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When will the help of Allah come? Endurance, tests and the path to victory.

When will the help of Allah come? Endurance, tests and the path to victory.
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September 27, 2024
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In Surat al Baqarah, Allah Almighty says:

أَمۡ حَسِبۡتُمۡ أَن تَدۡخُلُوا۟ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا یَأۡتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِینَ خَلَوۡا۟ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۖ مَّسَّتۡهُمُ ٱلۡبَأۡسَاۤءُ وَٱلضَّرَّاۤءُ وَزُلۡزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ یَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصۡرُ ٱللَّهِۗ أَلَاۤ إِنَّ نَصۡرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِیبࣱ

Do you think that you will enter Paradise while you have not yet been visited by (difficult) circumstances like those that were faced by the people who passed away before you? They were afflicted by hardship and suffering, and were so shaken down that the Prophet (peace be upon him), and those who believed with him, started saying: “When (will come) the help of Allah?” ‘Behold, the help of Allah is near.’ [2:214]

This well-known verse resonates deeply with us today, especially in light of the ongoing struggles faced by our Ummah. We have read this verse many times and I have delivered several khutbahs on it. It is particularly relevant to our Ummah today, due to what we have been witnessing and our brothers and sisters have been experiencing. It has been almost a year since the horrendous ongoing atrocities against the people of Gaza.

Many scholars of tafsir (Quranic exegesis) explain that this verse was revealed after the Battle of Al-Ahzab, when the believers were besieged in Madinah, terrified that their enemies would kill the Prophet (peace be upon him) and wipe them out. They were vastly outnumbered—10,000 troops had gathered to destroy them, with not just the Quraysh but several other tribes who allied against them. In this moment of extreme fear and uncertainty, Allah reminded the believers that entering Jannah (Paradise) would not be without effort, trial, and perseverance. Allah uplifted their spirits by reminding them of those who came before, who faced greater challenges and enemies. The believers were not alone in their trials.

Today, we find ourselves shaken by the continuous breaches of human rights and the war crimes being perpetrated against innocent populations. This is not just shaking Muslims, but all of humanity. People are asking, “When will the help of Allah come? When will this end?”

Were the believers at the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) doubting Allah’s help? No. They were simply wondering about the timing. They never doubted Allah’s promise, but as human beings, we tend to be impatient. Allah reminds us in the Quran, in Surat Anbiya:

“Man is created hasty.” (21:37)

We want immediate relief, often without fully understanding the process or the wisdom behind the delay.

Some may feel frustrated, thinking it’s been a year or more, but in the history of nations, a single year is nothing. The question we should be asking is not merely “When will this end?” but “How will it end?” How do we stop the atrocities we witness, whether they affect entire nations or occur in our personal lives?

Many of us face prolonged challenges, and when relief doesn’t come, we wonder if Allah has abandoned us. But we cannot make such assumptions. Allah tests those people so that their qualities become apparent to themselves and those around them. And they can learn a lesson from the test.

These tests serve a purpose—they reveal the true quality of our Ummah. Allah already knows our inner state and qualities and our potential. But when He puts us to the test, the reality becomes clear to all to see. Those who claim to protect human rights are being exposed for their hypocrisy, and those who pretend to uphold international law are being unmasked. Those who portray themselves as guardians of religion are being laid bare. Meanwhile, those who are sincere, truthful, compassionate, and principled are having their virtues honed through these tests.

Yes, it is bitter. Yes, it is hard. Yes, it is painful. But it is far better to face these trials and have our qualities refined than to live in a bubble of delusion. The truth, in both its beauty and its ugliness, is becoming clear. Those who are truthful and those who are lying are now evident.

This is a test not just for Muslims, but for all of humanity. Allah is testing our integrity, our commitment to justice, and our adherence to principles.

Allah says in the Quran, “Until the Messenger (peace be upon him) and those who believed with him were shaken, until even they cried out, ‘When will the help of Allah come?’” This exhaustion is something we feel today. We may not be in Gaza or Lebanon, but we feel tired. However, this test will continue until we meet the conditions required to receive Allah’s help.

As Allah stated:

And perhaps you hate something and it is good for you, and perhaps you love something and it is evil for you. Allah knows while you do not know. (2:216)

This test will continue until we fulfil the conditions required of us. Each contract has T&Cs and we also have terms and conditions in our contract with Allah. Until we fulfil these, we will not receive the support of Allah. If we keep banging on the door ans shouting, but don’t turn the handle, it won’t open. We need to open the door and not just pound it, because it is not opening. Until we figure this out, we will not extricate ourselves from this situation. We need a big improvement to our situation to achieve victory. We must act with wisdom, determination, and unity.

This ongoing struggle is like an earthquake whose intensity builds. If we don’t learn the lessons from our trials, the intensity will only increase. Our Ummah is still divided, and our governments are failing to demand a ceasefire. Until we come together and improve our human condition—upholding justice, respecting human rights, and truly adhering to principles without double standards—we will continue to be shaken.

We cannot enter Jannah based on empty hopes. Victory doesn’t come without fulfilling the necessary conditions. Throughout history, it has never happened, and it will never happen. We must see this as an opportunity to unite, fill the gaps, seek justice, and live by our values consistently. Just as there are T&Cs in every contract, we have terms and conditions in our contract with Allah. Until we comply with them, we will not achieve victory.

It’s crucial to reflect on our personal situations as individuals, families, communities, and as an Ummah. Like any organisation, we must assess our progress – are we in the green, or are we in the red? Continuing to repeat the same mistakes without introspection is insanity. If we fail to learn, Allah, in His mercy, will force us to wake up. He could have left us to our own detriment, but He wants us to recognise the path before it’s too late, before the final reckoning on the Day of Judgment.

Even the tremors we feel—whether literal or metaphorical—are calls for change. They are calls for justice, peace, and a return to righteousness. These are opportunities for us to correct our course, out of Allah’s mercy. It is for our own good, and we must seize this chance to align ourselves with truth, without hypocrisy, and to live by one standard, the standard of justice. Only then can we achieve victory.

Based on the Khutbah of Shaykh Haytham Tamim 27th Sept 2024

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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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