In light of what our world is witnessing today, especially in the Middle East, of accelerating events and painful conflicts—from Gaza, to the tensions between Israel and Iran, to what is happening in Sudan—questions crowd within us: How is all this happening? Why? And where is the place of wisdom amidst this pain?

With the repetition of scenes of suffering, a person may find themselves standing between the confusion of the mind and the pain of the heart, searching for a meaning to reassure their soul and rearrange their view of what is happening around them.

A personal reflection on the words of the Almighty: "Not for you is the decision [concerning the matter] at all" (Al-Imran: 128)

I recently watched a documentary about the suffering of Muslims at the hands of Buddhists in Rohingya, and one of the things that affected me most was the scene of a woman exhausted by pain, saying with bitterness: Why does God allow all this?

I paused at her words... they were not an objection as much as they were the cry of a pained human, searching for meaning for what she sees.

At that moment, I remembered the words of the Almighty:

"Not for you is the decision [concerning the matter] at all, or [whether] He should turn to them in mercy or punish them, for indeed, they are wrongdoers."

This verse was revealed in a situation that was severe on the heart of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, after the Battle of Uhud, when he was wounded and in pain, until he said: How can a people succeed who have done this to their Prophet? So the decisive divine answer came to him: Not for you is the decision at all.

There are other reasons for the revelation:

The Qunut and supplicating against the polytheists; for it is established that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, performed Qunut for a month supplicating against Arab tribes (Ri'l, Dhakwan, and 'Usayyah) who betrayed seventy of the Reciters (Qurra'), so Allah revealed the verse forbidding the rushing of punishment for them, as He might turn to them in mercy.

And also cursing specific individuals; for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, supplicated against Abu Sufyan bin Harb, Al-Harith bin Hisham, and Safwan bin Umayyah, so the saying was revealed: "Or [whether] He should turn to them in mercy," and they all embraced Islam.

I reflected... even the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who is the most merciful of people and the closest to Allah, did not possess the direction of the course of events as he wished, nor the sending down of punishment on those who wronged him at the moment he wanted. The whole matter belongs to Allah.

I felt that this verse rearranges the questions within me;

Instead of saying: Why is this happening?

I began to ask: How do I deal with what is happening?

What I saw of the suffering of our people in Rohingya does not mean that Allah is heedless—Exalted be He—but it means that there is a great trial, and behind it is a wisdom we may not perceive now.

Allah may give respite to the oppressor, and He may open for him the door of repentance, as happened with those who harmed the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and then embraced Islam.

And He may raise the ranks of the oppressed until they reach stations that cannot be attained except through patience.

Rather, we see in our reality what confirms that; how the faith and steadfastness of the people of Gaza astonished the world, and made many people turn to reading more about Islam, and wondering about the secret of this wondrous patience.

That woman... I felt that she does not need a philosophical answer as much as she needs someone to reassure her heart:

That Allah sees, and that Allah knows, and that the pain is not wasted.

I came out of that documentary feeling a different responsibility:

To pray for their steadfastness,

And to remind myself before others that steadfastness in times of trials is a great act of worship,

And to have a good opinion of Allah no matter how intense the scene becomes.

"Not for you is the decision [concerning the matter] at all"

Is not a verse that closes doors, but rather opens the door of submission, and grants the heart tranquility:

That there is a Lord who manages everything... with justice and mercy, even if the wisdom is absent from us.

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Dr. Wafaa bin Eyaid

29 Ramadan 1447

March 18, 2026

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