9. At-Tawba

The most heinous crime of the people who build their lives on the basis of self-oriented behaviour came to light in the form of the Dhirar Mosque in Madinah. At that time there were already two mosques in Madinah, the Mosque of the Prophet or al-Masjid an-Nabawi, which was inside the town, and the Quba’ Mosque, which was in the suburbs. The hypocrites constructed a third mosque to divert people’s attention. Although acts of this kind are apparently performed in the name of religion, in reality, their aim is to maintain the hypocrites’ leadership by supporting their opposition to the call of Truth. Those who are unable to accede to the call of truth on account of their self-centredness, try to create a front against it, so that they may indulge in destructive activities. This divides Muslims in two groups. These negative acts, carried out in the name of religion, go to the extent of bringing recognized personalities on to their stage in order to gain credibility among the people. In their blind enmity, these people forget that opposition to the Truth amounts, in fact, to opposition to God. This can never succeed in God’s world. The only fate ordained for them is their meeting with death in despair and frustration and being deprived of God’s Grace forever. Becoming a true believer in God entails the ‘selling’ of oneself to God. One gives one’s life and property to God so that He may grant one eternal paradise in return. This is what is meant by surrendering oneself totally to God. A real attachment to anything is always at the level of complete surrender. It is this degree of commitment that is required with regard to God. None can receive the eternal bounties of paradise without complete surrender. When an individual adopts God’s religion in this spirit, it does not remain separate from his life. Rather it becomes a matter of his personal concern. It forms the centre of his interests, concern and apprehensions. If the cause of religion demands his property, he is willing to offer it. If he is required to devote his time and his talents to it, he is willing to do so.

Abraham, being a very compassionate person, was greatly concerned about the salvation of humanity. Swayed by these sentiments, he had made a pledge to pray to God for his pagan father. But, when he was made aware of God’s will, he desisted. God has instilled in every human being a natural instinct for discerning evil. When an individual receives a message which is intended to stop him from committing an evil deed, his whole inner being testifies to its truth. A silent check is produced in his heart. For ‘God would never lead a people astray after He has guided them.’ But if the man ignores this impulse arising from within, and does not save himself, in spite of the hint given him by nature, his natural sensitivity gradually goes on weakening, till a time comes when it dies altogether. This danger threatens Muslims as well as non-Muslims.

Abraham, being a very compassionate person, was greatly concerned about the salvation of humanity. Swayed by these sentiments, he had made a pledge to pray to God for his pagan father. But, when he was made aware of God’s will, he desisted. God has instilled in every human being a natural instinct for discerning evil. When an individual receives a message which is intended to stop him from committing an evil deed, his whole inner being testifies to its truth. A silent check is produced in his heart. For ‘God would never lead a people astray after He has guided them.’ But if the man ignores this impulse arising from within, and does not save himself, in spite of the hint given him by nature, his natural sensitivity gradually goes on weakening, till a time comes when it dies altogether. This danger threatens Muslims as well as non-Muslims.

Abraham, being a very compassionate person, was greatly concerned about the salvation of humanity. Swayed by these sentiments, he had made a pledge to pray to God for his pagan father. But, when he was made aware of God’s will, he desisted. God has instilled in every human being a natural instinct for discerning evil. When an individual receives a message which is intended to stop him from committing an evil deed, his whole inner being testifies to its truth. A silent check is produced in his heart. For ‘God would never lead a people astray after He has guided them.’ But if the man ignores this impulse arising from within, and does not save himself, in spite of the hint given him by nature, his natural sensitivity gradually goes on weakening, till a time comes when it dies altogether. This danger threatens Muslims as well as non-Muslims.

Abraham, being a very compassionate person, was greatly concerned about the salvation of humanity. Swayed by these sentiments, he had made a pledge to pray to God for his pagan father. But, when he was made aware of God’s will, he desisted. God has instilled in every human being a natural instinct for discerning evil. When an individual receives a message which is intended to stop him from committing an evil deed, his whole inner being testifies to its truth. A silent check is produced in his heart. For ‘God would never lead a people astray after He has guided them.’ But if the man ignores this impulse arising from within, and does not save himself, in spite of the hint given him by nature, his natural sensitivity gradually goes on weakening, till a time comes when it dies altogether. This danger threatens Muslims as well as non-Muslims.

On the occasion of the battle of Tabuk, there was a group which surrendered its best asset to Islam: their crops. It was harvest time, but they left everything behind and set out on a journey which involved a march of three hundred miles in intense heat in order to face the most powerful empire of the time. The shortage of mounts, equipment and goods was so acute that several men had to take turns on each camel, and for food they had often to rest content with one date per person. However, they were only being tested for their resolve and dedication to the cause of God. After God had seen their mettle, He caused the enemy to fall a prey to terror. They retreated from the battlefield without any confrontation and the Muslims returned victorious without having shed any blood. There was another group which consisted of the confessors (

9:102

). These people could not set out on this journey due to their engagement in worldly activities. However, they very soon realised that they had made a serious mistake, to which they unreservedly confessed. They were truly ashamed of their misdeed and sincerely repented of it. The flood of tears flowing from their eyes compensated for their shortcomings. God enveloped them in His mercy, because they had admitted their mistake in all sincerity.

A third group consisted of those who were left behind. These were three youths, Ka‘b ibn Malik, Mararah ibn Rubay and Hilal ibn Umayyah. Though they regarded their inability to proceed on this journey as a shortcoming, their feelings of repentance and turning towards God had not been as intense as was required in this first stage. That is why they were punished by a social boycott. Now even with this boycott these three had a number of options. They could have remained happy and contented; they could have remained engrossed in their homes and gardens; they could have become rebellious; they could have formed their own separate group in collaboration with disgruntled elements, thus forming an island, a happy world cut off from the general body of Muslims. But they refrained from doing so. The thought of having earned the displeasure of God and His Prophet disturbed their minds so greatly that they failed to find a moment’s peace. For them this was an option, not a compulsion. For they could have escaped by rebelling against this boycott and joining any other group. But their response being positive, they naturally turned to God for forgiveness. They repented and prayed to God. Their hearts were truly softened. After a period of 50 days of prayer God showed them His mercy and they were pardoned.

Our life is social in nature. That is why everyone, according to his tastes and aptitudes, forms a circle of his own in which to spend his days and nights. It is necessary for those who fear God and want to tread the path of faith to befriend those who are sincere, truthful, and God-fearing, and who are consistent in their words and deeds. By keeping company with such people, one is transformed into a truthful person too. On the contrary, if one seeks the company of insincere, hypocritical persons, one will necessarily come under their influence. There are times when Islam has to be served by risking one’s life; there are times when Islam has to be served at the cost of suffering the pangs of hunger and thirst; there are times when one is exhausted struggling for the cause of God; there are times when one has to serve God and His prophet by sacrificing one’s peace of mind. On such occasions one feels like opting for the safer course and hesitates to go ahead and answer the call of one’s faith. One is oblivious of the fact that those were the very opportunities to give practical proof of one’s attachment to God, when by doing so, one could have expected to be found worthy of paradise.

Our life is social in nature. That is why everyone, according to his tastes and aptitudes, forms a circle of his own in which to spend his days and nights. It is necessary for those who fear God and want to tread the path of faith to befriend those who are sincere, truthful, and God-fearing, and who are consistent in their words and deeds. By keeping company with such people, one is transformed into a truthful person too. On the contrary, if one seeks the company of insincere, hypocritical persons, one will necessarily come under their influence. There are times when Islam has to be served by risking one’s life; there are times when Islam has to be served at the cost of suffering the pangs of hunger and thirst; there are times when one is exhausted struggling for the cause of God; there are times when one has to serve God and His prophet by sacrificing one’s peace of mind. On such occasions one feels like opting for the safer course and hesitates to go ahead and answer the call of one’s faith. One is oblivious of the fact that those were the very opportunities to give practical proof of one’s attachment to God, when by doing so, one could have expected to be found worthy of paradise.