ مَّعَهٗۤ اَجْمَعِیْنَۚ(۶۵) ثُمَّ اَغْرَقْنَا الْاٰخَرِیْنَؕ(۶۶) اِنَّ فِیْ ذٰلِكَ لَاٰیَةًؕ-وَ مَا كَانَ اَكْثَرُهُمْ مُّؤْمِنِیْنَ(۶۷)
So, We sent revelation to Moosa; that, ‘Strike the river with your staff.’ The river thereby parted; each part therefore became like a huge mountain. And We brought the others (Fir’awn and his people) close to that place. And We saved Moosa and all those with him. Then drowned the others. Indeed, in this is surely a sign, and most of them were not Muslims.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (The Translation of the Quran)] (Part 19, Surah al-Shu’ara, Verses 63 – 67)
On the basis of this very reliance, in order to learn of the courage and encouragement that it creates in the heart, one should recall the incident of the migration of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم when the Beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم left Makkah Mukarramah in the darkness of the night with his companion Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ اللّٰـەُ عَـنْهُ and stopped at the cave of Sawr. However, the disbelievers had tracked them down and arrived at the vicinity of the cave, and they had arrived so close to them that if they had lowered their heads slightly and peered into the cave, they would have therefore seen the Beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِىَ اللّٰـەُ عَـنْهُ; and if they had seen them, they would not have spared their lives. In this difficult situation, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ اللّٰـەُ عَـنْهُ expressed his unease due to his concern for the protection of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم .Upon this, the master of all, the leader of the Prophets, the one possessing tremendous courage, the Messenger of Allah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم replied with an answer that was founded upon patience, courage, and strength of faith, full of complete certainty, trust, and reliance. Listen with the ears of your heart - he said,
لَا تَحْزَنْ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ مَعَنَاۚ-
‘Do not grieve; indeed, Allah is with us.’
[Kanz-ul-Iman (The Translation of the Quran)] (Part 10, Surah al-Taubah, Verse 40)
Hence, due to the blessings of this very trust and certitude, the help and support of Allah Almighty became manifest such that the disbelievers who were so close to the cave did not even think to bend down slightly and peer inside the cave, despite coming so close to it. They returned from there whilst still standing and the Beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم remained safe.
Keeping the verses of the Quran and the blessed lives of the Prophets عَـلَـيْهِمُ السَّلَام in mind, be sure that in light of the teachings of the Quran and the reality of the outside world, the weakness of mankind is definitely clear and known. However, the Quran has given the solution for changing this weakness into strength; and this solution is patience, courage, hope, strength of faith, complete certainty, and the highest levels of reliance [in Allah Almighty]. Therefore, indeed the solution for mankind’s inherent weakness is that when faced with a calamity, one should focus on the Mercy of Allah instead of losing hope; instead of being impatient, one should adopt patience and trust [in Allah Almighty]; and instead of being ungrateful, a person should show gratitude in the Majestic Court of Allah Almighty for all of the blessings that one has been bestowed with.
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