Refrain from Arguments

Allah^-SWT bids the Holy Prophet^-SW to completely ignore the quibbling of those who are not the seekers of guidance. Rather he^-SW should focus his attention on those who expect to stand before Allaah^-SWT one day. And this awareness is inherent in every human being, unless it is lost by repeated indulgence in sin. This view was held by the People of the Book and the polytheists of Makkah, but only in traces of what was left of Prophet Ibrahim^-AS’s  Din. According to Tafsir-e-Mazhari the above Ayat do not pertain to the Muslims of that time since they enjoyed the status of Ijtehad, but to those who held atleast remote thoughts of the Hereafter. Such people should be told that on that Day, no one save Allaah^-SWT shall be of any help whatsoever. Thus for that Day, worship Allaah^-SWT Alone and make a habit of obeying only Him^-SWT . A very good lesson is brought home here for those who propagate Islam that discussion should not be for the sake of discussion but to facilitate the understanding of Islam. If there is no hope of achieving that aim, time should not be wasted.

Criterion of Respect

Denial has main facets. A wrongdoer always tries to find ways of proving himself right, atleast to the society. The polytheists of Makkah also coined an excuse that they would have loved to listen to, discuss and understand what the Holy Prophet^-SW had to say. But the people who surround him were once either their slaves, or were very poor. Therefore, how could they sit with them and discuss the matters? Hadhrat Umar^-RAU asked the Holy Prophet^-SW‘s permission to disperse, so that these people could talk to him^-SW. They could get a chance to hear him^-SW, it would be a pleasure for the faithful servants.  The Commentators have listed the names of many Companions^-RAU who were poor by worldly standards, for those deprived of the light of Islam, the standard of respectability is only wealth, even if someone has tattered beliefs and actions. A poor person is generally considered as worthless. Allaah^-SWT considers it an insult to humanity that people are evaluated on material standards. In fact whoever, by virtue of his faith, practice and conduct meets the standards of humanity, is worthy of respect with Allaah^-SWT . To eat, drink, reproduce and build abodes is done by the animals too. And if the human thought is also confined to these aspects of life, what is the difference between human beings and animals? Humanity is the name of that consciousness, which leads to the understanding of the Supreme Being and His^-SWT Attributes.

The demand of the polytheists that the Companions^-RAU should be dismissed from the Holy Prophet^-SW audience because they were penniless, was outrightly rejected by Allaah^-SWT . He^-SW announced that they were indeed His^-SWT servants, who never forgot Him^-SWT even for a moment, and while dwelling on earth, they had the resolve to behold Him^-SWT one day. Who is more honourable than them that they should make room for those clad in silk and satin having hearts void of Allah^-SWT's Zikr? No, this will not happen. Allaah^-SWT attaches no importance to worldly treasures and had He^-SWT done so, the non-believers would have got nothing. This is a separate system in which poverty and affluence, health and sickness, youth and old age are inevitable experiences, which follow their own course. The standard of humanity and nobility is the deep hearted relationship with Allaah^-SWT . Thus if the polytheists look for a discourse with the Holy Prophet^-SW they should do so in the presence of these noble souls, otherwise he was not responsible for their accountability. What he does is purely for Allaah^-SWT and they are themselves responsible for what they do. Then why give them importance! They who do not deserve it: and why make those leave who are honourable with Allaah^-SWT ? Those who always remember Him^-SWT and ardently seek Him^-SWT ? This indeed will be very unfair, which neither Allaah^-SWT approves nor is befitting to the grace of the Holy Prophet"^-SW. This was the occasion when Hadhrat 'Umar,^-RAU repented and retrieved from his suggestion, though it was in the fitness of things to provide an opportunity to the non believers to listen to the Message of Islam. Yet Allaah^-SWT did not approve it at the cost of degrading the Muslims.

The weak financial status of the believers is yet another trial for the non believers and the polytheists. It is not possible for a person to taste the pleasure of faith so long he believes the standard of respect to be riches and material luxuries. It is, therefore, important that a person be judged on the basis of his beliefs, actions and conduct because if this is understood, the reformation is very easy. Thus the poverty of the Aulia does not abate, rather adds to their esteem with Allaah^-SWT . However, if they do acquire worldly riches as the Companions-^-RAU later did, even then for them the standard of respect remains virtue and righteousness.

It is indeed a misfortune for the nations when their values change, and only wealth becomes a symbol of dignity. This trend is prevailing all over the world including our own country, Pakistan. Whether the Government nominates or the public votes for the leaders; only the affluent is their choice, no matter how completely ignorant of Allah^-SWT, corrupt and licentious they may be. They become the V.VI.Ps of the country .This situation is in fact a Divine trial. These arrogant wealthy people look down upon those who are noble but poor. In their haughtiness, they claim to be fortunate, having been showered by Allah^-SWT's favours and bounties in the form of wealth and power, while the righteous have nothing. But these fools forget that Allaah^-SWT has deprived them of His^-SWT Zikr and obedience; how can He^-SWT be pleased with them? He^-SWT surely is pleased with those who, though clad in coarse garments, have hearts enlightened with the Divine Lights! His^-SWT Sacred Name, unknown to these rogues, has enlightened every cell of the bodies of these noble people. The wealth and power of the arrogant leaders, complemented by disobedience of Allah^-SWT, will lead them to the ditch of ignominy. Allaah^-SWT shall not let the sighs of His^-SWT humble and grateful servants go in vain. The moments which were spent in seeking Him^-SWT , the nights which went past in remembering Him^-SWT , they who sought His^-SWT Pleasure in every action of theirs, will surely meet His^-SWT Graciousness. Their hearts will remain alive and acquire eternal bliss. To take this decision, Allah^-SWT need not consult the affluent!

O’ Prophet^-SW! Give believers the glad tidings and whenever they visit you^-SW, invoke peace on them. The non believers shall face calamities in this world as well as in the Hereafter while the believers will enjoy every type of protection as Allah^-SWT has decided to bless them with a series of rewards and Mercy. And if by virtue of being human the believers commit a mistake, out of ignorance or negligence, they must repent at once and correct themselves. To be completely free of error is the virtue of the Prophets^-AS or the angels^-AS. All the rest are liable to err, whether they succeed in avoiding it all their lives, but there is always a possibility. The scholars assert that every sin is ignorance and it should be repented: if one repeats it even after repenting, again the treatment lies in renewing the repentance. The spirit of repentance is to feel ashamed of what one has done and to resolve to improve in the future, because Allah^-SWT is indeed the Most Forgiving. The Quran recounts everything in detail and in an easily comprehendible manner because the aim of revealing the Book is to highlight the dangers on the path of mankind. Inspite of all the guidelines if someone wishes to stumble into the ditches of misfortune, it is entirely his own choice! Otherwise, piety and evil, nobility and lowliness, actions and their results both in this world and the Hereafter, have been clearly demarcated.