 | Dr. Nabil Seyam is director of the Board of Administration of the Islamic Society of Wichita and Co-Founder of the Annoor Islamic School. He was the recipient of the Leader of the Year in 2002 in Wichita and most recently was the recipient of the Community Servant Award by the University United Methodist Church in 2003. Dr. Seyam was selected for the Community Servant Award because of his active role in peace-building and multiculturalism throughout Kansas. He is an adjunct instructor for Pittsburg State University and Wichita State University. He is married and has six children. He can be reached at (316) 630-9222 , by e-mail at nabil@seyam.org, or visit his website at www.seyam.org |
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ANSWER: If we would look back and examine what previous civilizations have faced in the past, we would notice a common factor. Tribulations and calamities. Tribulations and calamities are signs from God; to believers and disbelievers. For the believers, it is trials and test of their faith; the more patient they are, the higher their status will be in heaven. For the disbelievers, it is a punishment in this life and will face more punishment in the hereafter. God says in the Quran,”Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passes away before you? They were afflicted with sever poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believe along with him said, “When (will come) the Help of Allah?” Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allah is near! Today’s diseases, poverties, crimes, moral decay, etc are signs of abandonment of the words of God. People of today are the same as the people of yesterday. God is no longer part of their lives. Even many of those who call themselves followers of certain faith are actually not practicing it. All monotheistic religions believe that only few of the people are believers and many (who are non-believers) will be heading to hellfire. God, does not wrong the people, but they wronged themselves.