Surely those "who deny the Ayat... and they shall not be wronged?

Sometimes the human nature is corrupted, and rots to such an extent that its traces can be seen for generations to come. This was the case with the People of the Book, contemporary to the Holy Prophet^-SW, who denied his^-SW Prophethood. They were the descendants of those who ever assassinated their own Prophets^-AS and all those who stood up for the right Cause and spoke the truth. Allah^-SWT bids the Holy Prophet^-SW to inform them of an agonizing retribu­tion.

According to Hadith, the Bani Israil slew forty Prophets^-AS at daybreak in their lust for power and authority, knowing very well that they were doing it wrong­fully. The term Beghair-e Haqq means that although to kill Prophets^-AS is always wrongful but in this case the assassins were also fully aware of the fact that their action was totally wrong. To condemn this killing and uphold the truth, one hundred and twenty men from the followers of the slain Prophets^-AS stood up; who were also done to death the same after noon. Since the Jews contemporary to the Holy Prophet^-SW are the successors to the killers and ap­prove of their actions they will never accept the truth even after recognizing it. Such wrongdoers must be informed of a painful doom, as all their actions have gone waste. They shall be disgraced here and punished in the Akhirah, with no one to come to their rescue.

It is indeed amazing that the Jews, given a little knowledge of Torah, (they nei­ther possessed nor believed in the whole of it), are called upon to the truth ac­cording to their own Book containing the signs about the Holy Prophet^-SW and his^-SW raising, or when they are invited to the truth according to the Quran, a group of them quietly slips out and disdainfully turns away from the verdict of Allah^-SWT’s Book. This is indicative of the same ancestral temperament whereby their forefathers killed their Prophets^-AS in greed for power. These malefactors instead of following him^-SW had conspired to assassinate the Holy Prophet^-SW. The Muslims should never trust them. May Allah^-SWT guide the Muslims to the right Path and protect them from the machinations of the non-believers!

Just imagine as to what would be the condition of these people on that inevita­ble Day when everyone shall be gathered before Allah^-SWT for a judicious requital. There will neither be any addition or deletion in the good or evil deeds, nor will the rights of anyone be violated, as assumed by the non-believers.

Say, "O Allah^-SWT ! Sovereign of Dominion... whom You^-SWT please, without measure.”

After the humiliating defeats at Badar and Uhad the polytheists as well as People of the Book were in a tumultuous state of mind. They were enraged with jealousy as they monitored the development of an Islamic State right under their very nose. They all drew up a plan and decided that the Jews, the Christians and the polytheists of Arabia must assail Madinah jointly and wipe out Islam and the Muslims forever. For this purpose, a mighty force was organized and dispatched to Madinah for a battle known as Ghazwah-e Khandaq or Battle of the Trench.

The Holy Prophet^-SW, in consultation with the Companions^-RAU ordered to dig a trench around Madinah. An area of approx. 60 feet length was assigned to every ten Companions^-RAU with the same width and depth, so that no enemy whether on foot or on a horse back could cross it. Although there was very lit­tle time yet those die-hard spared no pains to accomplish their goal. They could hardly spare time even for eating or attending to the call of nature. To beat the hunger pangs, many of them, including the Holy Prophet^-SW himself, tied stones over their abdomens and the task was completed within the speci­fied time. When the digging was still in progress, a rock, inspite of all efforts, would not break. The group assigned this particular section included Hadhrat Salman Farsi^-RAU, who had originally suggested the trench. Except him^-RAU, the other Companions^-RAU suggested to overcome the problem giving a slight curve to the trench in order to bypass the rock, without compromising its deterrence ef­fect on the enemy.

Standard Of Obedience To The Holy Prophet^-SAAW

Hadhrat Salman^-RAU said that although the proposal was valid yet the layout of the trench had been marked by the Holy Prophet^-SW himself and who would dare deviate from it? No one had an answer. This is a lesson for the Muslim of today who is heedless of Sunnah, acts according to his vain desires and sticks to rituals and customs in violation of many a Sunnah.

Anyway, Hadhrat Salman Farsi^-RAU took the matter to the Holy Prophet^-SW seeking his^-SW orders, who personally arrived at the site and struck the rock with a pick­axe. The entire city beamed with a light coming out of it and a section of the rock fell apart. The Holy Prophet^-SW said that he^-SW had seen the palaces of Persia in the said light. Similarly with the second blow, the Holy Prophet^-SW observed the Red Palaces of the Romans and in the third strike, the rock shattered to pieces and the Holy Prophet^-SW said that he^-SW had seen the palaces of Sin’a, the capital of Yemen, in the ensuing light. With every blow, the Holy Prophet^-SW would loudly exclaim “Allah^-SWT -o-Akbar!” (Allah^-SWT is the Greatest), joined promptly by the Companions^-RAU. This is the standard slogan of Islam, while the rest are subsequent inventions.

The Holy Prophet^-SW informed the Companions^-RAU that he^-SW had been told by Angel Jibril that all the empires observed by him^-SW in the light would fall to his^-SW Ummah. The hypocrites and the Jews jeered that the Muslims, forced to dig a trench to avoid the impending destruction, are dreaming of conquering Persia, Rome and Yemen!

This incident is quoted only to bring home the background of the revelation of the Ayah and the prophecy of the Holy Prophet^-SW, while the topic under dis­cussion was how the Jews had wrongfully killed their Prophets^-AS for state power, and were now bent upon teasing the Holy Prophet^-SW. So Allah^-SWT tells the Holy Prophet^-SW to proclaim that He^-SWT is the real Owner of Sovereignty. He^-SWT may grant state and authority to whoever He^-SWT pleases and may take back as much as He^-SWT desires. He^-SWT may bless whoever He^-SWT may please with honour in this life and in the Akhirah, and disgrace through punishment whoever He^-SWT may choose. All goodness is in His^-SWT hands and He^-SWT is the Omnipotent.

Here only the good is mentioned and not the evil though it is also in His^-SWT hands. In fact whatever comes from Allah^-SWT is nothing but good. It may be harmful for a certain nation, yet when viewed universally it ensures betterment for many. In fact the word Khair, which means ‘good’ is associated with a Be­ing, and the Real Being is only Allah^-SWT , Who^-SWT is all Khair. Existence of all other things is like a shadow, a reflection of the Real Being. A characteristic flaw in them is that they were once non-existent and some return to that state more quickly than others. Anyway since the extinct gets its reflective existence from the Real Being that is why this flaw of the former is also attributed to the latter, while the truth is that with Allah^-SWT is all that is Khair.

The prophecies of the Holy Prophet^-SW together with an account of the up­heavals in the history of the nations have been mentioned as a warning for those oblivious of the fate of the People of ‘A’ad, Thamud and Prophet Nuh^-AS, that they must not assume that power and material resources are the only de­ciding factor. It must be well understood that Allah^-SWT is the Mightiest. He^-SWT can turn the tables in a second!

Behold the flourishing era of Caliph ‘Umar Farooq^-RAU; when the empires foretold by the Holy Prophet^-SW came under the sway of his^-SW devoted followers. Woe be unto those who criticise Caliph ‘Umar^-RAU, at whose hands Allah^-SWT fulfilled the Prophecies of His^-SWT Prophet^-SW, and this attitude not only undermines the great­ness of Caliph ‘Umar^-RAU but also hurts the evidence and validity of the Prophethood. May Allah^-SWT protect us from it! The worst part is that these critics deem themselves to be Muslims and all the rest to be non-believers. Such intellect and wisdom ought to be mourned.

Allah^-SWT is the Mighty, who controls the transition of days into nights and nights into days. It implies that He^-SWT has a complete sway over the heavenly bodies and the celestial world. He^-SWT can alter the duration of days and nights at Will. So where do the worldly empires stand when the sun and the moon execute the Divine Commands? The spiritual world is within His^-SWT Supreme Control, as He^-SWT brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living. He^-SWT creates human beings from ova, a sapling from a seed and places a believer in a family of non-believers, like Prophet Ibrahim^-AS in the family of Azar. In other words, His^-SWT sovereignty encompasses the entire universe including the elemen­tal forces, the empires and kingdoms, the celestial world and the spiritual realm. His^-SWT Supreme Rule is perpetual; He^-SWT may bless anyone as much as it may please Him^-SWT .

The recitation of the above Ayah together with Ayah al Kursi (2:254) after each obligatory Salat is highly meritorious.

Let not the believers ... Allah^-SWT is Most Kind to His^-SWT servants.

Now the topic diverts to the extent of relationship permissible between a Mus­lim and a non-believer. The Muslims are not allowed to develop cordial friendship or love with the non-believers let alone that they should become relatives! For a believer the friendship of only a fellow believer is appropriate.

Relationship With Non-Believer

A friend of the non-believers shall be deprived of the friendship of the believ­ers. Moreover their friendship is repugnant by itself; no matter in what form it is; a kinship, or friendship, or seeking their assistance in religious affairs or Jihad is not permissible. It is prohibited to take donations from enemies of the Companions^-RAU and spend it on fixing fans in the masaajid. Any one maintain­ing friendship with non-believers has nothing to do with the Divine friendship.

Just as the friendship with non-believers cannot mix with the love for believ­ers, it cannot be blended with the love for Allah^-SWT . However, if the Muslims suspect some mischief from the non-believers it is permissible to take meas­ures to ward it off but only to that extent. It does not mean that Muslims should follow them compromising in worships, mutual dealings and matters of daily life. This uproots Taqiyyah altogether.

Relationships can have various categories: firstly, a deep friendship, love and kinship, which is exclusively for the believers. It is totally and absolutely for­bidden to establish such terms with any non-believer. Secondly, well wishing and sympathy on the basis of humanity, this is only forbidden with those non-believers who are at war with the Muslims but can be extended to all the rest. The third category is of courtesy and amiable behaviour. This is to be extended to all non-believers without, strengthening their ungodly religion in any way. If it does aid them then it is also not permitted. This is exactly what the Ayah “save that you guard yourselves against them, taking caution” means. Courtesy and hospitality is permissible within limits, not to the extent of join­ing them in eating what is prohibited or in sin. Neither is it allowed to join them in their religious rituals or to disclose the secrets of Muslims to them. All this is strictly forbidden, and this incidentally also negates and forbids Taqiy­yah. The promoters of Taqiyyah themselves narrate how Caliph ‘Ali^-RAU followed in the footsteps of the three preceding Caliphs in terms of beliefs, mutual deal­ings, worships and relations, to the extent of marrying his^-RAU daughter to Caliph ‘Umar Faruq^-RAU; and that even after himself becoming a Caliph he^-RAU did not deviate from the ways of the preceding Caliphs at all. But they claim it was done out of Taqiyyah. What an enormity!

The fourth category of interaction is mutual dealings such as trading, employ­ment, labour or industry. All these can be carried out with the non-believers provided it does not jeopardise the interests of Muslims. The era of the Holy Prophet^-SW and that of the four Caliphs^-RAU is exemplary in matters of dealings be­tween the Muslims and the non-believers.

In nutshell, intimate friendship with the non-believer is strictly forbidden. However, business terms and courtesy is permitted as long as it brings no harm to Muslims. Otherwise, friendship with the non-believers invokes Allah^-SWT’s Wrath, which is indeed very severe. And Allah^-SWT warns the believers against it and at the same time reminds that everyone has to ultimately return to Him^-SWT . All matters pertaining to human life whether affairs of the State or politics, mutual dealings or the social system, are basically for the attainment of eternal bliss and Allah^-SWT’s Pleasure. The entire life of a believer revolves around this goal, whereas a non-believer is the greatest antagonist of this goal. How then can the two be friends?

A believer’s friendship and enmity is for Allah^-SWT as reported in Hadith: “Who­ever loves or hates for the sake of Allah^-SWT is indeed perfect in his faith.”

And nothing can escape Allah^-SWT’s notice whether concealed within the heart or manifested. He^-SWT is fully Aware of everything in the universe. When everything has been created by virtue of His^-SWT Omnipotence, how can it evade His^-SWT vigilance? His^-SWT Supreme Control prevails and His^-SWT Knowledge is multi dimensional and universal. How foolish then it is to disobey Him^-SWT and make friends with the non-believers?

There certainly will be a Day when everyone shall personally witness his good and bad deeds, and will wistfully desire to be poles apart from his wrongdoing! Therefore, beware O’ believers against any act of love for the non-believers in your conduct sheet on the Day of Reckoning, which you will not like and will try in vain to get rid of!

According to Hadith: “You will be with those whom you love!” So be heedful of that Day and remember His^-SWT torments. He^-SWT is indeed very kind to mankind by informing them before hand of the causes leading to destruction so that they may avert His^-SWT Punishment and exert to attain His^-SWT Pleasure.