Atif
When we look at the world’s situation today, our hearts fill with despair. On one side is the world of kufr, which takes pride in its material progress, technology, media, economy and weapons, and which keeps devising plots, plans and schemes against Islam one after another. On the other side is the world of Muslims, which is weak in material progress, technology, media and military equipment, and where things have reached the point that a very large number of Muslims spend night and day just trying to feed themselves and meet life’s basic needs.
On top of this, the social and political structure of the Muslim world is fragmented, so that no sign of unity or solidarity can be seen in it. Only a united group of young Muslims has raised the banner of truth and is engaged in a struggle against kufr. But their fellow Muslims call them terrorists, or, looking at their outward situation, say: what can they do against those disbelievers who are armed with every kind of power and weapon? For this reason, they hold back in fear even from providing financial support, lest they too be killed along with them.
But these Muslims should turn to the Holy Quran for a moment and see what it says. The Holy Quran declares plainly: No! This outward splendor and grandeur are temporary, and this whole outward structure of kufr is, in truth, a wall of sand. Their power is as frail as a spider’s web, just as Allah (SWT) Himself says:
مَثَلُ الَّذِیْنَ اتَّخَذُوْا مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ اَوْلِیَآءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ، اِتَّخَذَتْ بَیْتًا، وَ اِنَّ اَوْهَنَ الْبُیُوْتِ لَبَیْتُ الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ، لَوْ كَانُوْا یَعْلَمُوْنَ (Al-Ankabut 41)
“The example of those who take allies other than Allah is like that of the spider who takes a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes is the home of the spider, if they only knew.”
And when these weak webs are torn apart, that very moment becomes a victory for the people of faith. For this reason, Allah (SWT) gives the believers glad tidings of near victory in another verse:
نَصْرٌ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ وَ فَتْحٌ قَرِیْبٌ (As-Saff 13)
“Help from Allah and a near victory.”
This victory does not come from superior numbers or an abundance of weapons. It comes from Allah’s (SWT) help and support. History also bears witness to this truth: sometimes a small number of people prevail over great armies:
“كَمْ مِّنْ فِئَةٍ قَلِیْلَةٍ غَلَبَتْ فِئَةً كَثِیْرَةًۢ بِاِذْنِ اللّٰهِ” (Al-Baqarah 249)
“How many a small company has overcome a large company by Allah’s permission.”
The reason is that two plans are at work in the arena of confrontation, one being the plot of falsehood, the other the plan of Allah (SWT), but in the end only Allah’s (SWT) plan is carried out:
اِنَّهُمْ یَكِیْدُوْنَ كَیْدًا، وَّ اَكِیْدُ كَیْدًا (At-Tariq 15-16)
“Indeed, they are devising a plot, and I too am devising a plan.”
The Holy Quran tells us the story of Pharaoh and Musa (AS). Pharaoh was the most powerful ruler of his time. He had power, he had wealth, he had armies, and he took the same pride in the progress and resources available in his time that the world of kufr takes in its material power today.
What plan had he made to crush the Children of Israel? That every newborn boy be killed, so that Musa (AS) wouldn’t survive. On the surface, his plan was complete, and no flaw could be seen in it.
But look at the tadbir (plan) of Allah (SWT)! The very Musa (AS) whom Pharaoh feared so much that he killed children, Allah (SWT) raised in that same Pharaoh’s palace, under his own care and guardianship. The very child who would one day bring Pharaoh’s rule to an end grew up in his own house.
This is one example of Allah’s (SWT) plan. Allah (SWT) gives falsehood a respite and allows it to remain absorbed in its own plans and schemes, until, when it thinks itself victorious, one act of Allah’s (SWT) plan reduces all its plans to dust.
Today the situation is the same. Today’s Pharaohs, too, take great pride in their artificial intelligence, drones, economy, media and international institutions. They imagine they have surrounded Islam from every direction. Through the educational system, the economic structure and the media, plans are being made to pull the new generation of Muslims away from their religion.
But they have forgotten this truth, that in the end only Allah’s (SWT) plan is carried out. And for this reason, when matters reach the battlefield, their internal weakness is exposed. Armies that look united on the surface are, in truth, fearful and divided:
لَا یُقَاتِلُوْنَكُمْ جَمِیْعًا اِلَّا فِیْ قُرًی مُّحَصَّنَةٍ اَوْ مِنْ وَّرَآءِ جُدُرٍ، بَاْسُهُمْ بَیْنَهُمْ شَدِیْدٌ، تَحْسَبُهُمْ جَمِیْعًا وَّ قُلُوْبُهُمْ شَتّٰی (Al-Hashr 14)
“They will not fight you all except within fortified cities or from behind walls. Their violence among themselves is severe. You think they are together, but their hearts are diverse.”
And the outcome that appears at the end of this whole confrontation has been decided in advance. Lasting victory depends on piety. Outward forts and walls have nothing to do with it:
وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِیْنَ (Al-A’raf 128)
“And the [best] outcome is for the righteous.”
For this reason, a Muslim shouldn’t lose hope, because despair is kufr. A Muslim’s duty is not to become preoccupied with the enemy’s plans, but to carry out his own obligation. And what is that obligation? To march to the battlefield against these disbelievers and offer armed resistance against them. The outcome rests in Allah’s (SWT) hands. Consider Musa (AS): when facing Pharaoh, he was instructed only to cast down his staff, while Allah (SWT) Himself brought about the result.
وَمَا عَلَيْنَا إِلَّا الْبَلَاغ
