Those who answered the call of Allah^-SWT ... if you are believers.

Blessed are those who inspite of numerous hardships stood fast on the obedience to Allah^-SWT and His^-SWT Prophet^-SW. They are indeed the righteous and purified. For them awaits a great reward with Allah^-SWT.The Quran is the last Divine Book, forever and for the entire mankind. It lays down the principles that the troubles faced in this world also become a source of spiritual elevation as the more hurdles one faces in Divine obedience, the more he shall be rewarded. Since the exemplary believers are the Companions^-RAU, the discussion begins with them.

According to Tafsir-e-Kabir, on the day following the Battle of Uhad, the Holy Prophet^-SW commanded the Companions^-RAU to chase the enemy. They were, by and large, seriously wounded. Seventy had laid down their lives. Nevertheless, they set out in pairs, taking turn in leaning on one another for support but did not give up the pursuit. They went up to Hamr al-Asad; three miles away from Madinah. Not only had the men shown total devotion but the women were also extremely zealous. Imam Razi^-RUA writes that a lady was searching impatiently for the Holy Prophet^-SW to know of his^-SW welfare while her own father, husband, brother and son had embraced Shahadah on the battlefield. As soon as she saw the Holy Prophet^-SW she thanked Allah^-SWT and exclaimed that all trou­bles now seemed trivial. When Hadhrat Safiah^-RAU arrived at the battlefield, the Holy Prophet^-SW directed Hadhrat Zubair^-RAU to keep her away lest she^-RAU wails over the mutilated body of her beloved brother^-RAU. She^-RAU said that she knew what had happened to Hamzah^-RAU. She^-RAU then walked up to where the body was lying and proclaimed: “even if this is the price one has to pay for obedience, the deal is certainly lucrative”.

The commentators explain that all the Companions^-RAU were pious and righteous as borne out by their act of responding to the Call of Allah^-SWT and His^-SWT Holy Prophet^-SW. Such a response is impossible without Ihsan and Taqwa. They all were endowed with these qualities and qualified for great rewards. Obedience demands sincerity. Without it no task, no matter how great it may apparently be, can acquire Divine Acceptance, for fighting with valour is also witnessed in the non-believers.

The chivalry and total obedience by the Companions^-RAU as well as their Ihsan, Taqwa and absolute devotion is also being described here. Ihsan as explained by Hadith-e Jibril is to worship Rabb^-SWT as if one beholds Him^-SWT . In other words it refers to the feeling of being present before Allah^-SWT , while Taqwa is another name for practising extreme caution in actions because of the feeling of His^-SWT Presence.

And here it is the Holy Prophet^-SW’s obedience, as it was he^-SW who had ordered this pursuit, while and no fresh Command was revealed for it. The point to note here is that the order issued by the Holy Prophet^-SW is being referred to as Allah^-SWT’s order. This proves that any order given by the Holy Prophet^-SW at his^-SW own discretion also carries an equal weight as compared to those revealed by Allah^-SWT.Those who deny Hadith should ponder over this point.

Another excellence of the Companions^-RAU being mentioned is that when the hypocrites and the polytheists tried to scare them that the Makkans were coming back for a fresh attack, which they should plan to avoid; it further strengthened the already strong faith of the Companions^-RAU. They knew very well that the path they had chosen was full of hazards but each turmoil added more strength to their faith. Besides, actions are also a part of faith, which is a declaration endorsed by practice. Each act of obedience adds to the faith while each error diminishes it, so much so that continuous indulgence in sin results in the loss of faith and such Muslims in name are an easy prey for disbelief. But the state of the Companions^-RAU is such that they declare that for them Allah^-SWT Alone suffices as the Best of helpers.

Praise be to Allah^-SWT ! How vehemently is Taqiyyah being negated! Hadhrat Ali^-RAU was also present at the scene but no one resorted to Taqiyyah and Allah^-SWT termed the action of the Companions^-RAU as strengthening of faith and pre­sented it before the entire mankind as an example. And then see the reward; they returned triumphantly, unharmed, while the Makkans fled in fright. The Companions^-RAU even did trading in the market of Hamr al Asad, benefited from it, and above all attained Allah^-SWT’s Pleasure, which is the greatest of all blessings. Allah^-SWT indeed is the Most Gracious.

Here a very high degree of trust is demonstrated but it must also be noted that the Holy Prophet^-SW employed all possible means at his^-SW disposal. He^-SW took weapons and his^-SW wounded Companions^-RAU in pursuit of the enemy saying, “Allah^-SWT is sufficient for us and is the best of helpers”.

Trust involves employment of all permissible means and to fearlessly stand fast on Divine obedience. Fearing anyone save Allah^-SWT does not befit a believer. It is Satan’s strategy that he frightens his followers by different methods and persuades them to engage in evil. Whether he be from the humans or the Jinn, his greatest weapon is to instil the fear of others than Allah^-SWT in the hearts of people. And a frightened person-then simply struggles to save himself from the clutches of whom he fears. But a believer is ordered not to fear anyone except Allah^-SWT and this indeed is the acme of faith. Allah^-SWT explicitly tells believers to fear Him^-SWT and His^-SWT disobedience.

This address carries a strong feeling of being present before Allah^-SWT as if He^-SWT is saying: “You are My^-SWT own bondsmen, so make My^-SWT Pleasure your pursuit and fear My^-SWT Annoyance. When you are in My^-SWT court then why should you be afraid of anyone else”? And to beg for life employing Taqiyyah is simply absurd!

It has also been clarified that obedience to Satan never leads to peace of mind, while his nearness keeps one constantly terrified. However, a distance from him certainly renders a person oblivious of many fears. And following the Sunnah can only attain peace. People today seek peace through affluence and power using the Satanic means, but in the process plunge into a quagmire from which there is no return. This is why Allah^-SWT declares: “Fear Me if you are believers”. Faith demands that only Allah^-SWT’s Annoyance is feared. It does not mean eyewash but practically every act that would cause His^-SWT Displeasure should be given up.

And let not those who hasten ... for them is shameful punishment.

The Holy Prophet^-SW must not grieve for those who revert to infidelity in every other matter and act as a source of strengthening the non-believers, for they can cause no harm to Allah^-SWT.Neither can their evil designs pose any threat to Islam, nor should the Holy Prophet^-SW brook any concern for their heading towards Hell. The fact is that because of their misdeeds Allah^-SWT has decided to deprive them of the eternal blessings and to punish them severely in the Akhirah. Their crime is very grave as they have preferred infidelity to faith. A painful doom awaits them. They can do no harm to Allah^-SWT’s Din. And, not for a moment, must they believe that the respite given to them in this world is a favour to them. The wealth, the children or power and authority given to them is, by no stretch of imagination, a blessing, rather a form of punishment. In spite of having all these blessings they neither have peace of mind nor hope for any comfort in the Akhirah. On the contrary, their affluence and power is driving them further into sin and disobedience of Allah^-SWT . The end result will, of course, be a shameful doom.

Sin, indeed, is a poison which if digested results in death. But if vomiting starts it saves the life though momentarily painful. Similarly, if a little admonition on sins is forthcoming it serves as prevention; but once given a respite it results in perdition. It is, therefore, foolish to rejoice over such a respite.

Allah^-SWT is not the One to leave ...for you will be a great reward

As for the distress befalling the Muslims as experienced at Uhad, it was Allah^-SWT’s Will to expose the hypocrites and separate them from the believers because outwardly there is no apparent distinction between the two. But in times of turmoil only a believer stands fast, whereas for a hypocrite it is not possible because he has embraced Islam only for worldly gains. The moment he sees a threat to his interests or to his life he flees from the challenge just as the hypocrites had demonstrated at Uhad.

Furthermore, the future promise of more humiliation for the hypocrites and victory for the believers and Islam is clearly pronounced. And as time rolled on, not only was this Quranic prophecy proved correct but it also endorsed the excellence of faith of the four Caliphs^-RAU and eminent Companions^-RAU because Allah^-SWT selected those noble personalities as instruments for the victory of Islam. In other words, whereas the hardships elevated the believers it also exposed the hypocrites and according to Quranic terminology, the Tayyib (pure) was separated from the Khabith (impure).

Praise be to Allah^-SWT ! This exposition could have also been done by a Divine Pronouncement of the names of hypocrites. But Allah^-SWT does not inform everyone over the unseen because then there will be no distinction between a Prophet^-AS and a commoner. Moreover, the hypocrites would have easily de­nied the charge and asserted their loyalty to Islam. But now there was no room left for any pretence as their conduct at Uhad had completely exposed their hypocrisy. And it facilitated the believers to sever their ties with the hypo­crites. Allah^-SWT does not inform everyone over matters concerning the unseen but chooses the Prophets^-AS for His^-SWT Revelations. The Shari’ah handed down to them becomes a yardstick separating the obedient from the defiant.

It must not be mistaken here that the Prophets^-AS have knowledge of the unseen. Their knowledge is not the knowledge of the unseen, rather it is information provided by Allah^-SWT.The Divine Knowledge has two characteristics. Firstly, it is inherent and not dependent on any other source. And secondly it encompasses the past as well as future. No matter how trivial a matter may be, it cannot be hidden from His^-SWT Knowledge. To ascribe partners in these attributes is indeed polytheism. He^-SWT does, however, inform His^-SWT Prophets^-AS on matters of the unseen as He^-SWT chooses, which is information on the unseen, and not knowledge of the unseen. It is also clear that the Hypocrites were exposed to the Holy Prophet^-SW through a Divine Revelation, while to the Muslims through a trial. With this background, can there be an iota of doubt over the integrity of those whom the Holy Prophet^-SW himself had nominated as leaders of the Ummah after him^-SW?

So the Muslims are enjoined to believe in Allah^-SWT and all the Prophets^-AS. In other words, believing in the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet^-SW is indeed believing in all the preceding Prophets^-AS because all of them had commanded their people to believe in him^-SW. It is not an ordinary thing to be blessed with faith and then also given the capacity to practise it. This is Taqwa, and is indeed worth a generous reward.

And let not those who... Allah^-SWT is Aware of what you do.

The real source of mischief is the Jewish and Christian scholars who conceal the qualities of the Holy Prophet^-SW clearly stated in their Books. They have acted niggardly by hiding what they knew and have created a state of unrest amongst the people. Let them not draw satisfaction from their wealth and power as a token of Allah^-SWT’s Pleasure. For worldly affluence and power is only a reward for those who are also blessed with faith, otherwise it is a source of distress and disgrace both here and in the Hereafter. Niggardliness means avoiding the obligatory aspects such as non-payment of Zakat or concealment of knowledge or avoidance of Jihad, inspite of having the capacity. In short, failure to spend or manifest something obligatory is niggardliness, and that is forbidden and will lead to Hell. However, non-compliance to any act, or spending which is merely Mustahib (commendable), is neither niggardliness nor punishable. But to conceal the truth is far worse than the withholding of wealth and life. And such sinners will be yoked on the Day of Judgement. The miser will enter Hell with the hoarded wealth coiled as a snake around his neck. Or there will be yokes of fire from which everyone will seek Allah^-SWT’s Protection and these will be put around the necks of the niggardly and will cause his fall into Hell. Besides, whatever lies between the earth and the heav­ens belongs to Allah^-SWT and whatever one may have is a temporary possession. Sooner or later it has to be left behind. The real owner is only Allah^-SWT and He^-SWT is Aware of the practices of every human being.