Nice way of rationalizing azaab like conditions and giving them a religious twist to make people feel better!!
Wa' alaikumussalam,
This is what happens when Muslims consider the Quran just as a "religious book". Here is a verse from Quran; Muhammed Asad translation.
"God has promised those of you who have attained to faith and do righteous deeds
(‘saleh’ deeds) that, of a certainty,
He will cause them to accede to power on earth, even as He caused [some of] those who lived before them to accede to it; and that, of a certainty, He will firmly establish for them the religion which He has been pleased to bestow on them; and that, of a certainty, He will cause their erstwhile state of fear to be replaced by a sense of security – [seeing that] they worship Me [alone], not ascribing divine powers to aught beside Me. But all who, after [having understood] this, choose to deny the truth – it is they, they who are truly iniquitous! (24:55).
‘saleh’ deeds mentioned in bracket mine. Here is another similar verse;
"And We have already written in the Book of David, after the reminder, that
My righteous servants (saleheen) shall inherit the Land (21:105).
It is the law of Allah that the saleheen are the most capable people who can rule and inherit the earth over and above all other people. It is a pity, that the term ‘saleheen’ --- and subsequently, terms like ‘saleh’ deeds have been misinterpreted by traditional people to mean something very close to the English terms pious, piety, etc. But, in the Quranic sense, ‘saleheen’ are people who have the ability and capability to perform a particular task; ‘saleh’ deeds are acts which develop one’s capabilities. Therefore, ‘saleheen’ inheriting the control of the Earth refers to people who have the double-edged ability of establishing a sovereign state, and maintaining it to establish the Quranic society (a heaven on earth) for mankind. When a group of people have the physical qualities required, they can establish sovereign states --- but minus the Quran, they can be only ruthless like those of the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt or even the present-day materialistic empires of the world.
In the verse quoted by brother Joseph Islam 38.035, the prayer of Solomon, "He said: My Lord! Forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as shall not belong to any after me. ", and here it does not mean prophet Solomon just prayed and sat idle and the Kingdom came to him without any effort. One has to work for it to achieve the goal. The power of rule on earth can be received only as a result of one’s deeds (24:55). By praying to God (by calling out to Him) Solamon wanted to arouse the qualities within himself that will help him attain his goal. The words in his praryer shows his passion to build a nation no one can build ever. He set a great dream in front of him and worked to achieve the goal. Here is one comment from Iqbal, the poet and a great thinker from one of his works about the power of prayer;
"Prayer, then, does not change the order of things, but it changes people and people change things. As Sura Ra’d 13:12 states “Verily God will not change the condition of men, till they change what is in themselves.”
[59] Prayer purifies, enlightens and at last transforms those who submit themselves to it.
[60]“Such prayer - prayer which changes both the man who prayes and the world he lives in - is not achieved without concentrated effort.”
[61] But once a human being has made this effort and attained spiritual perfection, then he/she is asked - even by God - what he/she desires as his/her destiny."
[59] The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, p. 12.
[60] Underhill, E, Worship, London, 1941. p. 18.
[61] Herman, E, Creative Prayer, p. 38.
Regards,
Optimist