When Unbelievers Turn to God

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Sometimes man faces difficult situations in which no one can understand or help him and he turns for help to a powerful being whom he knows is near.

Even unbelievers who deny the existence of God may at times seek help from God.

Sometimes God puts people in such a situation to give them as an ultimatum to think again and reflect on their life so that they may change their path.

Verses 22 and 23 of Surah Yunus portray such a situation:

“It is He who conveys you by land and sea. When you are on board the ship and the ships run with them upon a fair breeze they are joyful. (But when) a strong wind and waves come upon them from every side, and they think they are encompassed, they supplicate to Allah, making their religion His sincerely, (saying): 'If You save us from this, we will indeed be among the thankful.' But when He has saved them, see how they become wrongfully insolent in the land. People, your insolence is only against yourselves; the enjoyment of this present life, then to Us you shall return and We shall tell you what you did.”

In his Noor (light) Interpretation of the Quran, Hojat-ol-Islam Qara’ati highlights some of the messages of these two verses:

1- The laws that rule in the nature have been created by and are under His command: “It is He who conveys you by land and sea.”

2- What man does can also be attributed to God, because the real power belongs to Him. While it is men who are moving, God says, “It is He who conveys you by land and sea.”

3- No matter how much progress mankind makes, he is still exposed to natural disasters and happenings: “…a strong wind and waves come upon them from every side.”

4- Those who have worldly things and welfare should not think that that it will always remain like that: “When you are on board the ship and the ships run with them upon a fair breeze they are joyful. (But when) a strong wind and waves come upon them from every side, and they think they are encompassed.”

5- Natural disaster and difficulties make mankind reconsider his behavior and abandon arrogance: “…they supplicate to Allah.”

6- When in danger, man’s Fitrat (nature) draws his attention to God: “, making their religion His sincerely.”

7- Faith and Ikhlas (sincerity of intention) must be permanent not temporary and only when in danger: “(When) they think they are encompassed, they supplicate to Allah, making their religion His sincerely.”