The Quran about harm
In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful
Events happening around are appreciated by people in different ways. Depending on the prevailing worldview, the result obtained and the type of impact, pairs of names were assigned to the situations: good – bad, happiness – misfortune, benefit – harm, profit – loss, etc. These links determine the line of behavior, the internal state, the decision making and actions of the person.
The manifestation of such situations requires a certain psychological stability to maintain the internal balance of the individual. Psychological stability directly depends on the spiritual filling of the personality. If it is imbued with a divine source, then the balance is maintained successfully. If it is impregnated with human doctrines, then the balance will be less stable. Confirmation of that is the behavior of believers in the critical situations.
In the Quran, negative situations are described by words that are formed from the root of “darra” – harm, damage, loss, need, hardship.
With gaining faith in God, people need to see its true opportunities. And it is shown in the situations provided by the Creator.
…who fulfill their covenants when they conclude them; who are patient in adversity, in harm and in hardship. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the circumspect. (2:177)
Or do you think that you will enter the garden until it has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by hardship and adversity and shock until the messenger and those who believed with him said, “When is the help of God?” Unquestionably, the help of God is near. (2:214)
Who spend during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people! Indeed, God loves the doers of good! (3:134)
Like the hardening of the steel, a person’s faith “rolls” in an aggressive environment, where its quality is manifested. One of these required qualities is humility:
And We sent to no city a prophet except that We seized its people with adversity and damage that they might humble themselves. Then We replaced evil with good, until they got better and said, “Our fathers also were touched with harm and ease.” So We seized them suddenly while they did not perceive! (7:94-95)
And We have already sent to headships before you. Then We seized them with adversity and harm that perhaps they might humble themselves! (6:42)
Humility involves the recognition of the highest transcendental level of power and dependence on it.
And if God should touch you with harm, there is no remover of it except Him. And if He touches you with good – then He is over all things competent! (6:17)
Ask: “Who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him? Who removes evil? Who makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with God? Little do you remember! (27:62)
The amplitude of the fluctuation of spirituality in the majority of the population causes astonishment of an outside observer. After all, it manifests itself in directly opposite states.
And when harm touches man, he calls upon Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove from him harm, he continues as if he had never called upon Us concerning the harm that touched him. Thus is beautified to the transgressors that which they have been doing (10:12)
When We give the people a taste of mercy after harm has touched them, at once they trick against Our signs.
Say, “God is swifter in trickery.” Indeed, Our messengers record that which you trick (10:21)
But if We give him a taste of favor after harm has touched him, he will surely say, “Bad times have left me.” Indeed, he is exultant and boastful! (11:10)
And whatever you have of favor – it is from God. Then when harm touches you, to Him you cry for help. Then when He removes the harm from you, at once a party of you associates others with their Lord (16:53-54)
And when harm touches you at sea, lost are those you invoke except for Him. But when He delivers you to the land, you turn away. Indeed, man becomes closed! (17:67)
And when evil touches the people, they call upon their Lord, turning in repentance to Him. Then when He lets them taste mercy from Him, at once a party of them associate others with their Lord. (30:33)
And when harm touches man, he calls upon his Lord, turning to Him! Then when He bestows on him a favor from Himself, he forgets Him whom he called upon before, and he attributes to God equals to mislead from His way.
Say, “Enjoy your closed nature for a little; indeed, you are of the companions of the fire!” (39:8)
People often go from extreme to extreme. Being guided by the desire to achieve their goal, people, in spite of the Creator’s warning of danger, use harmful tools of influence.
…And they learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife. But they do not harm anyone through it except by permission of God. And the people learn what harms them and does not benefit them. But the one who acquired it certainly knew that whoever purchased the magic would not have in the hereafter any share. And wretched is that for which they sold themselves, if they only knew. (2:102)
The main motive, leading to harm, is the intention to cause damage to another person, to please owns passions. But the rights of people are endowed by the Most High with certain inviolability.
…No mother should be harmed through her child, and no father through his child… (2:233)
…Let no scribe be harmed or any witness. For if you do so, indeed, it is an apostasy for you. And beware of God , for God teaches you! God is Knowing of all things! (2:282)
They will not harm you except for suffering. And if they fight you, they will show you their backs; then they will not be aided. (3:111)
Lodge them where you dwell out of your means and do not harm them in order to oppress them… (65:6)
Even debt collection is considered in relation to the consequences for the debtor. Believers should adhere to the principle of “do no harm”. If the debt collection leads the debtor to the damage to his family, then it is necessary to grant a deferral or write off the debt.
And if someone is in hardship, then wait for ease. But if you give charity, then it is better for you, if you only knew! (2:280)
The performance of religious rituals and participation in festivities is not an indicator of true faith. God contrasts the “external” faith and the faith that has been tested.
Not equal are those believers remaining at home, experiencing no harm – and the ones who strive in the way of God with their wealth… (4:95)
We must not forget that our “clay” component is imperfect. Even chosen messengers under the influence of their senses made mistakes, which led to damage to them.
And mention Ayub (Job), when he called to his Lord, “Indeed, harm has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.”
So We responded to him and removed what afflicted him of harm. And We gave him his family and the like thereof with them as mercy from Us and a reminder for the worshippers. (21:83-84)
People are also tested through natural cataclysms, which are also regarded as damage.
So when they entered upon Joseph, they said, “O mighty! Harm has touched us and our family, and we have come with goods poor in quality, but give us full measure and be charitable to us! Indeed, God rewards the charitable!” (12:88)
In the struggle for the minds and souls of people manipulators used camouflaged cunning tricks that are used in cult places.
And those who took for themselves a place for earthly worship for causing harm and closed nature and division among the believers and as a station for whoever had warred against God and His messenger before. And they will surely swear, “We intended only the best!” And God testifies that indeed they are liars. (9:107)
When you comprehend this passage, people who are limited in perception want to find traces of harm in cult places from the influence of external factors. The internal content is practically not considered, and if considered, it is also limited, based on external signs of spirituality. Like, what harm can there be from visiting such places and performing rituals. However, if the direction indicated by the priests leads to delusion, indeed departing from the foundation – the Prescription, then this is regarded by God as harm.
Indeed, We sent down to you the Prescription for the people in truth. So whoever is guided – it is for himself and whoever goes astray only goes astray to its detriment. And you are not a trustee over them! (39:41)
The impartial mind understands that the causing of spiritual harm does not happen spontaneously, but has a special character. This can be seen as a structure of intrigues that do not fear the one confident in the Prescription.
If good touches you, it distresses them; but if evil strikes you, they rejoice at it. And if you are patient and circumspect, their plot will not harm you at all. Indeed, God is encompassing of what they do! (3:120)
Private conversation is only from the disobedient that he may grieve those who have believed, but he will not harm them at all except by permission of God. And upon God let the believers rely! (58:10)
The main task of the opponents of the Creator is an attempt to mislead the followers of the Prescription.
And if it was not for the favor of God upon you, and His mercy, a group of them would have determined to mislead you. But they do not mislead except themselves, and they will not harm you at all. And God has revealed to you the Prescription and judgement and has taught you that which you did not know. And ever has the favor of God upon you been great! (4:113)
But, as has been said above, the initiation of delusion is the very delusion that cannot affect people who are imbued with the prescription of the Lord.
O you who have believed! Upon you is yourselves. Those who have gone astray will not harm you when you have been guided. To God is your return all together; then He will inform you of what you used to do! (5:105)
Hoping to harm believers who are on the right way, such actors try to confuse them by involving them in solving their problems. At the same time, the activities of such characters are permeated with forbidden things.
So if they come to you, judge between them or turn away from them. And if you turn away from them – never will they harm you at all. And if you judge, judge between them with balance. Indeed, God loves those who act in balance! (5:42)
It can be said with certainty that the intention to harm believers is based on an incorrect worldview – polytheism.
Say, “Do you serve besides God that which holds for you no power of harm or benefit while it is God who is the Hearing, the Knowing?” (5:76)
Say, “Shall we invoke instead of God that which neither benefits us nor harms us… (6:71)
And they serve other than God that which neither harms them nor benefits them,
and they say, “These are our intercessors with God ”
Say, “Do you inform God of something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth?” Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him (10:18)
And do not invoke besides God that which neither benefits you nor harms you, for if you did, then indeed you would be of the obscurantists.'”And if God should touch you with harm, there is no remover of it except Him; and if He intends for you good, then there is no repeller of His bounty. He causes it to reach whom He wills of His servants. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful (10:106-107)
Say, “Who is Lord of the heavens and earth?”
Say, “God!”
Say, “Have you then taken besides Him patrons not possessing for themselves any benefit or any harm?”… (13:16)
Say, “Invoke those you have claimed besides Him, for they do not possess removal of harm from you or for its transfer.” (17:56)
Did they not see that it could not return to them any word and that it did not possess for them any harm or benefit? (20:89)
He said, “Then do you serve instead of God that which does not benefit you at all or harm you? (21:66)
He invokes instead of God that which neither harms him nor benefits him. That is what is the extreme error. He invokes one whose harm is closer than his benefit. How wretched the patron! How wretched such companion! (22:12-13)
But they have taken besides Him gods which create nothing, while they are created, and possess not for themselves any harm or benefit and possess not death or life or resurrection! (25:3)
But they serve rather than God that which does not benefit them or harm them, and the closed one is ever, against his Lord, an assistant. (25:55)
Or do they benefit you, or do they harm?” (26:73)
Should I take other than Him deities? If the Merciful intends for me harm, their intercession will not avail me at all, nor can they save me? (36:23)
And if you asked them, “Who created the heavens and the earth?” they would surely say, “God!”
Say, “Then have you considered what you invoke besides God? If God intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy?”
Say, “Sufficient for me is God! Upon Him rely the reliers!” (39:38)
The misunderstanding of polytheism, like no other, was understood by the messengers of God. To eliminate the reasons leading to idolatry, the messengers, by their own example, showed real monotheism.
Say, “I hold not for myself benefit or harm, except what God has willed! And if I knew the hidden, I could have acquired much wealth, and no evil would have touched me. I am not except a warner and a bringer of good tidings to a people who believe!” (7:188)
Say, “I possess not for myself any harm or benefit except what God should will. For every headship is a term. When their time has come, then they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede!” (10:49)
Say, “Indeed, I do not possess for you harm or right direction!” (72:21)
Stupidity and blindness are stubborn. Perseverance in one’s own delusion on the Day of Debt leads to a final loss.
But today you do not hold for one another benefit or harm! We will say to obscurantists, “Taste the punishment of the fire, which you used to deny!” (34:42)