34.3.1 THE ORIGINAL POSITION IS SUCCESS

The original default position is success and happiness. Transgressions lead to fall and destruction. If communities believe and have taqwa they get bounties from Allah. Bounties are a test for humans (2:49 & 89:15). Bounties are increased if humans are grateful to Allah (4:147 & 14:8). Few humans are grateful (2:243 & 67:23). Humans give the lie to Allah’s bounties (55:13). Iman is necessary for happiness on earth (13:28).

34.3.2 CHANGE IS FOR THE WORSE

The Qur’an has talked about change from good to worse as destruction of people (6:6 & 77:16), communities (6:42 & 50:36) as punishments for transgression (7:159 & 35:42).

34.3.3. LAWS OF SOCIAL CHANGE, sunnat al taghyiir

The Qur’an has described that there are laws of social change, sunnat al llaahi fi al taghyiir (6:89 &  47:38). The same laws applied to all past communities (3:137 & 48:23). Allah does not change the original position of a community unless and until they themselves do evils that necessitate that change (8:53 & 13:11). Every community has a fixed span of time (7:34 & 23:43). Communities rise and fall and are replaced by others (6:133 & 76:28).

34.3.4 CAUSES OF ADVERSE SOCIAL CHANGE

Social change leading to decay is due to ruling with laws not from Allah, hukm bi ghayr ma anzala al llaah (2:188 & 24:48), following the false, tab’iyat madhmuumat (2:102 & 71:21), luxuries, taraf (11:116 & 43:23), disbelief, kufr (6:25-26 & 19:74), giving the lie to the truth, takdhiib al haqq (8:54 & 69:4-6), transgression, dhulm (3:117 & 53:50-52), crime, ijraam (7:83-84 & 44:37), the actions of the ignorant, sufaha (7:155), following desires, ittiba’u al hawaa (20:16), sins, dhunuub (6:6, 8:54, & 17:17), fisq (17:16 & .46:25), dhann al suu (41:23), wasteful extravagance, israaf (20:127-128, 21:9), taraf (17:16), batr (28:58), and batsh (43:8, 50:36).

34.3.5 CONCEPT OF REFORM, islaah

The Qur’an has mentioned reform, islaah (2:160 & 47:5). It is essentially the honorable, taba’iyat mahmuudat (2:38 & 57:27). The believers will eventually be victorious, nasr al muminuun (2:194-195 & 63:8). The earth will be inherited by the righteous, wirathat al ardh li al saalihiin (7:100 & 44:28).