Cold Flu, Birds Flu, Swine Flu:

Flu Of What And Flu Of Whom?

By Ali Al-Hail

ccun.org, May 7, 2009

 
   In one sentence, a flu of humans. As usual, people have since the outbreak of cold flue, been blaming their flaws on neutral \ passive things.
 
   Again, it's the impact of atheist \ agnostic leading scientific researchers in the West, in particular. Quite often, they refer to a phantom virus or to cold winter that cause cold flue. Of course, indeed, more or less, their analysis focuses on defenseless things that cause diseases, financial crash, poverty, floods, earthquake, tornadoes, storms, etc.
 
   What's cold? What are birds? What's swine? It's because of humans' decadence, Allah, Almighty God, sends these and other infinitive supernatural, powerful forces of Allah, Almighty God, as signals that Allah is not pleased with humans.
 
   Still, people don't take notice. The more humans go astray, the more Allah, Almighty God, issues warnings to humans, persuading her \ him to straighten her \ his path.
 
   The current swine flu, and the economic meltdown are examples of the former. If people trend this way of going off Allah's track, they would face more turbulences of some kind.   
 
   Human beings are created by Allah, Almighty God. When Allah, Almighty God, created Adam and Eve (see Holy Qur'an 7:172) Allah, vowed in the capacity of Allah's Unique Divinity and Lordship that, this oath was printed on the human soul even before she \ he enters the mother's fetus.
 
   In the view of that, a child is born with a natural belief in God. This natural belief is, quite often referred to in the West, as "instinct" or "common sense." It's called "fitrah" in Qur'nic terms.
 
   Whether were they diseases \ illnesses \ physiological \ psychological (psychosomatics) symptoms, cold flu, HIV \ Aids, birds' flu, swine flue, etc. or Allah's-related-supernatural catastrophes, or financial crises (which are amongst Allah's powerful forces too,) are all Allah's divine tests, on one hand. While, on the other, ways of divine punishments.
 
   Allah, Almighty God, tests and punishes individually, and collectively. Individually, when a person does things in excess, Allah, tests and punishes in someway. Collectively, however, when such a manner becomes a societal \ phenomenal pattern, Allah tests and punishes most or all of society.
 
   This is the doctrine of Allah, the eternal Almighty God. Allah has rules. These rules shouldn't be broken or confronted.
 
   Almighty God, the Most High and Exalted, says in the holy Qur'an:
"It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by God and His Messenger to have any option about their decision: if anyone disobeys God and His Messenger he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path." (Holy Qur'an, Chapter 33, Verse 36)
   In addition, God, the Most High and Exalted, has said:
"And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)! and fear God. Verily, God is severe in punishment." (Holy Qur'an, Chapter 59, Verse 7)
   Since, Allah, Almighty God, created humans and everything else, Allah's will which determines whatever encounters humans, even if such a convention of devotee believers, doesn't make sense to non believers. Hence, humans should be patient. As, everything is from Almighty God. It is all a part of Allah's predestination.
 
   These words, by no means, a psychotherapy or a way of comforting and reassuring an individual or a group, experiencing a tragedy or great loss of some sort (albeit, they may sound so.) Rather, these are facts of life, despite its divine nature which is alien to many, who believe in 1 plus 1 equal 2. However, everyday life demonstrates that, things are not as so.
   Epidemiology, for example (which is concerned with the study of factors affecting the health and illness of populations, and serves as the foundation and logic of interventions made in the interest of public health and preventive medicine,) ratifies by experience that, lavish abundance of medical services doesn't necessarily, guarantee a person's health. By the same token, lack or bad medical services doesn't automatically, affect a person's life.
   The former could be a contributory factor rather than primary. This experience refers to a factor or factors that transcend humans' capabilities, i.e. Allah's power.      
  
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Professor, Dr. Ali Al-Hail, Professor of Mass Communication, Twice Fulbright

Award Winner, Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Vice-President Of Qatar Fulbright Group, CSR Award Judge and Board Member of AUSACE, ASC, IABD, NEBAA, BEA, IMDA and EAJMC American Associations.
Can be contacted via: a.alhail@yahoo.com