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The forces of Allah and the fate of the falsifiers

The forces of Allah and the fate of the falsifiers
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April 26, 2024
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The story of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is mentioned many times in the Quran, as is the story of Musa (peace be upon him). In Surat Maryam, Allah recounts the the conversation between Ibrahim and his father, when Ibrahim invites him to worship Allah, the true and only God instead of the idols. He calls on his father with loving and tender reverence, saying, Ya Abati, ‘O my dear father’. He asks him why he worships something that cannot hear him, or see him or benefit him in any way. Four times, he urges him with clear logical arguments to give up worshipping the idols. His father, however, the chief of the tribe and leader of his community, is not prepared to listen to his son. He is instead overtaken by his arrogance. He is incensed by his son’s suggestion that he should give up their traditions – ‘How dare you question my decision to worship idols or my authority or our customs and culture?’ In contrast to Ibrahim’s compassion and composure, his father resorts to violence to stamp out the dissent. Though parents are usually endowed with love for their children, his father says that if Ibrahim does not return to his senses, he will be killed. His words are recorded in the Quran:

قَالَ أَرَاغِبٌ أَنتَ عَنۡ ءَالِهَتِي يَـٰٓإِبۡرَٰهِيمُۖ 

لَئِن لَّمۡ تَنتَهِ لَأَرۡجُمَنَّكَۖ وَٱهۡجُرۡنِي مَلِيّٗا

He said, “Are you averse to my gods O Ibrāhīm? Should you not stop, I will definitely stone you. And leave me for good.” [Maryam, 19:46]

He is not willing to engage in dialogue. Ibrahim has no choice but to leave that community, as his father is the head. Allah rewarded Ibrahim for his sacrifice of moving away, by giving him righteous offspring – Ismail, Ishaq and later the grandson Yaqoub – each one was made a prophet. What a great reward for his sacrifice.

فَلَمَّا ٱعۡتَزَلَهُمۡ وَمَا يَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَهَبۡنَا لَهُۥٓ إِسۡحَٰقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَۖ وَكُلّٗا جَعَلۡنَا نَبِيّٗا

So when he had left them and those they worshipped other than Allah, We gave him Isaac and Jacob, and each [of them] We made a prophet. (19:49)

Stubborn rejection of the truth

In another scene we see the debate between Ibrahim and Nimrod, the tyrannical ruler. This highlights the ongoing conflict between truth and falsehood, which has been fought between the messengers and the tyrants of their time. Ibrahim said to Nimrod that Allah is the one who gives life and death, so Nimrod in an arrogant display of his power had one man out to put to death and pardoned another. Yet, Ibrahim trumped this by using more logic and asking him to make the sun rise from the west. Nimrod was defeated.

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِى حَآجَّ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ فِى رَبِّهِۦٓ أَنْ ءَاتَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُلْكَ إِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ رَبِّىَ ٱلَّذِى يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ قَالَ أَنَا۠ أُحْىِۦ وَأُمِيتُ ۖ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْتِى بِٱلشَّمْسِ مِنَ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ فَأْتِ بِهَا مِنَ ٱلْمَغْرِبِ فَبُهِتَ ٱلَّذِى كَفَرَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ٢٥٨

Are you ˹O Prophet˺ not aware of the one who argued with Abraham about his Lord because Allah had granted him kingship? ˹Remember˺ when Abraham said, “My Lord is the One Who has power to give life and cause death.” He argued, “I too have the power to give life and cause death.” Abraham challenged ˹him˺, “Allah causes the sun to rise from the east. So make it rise from the west.” And so the disbeliever was dumbstruck. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. (2:258)

In various surahs, particularly in Surat al Araf, we see the dialogue between Musa, the symbol of truth, and Firaun, the symbol of falsehood. Musa showed clear miracles to Firaun in public, so that he would believe. But Firaun, like all tyrants, refused to accept the proof to cling to his power. Tyrants do not accept that they can ever be in the wrong. Allah has mentioned these stories to show us that tyrants never accept the truth.

 وَأَوۡحَیۡنَاۤ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰۤ أَنۡ أَلۡقِ عَصَاكَۖ فَإِذَا هِیَ تَلۡقَفُ مَا یَأۡفِكُونَ

We revealed to Mūsā, “Throw your staff.” Then of a sudden, it began to swallow all what they were falsifying. Al-Aʿrāf, Ayah 117

فَوَقَعَ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوا۟ یَعۡمَلُونَ

Thus the truth prevailed, and what they were doing became a nullity. Al-Aʿrāf, Ayah 118

فَغُلِبُوا۟ هُنَالِكَ وَٱنقَلَبُوا۟ صَـٰغِرِینَ

So, they were defeated then and there and turned humiliated. Al-Aʿrāf, Ayah 119

When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) presented his people with the truth, he was called a madman and sorcerer. These stories show us that the same scenario keeps repeating throughout time and in every society. It is not just history, it is an ongoing battle between truth and falsehood until the Day of Judgment.

Defeat and humiliation of tyrants

In Surat al Araf, Allah says the end of every liar and tyrant is always defeat and humiliation. This is the promise of Allah.  

وَأُلۡقِیَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سَـٰجِدِینَ

The sorcerers could not but fall in prostration. Al-Aʿrāf, Ayah 120

قَالُوۤا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِینَ

They said, “We believe in the Lord of the worlds, Al-Aʿrāf, Ayah 121

رَبِّ مُوسَىٰ وَهَـٰرُونَ

the Lord of Mūsā and Hārūn.” Al-Aʿrāf, Ayah 122

قَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنُ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ قَبۡلَ أَنۡ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمۡۖ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَمَكۡرࣱ مَّكَرۡتُمُوهُ فِی ٱلۡمَدِینَةِ لِتُخۡرِجُوا۟ مِنۡهَاۤ أَهۡلَهَاۖ فَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُون

Pharaoh said, “You have believed in him before my permission. Undoubtedly, this is a plot you have designed in the city, so that you may expel its people from it. Now you shall know (its end). Al-Aʿrāf, Ayah 123

لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَیۡدِیَكُمۡ وَأَرۡجُلَكُم مِّنۡ خِلَـٰفࣲ ثُمَّ لَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمۡ أَجۡمَعِینَ

I will cut off your hands and your legs from opposite sides. Then I will crucify you all together.” Al-Aʿrāf, Ayah 124

وَمَا تَنقِمُ مِنَّاۤ إِلَّاۤ أَنۡ ءَامَنَّا بِـَٔایَـٰتِ رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَاۤءَتۡنَاۚ رَبَّنَاۤ أَفۡرِغۡ عَلَیۡنَا صَبۡرࣰا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسۡلِمِینَ

For what fault would you punish us except that we have believed in the signs of our Lord when they appeared to us? O our Lord, pour out patience upon us, and cause us to die as Muslims (those who submit to you.)” Al-Aʿrāf, Ayah 126

وَقَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ مِن قَوۡمِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ أَتَذَرُ مُوسَىٰ وَقَوۡمَهُۥ لِیُفۡسِدُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَیَذَرَكَ وَءَالِهَتَكَۚ قَالَ سَنُقَتِّلُ أَبۡنَاۤءَهُمۡ وَنَسۡتَحۡیِۦ نِسَاۤءَهُمۡ وَإِنَّا فَوۡقَهُمۡ قَـٰهِرُونَ

The chiefs of the people of Pharaoh said, “Shall you leave Mūsā and his people free to spread disorder in the land and to abandon you and your gods?” He said, “We shall slaughter their sons and let their women remain alive. We have full power over them.” Al-Aʿrāf, Ayah 127

قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوۡمِهِ ٱسۡتَعِینُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱصۡبِرُوۤا۟ۖ إِنَّ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ لِلَّهِ یُورِثُهَا مَن یَشَاۤءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦۖ وَٱلۡعَـٰقِبَةُ لِلۡمُتَّقِینَ

Mūsā said to his people, “Seek help from Allah and be patient. Surely, the land belongs to Allah. He lets whomsoever He wills inherit it from among His servants; and the end-result is in favour of the God-fearing.” Al-Aʿrāf, Ayah 128

قَالُوۤا۟ أُوذِینَا مِن قَبۡلِ أَن تَأۡتِیَنَا وَمِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جِئۡتَنَاۚ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمۡ أَن یُهۡلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمۡ وَیَسۡتَخۡلِفَكُمۡ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَیَنظُرَ كَیۡفَ تَعۡمَلُونَ

They said, “We were persecuted before you came to us and after you have come to us.” He said, “Hopefully your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors in the land, then He will see how you act.” Al-Aʿrāf, Ayah 129

The victory of truth is guaranteed

Allah made it clear and confirmed that He will give victory to the people who are on the right side, who follow the truth and defend it. This is what we see in the American universities. They have been called names and arrested. Allah is saying the truth will win. Allah says:

إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَا وَیَوۡمَ یَقُومُ ٱلۡأَشۡهَـٰدُ

Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) in this world’s life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth, (i.e. Day of Resurrection) – Ghāfir, Ayah 51

یَوۡمَ لَا یَنفَعُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِینَ مَعۡذِرَتُهُمۡۖ وَلَهُمُ ٱللَّعۡنَةُ وَلَهُمۡ سُوۤءُ ٱلدَّارِ

a day when apology of the unjust will bring them no benefit, and on them shall be the curse, and for them will be the evil abode. Ghāfir, Ayah 52

We have seen protests by students at Columbia, Yale, and New York University. They have called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, an end to U.S. military assistance for Israel, university divestment from arms suppliers and other companies profiting from the war, and an amnesty for students and faculty members who have been disciplined or fired for protesting.

Who would have thought that American universities would be defending the Palestinians? Allah says He will bring forces you do not expect to defend the truth. The forces of Allah are everywhere. As He stated:

وَمَا یَعۡلَمُ جُنُودَ رَبِّكَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ

And no one knows the forces of your Lord but He. Al-Muddaththir, Ayah 31

Despite the doom and gloom that people are feeling, as 200 days of relentless atrocities have continued to take away the lives, the livelihoods, the education, health, security and dreams of the people of Gaza, there is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the light of the truth. No one can switch it off. As Allah promised, victory will come, but this victory requires people who will keep defending the truth. We keep talking about freedom of speech in the west, but not when it comes to Palestine. We talk about democracy, but the veto can overturn the votes of all UN members. This is not democracy, this is a dictatorship. We will keep fighting to get our rights by all available legitimate means, because it is our destiny to stay on the right path and defend the truth.

The truth has a light that only sane people can distinguish

Falsehood is faded no matter how hard they polish it.

In the hadith the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that among the signs of the Day of Judgment is that the one who adheres to faith will be like the one who holds a burning red-hot charcoal in his hand. He did not say that holding on to the truth would be a bed of roses.

Anas bin Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“There shall come upon the people a time in which the one who is patient upon his religion will be like the one holding onto a burning ember.” (Tirmidhi)

Inshallah we will defend the truth as long as we are alive. It is much better to meet Allah with the people of the truth, than with the people of falsehood and hypocrisy. It is your choice whom you will be resurrected with. Choose your destiny.

Based on the Khutbah of Shaykh Haytham Tamim

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Shaykh Haytham Tamim is the founder and main teacher of the Utrujj Foundation. He has provided a leading vision for Islamic learning in the UK, which has influenced the way Islamic knowledge is disseminated. He has orchestrated the design and delivery of over 200 unique courses since Utrujj started in 2001. His extensive expertise spans over 30 years across the main Islamic jurisprudence schools of thought. He has studied with some of the foremost scholars in their expertise; he holds some of the highest Ijazahs (certificates) in Quran, Hadith (the Prophetic traditions) and Fiqh (Islamic rulings). His own gift for teaching was evident when he gave his first sermon to a large audience at the age of 17 and went on to serve as a senior lecturer of Islamic transactions and comparative jurisprudence at the Islamic University of Beirut (Shariah College). He has continued to teach; travelling around the UK, Europe and wider afield, and won the 2015 BISCA award (British Imams & Scholars Contributions & Achievements Awards) for Outstanding Contribution to Education and Teaching.

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