Sometimes, we may watch the news and feel very despondent. We may feel like the oppressors are getting away with their crimes. At times like these, we must remind ourselves of the perfect knowledge of Allah.
Allah ﷻ says,
وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ اللّٰهَ غَافِلًا عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظّٰلِمُوْنَ . اِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيْهِ الْاَبْصَارُ
“Do not ever think that Allah is unaware of what the oppressors do. He only postpones them until a Day when the eyes will stare (in horror)” (14:42).
Allah’s knowledge captures every detail of every event and every being – over all of which He has complete power. Every action of His is perfect because of His all-encompassing wisdom.
Allah knows, sees, hears and records everything. From His forbearance, however, He delays the punishment of the evildoers. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Allah gives respite to the oppressor, but once He seizes him, He will not let him escape.” Then he ﷺ recited:
وَكَذٰلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَآ أَخَذَ الْقُرَىٰ وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌ ، إِنَّ أَخْذَهُٓ أَلِيْمٌ شَدِيْدٌ
‘Such is the grip of your Lord when He seizes the societies entrenched in wrongdoing. Indeed, His grip is painful and severe’ (11:102)” (Bukhārī).
Whilst the evildoers may think that they can escape Allah’s punishment, Allah delays their punishment, so that it can be increased. Allah ﷻ says,
وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْٓا اَنَّمَا نُمْلِْى لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ لِّاَنْفُسِهِمْ ، اِنَّمَا نُمْلِىْ لَهُمْ لِيَزْدَادُوْٓا اِثْمًا ، وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِيْنٌ
“Those who disbelieve should not think that the respite We give them is good for them. In fact, We give them respite only that they may increase in sin, and for them there is a humiliating punishment” (3:178).
Thus, we must be certain that Allah will humiliate and punish these evil tyrants — if not in this world, then most certainly in the Hereafter where they will roast in the Hellfire eternally; with no one to save them: no weapons, no superpowers, no money. And we must be certain that their torment in the Hell-fire will be very severe. Allah ﷻ says, “…As for the disbelievers, garments of Fire will be tailored for them and boiling water will be poured over their heads, whereby everything in their bellies, as well as the skins, will be melted. And awaiting them are hooked rods of iron. Whenever they try to escape from Hell—out of anguish—they will be forced back into it, (and will be told), ‘Taste the torment of burning!’” (22:19-22).
Allah Is Helping His Servants
Even if the world may have abandoned the Palestinians, Allah ﷻ has not abandoned them. Allah is with His servants: those who are patiently steadfast, firm in their belief, and striving to please Him.
The maʿiyyah (companionship) of Allah manifests in many ways. One way in which Allah sends His help is through His angels, who strengthen the hearts of the believers and reassure them. Allah says,
إِذْ يُوحِيْ رَبُّكَ إِلَى الْمَلَآئِكَةِ أَنِّيْ مَعَكُمْ فَثَبِّتُوا الَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوْا ۚ سَأُلْقِيْ فِيْ قُلُوْبِ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا الرُّعْبَ
“When your Lord revealed to the angels, ‘I am with you. So make the believers stand firm. I shall put terror into the hearts of the disbelievers…’” (8:12).
We have witnessed so many incidents which clearly display to us how Allah is helping these special people and granting them strength.
How is their īmān so strong and firm despite the horrific atrocities carried out against them? A small thing happens to us, and we feel like the world has turned upside down. And our īmān is shaken. Contrast this with how firm they are in their īmān.
Allah ﷻ says,
هُوَ الَّذِىْٓ أَنْزَلَ السَّكِيْنَةَ فِىْ قُلُوْبِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ لِيَزْدَادُوْٓا إِيْمٰنًا مَّعَ إِيْمٰنِهِمْ ، وَ لِلّٰهِ جُنُوْدُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَكَانَ اللّٰهُ عَلِيْمًا حَكِيْمًا
“He is the One who sent down tranquillity (sakīnah) upon the hearts of the believers so that they may increase even more in their īmān. To Allah Alone belong the forces of the heavens and the earth. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise” (48:4).
Sakīnah is tranquillity, serenity, and peace of mind. Sakīnah generates trust, comfort, dignity and a deep acceptance of Allah’s will. Once sakīnah enters the heart, it makes the servant steadfast and strengthens his resolve, so that he may obey Allah’s commands in these difficult times, and thereby increase his īmān.
Despite the terrible atrocities committed against them, we have seen the people of Palestine repeatedly thanking and praising Allah. This can only be a gift from Allah the Most Exalted, who sends down sakīnah and strengthens the heart of His special servants.
Allah Is The Best Protector
Allah is the Best Protector and Guardian of His servants. Allah (ʿazza wa jall) says,
أَلَيْسَ اللّٰهُ بِكَافٍ عَبْدَهُ ، وَيُخَوِّفُوْنَكَ بِالَّذِيْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِهِ ، وَمَنْ يُّضْلِلِ اللّٰهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ . وَمَنْ يَّهْدِ اللّٰهُ فَمَا لَه مِنْ مُّضِلٍّ، أَلَيْسَ اللّٰهُ بِعَزِيْزٍ ذِي انْتِقَامٍ
“Is Allah not sufficient for His servant? Yet they threaten you with those (they worship) besides Him! Whoever Allah leaves to stray will be left with no guide. And whoever Allah guides, none can lead astray. Is Allah not Almighty, capable of retribution?“ (39:36-37).
The Prophet ﷺ and the Companions (radiy Allāhu ʿanhum) had just returned from the Battle of Uḥud. It had been a testing battle in which the initial happiness of victory quickly turned to sadness. 70 companions lost their lives, many more were injured, and rumours spread that the Prophet ﷺ had been killed.
Amidst this pain and exhaustion, the Companions (radiy Allāhu ʿanhum) were asked by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to join him in battle again the next day. The hypocrites, as usual, tried to discourage them and said to them, “Your enemies have mobilised their forces against you, so fear them!” (3:173).
But the believers were not fazed. On the contrary, Allah ﷻ says, it “increased them in īmān, and they replied,
حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيْلُ
Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best Protector” (3:173).
Throughout this war, we have repeatedly seen the people of Gaza repeating this powerful dhikr: حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيْلُ. Similarly, we have seen how the hypocrites, as always, have been busy trying to discourage the believers. And as the āyah mentions, this has not fazed the true believers in Gaza — instead, their steadfastness and īmān has inspired millions across the world.
Allah Is the Protective Ally
اللّٰهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوا ، يُخْرِجُهُمْ مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّوْرِ
“Allah is the Ally of those who believe: He brings them out of the depths of darkness into the light…” (2:257).
Allah is the Protective Master (al-Mawlā) and Ally (al-Waliyy) of the believers. During the Battle of Uḥud, Abū Sufyān provoked the Muslims by calling upon the Makkan deity, saying, “Rise and prevail, Hubal.” The Prophet ﷺ urged the Companions to answer him. They asked him ﷺ, “What shall we say? He ﷺ replied, “Say, ‘الله أعلى وأجَلُّ’ ‘Allah is Higher and More Exalted.’” Abū Sufyān retorted, “We have al-ʿUzzā and you do not.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Say to him: ‘الله مولانا ’ ولا مولَى لَكُم ‘Allah is our Protective Master, and you have none.’”
Abū Sufyān said, “Today avenges the day of Badr, and victory in war goes by turns.” ʿUmar (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) answered him, saying, “We are not equal. Our dead go to Paradise, and your dead go to Hell” (Aḥmad).
Each and every believing soul is precious in the sight of Allah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The destruction of the entire world means less to Allah than the unlawful murder of one believer. And if all the inhabitants of the skies and the earth were to participate in the blood of a believer, Allah would certainly admit them all into Hell-fire” (Bayhaqī).
Every Muslim soul who has been martyred in Gaza holds great value in the sight of Allah. Every person matters. Their brutal murder may be insignificant to many in the world, but to Allah, each soul is precious.
Allah Is the Giver of Victory
Allah ﷻ has promised to help His believing servants. He ﷻ says,
وَكَانَ حَقًّا عَلَيْنَا نَصْرُ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ
“…For it is Our duty to help the believers” (30:47).
He also says,
إِنَّا لَنَنْصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوْا فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُوْمُ الْأَشْهَادُ . يَوْمَ لَا يَنْفَعُ الظَّالِمِيْنَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ وَلَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوْٓءُ الدَّارِ
“We certainly help Our messengers and the believers, in this worldly life and on the Day the witnesses will stand (to give their testimony). The Day the wrongdoers’ excuses will be of no benefit to them. They will be condemned, and will have the worst of homes” (40:51-2).
One of the sunan of Allah is that the disbelievers will turn their backs and they will have no one to support them. Allah says,
وَلَوْ قَاتَلَكُمُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَوَلَّوُا الْأَدْبَارَ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوْنَ وَلِيًّا وَّلَا نَصِيرًا . سُنَّةَ اللّٰهِ الَّتِيْ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۖ وَلَنْ تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللّٰهِ تَبْدِيْلًا
“If the disbelievers were to fight you, they would certainly flee. Then they would never find any protector or helper. (This is) the consistent practice (sunnah) of Allah. And you will never find any change in Allah’s consistent practice” (48:22-3).
We must have complete certainty (yaqīn) in Allah’s promise, even if all of the disbelievers unite to fight the believers. Allah ﷻ says,
أَمْ يَقُوْلُوْنَ نَحْنُ جَمِيْعٌ مُّنتَصِرٌ . سَيُهْزَمُ الْجَمْعُ وَيُوَلُّوْنَ الدُّبُرَ
“Do they perhaps say, ‘We are a great army and we shall be victorious’? Soon their united front will be defeated and all of them will turn their backs” (54:44-45).
And ultimately, their eventual outcome will be Hell-fire, as Allah says:
قُلْ لِّلَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا سَتُغْلَبُوْنَ وَتُحْشَرُوْنَ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ ، وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ
“Say to the disbelievers: Soon you will be overpowered and gathered into Hell—what a foul place to rest!” (3:12).
Some may wonder that if Allah promises help and victory to the believers, then why is it that today we see thousands killed, imprisoned, tortured, and driven out of their homes? Similarly, in the above āyah, Allah promised His help to the Messengers. Why is it then that many Messengers were killed and persecuted?
We often perceive victory in limited terms. But victory can take many different forms. And the greatest victory is the triumph of īmān. This is evident in the story of the young boy and the People of the Trench. The boy was killed by the King. From the outset, this may appear to be defeat. However, this was a victory unlike any other. His temporary life in this world may have ended, but he attained the noble status of martyrdom. And his blood ignited the faith of thousands. The entire nation of the King spontaneously cried out, “We have believed in the Lord of the boy.” History has shown that there are many martyrs who achieved through martyrdom what they could never have achieved in life had they lived a thousand years.
It may seem that the help of Allah is taking its time in coming. Allah, however, is al-Ḥakīm: the All-Wise. He fulfils His promise according to the timeframe that He chooses, and His timing is the best. The Ummah of Muḥammad ﷺ may sometimes be defeated in some battles, but ultimately they will always be victorious. From the time of the Prophet ﷺ up until today, the Ummah has faced many enemies and multiple superpowers. And yet, today Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world.
When the Tartars swept over the Muslim lands killing millions and causing catastrophic destruction, it was feared that the light of Islam may be extinguished. Today, however, the Tartars no longer exist. But Islam remains. This is because Allah has taken it upon Himself to preserve His dīn, until the final hour comes and there will be no one left on the earth to say Lā ilāha illa Allah.
We ask Allah al-ʿAzīz (The Exalted in Might) to honour and grant victory to the Ummah of Muḥammad ﷺ.
