Those who keep up prayer and spend (benevolently) out of what We have given them.

Transcription

1 Surah Anfaal (Para 9-10) Bismillahir-Rahman-ir-Rahim In the Quran Allah says that those who believe and those who do not believe, cannot be equal. It means that your faith will definitely influence your actions. The consciousness of faith is felt in the heart but it finds expression in speech as well as deeds. Therefore in the beginning of Surah Anfaal, Allah has outlined for us the picture of a true Believer: {2} Those only are believers whose hearts become full of fear when Allah is mentioned, and when His communications are recited to them they increase them in faith, and in their Lord do they trust. {3} Those who keep up prayer and spend (benevolently) out of what We have given them. {4} These are the believers in truth; they shall have from their Lord exalted grades and forgiveness and an honorable sustenance. This was the true faith which enabled the small group of Muslims in Madinah to defeat a large army of the Quraish of Makkah in the battle of Badar. Allah rewarded them for this faith and courage and gave them a splendid victory. We see how a small group of people can defeat a much larger group with the help of Allah, provided their faith is strong and their characters are free from hypocrisy.

2 {17} So you did not slay them, but it was Allah Who slew them, and you did not smite when you smote (the enemy), but it was Allah Who smote, and that He might confer upon the believers a good gift from Himself; surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing. {18} This, and that Allah is the weakener of the struggle of the unbelievers. And next it is my pleasure to share with you my most favourite Ayat which needs no explanation because it speaks out to you; O those who believe..!! ي ا أ ي ه ا ال ذ ين ا م ن وا إ ن ت ت ق وا الل ه ي ج ع ل ل ك م ف ر ق انا و ي ك ف ر ع نك م س ي ي ات ك م و ي غ ف ر ل ك م و الل ه ذ و ال ف ض ل ال ع ظ يم {29} O you who believe! If you are careful of (your duty to) Allah, He will grant you a distinction and do away with your evils and forgive you; and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace. And don t worry about the rejection of people because: و إ ن ت و ل و ا ف اع ل م وا أ ن الل ه م و لا آ م ن ع م ال م و ل ى و ن ع م الن ص ير {40} And if they turn back, then know that Allah is your Patron; most excellent is the Patron and most excellent the Helper. Next Allah reminds the Muslims that the ultimate victory is for the Truth. But the responsibility of the believers is that they should have patience and determination which can be achieved only through the remembrance of Allah: ي ا أ ي ه ا ال ذ ين ا م ن وا إ ذ ا ل ق ي ت م ف ي ة ف اث ب ت وا و اذ آ ر وا الل ه آ ث ي را ل ع ل ك م ت ف ل ح ون {45} O you who believe! When you meet a party, then be firm, and remember Allah much, that you may be successful.

3 و أ ط يع وا الل ه و ر س ول ه و لا ت ن از ع وا ف ت ف ش ل وا و ت ذ ه ب ر يح ك م و اص ب ر وا إ ن الل ه م ع الص اب ر ين {46} And obey Allah and His Messenger and do not quarrel for then you will be weak in hearts and your power will depart, and be patient; surely Allah is with the patient. The essence of our religion is to have purity of intention and consistency in effort; because our efforts truly reflect our inner desires and aspirations. We might think that we want something but we strive only towards those things which we really think are important to us. Therefore Allah has stated in very clear words: ذ ل ك ب ا ن الل ه ل م ي ك م غ ي ر ا ن ع م ة أ ن ع م ه ا ع ل ى ق و م ح ت ى ي غ ي ر وا م ا ب ا نف س ه م و أ ن الل ه س م يع ع ل يم {53} This is because Allah has never changed a favor which He has conferred upon a people until they change their own condition; and because Allah is Hearing, Knowing; And to further emphasize the point is this powerful Ayat which fills one with wonder at how minutely Allah has stated every bit of guidance for us in this great book. و أ ع دوا ل ه م م ا اس ت ط ع ت م م ن ق وة و م ن رب اط ال خ ي ل ت ر ه ب ون ب ه ع د و الل ه و ع د وآ م و ا خ ر ين م ن د ون ه م لا ت ع ل م ون ه م الل ه ي ع ل م ه م و م ا ت نف ق وا م ن ش ي ء ف ي س ب يل الل ه ي و ف إ ل ي ك م و أ نت م لا ت ظ ل م ون {60} And prepare against them what force you can and horses tied at the frontier, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them; and whatever thing you will spend in Allah's way, it will be paid back to you fully and you shall not be dealt with unjustly. And just as we are in the danger of thinking these material things to be the ultimate source of our security, Allah brings us back to the reality that you can never rely only on the military preparedness. The real force is the unity and goodwill among the Muslims.

4 و أ ل ف ب ي ن ق ل وب ه م ل و أ نف ق ت م ا ف ي الا ر ض ج م يع ا م ا أ ل ف ت ب ي ن ق ل وب ه م و ل ك ن الل ه أ ل ف ب ي ن ه م إ ن ه ع ز يز ح ك يم {63} And united their hearts; had you spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them; surely He is Mighty, Wise. ي ا أ ي ه ا الن ب ي ح س ب ك الل ه و م ن ات ب ع ك م ن ال م و م ن ين {64} O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for you and (for) such of the believers as follow you. Another amazing characteristic of a true believer is Sabar which transforms his capabilities from an ordinary level to unimaginable heights. And sabar (patience) is not about being passive and doing nothing. Rather it means constancy and firmness in obedience and abstaining from all evil and steadfastness in the face of all calamities and dangers. Therefore Allah says ي ا أ ي ه ا الن ب ي ح رض ال م و م ن ين ع ل ى ال ق ت ال إ ن ي ك ن م نك م ع ش ر و ن ص اب ر ون ي غ ل ب وا م ي ت ي ن و إ ن ي ك ن م نك م م ي ة ي غ ل ب وا أ ل ف ا م ن ال ذ ين آ ف ر وا ب ا ن ه م ق و م لا ي ف ق ه ون {65} O Prophet! Urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand. At the end of this surah Allah summarizes the required criteria for true believers: It is such a powerful reminder that Allah s forgiveness and honorable provision is only for those who have a true faith and they express it in their personal lives and also in the collective struggle of the Muslims in the way of Allah. و ال ذ ين ا م ن وا و ه اج ر وا و ج اه د وا ف ي س ب يل الل ه و ال ذ ين ا و وا ون ص ر وا أ ول ي ك ه م ال م و م ن ون ح ق ا ل ه م م غ ف ر ة و ر ز ق آ ر يم {74}

5 And (as for) those who believed and emigrated and struggled hard in Allah's way, and those who gave shelter and helped, these are the believers truly; they shall have forgiveness and honorable provision.