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The Journey
of a Toiler
Abbas Al Humaid
The Journey of a Toiler (Novel)
All rights reserved by the author
– Abbas Ali Mahmood –
First edition–April, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-912275-00-7
OTHER PUBLICATIONS BY THIS AUTHOR:
1. Islamic Strategy – How to Participate in the Development of
the Muslim Nation
2. Your Career Path - Develop your Business Portfolio
3. Introduction to Shi’a Islam - The Islamic Vision of Life
4. The Tranquil Soul - Practical Steps to Achieve Happiness and
Success
CONTACT THE AUTHOR
+96895385151
abbas.alhumaid@gmail.com
www.alhumaid.org
Contents
Prologue ............................................................................... 4
Lost ....................................................................................... 9
Tough Situations ............................................................... 47
The Story of Life ............................................................... 82
The Perpetual Spiral of Life .......................................... 109
Love Makes Miracles ..................................................... 147
The Bitterness of Estrangement .................................... 185
The Conspiracy ............................................................... 211
Descending to the Abyss ............................................... 235
And Life Continues ........................................................ 270
Abut the Author ............................................................. 307
4
Prologue
I am not a scholar in religion, nor am I specialized
in the Islamic doctrines. I am not a novelist or an
author. I do not claim any of these roles. I am just an
ordinary person sailing along the course of life with his
small family, in pursuit of a good life, security, truth
and Allah’s blessing. Like anyone else, life confronts
me with all of its might and complexities, as if meaning
to challenge me; yet I do not panic or retreat, but go
forward defending my survival, dignity and values.
My armor consists of patience, will and contemplation.
I find relief in what my humble understanding can
comprehend of the wonderful values, concepts, and
practices of Islam that are embedded in the Islamic
texts and embodied in our Islamic doctrines. At times I
have been thrilled by victory; at others, I have sipped
on the bitterness of defeat. I have occasionally
overexerted myself, and often felt powerless - but each
time I have felt weak, I have sensed the presence of the
divine hand extending towards me. Throughout all
this, I have wondered at the pressing mysteries and
dilemmas of life, existence and the universe. But
Prologue
5
although I these mysteries have challenged me, at some
point, I began tackling them one by one and integrating
the jigsaw pieces into the bigger, fascinating picture of
creation by the divine hand.
This novel is allegorical because the concepts and
techniques in it are real. I have tried and practiced
them myself, time after time, in situations even tougher
than those experienced by the protagonist of the novel.
These concepts and techniques have enabled me to
enjoy happiness and peace of mind in a life in which, it
seems, the stronger you prove yourself to be, the
rougher and harsher it becomes.
The questions that have disturbed me about life and
existence are many. I am certain they disturb many
others, too; but like many things in life, it is often easier
for us just to avoid them. Since my childhood, I have
chosen to confront these questions and not to believe in
anything just because I am told to do so. When I
believed in Allah and recognized his beauty and might
– to as great an extent as my limited mind would allow
- I realized how massive the secrets and facts of the
universe really are.
1- Does God (Allah) really exist, or is He merely
fiction? Why must there be a creator? Why can’t
the creator have a creator? Can there be a co-
creator? How do we know that Allah is generous
Prologue
6
and honest in his promises to us? How do we
know that He has all the attributes of perfection as
described by Him? What is Allah? Will we be able,
one day, to see Him?
2- Does Allah really love us and have mercy on us?
Why, then, did He create ailments and diseases?
Why does He allow people to starve and die of
sickness? Why did He create criminals, germs and
beasts? Why did He make some of us smarter and
wealthier while others are poorer, less healthy or
less smart? Why did He not create us directly in the
heavens instead of on Earth where we suffer
torments, err and then are subject to His wrath?
3- Why did Allah create us? What does He want from
us in this life? Is it to reconstruct the Earth? But
then why? Does He need us to reconstruct the
Earth? Is the Earth more important than humans?
Why did He create the Earth in the first place? Did
He create us to worship Him? But then - why? He
does not need our worship; it does not add
anything to Him.
4- Is death indignity and torment? How could it not
be; we hear that those who die suffer the severest
of torment, right from the moment of their dying to
their compression in the grave, their torture in Al
Prologue
7
Barzakh (1) at the hands of ‘Monker and Nakeer’
(2) and their final destiny, hell. But do they not say
that death is the ascension to Allah? How, then,
could the ascension to Allah be torture and misery?
5- Why would He torture us in hell? What is it to Him
if we commit a few sins without meaning to
challenge His authority? We do it only out of our
whims of lust, weakness, and ignorance. Why are
we punished for temporary sins - like listening to
songs - for periods of time that are
disproportionate to our sins by a scale of millions?
Would we not consider it unjust to burn someone
who is cursing us? Why, then, do we consider the
burning of cursers in hell a just punishment? Is it
because it came from Allah? Is it because He is
stronger than us?
6- Why did Allah insist that we pray to Him and ask
Him about our needs? If He already knows our
desires and needs, and He can fulfill them, then
why would He make it a condition that we pray to
Him? Does He need the prayers?
1 „Al Barzakh‟ is an Arabic word meaning an “isthmus” or separation. In Islamic
literature, it denotes the intermediate life between this life and the final life. It
begins with death and ends with resurrection at the judgment day. (Translator)
2 Monker and Nakeer are the names, in Islamic literature, of the two angels who
undertake the initial questioning of people immediately after their death.
(Translator)
Prologue
8
7- Did Allah not create us to worship Him? Why,
then, did he allow Satan to seduce us, exploiting
our lusts and weaknesses and leading to misery in
the afterlife? Why did Allah answer the request of
Satan to live long enough to seduce us? Is it
because Satan provoked Him, highly exalted be He
above this? Or is it that Allah hates us? Is this not a
great injustice? Is this not contradicting the
purpose of creation to begin with?
This novel attempts to deal with all these questions
and many more in a manner that is simple yet relatable
to day-to-day life. I have tried to make the allegory
palatable to the tastes of the general public and to
human instinct. I have certainly attempted to abide by
the religious texts as well as to take into account the life
situation in which we find ourselves, and hope that this
will make the narrative vibrant and resonant with
happiness.
47
Chapter II
Tough Situations
Tough Situations
48
I continued my endeavor ardently, with a fiery will
inside me. What’s more, I was anxious of an unknown
future. I knew my path was not paved with gold, and
at times, I doubted if I could change my reality, but I
had nothing to lose. I dearly wished that I could excel
and make my father proud of me, wherever he was.
My first mission was to get a public relations officer
job with a reasonable salary (at least 250 Omani riyals
plus a car and fuel), preferably in a big firm. At the
same time, I aimed to prepare for the CMA certification
through distance learning with a US university.
With his wide network of contacts, Uncle Issa
managed to arrange a number of interviews in some
companies looking for a good PRO.
My first interview was on Wednesday at 1pm, at a
local firm that worked with the stock market and
business investments. It was located in Commercial
Street, Muttrah. I was apprehensive, as all my hopes
were tied to this job. I couldn’t go back to sleep after
dawn prayer. I was scared of disappointment and of
lost opportunities.
In the bag where I kept my clothes and other stuff,
there were only two dishdashas, and both of them
were dirtied. I picked the better of the two and asked
by mother to iron it for me. The iron was broken, so I
took it to my Aunt Safia’s house and she did it for me.
Tough Situations
49
I didn’t have money to put gas in my father’s car, so
I went to the Corniche to take public transport. It was
very hot, and I was drenched in sweat. It took longer
than I expected to find a minibus taxi to take me to Al
Wadi Al Kabir area, near the company.
By now, it was almost 1 pm, and I was running late.
O God, please help me - I need this job. The traffic was
heavy where I was going. It felt as if the clock was
ticking faster than usual, intent on adding to my
burden.
It was 1:19 pm when I got to the company’s block,
and I had to ask for their exact location. By the time I
finally arrived, it was almost 1:30. Someone was at the
door getting ready to leave. I asked him where to find
Mohammed Attiya, the director of the company’s
administrative affairs. Lo and behold, it was him. I was
panting and sweaty. Thanks to this and my stained
clothing, I looked like a homeless vagabond. I told the
man that I was the one he was supposed to interview.
He looked at me with disgust, admonished me for
being late and told me I was not suitable for the job.
Then he walked out.
I was struck by a kind of lightning. Humiliated, I
froze on the spot. My chest hurt with fury and blood
boiled in my arteries. I ran out of the place. Everything
was wrong. I was filled with despair and frustration.
Tough Situations
50
With no fare, I walked back five kilometers home in the
hot weather. I felt like smashing the windows of these
rich people’s fancy cars, but I restrained myself.
One hour in the simmering heat, and my anger
turned to depression and exhaustion. I arrived home
feeling utterly devastated. I couldn’t say a word. I
switched on the air conditioner and fell onto the
mattress in a curled fetal position. ‚I’m tired. I’m going
to lie down ‘til I die,‛ I told my mother. She kept
crying, which only added to my pain and anger.
‚Enough!‛ I shouted at her. ‚If you don’t stop
crying, I’ll run out and never come back!‛ It was the
first time I had raised my voice at my mother. She was
dumbfounded and scared, and moved backwards.
The demons were dancing around me, but a thin
thread kept me tied to Allah. I kept praying for His
help as I fell into a deep sleep. I woke up later, at night,
to hear the voice of Uncle Issa. ‚I am sorry, it is entirely
my fault,‛ he was saying softly.
The sleep had helped to calm me down and my
uncle’s presence soothed me. Indeed, I needed to see
him.
‚Uncle!‛
‚After your mother called me, I called Mohammed
Attiya, and I found out how things had gone. I
Tough Situations
51
apologized on your behalf for you being late and asked
him to give you another chance.‛
‚No, Uncle. I can’t work in that company after what
happened. It was my fault,‛ I said, raising myself up to
a seated position.
‚Ok, but there are many other places you can work.
It was not your fault, but mine. I’ll stay with you until
you calm down. I’m sorry.‛
‚Please Uncle, don’t apologize, you’ve done enough
for me.‛
‚Listen, my love, we both know you can’t send a
soldier to battle without sufficient preparation. In the
same way, you can’t go to interviews without having
prepared. You need good clothes and other accessories,
like sandals, a watch, a good kumma and some cash to
be able to use the car.‛
To that, I couldn’t respond. He knew we couldn’t
afford all that, and I could not accept any money from
him. I would never do that.
‚I borrowed some money for you from the youth
fund in the community. You can pay it back later,
when you get hired,‛ he said.
That sounded good. The youth fund was a
voluntary venture by some in the community to help
Tough Situations
52
young people like me get back on their feet, and I was
eligible for it.
‚Thank you, Uncle. I am up for that, but the loan
has to be in my name and you my guarantor.‛
‚Deal.‛
# # # # #
I was not skilled at job interviews, but with each
one I got better and better. Thanks to my good
command of English and my ability to write letters, I
had something of an edge in the interviews. It was not
long before I ended up with three job offers, the best of
which was from an English company, for a job as a
driver and a PRO. The company offered a salary of 450
riyals, including expenses for the car. It was good
enough for me. It allowed me enough spare time to
study in the office, and I also studied during the time I
spent waiting in the long queues of government
institutions to carry out the company’s administrative
tasks.
A comfortable and busy year passed by—our
financial situation improved, we paid all our family
debts and we moved to a bigger house in the same
neighborhood. The only challenge I had during this
year was my struggle with preparing for the American
Tough Situations
53
Management Accounting exam (CMA). It was next to
impossible and caused me deep frustration to begin
with, but with the gradual improvement of my English
skills and my hard work, I managed to progress. I
failed the examinations several times, but finally
passed all four modules. It was not just any success; it
was THE success for me. I wished my father had been
beside me at these moments so that he could have
shared in my happiness. Was he aware of my success ?
Was he proud of me? Or did my achievements make
no difference to him, in the world where he was now? I
missed him.
# # # # #
My next mission was a challenge of a different kind,
but was a reward for my success in the previous one: I
needed to find a job in accounting with a better salary
than my current one. At the same time, I had to enroll
for a graduate degree in business at one of the private
colleges during evenings.
One might say I was lucky, but the way I saw it was
that I was being cared for by Allah. The day after I
passed the exam, I went to see the regional manager of
my company. Over the last year, I had managed to
build a good rapport with everyone at the company
with whom I had come into contact, including this
Tough Situations
54
regional manager — several times, I had helped him
tend to his personal business.
Andro - his name - was bent under the desk as
usual, looking for a pen that had fallen on the floor,
and I waited until he had got up. Moments later, he
settled on his fine chair and peered at me above his
slim spectacles.
‚Mohammed, how can I help you?‛
‚I passed my CMA, sir.‛
‚You did? Congratulations, you earned it. So, what
next?‛
‚To find a job in accounting and complete a
graduate degree in business.‛
‚Obviously you have planned your career well.
Would you like to move to our accounting
department?‛
That was indeed surprising. I was not used to
things going my way so easily. I immediately agreed.
‚Good, then you must find us an excellent PRO to
replace you, and once you’ve done this, you can make
the move. Will two months suffice to get it done?‛ he
smiled, encouragingly.
‚One month will do. I promise the new PRO will be
excellent.‛
Tough Situations
55
‚Fantastic. Take care!‛
‚Thank you, sir.‛
It wasn’t so hard to find a replacement PRO; our
company paid good salaries, and during my work, I
had come to know several talented PROs.
# # # # #
The job took the best part of my time and effort — I
had to work nights and weekends to get things done,
particularly at the end of the month, but this did not
stop me enrolling in evening classes at the College of
Commerce. I returned home exhausted every night,
dragging my feet towards the table to eat my mother’s
delicious dinner, savor a cup of tea and spend some
time with my family. It was my time out from this busy
world.
Despite my fatigue, I felt very enthused when I saw
my mother sitting and knitting a beautiful kumma for
me.
As the days passed, my responsibilities and
burdens increased. I slept only four hours each night. I
had perpetual headaches and I used painkillers all the
time. My body felt like it weighed a ton, and I was
always heavy-eyed, especially while driving. Finally,
my performance at work and in my studies
Tough Situations
56
plummeted, and my mistakes increased. I suffered
nervousness and stress, and if it was not for the twenty
minutes of solitude I made sure I had every night, I
might have had a nervous breakdown.
I had no other choice. I had to continue until I could
go on no longer. I kept telling myself that the years
would soon pass; I would graduate and enjoy a
comfortable life. I was always praying to Allah to help
and I asked my mother to pray for me, but deep down,
I doubted there was any way out of my dilemma
without a miracle from Allah.
One day, while I was praying in the evening, a
strange idea flashed through my mind. I remembered
faking sickness in my early days of school in order to
get a day or two off. I had to convince my parents in
order to make it work, so I first convinced myself that I
was not feeling well, and then guess what? I made
myself sick enough to at least convince my mother.
And it worked the other way round as well: Once it
was safe enough, I reversed the process to be able to
play outside with other kids in the neighborhood.
Now, I thought that maybe if I talked myself into
feeling good and rested enough with only four hours of
sleep, I would do well as a result. It was a funny idea,
but I tried it anyway. The results were spectacularly
prompt. I felt much better and my performance was
Tough Situations
57
enhanced, though I still had trouble driving for long
distances.
I was thrilled at this achievement - not only because
my work and study improved, but also because I
enjoyed life more. I felt this was Allah’s answer to my
prayers. He had made me recognize my true potential
and harvest it. This auto-suggestion helped me get rid
of insomnia, and I also used it to enhance other
potentials I hadn’t yet fulfilled.
# # # # #
The prayer room at the college was small and
deserted. Few people used it, and the lighting was dim.
I felt uncomfortable in the beginning, but over time I
got used to it and felt comfortable in it. I felt more
reverence in my prayer without attracting any
unwanted attention.
On one occasion, however, I was praying in the
evening and pleading for the will to stop listening to
songs when one of my colleagues entered the prayer
room. I immediately wiped my tears away. I was
anxious that he might have seen me crying, perhaps
because it was unusual for people to cry while they
pray, or perhaps because I was scared to be thought of
as a zealot and thus to become the object of my
classmates’ cynicism. I was already seen as ‚different‛
Tough Situations
58
because I did not mingle with or shake hands with
women, and because I refused to listen to songs. Well,
at least in the presence of others; I did so in my private
moments. But I had been caught, and in no time at all,
the other students started making fun of my adherence
to religious doctrines. They did so in a very improper
way. The blood simmered in my veins, but I managed
to remain composed in appearance. I felt like
responding to them harshly, but I couldn’t. I had never
lashed out harshly at anyone in my life. I gripped the
chair beside me hard and wanted to break it over their
heads. I might have given into the desire, had it not
been for me remembering the patience of the Prophet
in response to some people’s intensive malice. I
decided to follow the Prophet’s example.
I calmed down. I put on a confident smile and felt a
chill as I reflected on a verse of the Quran: “And not
equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel
[evil] by that [deed] which is better; and
thereupon the one whom between you and him
is enmity [will become] as though he was a
devoted friend (34) But none is granted it
except those who are patient, and none is
granted it except one having a great portion
[of good] (35).” This made me feel peaceful and calm.
I decided to hear them out and try to understand the
way they think. I noted that despite their cynical
commentary, some of their words demonstrated
Tough Situations
59
respect for me and my adherence to religion. I think
they were simply not used to the way I saw things.
It would have been forgotten, but Amer, the one
who had seen me crying in the prayer room, would not
let it go. He was not wicked. He had been very
religious in the past, and we had previously spent long
hours on the Corniche discussing various religious and
social issues. We were mature for our ages. But he was
deeply shocked when his ‚religious‛ father left his
family and his mother got cancer. He lost his faith in
Allah and turned 360 degrees. His good financial
status, sharp mind, handsome looks and absence of
parental supervision aided this transition.
‚Mohammed, since you read so much about
religion, maybe you can help me. I have some
questions about these doctrines, and I can’t figure out
the answers by myself.‛ The challenging tone was
obvious in his words. I knew his questions were meant
to embarrass me, but I accepted the challenge. I looked
at him with a smile.
‚I am simply someone who is trying to learn. I only
know a little, but please go ahead and ask. If I don’t
know the answer, I will ask and find it out for you,‛ I
replied, in a strong and confident voice.
‚The question that puzzles me is that if Allah loves
us and is merciful, then why did He create ailments
Tough Situations
60
and diseases? Why does He let people starve and die of
diseases? Why did He create criminals and germs and
monsters? Why did He make some of us smart, rich
and healthy while others are poor, sick and dumb?‛
Amer shot his questions at me in rapid succession, and
it caused an uneasy feeling amongst the rest of the
guys. These were taboo issues in our common culture,
and I did not have a detailed and satisfying answer.
However, I could not afford to let them go unanswered
completely.
‚We don’t know many things about this universe.
Allah says, “And mankind have not been given
of knowledge except a little” - what we don’t
doubt is that Allah is omnipotent and omniscient. He
loves us and is merciful on us. Our minds can’t
comprehend his wisdom regarding some of the issues
we face, including those questions you asked. That
does not mean He does not love us. He said in the
Quran, “Indeed Allah is, to the people, Kind
and Merciful.” ‛
‚But<,‛ Amer wanted to interrupt me, but Omar
wouldn’t allow him to, and asked me to continue.
‚I’m almost done with my answer. Let me give you
an example. Do you remember when your father took
you to taekwondo sessions, years ago? You hated it
and thought your dad didn’t love you and was forcing
Tough Situations
61
you to do things you didn’t like. He watched you
getting beaten up over and over again in the practice.
Well, do you still think he didn’t love you? Or was it
that he loved you and wanted to make you strong?
You couldn’t have realized that at that time.‛
‚That does not answer my question,‛ Amer said,
but before he could go on, Salim, another guy,
interjected:
‚Honestly, Amer, your question is improper. We
were just kidding, and you made it serious. It was
improper to second guess Allah’s wisdom. Mohammed
is trying to answer you and you don’t want to listen.‛
‚No, Salim, I didn’t mean to second guess Allah’s
love for us.‛
"Yes, you did. Anyway, let’s drop it. If you have
any further questions, go to the scholars and they will
answer you, but don’t just throw them at another
student.‛
The debate continued amongst a group of them, but
I was done with it. I thanked Allah for inspiring my
answer. I had not been prepared for the debate.
Honestly, what I said, though partially true, was
evading the real answer. Why did Allah create evils?
Why is there so much discrepancy in the distribution of
wealth between people? Puzzling questions with no
Tough Situations
62
easy answer. The example of Amer’s father was not
sufficient. Amer’s father could not achieve his
objectives without forcing his son to train in combat,
but Allah does not need means to achieve what He
wants. Allah said, “His command is only when He
intends a thing that He says to it, "Be," and it
is.”
I don’t understand why Allah didn’t create us in
heaven directly instead of creating us on Earth and
letting us suffer so much and commit sins that lead us
to hell.
They say that Allah created Prophet Adam in
heaven, but when he ate of the forbidden tree, Allah
took him down to Earth as a sort of punishment. Why
did Allah create that tree? Why did He make it
accessible to Adam? Why didn’t He stop him from
doing wrong? Why did He allow Satan to fool Prophet
Adam? If Adam deserved that punishment, then what
is the fault that causes us to remain on Earth?
These questions buzzed in my head with no
reprieve. No doubt that Allah was wise and merciful,
but I didn’t know the answers to these riddles, and my
heart was telling me there were deep secrets behind
them.
# # # # #
Tough Situations
63
In the lecture hall, just before the lecture in
marketing, a hot debate was still raging between Amer
and Salim. Other students had gathered around. Their
voices were loud and the scene was conspicuous. It
was unusual to see such an exchange. The lecturer
entered the room and everyone took their seats;
everyone except our group, which carried on
uninterrupted. The lecturer asked us to be seated, then
listened to a brief account of what was going on. He
proposed to make this discussion a formal one as part
of the class activities. Some people tried to object, for
this was a specialized issue and required a religious
scholar, but the lecturer was persuasive and the vote
was in favor of the debate. It was scheduled one month
from now so that each side could prepare effectively.
Most of the members of my team - and ironically,
most of the members of the other team, led by Amer -
were confident of my ability to prevail and reveal the
truth. I did not share in this confidence. It was no
longer a matter of a few questions in my mind: The
faith of dozens of students depended on my ability to
come up with satisfactory answers for Amer’s
questions and many more unforeseen ones. I knew
Allah would not abandon me, but I had no idea where
and how I could get my answers. If Uncle Issa had
been there, I would have sought his help, but he was
Tough Situations
64
on a trip to Germany for treatment, and he would not
be back for some time. I went to some religious
scholars, but I was shocked to find that none of these
had any better answer than what I had already given
Amer that day. It was no good. If I probed them for
deeper answers, their response was to get upset and
warn me against delving into these issues. But I could
not take any of their warnings seriously. I persisted in
my search, particularly in the face of this new challenge
of public debate and a fierce opponent in the form of
Amer.
The days passed by quickly, and the date of debate
drew near. My uncle was only a few days out of
surgery, and I felt I shouldn’t call him for such matters,
but the stakes were high. I picked up the phone and
dialed the number. His voice was weak. I asked how he
was doing, and he spoke heavily. I relayed the short
version of what had happened and asked for his help.
He told me that he did not have full answers for these
questions and advised me to go to his house and check
his library for a book titled The Divine Justice by
Sheikh Murtadha Mutahari.
I spent days reading the book, especially the second
chapter, which was entitled ‚The Solution‛. I read it
over and over again, but didn’t feel I understood it
properly.
Tough Situations
65
The day of the debate dawned. I was very anxious.
The answer was in the book in front of me, but I
couldn’t digest it in a way that would allow me to
present it easily. I thought of all those who had waited
to get the answers and would be disappointed. I dozed
after the dawn prayer with tearful eyes. I prayed from
the depths of my heart and asked Him, for the sake of
the Prophet and his household, to help me. I knew He
could inspire me with the answer.
I woke up - and the answer was clear in my mind.
O God, it was so simple. I didn’t know why I hadn’t
seen it before. I thanked Allah and hopped out of bed,
grabbed the book and skimmed the second chapter
once more. This time, I understood.
# # # # #
That evening, the lecture hall looked like a busy
market. Everyone had made sure to attend and see this
long-awaited debate. Some of them patted my shoulder
on their way to their seats and uttered words of
encouragement and support. I was too preoccupied to
pay attention to that. My forehead sweated and my
hands shook. It was supposed to be a simple discussion
between two groups, but the issue had become a
personal conflict between me and Amer. My team
members gathered around me.
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66
The supervisor asked for Amer to start his motion
and then for me to give my reply. I asked the
supervisor if I could have longer to respond, as the
issue I was to explain was intricate and required some
introduction. He approved no longer than fifteen
minutes.
‚I used to feel that this was a very complex issue
indeed,‛ I said, to break the ice ‚But then, when I
realized the answer, I found it easy and clear. I want to
start by asking Amer a question, if I may.‛
‚Go ahead,‛ the supervisor said, and Amer
approved too.
‚Thank you. You wonder why Allah gave you the
facial features you have right now, don’t you?‛
‚You could say that as an example, yes.‛
‚If your father took you to a plastic surgeon and
had you change the way you look, would you still
wonder why Allah gave you this new look?‛
‚No, but then I would ask my father and the
surgeon why they gave me that new look.‛
‚Exactly!‛ My agreement surprised Amer. He had
expected a different answer.
‚Are you implying that we, humans, created these
evils, not Allah? Because then I would ask why Allah
created evils in the first place.‛
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67
‚Don’t rush me. Let me finish my answer, and then
you can object as you like,‛ I said, with all the
confidence I could muster. ‚I need to clarify two issues
before I give the answer. First, whatever potential and
attributes we may have - like intelligence, strength,
height, and skin color - are the same as our existence.
They are nothing outside our own existence. Our
existence is nothing but the sum of our potential and
attributes. The same is true for everything else, like the
rocks, oceans, stars, jellyfish and all other creatures.
Their existence is the sum of their potential and
attributes. Your facial features, for example, are
nothing but the limits and attributes of the face. The
body is nothing the spatial extension, volume, mass
and all the other physical attributes it has. Does anyone
disagree so far?‛ I looked around the audience, but no
one spoke a word. What I was saying seemed so true.
The supervisor gestured to me to go on.
‚The attributes and potential of each being in this
universe interacts with the attributes and potential of
all the other beings around it, and this makes up the
motion of the universe. Take, for example, the
interaction of the nature of tissue paper with the nature
of liquid water. The tissue paper gets wet if falls into
the water. Another example is our human physical
nature, which interacts with the nature of Earth. We
can walk, run, and jump, but we can’t fly like birds or
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68
breathe in water like fish or crawl like reptiles, because
we have different natures.‛
‚Mohammed.‛ The supervisor interrupted me.
‚Would you explain this issue further for the
audience?‛
‚Sure, professor. What I am saying is that all
creatures and beings with their vast diversity,
including humans, animals, and even angels and
demons, interact with each other by means of whatever
attributes and potential they have. This mutual
interaction between things forms the natural laws that
govern the universe, like gravity, sea tides, cause and
effect and all the other laws of physics. This leads us to
deduce that all these laws, despite governing and
outlining the motion of existence, are not something
external or independent of the existence of things. The
laws are the same as the things. For example, if a piece
of rock fell on an egg, it would break it. If it didn’t,
there must have been something that protected the
eggshell; otherwise, the rock wouldn’t be a rock and
the eggshell wouldn’t be an eggshell.
‚This is the basis upon which all sciences are
founded, and it is the foundation for all the systems in
existence. No one would ever believe that pouring
water on the ground could cause a nuclear explosion. If
the USA claimed that it had never bombed Hiroshima,
Tough Situations
69
but instead had thrown a bouquet of flowers that
caused the explosion, we would be laughing, wouldn’t
we?
‚These laws are what the Quran refers to
collectively as ‘Sunnat Allah’ [the way of Allah], and
this means that they cannot ever vary. “But you will
never find in the way of Allah any change, and
you will never find in the way of Allah any
alteration.” ‛
‚Excellent point. Go on,‛ the supervisor said.
‚The second issue I want to introduce is that Allah
did not create each being with a separate will. He did
not create my father with a will that is different than
the will created in me or in any other thing. Everything
in this universe is created with one simple [non-
compound] will, a continuous flow of existence as
described by the Quran: “Indeed, all things We
created with predestination (49) And Our
command is but one, like a glance of the eye.”
All the creatures of the Earth were created and formed
according to the laws governing the universe, and
work by cause and effect.
‚The point in the introduction is a natural result of
the previous one. According to the law of cause and
effect, my being, with all my attributes and potential, is
a natural and inevitable result of the fertilization of the
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70
ovum in my mother’s womb with one particular sperm
among billions of sperm in my father, with the
subsequent inheritance of specific features.
‚If it was another sperm that had fertilized the
ovum, or if it was another ovum that was fertilized,
then it wouldn’t have been me who came out, it would
have been someone else. This logic applies to all other
creatures and things as well. Every creature and every
being is the result of a particular set of causes that
created them in that particular way and thereby
determined their characteristics and potential.‛
‚Are you implying that Allah created the universe
and that it is now acting alone on the basis of these
natural laws, with no interference from Allah?‛ Amer
asked.
‚Of course not. The whole universe is perpetually
and innately dependent in its existence on the
independent existence of Allah. Allah’s bestowal of
existence on the universe is a perpetual one, much like
the light emitted by the sun to the Earth. This makes
things visible. Allah describes Himself as The Light:
“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the
earth.” ‛
‚So, in effect, did Allah create me with my
attributes and potential, or did my parents create me?‛
asked Amer.
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71
‚Both answers are true. Allah created you and your
parents also created you. Let me ask you: Who grew
the mango trees in the backyard of your home?‛
‚My father did.‛
‚But Allah says: “And have you seen that
[seed] which you sow? (63) Is it you who
makes it grow, or are We the grower?” Allah
attributes growing plants to Himself. Let me clarify
that part. When we make a fire, we also get intense
heat. When we put an egg over the fire, it gets cooked.
So what cooked the egg? Was it the fire or the heat?‛
I felt very comfortable when I heard many voices
amongst the audience saying, ‚Both.‛
‚Well then. Back to the Amer’s question: Why is
one person smarter or stronger or richer than another?
Why were germs and monsters created? The answer is
that Allah bestowed one simple perpetual existence on
all that could be, even if it was an incomplete being. He
did not withhold existence on anything that could be
because He is gracious and giving. Existence is in itself
good, and everything supplements this good with as
much potential as it has as a result of the interaction of
everything with everything else under the system of
cause and effect.
‚Allah gives an analogy for this system: “Say,
Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the
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72
One, the Prevailing (16) He sends down from
the sky, rain, and valleys flow according to
their capacity.” Valleys can only accommodate as
much as their size can hold, not as much as they are
offered by rain; and likewise, everything receives as
much existence as it can accommodate, not as much as
it is offered by Allah. The reason for this variation is
the direct causes that precede its creation.
‚This follows the analogy with which I began my
talk, when I asked you about the new looks you would
be given by a plastic surgeon. You said you wouldn’t
blame Allah because the surgeon and your father
would be the reason for the change in your facial
features, not Allah. By the same token, your other
attributes are the natural outcome of the genes you
inherited from your parents, and the same is true for
everything happening in the universe, which is a
natural result of the motion and interaction of things
with each other.‛
I paused for few moments to allow it to sink in,
then to drive the point home, I asked the audience,
‚Let me ask you: We all find some sort of deficiency in
ourselves, but would you rather not be at all? Do you
wish that Allah had never created you? Or do you feel
happy you exist and that Allah did not deny you
existence just because you are a few things short of
perfect?‛ I was so touched by my own idea, and was
Tough Situations
73
feeling so grateful for Allah. The supervisor clapped
his hands intently, followed by the other students and,
surprisingly, Amer himself.
‚I’ve asked many people about this dilemma, but I
never got such an answer before,‛ Amer said, ‚But I
have two more questions.‛
‚Okay.‛
‚The first question: If Allah bestowed one simple
and perpetual, existence and if every being receives
this bestowal to the extent that it can according to the
causes that created it, then there must be one being that
received its existence directly from Allah and did not
have any prior causes for it other than Allah. Right?‛
asked Amer.
‚That’s right. This first affected being - or the first
emanation of Allah, as some call it - has all the
attributes of perfection, strength and intensity in
existence that any creature could ever have, including
will and cognition. All other creatures and beings came
from this first emanated creature under consideration
of the hierarchy of the system of cause and effect, as I
clarified previously.‛
‚To be honest, this notion is novel to me, and it will
take me some time to fully absorb it. Anyhow, let me
get to the second question - and correct me if I am
Tough Situations
74
wrong. What you are saying is that the universe is
operating according to systems and rules that are
determined by the interaction of existent things with
each other, and that these interactions are governed by
the things’ attributes and potentials, which in turn are
nothing but their very existence, and nothing external
to it, right?‛
‚That pretty much sums it up, thank you.‛
‚You said that these rules governing the universe
are ‘Sunnat Allah’, and cannot lag or vary no matter
what happens. The egg wouldn’t be an egg if it didn’t
break when a rock fell on it, and the water wouldn’t be
water if it caused a nuclear explosion. Is that right?‛
‚Yes.‛
‚My question, then, is: What is prayer for? Why do
we ask Allah to do certain things for us, if everything
in existence is governed by the interactions of things?‛
asked Amer.
I took few moments to think. At that moment, I
remembered how Allah was always supporting and
caring for me in every moment of my life, even when I
didn’t realize it or thought that He had let me down. A
chill went through my body.
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75
‚If you found something burning beside your little
brother’s bed when he was asleep, what would you
do?‛
‚I would wake him up and try to put it out.‛
‚How would you put it out?‛
‚Using a fire extinguisher, of course.‛
‚Let’s say you could put it out by blowing on it
only once; would you wake up your brother, or just
put it out?‛
‚What’s your point?‛
‚Bear with me. If you had the powers of Superman,
would blowing the fire out be violating natural laws?‛
‚No, it would be in accordance with natural laws.‛
‚In other words, deciding what is in violation of
laws of nature and what is not depends on the
available resources and on their attributes and
potential, right?‛
‚I guess that is right.‛
‚You put out the fire using an extinguisher. Your
little brother couldn’t do that, because he is too small to
carry or operate the cylinder, but Superman wouldn’t
even need the extinguisher, because he could just blow
strong wind on the flame and put it out. This is because
he is strong and has higher powers. Now, would Allah,
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76
the Omnipotent, not be able to put out the fire as
well?‛
Amer didn’t speak. I continued.
‚Yes, He could, and He wouldn’t need an
extinguisher or even to blow wind. The Quran says,
“His command is only when He intends a
thing that He says to it, "Be," and it is.” His
intervention would not be violating any laws of nature
at all. We pray to Him and ask Him things because He
is the Omnipotent and is merciful to us. Everything,
including us, is His and goes by His command. He
commanded us to pray and ask, and He guaranteed
that the answer will come in one way or another. The
Quran says: “Call upon Me; I will respond to
you.” ‛
‚That is wonderful.‛ Amer clapped his hands and
seemed very satisfied. I was surprised by his reaction. I
thought he would keep arguing and find something to
prolong the discussion, but it seems I had misjudged
him.
‚Thank, you Amer. I ask you, the supervisor, and
the audience to allow me a few more minutes to share
my experience in this regard.‛
I took a few moments to gather my ideas and
memories. When I spoke, my voice was calm and deep,
but also conveyed an obvious conviction.
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77
‚We all have bad days and bad periods from time
to time, but I may have had the worst among you. For
my whole life, my family has been poor. My father
passed away when I was in high school, a critical
period of my life. I was very attached to him, and this
caused me to fail to get into university. Right now, I am
juggling several responsibilities at home, in my job and
here in college. I don’t have enough time to sleep. You
might assume that I am the most miserable among you,
but the truth is that I am the happiest. I discovered that
all the difficulties I had had been for my good. I
suffered bad depression for a full year after the death
of my father, but at the same time, it opened my heart
and soul to true love - Allah’s love. If it had not been
for my father’s death and its consequences, I would
still be that silly little boy. My failure to get into
university opened up new horizons for me. The
pressures I have from my various responsibilities have
strengthened my will and perseverance. They’ve
sharpened my mind and made me discover a lot about
myself that I wouldn’t have otherwise. In summary,
what I want to say is if we look at the big picture, these
apparent evils do us good, and Allah witnesses our
endurance and cares for us. In fact, that is why he tests
us from time to time with these hardships. The Quran
says: “And We will surely test you with
something of fear and hunger and a loss of
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78
wealth and lives and fruits, but give good
tidings to the patient, (155) Who, when
disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong
to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return
(166) Those are the ones upon whom are
blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is
those who are the [rightly] guided.” There is no
such thing as absolute evil in existence. How could
there be when the only source of existence is Allah,
who is nothing but absolute good, perfection and
beauty, and has no deficit or evil in Him? The problem
is that we look at things from a narrow and limited
perspective defined by our egos and by how much
pleasure we get from things, even if that pleasure is
momentary. Take school as an example; kids hate it, as
Amer hated the Taekwondo classes. Death represents
an absolute evil in general human culture, but in reality
it is an unparalleled good because it allows humans to
ascend to a greater phase of life. It is like the day of
birth to another world. Yes, it is good and wonderful
for the fact that it is ascension to Allah and eternal
happiness. My father died and we felt sad for his
parting, and that was out of our belief that an evil thing
had happened to him. In reality, however, it was the
best thing that had ever happened to him.‛
I stopped talking, and a heavy silence set in over
the hall. Everyone was touched, perhaps by the
mention of death, the issue that we all avoid talking
Tough Situations
79
about as if from fear of making it a reality. Or perhaps I
had presented my idea too vehemently. The supervisor
was the first to clap, followed by all the others.
‚That is great, Mohammed. Nice presentation and
an optimistic perspective on life. We need to learn to
think like you.‛
He then asked the audience if they had any
question, but there were none.
# # # # #
I was exhausted, probably because of the
continuous vigilance I had exhibited and the anxiety I
had had during the last month. Now that I had been
unburdened, I should have felt thrilled by the victory,
but something deep inside me denied me that feeling. I
didn’t know what exactly it was, but it was strong
enough to make me oblivious to all the complements I
got from the students, and to delve deeper and find
out.
I drove to the beach. There were very few people
around. I laid on my back. The soft, cold sand absorbed
the exhaustion of my body and the cool breeze filled
my lungs with fresh energy.
‚Yes, that’s right. My thirst is not yet quenched,‛ I
thought. ‚Although I’ve solved the mystery of divine
Tough Situations
80
justice and this has reduced much of the buzzing in my
mind, it has also increased my eagerness to know the
truth, the whole truth. The picture still has a lot of
missing pieces.
‚Why did Allah create us? To worship Him? If so,
then why did He allow Satan to seduce us and send us
to hell? Why did He grant Satan his request, when he
knew it would end up harming us? Is it that Satan
provoked Allah? Or is it that Allah loves Satan? Or
does Allah hate us? All these answers are unacceptable
but then, what is the answer?
‚If I had a good horse and I intended to use it in an
important race, would it not be total ignorance to allow
my enemy access to the stable and let him cripple my
horse? Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of buying the
horse in the first place? Moreover, wouldn’t it be unfair
to punish the horse for eating from the hand of
someone else instead of from mine? Why does Allah
create us to worship Him and for His succession? He
surely knows we are beings of lust and desire. Even the
angels described man as the one “who causes
corruption therein and sheds blood”, and then
He [Allah] allows Satan to exploit our earthly desires,
leading to one sin after another. This, then, fulfills the
prophecy of the angels and we end up in hell for a very
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81
long time. Why? Is that not evil itself? Is that not the
result of Allah’s will?‛
My eyes filled with tears and I was overcome by a
bitter sense of defeat. ‚O God, forgive me for having
the audacity to think like that, but how can I silence my
mind? Do you want me to silence my mind? You are
the one who invited us to think. I am sure there is
much I have to know and that there is a great story for
this universe, told by you. O God, I love you from the
depths of my heart. I know you are the most merciful,
the most gracious, and that you love us.‛
I slept deeply.
(This part of the book is not displayed in the free preview)
307
Abut the Author
Abbas is a seasoned C- Level executive, business
visionary, with successful history of delivering
unprecedented growth and 25+years of career in
renowned organizations such as Arthur Anderson,
E&Y and KPMG distinguished by sustained
accomplishments. Recognized as a thought leader,
innovator, trustworthy business advisor and an expert
in defining, evolving and executing business strategies.
Renowned for broad strengths in strategic
management, risk management, change management
and optimizing business processes. Aiding
government-owned companies to realize their
economic goals.
Abut the Author
308
He is one of a few thousand people globally who is
authorized by the International Council of
Management Consulting Institutes (ICMCI), a UN-
sanctioned non-governmental organization, to practice
as a management consultant.
He has also been awarded the status of "Fellow" in
the management consultancy field. This is the highest
level of professional accreditation and is awarded to
those who can demonstrate evidence of significant
contribution to the management consultancy
profession. As of 2009, this status had been awarded to
less than a thousand management consultants around
the world.
Accredited in Sep 2010 by the Chartered
Management Institute (CMI, UK) to assess candidates
for prestigious accreditation - Chartered Manager
(CMgr) status, the ultimate accolade for any practicing
professional manager. Me being one of two outside of
the UK.
Abbas studied Islamic doctrines and creed in Iran
for 6 years.
He is the holder of a range of fellowships, academic
qualifications and international professional
qualifications including "Certified Public Accountant"
(CPA) accreditation from the USA, "Certified
Management Consultant‛ (CMC) and "Chartered
Abut the Author
309
Manager‛ (CMgr) accreditation from the UK and
"Certified Fraud Examiner" (CFE) accreditation from
the USA. He holds two B.A. degrees, one in accounting
and the other in economy, and a postgraduate diploma
in business administration from Heriot-Watt
University, UK.
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