|
Those situations the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him) was involved in, as they are related in the Qur'an,
demonstrate his resignation, and submission to Allah. For instance,
the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) words when he and
his friend were hiding in a cave after leaving Mecca, are one of the finest examples of that submission. The Qur'an
says:
[If
you do not help him, Allah did help him when those who disbelieved
drove him out and there were two of them in the Cave. He said to his
companion, "Do not be despondent, Allah is with us." Then
Allah sent down His serenity upon him and reinforced him with troops
you could not see. He made the word of those who disbelieved
undermost. It is the word of Allah which is uppermost. Allah is
Almighty, All-Wise.]
(At-Tawbah 9:40)
Whatever the
situation might have been, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him) always submitted to Allah in the knowledge that there was
beauty and goodness in all that He created. These words of the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to his people as related
in the Qur'an are a telling instance of that submission:
[If
good happens to you it galls them. If a mishap occurs to you, they
say, "We made our preparations in advance," and they turn
away rejoicing. Say: "Nothing can happen to us except what
Allah has ordained for us. He is Our Master. It is in Allah that the
believers should put their trust.]
(At-Tawbah 9: 50-51)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) by
his submission to Allah, was an example to all Muslims, and he
warned that people would never have the power to alter anything that
came from Allah:
"Everything is by decree—even incapacity
and ability." (Reported by Mailk)
"…
When you ask for anything ask it from Allah, and if you seek help in
Allah. Know that if the
people were to unite to do you some benefit they could benefit you
only with what Allah had recorded for you, and that if they were to
unite to do you some injury they could injure you only with what
Allah had recorded for you. The pens are withdrawn and the pages are
dry."
(Reported by At-Tirmidhi)
Every
believer who abides by the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) has to face every calamity with the same
submission as he, and to have faith that there is beauty and
goodness in everything. We must not forget that Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings be upon him) was one of Allah's most
God-fearing servants, and was also tested with great difficulties
and trying circumstances.
There
were people ready to create various kinds of difficulty in the
communities he addressed. They tried to plot against the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) by behaving hypocritically.
Polytheists refused to abandon the religion of their ancestors,
others asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to bring
them a sign to suit their best interests, they tried to kill, arrest
or exile the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and
basically placed all kinds of difficulties in his path.
The
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was always patient with
the unbelievers. He continued to communicate the religion of Allah
and to instruct Muslims in the Qur'an while he protected them from
danger. The source of that determination, success and courage lay in
his strong faith in Allah, his godliness and submission. The Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) always knew that Allah was with
him, as when he was in the cave, and he knew that every situation
was ordained by Allah. He had faith that everything came from Allah
and would result in the best possible outcome. The following hadith
of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is an example of
his submission:
"Strange
are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his
and this is not the case with anyone else except in the case of a
believer for if he has an occasion to feel delight he thanks
[Allah], thus there is a good for him in it, and if he gets into
trouble and shows resignation (and endures it patiently), there is
good for him in it." (Reported by Muslim)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) always did his
best, whatever the situation, though knowing that the outcome
depended on Allah. He relied on and trusted in Him. In return for
that submission, Allah granted him strength and success.
Allah
instructed the Prophet to be patient in the face of those who made
problems for him, and he was faithful to that prescription
throughout his life. One verse says:
[They
have the word, "Obedience!" on their tongues but when they
leave your presence, a group of them spend the night plotting to do
other than what you say. Allah is recording their nocturnal
plotting. So let them be and put your trust in Allah. Allah suffices
as a Guardian.]
(An-Nisaa’ 4: 81)
The words the
Prophet was commanded to say in another trying situation also reveal
his godliness and submission:
[If
they argue with you, say, "I have submitted myself completely
to Allah, and so have all who follow me." Say to those given
the Book and those who have no Book, "Have you become
Muslim?" If they become Muslim, they have been guided. If they
turn away, you are only responsible for transmission. Allah sees His
servants.] (Aal
`Imran 3: 20)
One
comment by the Prophet regarding the recompense awaiting those who
demonstrate submission is as follows:
"If
you put your faith completely in Allah, He will arrange for your
sustenance in the same way as He provides for the birds. They go out
in the morning with their stomachs empty and return filled in the
evening." (Reported by At-Tirmidhi).
The
Prophet's words and actions are the best possible models for the
believers. That is why every believer who finds himself faced with a
difficulty of any sort, or a situation he does not like, must think
of the verses of the Qur'an and the fact that Allah creates
everything; adopt the submission of the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him) and accept the destiny chosen for him by Allah.
*Taken with kind permission from The Prophet Muhammad by Harun
Yahya, with slight modifications.
Harun Yahya
was born in Ankara
in 1956. He studied arts at
Istanbul’s
Mimar
Sinan
University,
and philosophy at Istanbul
University.
Since the 1980s, he has published many books on political,
faith-related and scientific issues.
|
