In times of crisis and affliction, Muslims should return to Allah, putting their trust in Him and depending on Him in all of their affairs. Why should we Muslims trust in Allah and rely on Him? The answer can be summed up in the following points:
– Because Allah is capable of all things.
– Because all matters rest exclusively with Allah, and the command belongs completely to Him. [But His command, when He intendeth a thing, is only that he saith unto it: “Be!” and it is] (Ya-Sin: 82).
– Because Allah causes whomever He wills to inherit the earth. [Lo! the earth is Allah’s. He giveth it for an inheritance to whom He will. And lo! the sequel is for those who keep their duty (unto Him)] (Al-A`raf: 28).
– Because all matters return to Him. [All cases go back to Allah (for judgment)] (Al-Baqarah: 10).
– Because He is the Almighty Who can never be overtaken. [And He is mighty in wrath] (Ar-Ra`d: 13).
– Because to Him belong the soldiers of the heavens and the earth. [Allah’s are the hosts of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is ever Mighty, Wise] (Al-Fath: 7).
– Because He is Powerful and Exalted in Might. [Allah is Strong, Mighty] (Al-Ahzab: 25).
– Because He prevails over His slaves, so they can never act beyond His control. [He is Allah, the One, the Absolute] (Az-Zumar: 4).
– Because He is the Possessor of Strength and He provides for whom He wills and makes poor whom He wills. [Lo! Allah! He it is that giveth livelihood, the Lord of unbreakable might] (Adh-Dhariyat: 58).
– Because He has control over the dominion. [Unto Allah belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. Allah is Able to do all things] (Aal `Imran: 189).
– Because He is the only One Who has the power to benefit and cause harm.
[If Allah touch thee with affliction, there is none that can relieve therefrom save Him, and if He touch thee with good fortune (there is none that can impair it); for He is Able to do all things] (Al-An`am: 17).
[Will not Allah defend His slave? Yet they would frighten thee with those beside Him. He whom Allah sendeth stray, for him there is no guide] (Az-Zumar: 36).
– Because He Almighty plots against those who plot against Him and try to deceive Him. [Lo! the hypocrites seek to beguile Allah, but it is Allah who beguileth them] (An-Nisaa’: 142). This is why whenever the enemies of Allah plotted against the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) Allah caused their plan to fail. [Those before them plotted, so Allah struck at the foundations of their building, and then the roof fell down upon them from above them, and the doom came on them whence they knew not] (An-Nahl: 26).
– Because He is the only One Who is capable of stopping a war or causing it to continue. [And if Allah had so willed it, they would not have fought one with another; but Allah doeth what He will] (Al-Baqarah: 253); [As often as they light a fire for war, Allah extinguisheth it] (Al-Ma’idah: 64); [Peradventure Allah will restrain the might of those who disbelieve. Allah is stronger in might and stronger in inflicting punishment] (An-Nisaa’: 142).
Allah the Exalted, the Almighty, decrees what He wills and does what He wills; therefore, trusting Him and relying on Him are compulsory upon every Muslim. In this context, the prophets (peace and blessings be upon them all) set great examples. During the extremely difficult time when Pharaoh came with his army and approached Musa (peace and blessings be upon him) and his followers, the weak-hearted among the followers of Musa became terrified and said [“Lo! we are indeed caught”] (Ash-Shu`araa’: 61). In other words, they were saying “Pharaoh and his army will catch us and kill us all; there is no escape; there is no way out; nothing can get us out of this predicament, and this crisis will take its toll on us; we will be finished.” At that time, Prophet Musa (peace and blessings be upon him) said, [“Nay, verily! for lo! my Lord is with me. He will guide me”] (Ash-Shu`araa’: 62). He said this because he had put his full trust in Allah.
Likewise, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said at Al-Hudaybiyah, “He (Allah) is My Lord and He will not forsake me.” Similarly, when some people told the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) that their enemies had gathered against them, they said, “Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best One to rely on.” This, in fact, is a clear manifestation of the confidence that filled their hearts. So, this incident caused their faith to become stronger and no harm touched them. Commenting on the incident Allah says [It is only the devil who would make (men) fear his partisans. Fear them not; fear Me, if ye are true believers] (Aal `Imran: 175).
Scholars like Imam ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) bring to our attention a basic trap that many Muslims fall into, that is doubting Allah or thinking that He will not make His religion reign supreme, or thinking that Allah will not support His righteous followers, or that Allah has decreed for His believing servants to be defeated constantly and that the Muslims will never prevail.
If these things were true, then why did Allah reveal His Book? Why did He send His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)? Why did He legislate? Why did He make Islam the last religion that abrogates all previous religions if Islam will never prevail and become supreme? Allah says, [Whoso is wont to think (through envy) that Allah will not give him (Muhammad) victory in the world and the Hereafter (and is enraged at the thought of his victory), let him stretch a rope up to the roof (of his dwelling), and let him hang himself. Then let him see whether his strategy dispelleth that whereat he rageth!] (Al-Hajj: 15). Some scholars said regarding this verse, “Let the one who does not believe that Allah will grant victory to His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in this life and the Hereafter take a rope and hang himself.”
Assuring the believers of the glorious victory, Allah says:
[Lo! We verily do help Our messengers, and those who believe, in the life of the world and on the day when the witnesses arise, The day when their excuse availeth not the evil doers, and theirs is the curse, and theirs the ill abode] (Ghafir: 51-52).
[And verily Our word went forth of old unto Our bondmen sent (to warn) That they verily would be helped, And that Our host, they verily would be the victors] (As-Saffat: 171-173).
[Lo! those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, they will be among the lowest. Allah hath decreed: Lo! I verily shall conquer, I and My messengers. Lo! Allah is Strong, Almighty] (Al-Mujadilah: 20-21).
Allah does what He wills. Everything that happens is recorded and decreed by Allah. He knows and we do not. A Muslim may consider something to be evil when in fact it is good, but this is due to the fact that people do not know the unseen, the knowledge of which Allah has kept for Himself. [Deem it not a bad thing for you; say, it is good for you] (An-Nur: 11); [But it may happen that ye hate a thing which is good for you, and it may happen that ye love a thing which is bad for you. Allah knoweth, ye know not] (Al-Baqarah: 216).
When the pre-conditions of victory are fulfilled, victory will most definitely follow. If the Muslims are defeated, it is only because of their failure to accomplish the pre-conditions of victory. Allah says: [O ye who believe! If ye help Allah, He will help you and will make your foothold firm] (Muhammad: 7); [If Allah is your helper none can overcome you, and if He withdraw His help from you, who is there who can help you? In Allah let believers put their trust] (Aal `Imran: 160). There is a fundamental formula that has applied to all nations throughout history: [Lo! Allah changeth not the condition of a folk until they (first) change that which is in their hearts] (Ar-Ra`d: 11).
Consequently, we must trust in Allah. We must believe that all power belongs to Him. We must believe that nothing happens except that which He wills. People do not know the consequences of all matters, and that is why Muslims must maintain a strong relation with their Lord, relying on Him and asking Him to strengthen them and support them. He Almighty is the Possessor of Power and He grants the means to attain power. Muslims should exert every effort to reinstate their status and regain their position, depending at the same time on Allah and trusting in Him. And Allah never lets down the true adherents to His true religion.
