Perhaps it comes across your mind as to why God, who is Al-Wadud (The Loving), is making us go through this time of pandemic and global pandemonium. As a believer we all know that this human experience we call life is in itself meant to be a series of test, so the overall answer to the question tugging at your mind can be simplified thus : a fitna(test) from God.

He knows well how you’re going to do before you experience the test as He is All-knowing, but because God has made this life to operate on a cause and effect system, He chooses to make us go through the test so that humans would not accuse God of favoritism or unfairness on the Day of Judgment when people on account of their actions and beliefs are heading for different eternal realities.

Now there’s another angle, and that’s one of punishment. With the ways humans have been harming, killing, vilifying, hating other humans in forms of genocides, ethnic cleansing, racism, xenophobia, this pandemic can also be seen as a form of corrective punishment from God to remind us of our common origin and reality so that we can go back to the basics of family, of togetherness, of one human race.

Another response to the why is that this pandemic may be a prevention against a far deadlier and more destructive global chaos we may plunge ourselves into: namely a brutal, endless war by major powers if this pandemic does not happen right now. China, Russia and US had been flexing muscles lately. Now we’re been shown  through this COVID-19 that these countries have such little powers and that they’re better off spending on well-being (health care) than on military…

Whatever your mind is thinking, know that God has infinite knowledge and wisdom, and no one can question Him. But He has given us numerous news of the past nations with what happened to them and why.

ذَٰلِكَ تَأۡوِيلُ مَا لَمۡ تَسۡطِع عَّلَيۡهِ صَبۡرٗا

…these are the explanations for those things you could not bear with patience.’

-Sura Al-Kahf, Ayah 82

May Allah grant us firmness on His path. And may Allah cure our lands and our hearts. May Allah grant us patience.