Quran 44:31 · Ad-Dukhan

In this world, the downfall of one nation and the rise of another do not happen accidentally. Neither does it mean that a cruel nation has, on account of its oppressive methods, subjugated another. All such events take place in accordance with God’s decision, for the trial of man. It is God who, at His discretion, decides upon domination for one and subjection for another. Whatever He decides, it is based on His knowledge and is not arbitrary. God makes His decisions in accordance with His knowledge, in other words, whatever happens is on the basis of what one deserves. In the light of His total knowledge, God looks at the various peoples and then decides to give dominance to those nations whom He finds deserving: those whom He finds undeserving, He dethrones and commits to subjection. In the lives of nations, there appear signs to show that whatever fate befell them was by the decision of God. If a man’s insight is keen, he will be able to catch a glimpse of the causes leading to the decisions taken by God in respect of the various nations.