Are We Seeking the Cause of the Problem? Effort, Responsibility, and Trust in Allah

27 October 2021

Question: What do we do first when something goes wrong?

Do we investigate its cause?

Or do we immediately attribute what has happened to another power or another person?

As we reflect on verse 102 of Surah Al-Baqarah, we encounter a very important distinction.

Pursuing things that bring people no benefit and cause harm is not the same as turning toward accurate knowledge.

Let us look at examples from life to understand this.

Rice Does Not Cook Itself

We want to cook a pot of rice.

We will prepare the rice, measure the water, and light the stove.

We need to learn how much water to add and when to turn off the heat.

We may make a mistake once. On the next attempt, we correct it.

Question: When the rice turns mushy, do we examine the water, or say that something inexplicable has happened to us?

This question sounds simple.

Consider that we do not touch the fire we use while preparing the meal.

Because we know that heat can cause harm.

We do not wait for new evidence every time before acting on this knowledge.

Likewise, if we know the risk of taking on excessive debt in a business, we should account for that knowledge.

When we have seen the result of a wrong choice, turning toward the same mistake again may put us in difficulty.

Question: Why am I sometimes unable to use in difficult decisions the reasoning I use in everyday tasks?

Perhaps those decisions touch our desires more deeply.

We want to make a purchase. We want to end or continue a relationship.

Sometimes we avoid thinking about the outcome.

In such situations, the first thing to do may be to reconsider cause and effect calmly.

Being able to change our decision when we have made a mistake is also part of learning.

Neither denying that fire burns nor ignoring a harmful debt helps us.

Because in the kitchen, we readily accept the relationship between cause and effect.

But we may struggle to carry the same approach into every area of life.

When a car breaks down, we take it for repairs.

When a phone does not work, we investigate the fault.

Why not show the same openness when our business loses money?

We may have chosen the wrong product.

We may have borrowed more than necessary.

We may not have listened sufficiently to what the customer wanted.

These possibilities make people uncomfortable.

Because thinking this way requires us to take responsibility.

But taking responsibility does not mean saying that every event is under our control.

It simply means honestly examining the part we can control.

While accepting that a pot of rice requires effort, we cannot imagine that every issue in our lives will be resolved effortlessly.

Learning begins where we accept making an effort.

Placing All the Blame on Someone Else

People may not want to see themselves at fault.

Think of a businessperson who has gone bankrupt.

They worked for many years and brought their company to a certain point.

Then things deteriorated.

Others may have had an effect in this situation. Market conditions may have changed.

But the decisions made also need examination.

A person may consider leaving a workplace.

There may be problems where they currently work. Better opportunities may exist elsewhere too.

But the thought “I will definitely be happier elsewhere” may prevent them from seeing all the details.

The new job will also have different responsibilities.

Similarly, continually seeking someone better in relationships may prevent us from questioning our own behavior within the current relationship.

Question: Is what I want to change truly the situation I am in, or some of my own habits?

Of course, leaving a harmful environment may be necessary.

But when deciding, let us consider not only the beautiful side we imagine, but also the burden of the new situation.

Escaping a problem and seeking a solution are not the same thing.

Understanding the problem sometimes requires correcting our own attitude before changing where we are.

Were wrong investments made? Were unpayable debts taken on?

Were production, customers, or expenses neglected?

Question: Can simply saying, “Some people harmed me,” without discussing any of these be a solution?

Such an explanation may bring relief for a while.

But it does not solve the company’s real problems.

Sometimes the truth that weighs heavily on a person’s self lies precisely here.

It is difficult to say, “I made mistakes too.”

The same situation can occur in marriage.

If communication between spouses has broken down, we need to try to understand how it began.

Did a word hurt? Did neglect grow?

Do we have behaviors that enlarge the problem?

Attributing all blame to an unseen cause without considering any of these can distance us from necessary change.

Of course, we cannot disregard the injustice a person has suffered.

If the other party bears responsibility, that should also be recognized.

But this should not prevent us from examining our own decisions.

Because when seeking reality, we cannot settle for the answer we want.

Let us not distance ourselves from the truth even when it makes us uncomfortable.

Seeing What We Do Not Understand as Magic

Think of technology.

Making a video call seems ordinary today.

Yet it can be very surprising to someone who does not know how it happens.

Sound and images reaching another place is a process that can be understood through knowledge and effort.

Our not yet understanding something does not mean that we should stop seeking an explanation.

We can consider the same approach for our fears too.

Not all the fears we see around us resemble one another.

Some people fear an animal. Others may fear darkness or losing their job.

These fears may not all arise in the same way.

So let us not produce a definite explanation on someone else’s behalf without listening to what they experienced.

Question: Am I truly trying to understand the distress of the person before me?

Belittling someone’s fear may not help them.

But rumors that frighten them further do not solve the problem either.

First, let us distinguish what happened from what is known.

When necessary, let us seek appropriate knowledge and support.

Accepting human limitations does not prevent taking the right step.

Receiving help in something we do not know means undertaking responsibility more consciously, rather than abandoning it.

An event someone experienced at a young age may lead them to feel fear in certain situations years later.

Understanding this fear requires considering the lived experience and the person’s circumstances.

It would not be right to belittle the fear itself.

But neither is it right to act as though it has a single, unchanging explanation.

Question: Am I trying to understand the cause of my fear, or allowing fear to govern me?

When people lack knowledge in an area, they may more easily become drawn into others’ claims.

That is why we should not accept everything we hear as factual knowledge.

Verse 102 of Surah Al-Baqarah describes claims spread about Prophet Sulayman and things people learned that caused harm.

Accepting an accusation made using a prophet’s name without questioning it is inconsistent with the verse’s warning.

We should also distinguish the verse’s direct statements from interpretations on this subject.

We cannot present every account before us as a religious ruling.

A rumor increasing our fear does not show that it is true.

A person can be affected by what they hear. But being affected and information being verified are not the same thing.

Trusting Allah and Taking Action

Seeking refuge in Allah matters. Praying matters.

But this devotion should not leave us inactive.

When cooking rice, we do not expect a good result without adding water.

When establishing a business, we do not imagine that we will succeed without any preparation.

When our relationship with our family deteriorates, expecting closeness to return by itself without speaking is not right either.

Question: In the matter for which I ask Allah’s help, which right step am I taking myself?

The real confrontation is here.

People may also experience difficulties over time when they build their lives solely around consumption.

They may spend more than they earn and continually pursue a new desire.

Then, when their debts increase as a result, they may say only that their luck is bad.

Question: Can I recognize my everyday habits that led to this outcome?

Let us reflect here to choose a better direction, rather than to blame ourselves.

Recognizing our mistakes can feel heavy.

But recognizing a behavior we can change through effort is an important beginning.

We cannot say that every problem will improve immediately. Still, we need not postpone taking the necessary step.

If we want a good result, we should turn toward the necessary knowledge.

If we have done wrong, we should recognize it.

If we have violated another person’s rights, we should correct our behavior.

We should also value honesty while worshipping and justice while working.

Merely saying “I believe” does not show that we have brought righteous deeds into our lives.

Knowledge, faith, and behavior should not become disconnected.

If raising a child requires patience, we should try to show patience.

If a task requires expertise, we should continue learning.

If a relationship requires setting boundaries, we should be able to do so clearly without hurting.

Each person faces a different test.

For some, money is a great desire. For others, position or approval.

We need to recognize that what pleases our desires is not always right for us.

We may want a better job, a larger home, or more opportunities.

But if we make every desire the sole measure of our lives, we may forget our existing responsibilities.

While seeking better opportunities, we may also lose gratitude.

That is why we should both investigate causes and learn to appreciate what we have.

Question: In an event that happened to me today, what is the one right behavior I can change?

Let us identify it.

We may not be able to resolve the entire burden of the problem alone. But we can take the step that falls to us.

While seeking our Lord’s help, let us not neglect working, learning, and correcting.

Because trust means continuing to strive on the path we know to be right, rather than escaping responsibility.