I’m not here to assert that what happens in the world today (as a result of the Coronavirus) is the divine torment that all the divine religious accounts promised would happen in the end-times. This is up to God alone, and He, the Almighty, does whatever he wishes. However, what concerns me now is to bring up the following issue:
Does it make sense that God Almighty (being the Most Merciful Lord in such a way that no one can recognize how abundantly merciful He is) torments any of His creation? What is the reason for the torment, and how can it be lifted if it befalls the people of the earth?
I believe that these two questions are very important, considering the conditions under which humanity currently lives.
Sayyed Ahmed Al-Hasan has clarified the answer to both questions. He says:
“Man opens the gates of torment himself by his actions; it is a matter of cause and effect. God has nothing to do with inflicting torment in the actual, direct sense. It is just like the rain; if all the conditions are met that cause rain to fall, then it will fall. It is people who brought the torment down. All that God Almighty does is to either prevent or stop it, but this requires miracles, and miracles do not happen randomly. There are just two reasons why the torment does not occur. God Almighty says: {But God would not torment them while you are among them, and God would not torment them while they seek forgiveness.}¹
The first way is for the Proof (Hujjah)² of God to request that the torment be lifted (though the Proofs of God do not request anything from God Almighty unless he wishes for them to ask). This is the first reason why the torment does not occur. The verse {But God would not torment them while you are among them} means that “you” [the Proof of God] are defending them and asking God to keep them out of harm’s way. The first reason is now clear to you; it does not just mean “you are among them,” as in being present among them. Rather, it means you gathered together with them, asking that the torment be lifted from them.
Now that the first reason has been clarified, I will move to the second reason {and God would not torment them while they seek forgiveness.} This [verse] does not mean that they ask forgiveness of God through speech, worship, or the like. Rather, there is a sin, or wrongdoing by which they opened the door of torment themselves. Therefore, to “seek forgiveness” is to turn away from that wrongdoing, or sin. I say this because I noticed there are some who think that seeking forgiveness in this instance is to say, “I ask forgiveness from God.”
As for the question about the benefit of supplication to lift the torment when it descends, he (the Imam) said:
“Actually, there is no practical value to anyone’s supplication, as I mentioned when explaining the meaning of the verse. If it is a torment, then there is no practical value to anyone’s supplication except for the Proofs. We ask God, Glory be to Him, to save the believers by His favor, as He is the Abundantly Merciful. The verse is clear. They can either choose to close the door [of torment] that they themselves opened by seeking forgiveness, in other words, by correcting what they did wrong, or the torment can be lifted “while you are among them,” meaning that the Proof himself asks for the torment to be lifted. I ask God to keep harm away from the believers, and He is the Abundantly Merciful.”
¹ Quran Chapter “The Spoils of War” 8:33.
² The Proofs are the vicegerents appointed by God—Trans.
Translation of this post from Dr. Alaa Alsalem (Part 3 of 3):