Falsehood may appear strong but it is fragile
Allah begins Surat al-Isra:
﴿سُبْحَانَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِۦ لَيْلٗا مِّنَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْأَقْصَى ٱلَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُۥ لِنُرِيَهُۥ مِنْ ءَايَاتِنَآ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ﴾
“Glory be to the One who took His servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We might show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.” (17:1)
This was after three years of siege in the valley, Shi’b Abi Talib, of Makkah. The Prophet ﷺ and his companions were forced to endure extreme hardship while they were boycotted. They could not buy food, they were denied water and they could not marry; they were starving, eating leaves from the trees. Khadija, the Prophet’s ﷺ beloved wife, passed away soon after as a consequence of those painful years.
Struck by the dual loss of the twin pillars in his life, Khadija and his uncle Abu Talib, the Prophet ﷺ was honoured by the night journey to Bait Al Maqdis (Jerusalem) and the heavens, al-Isra and al-Mi’raj, accompanied by Jibril.
It was there that he was given the gift of the five daily prayers. Before that, they used to pray every morning and evening.
The five daily prayers are the rope that connects believers to Allah. This was not just worship; it was training. Training to withstand persecution. Training to endure trials. Training to keep standing when the world beats you down.
Preparation for departure
Allah taught His Messenger to recite these words:
﴿وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِي مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٖ وَأَخْرِجْنِي مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٖ وَٱجْعَل لِّي مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَٰنٗا نَّصِيرٗا﴾
“And say, ‘My Lord, let me enter through an entry of truth and let me exit through an exit of truth and grant me from You a supporting manifestation.’” (17:80)
This was before the pledge of al-ʿAqabah. Before Madinah opened its doors to welcome him. Before any promise of safety. Yet Allah was preparing His Prophet ﷺ to leave Makkah, and move to Madinah.
Ibn ʿAshur explains that this was Allah teaching His Messenger to ask for an exit, blessed by Allah, defended by His power, so that his enemies would not overpower him and his companions. And to grant him and opening.
The Prophet ﷺ was not asking for dominance for himself, but strength to spread the message, to confront falsehood, to hold firm in the battle between light and darkness.
Truth and falsehood
Then Allah declared:
﴿وَقُلْ جَآءَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ ٱلْبَٰطِلُۚ إِنَّ ٱلْبَٰطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقٗا﴾
“And say, ‘The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is ever bound to vanish.’” (17:81)
When he entered Makkah at the conquest, he struck down the idols around the Kaʿbah one by one, reciting this verse, and they crumbled into dust.
The description is apt: falsehood may look mighty and indestructible, but its nature is weakness. Its destiny is collapse.
Even if truth seems broken, silenced, or limping, that is only our perception. Allah Himself declares: “Falsehood is bound to vanish.”
Therefore, no matter how invincible falsehood appears or how big the coalition pushing it seems, it is only our perception –
falsehood is inherently weak. It will vanish. Truth will prevail.
Be strong to carry the truth
In contrast to falsehood, the truth, al-haq, is strong. However, it needs strong people to carry it. Al-haq is mighty. But we are weak. This is the call of Surat al-Isra: strengthen yourselves, as individuals and as communities, so you can shoulder the burden of truth.
The Prophet ﷺ was not sheltered from hardship. He was slandered in the worst of words. He was beaten. Stones were thrown at him until his feet bled. His companions were tied, burnt, whipped, and murdered. He and his family starved under siege, with nothing but dry leaves to chew, yet they did not break.
Our reality today
Seventy years Palestine has waited for recognition. And now the world says: Palestine is recognised. But where is this state? Where is its land? Gaza lies in rubble. The West Bank faces annexation. Where will they build the state? In the air?
Our duty is not despair. Our duty is to be strong. To carry the truth. To cling to salah, to raise our du’a’, and to act.
The prophetic way
Imam al-Ghazali said: the one who makes duʿā’ without action is like the one who is mocking Allah. The Prophet ﷺ showed us: combine imaan with duʿan and effort. Though he was supported by Allah, by angels, by revelation, he never let this make him complacent. Rather he redoubled his efforts.
He demonstrated resilience and perseverance. He showed patience and drew strength from his strong connection with Allah.
Our master Muhammad ﷺ never gave up. He never surrendered. He experienced different levels of persecution, abuse and hostile media coverage. His friends and companions were killed and tortured. However, he lived to see Allah’s promise fulfilled, truth prevailed and falsehood perished.
﴿جَآءَ ٱلْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ ٱلْبَٰطِلُۚ إِنَّ ٱلْبَٰطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقٗا﴾
So too will we. But only if we stand strong. Only if we carry the truth with the weight it deserves.
We have to work on our selves as individuals and communities to be strong, so we are able to carry the message of the truth and defend our rights, no matter how difficult it might be.
It may have taken 70 years for Palestine to be recognised, but we have to be strong and we have to persevere.
The Prophet ﷺ was directed by Allah to be connected to him by salah. We must cling to this rope and combine the power of supplication with the power of action.
Do du’a while being active. Imaan, action and supplication is the way forward and the prophetic ways
We ask Allah to make us among those who are strong to carry His truth, to grant victory to the oppressed, and count us from the ummah of His Messenger ﷺ on the Day of Judgement. Ameen.
Based on the Khutbah of Shaykh Haytham Tamim on 26th September 2025