IOK Ramadan 2025: Allah Knows What He’s Doing| Sh Mudassir Mayet

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Ramadan Reflections. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17

Transcript

Al-Muʾminūm (23): 71 

وَلَوِ اتَّبَعَ الْحَقُّ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ لَفَسَدَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ 

“If the truth (revelation/reality) the whims, desires, and beliefs of the disbelievers, the skies and earth and everything in between would be ruined.” 

If The Truth, referring to either (a) Allāh, (b) The Qurʾān, (c) Al-Islām, or maybe even (d) reality were to follow, obey, and listen to the whims, desires, and beliefs (ahwāʾ) of the people who reject Allāh, The Qurʾān, and the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, meaning the disbelievers, more specifically the pagans of Arabia, then the universe as we know it would not function, it would entirely collapse and fail (fasadat). 

Classically, this has been understood as follows: if the religion was according to whims of the disbelievers who want to worship false gods and continue in their evil and oppression, then there would be nothing but chaos, corruption, and havoc. This is in line with the āyah from Sūrah Al-Anbiyāʾ (21:22) “لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَا آلِهَةٌ إِلا اللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَا – If there was another god aside from Allāh or beside Allāh, then the skies and the earth would fall into destruction and ruin.” The reality of that is obvious to all who think and reflect. 

But if we extend the meaning of this āyah to more than just the concept of paganism, and include people’s own concocted versions of truth and justice, the world again would fall into chaos as ruin. 

1. If Allāh were to give us rules pertaining to men and women, young and old, rich and poor the way humans want, society would be upside down. Allāh ﷻ is The All Knower, and Infinitely Wise: He knows best how to create a universe, creation, creatures, and how to balance in their age, gender, and resources. Allāh also knows how to be the most kind when giving respective guidelines for each category. 

1. We see extremes of people who do not think the poor, the homeless, immigrants, or people with physical or mental issues are deserving of our physical and financial help. And on the opposite side, there are people who think people’s wealth should be capped, the rich should be – God bless you – eaten, and other ideas. Yet again, Allāh knows how to create humans and what is best for them to be commanded to do in terms of earning permissible wealth and spending it on their own selves, families, those in need, and beneficial programs. 

1. There are people who think that a single accusation of any crime warrants the death penalty without evidence, whereas others want everyone to be free without any laws. Both of these would destroy society. Allāh ﷻ’s guidance to deal with personal and communal sins is best. 

There are many examples. Remind yourself to know that Allāh ﷻ’s perfect wisdom in creation is no less than His perfect wisdom in His commands. How can someone claim that the creator of the universe, the one who designed and created such an intricate human – from its eyes, ears, heart, and ability to reproduce – did a great job with the biology, but – aʿudhu bi Allāh, may God save us from claiming the following – teach us anything less than perfect in terms of how the human being, man or woman, should act (be it marriage, prayer, fasting, or any other guidance, regardless of whether it is the same for men and women or different). 

 If the world and laws were as we want it, the world would be in ruin. Much of the world is in ruin. It’s only the grace of God and His kindness that His religion and universal decree keeps everything whole. He is The Eternal, Perfect Maintainer, All Knower, and Infinitely Wise (Al-Ḥayy Al-Qayyūm Al-ʿAlīm Al-Ḥakīm)!