Imported User:
Thirteen; realization of the presence of Allah makes those in da’wah work confident and firm in whatever condition they find themselves. When Abubakr As-Siddeeq saw the polytheists going round the cave in which he and the Prophet were taking refuge, he said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! If one of them were to look beneath his feet he would see us.’
‘O Abubakr,’ the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, ‘what is your opinion concerning two people, the third of whom is Allah?’
Also, when their pursuers caught up with them and there appeared to be no place of refuge, the people of Musa (AS) said, ‘We’ve been overtaken; they shall kill all of us.’ Relating this, the Qur’an says:
“And when the two bodies saw each other, the people of Moses said: "We are sure to be overtaken." [Moses] said: "By no means! My Lord is with me! Soon will He guide me!" (As-Shuuraa 26:61-62)
Fourteen; the time for the death of each soul is predetermined by Allah; no soul can outstrip or delay its term. No one can cause the death of another before its time. “To every people is a term appointed: when their term is reached, not an hour can they cause delay, nor [an hour] can they advance [it in anticipation].” (Al-A’raaf 7:34) "Wherever ye are, death will find you out, even if ye are in towers built up strong and high!" (An-Nisaa 4:78)
Fifteen; believers in general, and those in da’wah field in particular are not overawed by threats of torture or death, due to their conviction that everything is under Allah’s control; that none shall befall them but what Allah has destined for them; whatever He desires will come to pass, otherwise nothing will happen. “Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs [in return] is the garden [of Paradise]: they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur'an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme.” (At-Taubah 9:111) Say: "Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us: He is our protector": and on Allah let the Believers put their trust. (At-Taubah 9:51)
Sixteen; when hearts become hard they cannot perceive truth or recognise it. In spite of what Allah has shown the king of various signs through the boy, he and his people could not ponder over what they saw. The immediate conversion of thousands of his subjects all at once did not remove the shield from his eyes and heart. He could not see what they saw because the heart was already hard as a rock, or even worse in hardness.
Seventeen; if people are left alone their innate conscience will lead them to Allah as soon as they are nudged towards that by the slightest sign. Look at how the people returned to their true nature of monotheism after the death of the boy with their chorus: ‘We believe in the Lord of the boy.’
Something similar to the above happened to the magicians gathered by Pharaoh to outperform Musa’s miracles using sorcery. When they saw that Musa’s stick turned into a snake and was swallowing what they displayed, they instantly recognised that what Musa did was not magic. He was a messenger sent by Allah, so they fell down on their knees and declared belief in the Lord of the worlds. Seeing this, Pharaoh threatened to cut off their hands and feet alternately, and to crucify them. That threat did not cause them to waver, instead they asked Allah to strengthen them and to make them persevere in the ordeal as the worst Pharaoh could do was to cause an end to the life of this world.
Thus, Ibn Abbaas used to say concerning Pharaoh’s magicians: ‘They came in as sorcerers in the morning; by evening, they were martyrs.’
The Qur’an says:
“We put it into Moses's mind by inspiration: "Throw [now] thy rod": and behold! It swallows up straight away all the falsehoods which they fake! Thus truth was confirmed, and all that they did was made of no effect. So the [great ones] were vanquished there and then, and were made to look small. But the sorcerers fell down prostrate in adoration. Saying: "We believe in the Lord of the Worlds,- "The Lord of Moses and Aaron." Said Pharaoh: "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely this is a trick which ye have planned in the city to drive out its people: but soon shall ye know [the consequences]. "Be sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on alternate sides, and I will cause you all to die on the cross." They said: "For us, we are but sent back unto our Lord: "But thou dost wreak thy vengeance on us simply because we believed in the Signs of our Lord when they reached us?! Our Lord! Pour out on us patience and constancy, and take our souls unto thee as Muslims [who bow to thy will]!” (Al-A’raaf 7:117-126)
“They said: "O Moses! Whether wilt thou that thou throw [first] or that we be the first to throw?" He said, "Nay, throw ye first!" Then behold their ropes and their rods-so it seemed to him on account of their magic - began to be in lively motion! So Moses conceived in his mind a [sort of] fear. We said: "Fear not! for thou hast indeed the upper hand: "Throw that which is in thy right hand: Quickly will it swallow up that which they have faked; what they have faked is but a magician's trick: and the magician thrives not, [no matter] where he goes." So the magicians were thrown down to prostration: they said, "We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses". [Pharaoh] said: "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely this must be your leader, who has taught you magic! Be sure I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will have you crucified on trunks of palm trees: so shall ye know for certain, which of us can give the more severe and the more lasting punishment!" They said: "Never shall we regard thee as more than the Clear Signs that have come to us, or than Him Who created us! So decree whatever thou desirest to decree: for thou canst only decree [touching] the life of this world. "For us, we have believed in our Lord: may He forgive us our faults, and the magic to which thou didst compel us: for Allah is Best and Most Abiding." Verily he who comes to his Lord as a sinner [at Judgment], - for him is Hell: therein shall he neither die nor live. But such as come to Him as Believers who have worked righteous deeds,- for them are ranks exalted,- Gardens of Eternity, beneath which flow rivers: they will dwell therein for aye: such is the reward of those who purify themselves [from evil].” (Taaha 20:65-76)
“Moses said to them: "Throw ye - that which ye are about to throw!" So they threw their ropes and their rods, and said: "By the might of Pharaoh, it is we who will certainly win!" Then Moses threw his rod, when, behold, it straightway swallows up all the falsehoods which they fake! Then did the sorcerers fall down, prostrate in adoration, saying: "We believe in the Lord of the Worlds, "The Lord of Moses and Aaron." Said [Pharaoh]: "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely he is your leader, who has taught you sorcery! But soon shall ye know! Be sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will cause you all to die on the cross!" They said: "No matter! For us, we shall but return to our Lord! "Only, our desire is that our Lord will forgive us our faults, that we may become foremost among the believers!" (As-Shu’araa 26:43-51).
