Why Does Allah not Help the Rohingya Muslims in Burma directly?

by Dr. Aslam Abdullah
 

There is nothing new in reports that Rohingya Muslims in Burma are being persecuted, driven out of their homes, killed, and burnt to death. There is nothing new in reports that the neighboring Bangladeshi officials have refused to give asylum the fleeing Rohingya refugees.

This is what we humans have been doing to our fellow humans for centuries, despite the fact that we all claim that we are a compassionate, kinder and gentler people believing in a merciful God.

What is interesting is the logic that has often been used by people denying help to the suffering people. The response of a Bangladeshi official summarizes our general historical attitude when he ordered the fleeing refugees pleading to be allowed to stay in Bangladesh; otherwise, they would be killed by the Burmese authorities, by saying: “Go back, Allah will save you.”

This is our typical response to any crisis. Can one boldly ask the question without being categorized as a blasphemer? Did Allah ever save a suffering person through direct intervention? Did He come to the rescue of women raped in Bosnia, Syria or Burma or in Bangladesh or anywhere else in the world? Did He save the children, elderly and the weak killed in natural disasters or human-made disasters?

Those who say that these sufferings are like a test for the affected people often do not explain what will Allah, the Creator, the Master, the Almighty, and the one in control of everything will gain by letting this situation prevail and intensify for helpless and powerless individuals?  

Only Allah can answer these questions and He already has in His last guidance to human beings preserved in the Quran.

“Thus, when they are told, “Spend on others out of what God has provided for you as sus­tenance,” those who are bent on denying the truth say unto those who believe, “Shall we feed anyone whom, if [your] God had so willed, He could have fed [Himself]? Clearly, you are but lost in error!” (36:47)

Allah told us that He would not interfere in our affairs and He commanded us to keep open and accessible for the suffering and needy people, the resources and means of nourishment and safety that the Almighty has provided to us. Obviously, those who deny these Divine directives do not fulfill their covenant with Allah and tell others that if Allah had willed that resources should be distributed in a way that no one remains needy and poor in the world. They blame Allah for not providing sustenance and security to the people. In other words, they are questioning the freedom that Allah has given them in creating a system in which everyone adequately gets the necessities of life.  

The practice of Allah is that He establishes His system in human society by human efforts. There is no exception to the rule. The reason is that human beings should have the freedom to exercise discipline and commitment to the Divine dictates so that their self is fully developed in this world as well as in the world hereafter. It was easy for Allah to create human beings devoid of their free will just like any other things in the universe that are programmed to do whatever has been assigned to them. When we say that had God willed to create unity or a world free from suffering, we are denying ourselves the dignity and freedom and we are abandoning our responsibilities.

“Say: "[Know,] then, that the final evidence [of all truth] rests with God alone; and, had He so willed, He would have guided you all aright.” (6:149)

“Now they who ascribe divinity to aught beside God say, "Had God so willed, we would not have worshipped aught but Him - neither we nor our forefathers; nor would we have declared aught as forbidden without a commandment from Him." Even thus did speak those [sinners] who lived before their time; but, then, are the apostles bound to do more than clearly deliver the message [entrusted to them]?” (16:35

“Yet they say, “Had [not] the Most Gracious, so willed, we would never have worshipped them!” [But] they cannot have any knowledge of [His having willed] such a thing: they do nothing but guess.” (43:20)

It is our choice to create a world view based on the divine values or the values that we have evolved over the centuries based on our ethnic, cultural, religious, financial, geographical or geographical interests. It is our choice to divide humanity into us and them. It is our choice to deny people the right to live a dignified life regardless of their backgrounds. It is our choice to create a distribution system where the resources given to us by Allah are allocated on the basis of justice or injustice. It is our choice to stop rape, sufferings, and poverty.

Allah has given us guidance and He would not interfere in our world to ensure that they are followed and implemented. We are the ones who have to accept the guidance or reject it and we are the ones who have to show respect to the freedom of choice He has given us.

The sufferings of Rohingyas will pass as the sufferings of many others have passed. But the continuation of sufferings pronounces a clear judgment on our behavior and attitude. It tells us that we have failed to grasp the essence of divine guidance in our lives and despite whatever labels we put on our face we are still in defiance of His teachings.