“O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you and fulfill My covenant [upon you] that I will fulfill your covenant [from Me], and be afraid of [only] Me. And believe in what I have sent down confirming that which is [already] with you [people of the book], and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And do not exchange My signs for a small price, and fear [only] Me. And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it]. And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]. Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason? And seek help through patience and prayer; and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah]. Who are certain that they will meet their Lord and that they will return to Him.”
Allah, the Exalted, directly addresses the people of the book, the Jews and Christians, living in Medina during the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, calling them towards accepting the truth of Islam, which they clearly recognised as both the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and the Holy Quran were discussed in their divine scriptures. Chapter 6 Al An’am, verse 20:
“Those to whom We have given the Scripture recognize it[the Holy Quran] as they recognize their [own] sons…”
And chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 146:
“Those to whom We gave the Scripture know him [Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him] as they know their own sons…”
And chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verses 40-41:
“O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you and fulfill My covenant [upon you] that I will fulfill your covenant [from Me], and be afraid of [only] Me. And believe in what I have sent down confirming that which is [already] with you [people of the book], and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And do not exchange My signs for a small price, and fear [only] Me.”
In fact, the people of the book only resided in Medina as they were aware that the last Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would migrate there. For example, a Jewish scholar named Yusha resided in Medina and used to advise others about the coming of the last Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and encouraged the people of Medina to accept him when he arrived. But when he did, Yusha and most of his fellow scholars, rejected the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, out of envy and fear of losing the wealth and social status they had obtained through manipulating their divine scriptures. This has been recorded in Imam Ibn Kathir’s, the Life of the Prophet, Volume 1, Page 212.
They envied the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as he was the descendant of the Holy Prophet Ismaeel, peace be upon him, instead of being a descendant of his brother, the Holy Prophet Ishaaq, peace be upon him, like they were. This love for brotherhood and blood encouraged them to reject the truth when it was made clear to them. They behaved arrogantly towards the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, just like the Devil behaved arrogantly towards the Holy Prophet Adam, peace be upon him. This is one of the reasons the people of the book are addressed straight after the story of the Holy Prophet Adam, peace be upon him, and the Devil are discussed. In addition, they were hoping the final Holy Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, would praise them, assign them positions of authority, and overlook their evil behaviour of using their faith in order to gain wealth and social status. When they were challenged by Islam and invited towards learning and acting on the truth, they feared losing the wealth and social status they had obtained and as a result they rejected Islam.
Therefore, Allah, the Exalted, reminds them of the countless blessings He bestowed on them, such as divine guidance through Holy Prophets, peace be upon them, as well as divine scriptures, such as the Torah and the Bible, and encouraged them to fulfil the promise of sincerely obeying Him and accepting the truth whenever it came to them, specifically, the final Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and the final divine revelation, the Holy Quran. Chapter 7 Al A’raf, verses 155-157:
“And Moses chose from his people seventy men for Our appointment. And when the earthquake seized them, he said, “My Lord, if You had willed, You could have destroyed them before and me [as well]. Would You destroy us for what the foolish among us have done? This is not but Your trial by which You send astray whom You will and guide whom You will. You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy upon us; and You are the best of forgivers. And decree for us in this world [that which is] good and [also] in the Hereafter; indeed, we have turned back to You.” [Allāh] said, “My punishment – I afflict with it whom I will, but My mercy encompasses all things.” So I will decree it [especially] for those who fear Me and give zakāh and those who believe in Our verses. Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written [i.e., described] in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and prohibits them from what is wrong and makes lawful for them what is good and forbids them from what is evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him – it is those who will be the successful.”
Allah, the Exalted, encouraged them to fulfil their covenant of sincere obedience and not fear people when accepting Islam nor fear losing out on worldly things, such as wealth and authority. If they did so, He would grant them peace of mind and success in both worlds in return. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 40:
“O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you and fulfill My covenant [upon you] that I will fulfill your covenant [from Me], and be afraid of [only] Me.”
And chapter 5 Al Ma’idah, verse 66:
“And if only they had upheld [the law of] the Torah, the Gospel, and what has been revealed to them from their Lord [the Quran], they would have consumed [provision] from above them and from beneath their feet…”
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 40:
“O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you and fulfill My covenant [upon you] that I will fulfill your covenant [from Me], and be afraid of [only] Me.”
One of the greatest blessings Allah, the Exalted, granted the people of the book was that He appointed them as His representatives on Earth. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 122:
“O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you and that I preferred you over the worlds.”
But as they failed to represent Him correctly, which involves sincerely obeying Him in all aspects of one’s life, this honour was taken from them and granted to the muslim nation. Chapter 3 Alee Imran, verse 110:
“You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allāh…”
But as clearly indicated in this verse, the muslim nation will only fulfil their role as the representatives of Allah, the Exalted, when they sincerely obey Him, which involves using the blessings He has granted them in ways pleasing to Him, as outlined in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Just like the people of the book earned the anger of Allah, the Exalted, when they failed to fulfil their role, so will the muslims if they fail to represent Allah, the Exalted, correctly.
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 40:
“O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you and fulfill My covenant [upon you] that I will fulfill your covenant [from Me], and be afraid of [only] Me.”
Generally speaking, this reminds muslims to always remember the countless and continuous favors of Allah, the Exalted, during both times of difficulty and ease, so that they maintain their obedience to Him, by showing patience in times of difficulties and gratitude in times of ease. Patience involves avoiding complaining through one’s speech or actions and remaining firm on the obedience of Allah, the Exalted, by fulfilling His commands and refraining from His prohibitions according to the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Gratitude involves using the blessings one has been granted, such as their tongue and wealth, in ways pleasing to Allah, the Exalted, as outlined in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
One must fulfil the covenant taken when they willingly accepted Islam as their faith, namely, the sincere obedience of Allah, the Exalted, during all situations. This includes fulfilling the rights of Allah, the Exalted, and the rights of people as outlined in Islamic teachings. The latter is best achieved when one simply treats others how they wish people to treat them. Verse 40, reminds muslims not to compromise on their covenant with Allah, the Exalted, out of fear of people and their criticism or out of fear of losing out on fulfilling their worldly desires, such as obtaining wealth and authority. In return, Allah, the Exalted, would fulfil His promise of granting them peace of mind and success in both worlds. Chapter 16 An Nahl, verse 97:
“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.”
But if one fails to fulfil their covenant and instead compromises on their faith for the sake of worldly things and people, then Allah, the Exalted, will not fulfil His promise of granting them peace of mind in both worlds and instead the very things they obtained through compromising on their faith will become a source of stress and difficulties for them in both worlds. Chapter 20 Taha, verses 124-126:
“And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e., difficult] life, and We will gather [i.e., raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind.” He will say, “My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing?” [Allāh] will say, “Thus did Our signs come to you, and you forgot [i.e., disregarded] them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten.””
This is an inescapable consequence as Allah, the Exalted, alone controls one’s spiritual heart, the abode of peace of mind, and therefore He alone decides whether one obtains peace of mind or not. Chapter 53 An Najm, verse 43:
“And that it is He who makes [one] laugh and weep.”
To sum up, fear of Allah, the Exalted, involves maintaining one’s sincere obedience under all circumstances, by using the blessings one has been granted in ways pleasing to Him, as outlined in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and avoiding compromising on this for the sake of worldly gain.
The Holy Quran confirmed the unaltered aspects of the past divine revelations, the Torah and the Bible, and corrected those aspects which were altered by people. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 41:
“And believe in what I have sent down confirming that which is [already] with you…”
Therefore, the knowledgeable from the people of the book had no excuses to reject the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Unlike the idol worshippers of Mecca who were uneducated, the people of the book were fully aware of the miraculous nature of divine revelation and the signs of the final Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. But the majority of the people of the book from Medina rejected Islam, out of fear of losing the wealth and social status they had obtained through intentionally misinterpreting their divine scriptures. They therefore angered Allah, the Exalted, in a way no other community at that time did, not even the uneducated idol worshippers. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verses 89-90:
“And when there came to them a Book [the Quran] from Allāh confirming that which was with them – although before they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved – but [then] when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allāh will be upon the disbelievers. How wretched is that for which they sold themselves – that they would disbelieve in what Allāh has revealed through [their] outrage that Allāh would send down His favor upon whom He wills from among His servants. So they returned having [earned] wrath upon wrath…”
They exchanged the divine knowledge and guidance they were granted which clearly indicated the truthfulness of Islam for worldly gain, even though they were warned not to. They should have been the first to believe in Islam ahead of all others yet many of them rushed into disbelieving in it. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 41:
“And believe in what I have sent down confirming that which is [already] with you, and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And do not exchange My signs for a small price, and fear [only] Me.”
What made matters worse is that when the scholars from the people of the book disbelieved in Islam, despite recognizing its truthfulness, they caused many ignorant people to disbelieve in Islam out of blind imitation. As warned in a Hadith found in Jami At Tirmidhi, number 2674, a person will increase their sins when they advise others to commit sins, even if they do not commit the sin themself. This was another reason why they earned the anger of Allah, the Exalted. Generally speaking, a person must avoid blindly imitating others like cattle and instead use the intellect they have been granted in order to research and accept the truth in worldly and religious matters. Blind imitation is disliked in Islam as each person must accept and act on it with understanding and insight. Chapter 12 Yusuf, verse 108:
“Say, “This is my way; I invite to Allāh with insight, I and those who follow me…””
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 41:
“And believe in what I have sent down confirming that which is [already] with you, and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And do not exchange My signs for a small price, and fear [only] Me.”
This verse also indicates that when one submits to Allah, the Exalted, and strives to sincerely obey Him, which involves using the blessings they have been granted in ways pleasing to Him, they will be criticized by others who dislike living by a higher code of conduct and instead only want to fulfill their desires, whether lawful or unlawful. In fact, the majority of criticism comes from one’s own relatives, even though they should be the first to support them in their journey towards obeying Allah, the Exalted. This is an inevitable outcome and something muslims must accept. They should overcome this criticism and pressure by fearing Allah, the Exalted, and their final judgement. One must remember that people and worldly things will not protect them from the punishment of Allah, the Exalted, whereas Allah, the Exalted, will protect them from the criticism of people by granting them peace of mind, even if this protection is not obvious to them. This will ensure they remain firm on His obedience.
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 41:
“And believe in what I have sent down confirming that which is [already] with you, and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And do not exchange My signs for a small price, and fear [only] Me.”
The people of the book arrogantly persisted in intentionally misinterpreting and concealing the parts of divine knowledge they were granted which blocked them from fulfilling their desires. They would take bribes in order to give favorable rulings to the rich and influential, even if it meant intentionally challenging divine law and guidance. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 42:
“And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it].”
Generally speaking, a person can mix the truth with falsehood by adopting practices not based on Islamic teachings in order to fit in better with the rest of society. A muslim must remember that the more they act on non-Islamic practices, even if they are not sinful, the less they will act on the two sources of guidance: the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. This will only lead to misguidance. In addition, one can conceal the truth, when they pick and choose which aspects of Islam to act upon and which to ignore. This person treats Islam like a coat which they take on and off as they see fit. The one who behaves in this manner may appear to be acting on Islamic teachings yet they follow and worship nothing but their desires. Their attitude will only cause them to misuse the blessings they have been granted, which leads to stress in both worlds. Chapter 20 Taha, verses 124-126:
“And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e., difficult] life, and We will gather [i.e., raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind.” He will say, “My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing?” [Allāh] will say, “Thus did Our signs come to you, and you forgot [i.e., disregarded] them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten.””
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 42:
“And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it].”
The people of the book were granted many opportunities to reform their corrupt ways and to sincerely submit to the obedience of Allah, the Exalted. They were invited to uphold the pillars of faith: establishing the obligatory prayers and donating charity, in the same manner as the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, under the leadership of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, did. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 43:
“And establish prayer and give zakāh and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience].”
Establishing the prayer involves fulfilling them with all their conditions and etiquettes, such as offering them on time. As advised in a Hadith found in Jami At Tirmidhi, number 2616, the central pillar of Islam is establishing the obligatory prayers. This is because the five daily obligatory prayers are the regular connection one has with Allah, the Exalted. They are a powerful reminder of the Day of Judgement. Just like one stands in front of Allah, the Exalted, five times a day, they will stand in front of Him on Judgement Day and answer for their deeds. The one who establishes them correctly will therefore be reminded of Judgement Day to the extend they are encouraged to practically prepare for it. This involves using the blessings one has been granted in ways pleasing to Allah, the Exalted, as outlined in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. But the one who fails to establish their obligatory prayers will easily forget their accountability on Judgement Day. As a result, they will not bother preparing for it and instead misuse the blessings they have been granted. This person will fail to actualize their faith and if they persist on this attitude, their faith may well die as it does not obtain the nourishment it requires to survive. Just like a plant dies without nourishment so can one’s faith when it is not nourished with practical acts of obedience. This is one of the reasons why the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, warned in a Hadith found in Jami At Tirmidhi, number 2618 that the difference between belief and disbelief is abandoning the obligatory prayers.
Offering the obligatory charity represents all aspects of financial responsibilities due on a person, such as financially supporting one’s dependents. It is the practical proof of one’s love and prioritizing obeying Allah, the Exalted, over enjoying the worldly things they possess, such as wealth. Chapter 3 Alee Imran, verse 92:
“Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah] from that which you love…”
Obligatory charity aims to purge the excess love of worldly things from one’s spiritual heart so that they can concentrate on sincerely obeying Allah, the Exalted, which involves using the blessings one has been granted in ways pleasing to Him, as outlined in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. The one who is greedy will not be able to behave in this manner. As a result they will become far from Allah, the Exalted, far from people, far from Paradise and close to Hell. This has been warned in a Hadith found in Jami At Tirmidhi, number 1961. In addition, offering the obligatory charity is a means to fulfilling one’s sincerity to others, which is a vital part of Islam. This has been advised in a Hadith found in Sahih Muslim number 196.
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 43:
“And establish prayer and give zakāh and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience].”
Bowing with those who bow specifically indicates the importance of the congregational prayer. This is one of the most important traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, in respect to acts of worship and must therefore be adopted according to one’s strength and opportunity. It is sufficient to know that the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, would consider the one who did not attend the congregational prayers without a valid reason a hypocrite. This has been warned in a Hadith found in Sunan Abu Dawud, number 550. It is an excellent way of moulding one’s life around Islam as the one who prays with congregation at a Mosque is forced to arrange their activities according to the prayer times. This helps one to focus on their purpose on this Earth, to sincerely obey Allah, the Exalted, in every situation, by using the blessings one has been granted in ways pleasing to Him, as outlined in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
In addition, bowing with those who bow, also indicates the importance of submitting to Allah, the Exalted, according to method employed by the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. One must adhere strictly to learning and acting on the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and avoid other things, even if they are considered good deeds, as the more one acts on other things the less they will learn and act on the two sources of guidance. The Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, has therefore warned that any matter which is not rooted in the two sources of guidance will be rejected by Allah, the Exalted. This has been discussed in a Hadith found in Sunan Abu Dawud, number 4606.
Bowing with those who bow also indicates the importance of good companionship. Meaning, one must accompany those who have practically submitted to the sincere obedience of Allah, the Exalted. A person will always be influenced by their companions, whether negatively or positively, subtly or apparently. Those who accompany people who persist on the disobedience of Allah, the Exalted, will find that they too become bolder in disobeying Allah, the Exalted. But those who accompany those who sincerely obey Allah, the Exalted, will find that they are encouraged to obey Him also. Chapter 9 At Tawbah, verse 119:
“O you who have believed, fear Allāh and be with those who are true.”
And chapter 25 Al Furqan, verses 27-28:
“And the Day the wrongdoer will bite on his hands [in regret] he will say, “Oh, I wish I had taken with the Messenger a way. Oh, woe to me! I wish I had not taken that one as a friend.””
And chapter 43 Az Zukhruf, verse 67:
“Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except for the righteous.”
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 43:
“And establish prayer and give zakāh and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience].”
Bowing with those who bow also indicates the importance of supporting others in things which are pleasing to Allah, the Exalted, and avoiding supporting others in disobeying Allah, the Exalted. One must never base their decision to support others or not to support them on their relationship with them, as this often leads to sins. Instead, one must observe what someone is doing and support them if the activity is pleasing to Allah, the Exalted, irrespective of who the person is. Chapter 5 Al Ma’idah, verse 2:
“…And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression…”
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 44:
“Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?”
Advising others to do good and warning them against evil according to the manners and etiquettes taught by Islam is a duty on all muslims. In fact, it is the characteristic which gives the muslim nation its superiority. Chapter 3 Alee Imran, verse 110:
“You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allāh…”
It is important to note that one of the conditions of advising good and warning against evil is that one admonishes themself first and strives to implement their advice in their own character. The one who persistently and intentionally ignores their own advice and yet advises others has been warned of Hell in a Hadith found in Sahih Bukhari, number 3267. One does not need to obtain perfection before advising others, as this is not possible nor expected but they must strive to implement their knowledge before passing it on to others. In addition, it is important to note that the one being advised should always accept and act on good advice even if the advisor appears to be behaving hypocritically. Their hypocrisy is between them and Allah, the Exalted, and therefore the one being advised should accept and act on their advice as long as it runs in line with the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
One must remember that possessing knowledge is not useful until it is acted on. Acting on knowledge is what makes it useful otherwise it is useless. Chapter 62 Al Jumu’ah, verse 5:
“…and then did not take it on (did not act on their knowledge) is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]…”
One must therefore strive to not only gain useful worldly and religious knowledge but strive to implement it correctly so that they benefit themself and others in both worlds. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 44:
“Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?”
This verse also warns against showing off. One can behave in this manner when they advise others towards acts of righteousness in order to appear righteous themself, even though they neglect doing the righteous actions themself. The foundation of one’s faith is their intention. If their intention is corrupt, meaning, they do not act in order to please Allah, the Exalted, then all their actions will become corrupt. In fact, the insincere person will be told on Judgement Day to obtain the reward for their good deeds from the people they acted for, which will not be possible. This has been warned in a Hadith found in Jami At Tirmidhi, number 3154. One must therefore ensure they only act in order to please Allah, the Exalted. A sign of one’s sincerity is that they do not expect nor hope for any gratitude or payback from people.
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 44:
“Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?”
This verse also makes it clear that simply reciting divine scripture without practically acting on it is not good enough to achieve success in both worlds. Allah, the Exalted, confirmed that the people of the book recite the previous divine scripture yet criticized them as they failed to act on it. Muslims must avoid treating the Holy Quran as a book of recitation by failing to understand and implement it in their lives. Instead, they must treat it as a book of guidance by learning and acting on it. Just like a map will not benefit the one who simply studies it without acting on its directions neither will the person who only recites the Holy Quran without striving to understand and act on it. Chapter 17 Al Isra, verse 82:
“And We send down of the Quran that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.”
Specifically, this verse also criticized some of the scholars from the people of the book living in Medina who advised others, such as their loved ones, to accept Islam and follow the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, yet rejected Islam themself out of fear of losing the worldly things they had obtained, such as wealth and authority, through compromising on their divine scriptures. It also criticizes those who would advise others of the coming of the last Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to Medina and the importance of accepting and following him, yet they rejected him when he finally came to them.
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 45:
“And seek help through patience…”
The purpose of this world is to test mankind whether they will use the blessings they have been granted in ways pleasing to Allah, the Exalted, or not. Fulfilling one’s purpose and passing this test is only possible when one adopts patience in obeying Allah, the Exalted. Patience is required to control one’s desires so that they do not misuse the blessings they have been granted. It is required to face the difficulties of this world so that one avoids complaining through their words or actions and instead remains firm on the obedience of Allah, the Exalted, at all times. One must always remember that Allah, the Exalted, only chooses what is best for them, even if the wisdoms behind His choices are not obvious to them. As long as they remain obedient in both times of difficulties and ease, they will succeed in every aspect of their life and in the next world also. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 216:
“…But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah knows, while you know not.”
One must always compare their difficulties to harder difficulties faced by others in order to aid them adopt patience. One must remember that no matter what difficulty they face it could have always been worse and people who were more beloved to Allah, the Exalted, such as the Holy Prophets, peace be upon them, faced more and harsher difficulties than them. They must demonstrate patience from the very onset of a difficulty until they leave this world, as one can lose the reward of patience by showing impatience down the line. Accepting a difficulty after some time is not patience, it is merely acceptance. Real patience is shown from the very onset of a difficulty. This has been advised in a Hadith found in Sahih Bukhari, number 1302. Facing difficulties is inevitable and it is impossible to avoid facing a difficulty which Allah, the Exalted, has willed for a person to face. Therefore, showing impatience does not make sense as one will face their destined difficulty and lose the reward they could have gained through patience.
The one who adopts patience in sincerely obeying Allah, the Exalted, will find it easier to establish their prayers. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 45:
“And seek help through patience and prayer…”
As mentioned earlier, establishing the prayers helps one to remember the Day of Judgement and answering for their actions. The same way one stands in front of Allah, the Exalted, during the prayer, they will stand in front of Him on Judgement Day also. The one who prays in this fashion will always lead a humble life, as they do not know the outcome of their final judgement, and they will find it easier to face difficulties and maintain their sincere obedience to Allah, the Exalted, by using the blessings they have been granted in ways pleasing to Him, as outlined in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. The one who does not establish their prayers nor adopts patience does so as they are not convinced they will answer for their actions on Judgement Day, otherwise they would practically prepare for it by establishing their prayers and adopting patience in all situations. Perhaps this is the reason why the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, warned in a Hadith found in Jami At Tirmidhi, number 2618, that the difference between belief and disbelief is abandoning the obligatory prayers. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verses 45-46:
“And seek help through patience and prayer; and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allāh]. Who are certain that they will meet their Lord and that they will return to Him.”
The one who truly believes in the Day of Judgement will practically prepare for it. An aspect of this is accepting and acting on divine knowledge when it is presented to them, even if it contradicts their desires. The one who is proud will not be able to do this, only the one who adopts humility will. This has been indicated in a Hadith found in Sahih Muslim, number 265. Therefore, the one who ignores acting on divine knowledge does not truly believe in the Day of Judgement, even if they verbally claim otherwise.
Certainty of faith is obtained when one learns and acts on the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. The stronger one’s faith, the more they will humbly obey Allah, the Exalted, by using the blessings they have been granted in ways pleasing to Him, as they are convinced they will answer for their actions on the Day of Judgement. They will understand through the signs in Islamic teachings as well as the signs in the universe which clearly indicate that everything that has a beginning, has an end, such as the passing of the days and nights. They will pay attention to the constant indications around them proving and reminding them of the Day of Resurrection, such as the barren dead land which springs to life after it receives water from the Heavens and the life and death cycle of the days and nights, the death and life of trees and plants and how a person experiences a minor resurrection every day when they go to sleep and then wake up again. Certainty of faith constantly reminds one of the Day of Judgement in this way so that they are encouraged to practically prepare for it by sincerely obeying Allah, the Exalted. The one who does this will obtain peace of mind and success in both worlds. Chapter 16 An Nahl, verse 97:
“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.”
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 40:
“O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you and fulfill My covenant [upon you] that I will fulfill your covenant [from Me], and be afraid of [only] Me.”
To conclude, Muslims must learn from the actions of the past nations in order to avoid history repeating itself. They must prove their belief in the Holy Quran through actions by learning and acting on it so that they sincerely obey Allah, the Exalted, in every situation. This will ensure they use the blessings they have been granted in ways pleasing to Him. They must avoid believing in it verbally while disbelieving in it practically, just like the past nations did in respect to their divine scriptures. Failing to practically implement it will only cause one to compromise on its teachings for the sake of worldly gain. In order to avoid this outcome one must always fear Allah, the Exalted, and the consequences of their actions in both worlds. One must not be fooled into believing just because they have not been punished immediately for their failure to practically implement their faith does not mean they will never be punished. Punishment being delayed is not the same as no punishment. In addition, the one who fails to practically act on the Holy Quran and instead compromises on its teachings will be punished in subtle ways. The very things they obtain through compromising on their faith will become a source of stress for them. So the more worldly things they gain, such as wealth, the more their stress and difficulties will increase in every aspect of their life so that they lead a dark and constricted life despite having the world at their feet. But the punishment that follows this is even more intense. Chapter 20 Taha, verses 124-126:
“And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e., difficult] life, and We will gather [i.e., raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind.” He will say, “My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing?” [Allāh] will say, “Thus did Our signs come to you, and you forgot [i.e., disregarded] them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten.””
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