Ar-Rad (13) : Verse 11

Surah Al-Rad

"For each (such person) there are (angels) in succession, before and behind him: they guard him by command of Allah. Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls). But when (once) Allah willeth a people's punishment, there can be no turning it back, nor will they find, besides Him any to protect." (11)

Surah Al-Rad

"Bagi tiap-tiap seorang ada malaikat penjaganya silih berganti dari hadapannya dan dari belakangnya, yang mengawas dan menjaganya (dari sesuatu bahaya) dengan perintah Allah. Sesungguhnya Allah tidak mengubah apa yang ada pada sesuatu kaum sehingga mereka mengubah apa yang ada pada diri mereka sendiri dan apabila Allah menghendaki untuk menimpakan kepada sesuatu kaum bala bencana (disebabkan kesalahan mereka sendiri), maka tiada sesiapapun yang dapat menolak atau menahan apa yang ditetapkanNya itu dan tidak ada sesiapapun yang dapat menolong dan melindungi mereka selain daripadaNya." (11)

(Interpretation of the meaning from Islam Question and Answer (Read : here)

Praise be to Allaah.

This is an important verse which indicates that Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted, in His perfect justice and wisdom does not change the condition of the people from good to bad or from bad to good, from ease to hardship or from hardship to ease, unless they change their condition themselves.

So if they are in a state of righteousness and goodness and they change, Allaah will change things for them with punishment, calamities, hardship, drought, famine, disunity and other kinds of punishments as appropriate requital. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Whoever works righteousness benefits his own soul; whoever works evil, it is against his own soul: nor is thy Lord ever unjust (in the least) to His servants.” [Fussilat 41:46].

"Sesiapa yang mengerjakan amal soleh maka faedahnya akan terpulang kepada dirinya sendiri dan sesiapa yang berbuat kejahatan maka bahayanya akan menimpa dirinya sendiri dan Tuhanmu tidak sekali-kali berlaku zalim kepada hamba-hambaNya."[Fussilat 41:46]

Or He may give them respite and give them time so that they might turn to the right path, but if they do not then they will be seized unexpectedly, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“But when they forget the warning they had received, We opened to them the gates of all (good) things, until, in the midst of their enjoyment of Our gifts, on a sudden, We called them to account, when lo! they were plunged in despair!” [al-An’aam 6:44].

"Kemudian apabila mereka melupakan apa yang telah diperingatkan mereka dengannya, Kami bukakan kepada mereka pintu-pintu segala kemewahan dan kesenangan, sehingga apabila mereka bergembira dan bersukaria dengan segala nikmat yang diberikan kepada mereka, Kami timpakan mereka secara mengejut (dengan bala bencana yang membinasakan), maka mereka pun berputus asa (dari mendapat sebarang pertolongan."[al-An’aam 6:44].

Meaning despairing of all goodness -- we seek refuge in Allaah from the punishment and wrath of Allaah. Or they may be given respite until the Day of Resurrection, when their punishment will be more severe, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers are doing. He is but giving them respite up to a day when the eyes shall remain upraised (in terror).”[Ibrahim 14:42],

"Dan janganlah engkau (wahai Muhammad) menyangka Allah lalai akan apa yang dilakukan oleh orang-orang yang zalim; sesungguhnya Dia hanya melambatkan balasan mereka hingga ke suatu hari yang padanya terbeliak kaku pemandangan mereka, (kerana gerun gementar melihat keadaan yang berlaku)." [Ibrahim 14:42],

Meaning that they are given respite until after death, and that will be a greater and more severe punishment.

Or they may be in a state of evil and sin, then they repent to Allaah and turn back to Him, and they regret their sins and adhere to obedience, so Allaah changes their state of wretchedness, hardship and poverty to ease, unity and righteousness because of their good deeds and their repentance to Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted.

It says in another verse (interpretation of the meaning):

“That is so because Allâh will never change a grace which He has bestowed on a people until they change what is in their ownselves. And verily, Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” [al-Anfaal 8:53].

"(Balasan) yang demikian itu, ialah kerana sesungguhnya Allah tidak akan mengubah sesuatu nikmat yang telah dikurniakanNya kepada sesuatu kaum sehingga mereka mengubah apa yang ada pada diri mereka sendiri dan (ingatlah) sesungguhnya Allah Maha mendengar, lagi Maha Mengetahui." [al-Anfaal 8:53]

This verse tells us that if they are in a state of ease, comfort and goodness, then they change and turn to sin, their situation will be changed -- there is no power and no strength except with Allaah -- or they may be given respite, as stated above.

The opposite is also true: if they were in a state of evil and sin, or disbelief and misguidance, then they repent, regret their sin and adhere to obedience to Allaah, Allaah will change their situation from bad to good; He will change their disunity into unity and harmony; He will change their hardship to ease, well being and plenty; He will change their situation from draught, famine, , lack of water and so on to rainfall, fertile land and other kinds of goodness.

End quote.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz (24/249-251)