Anfal 20-23
20- YOU WHO BELIEVE; OBEY ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER AND DO NOT TURN AWAY FROM HIM WHILE YOU HEAR.
21- AND DO NOT BE LIKE THOSE WHO SAY: “WE LISTEN”, BUT THEY DO NOT LISTEN.
22- THE WORST ANIMALS BEFORE ALLAH ARE THE DEAF, THE DUMP, WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
23- HAD ALLAH KNOW THEM TO BE ANY GOOD, HE WOULD HAVE LET THEM HEAR, AND HAD HE LET THEM HEAR, THEY WOULD HAVE GONE AWAY REJECTING.
This is a command for the believers to obey Allah the Highest and His messenger, prayer and peace upon him. We should note that the command is to obey both, for obedience to Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him is part of the obedience to Allah the Highest. Allah the Highest stressed this in many Ayahs of the Quran saying.
“HE WHO OBEYS THE MESSENGER, HE HAS OBEYED ALLAH, AS FOR THOSE WHO TURN AWAY, WE DID NOT SEND YOU AS THEIR GUARDIAN”. (S: 4 A: 80)
“WHATEVER THE MESSENGER BRINGS YOU, TAKE IT; AND WHATEVER HE FORBIDS YOU TO DO, ABSTAIN FROM IT”. (S: 59 A: 7)
“SAY: IF YOU LOVE ALLAH, THEN FOLLOW ME AND ALLAH WILL LOVE YOU, AND FORGIVE YOU YOUR SINS, FOR ALLAH IS MOST FORGIVING AND MOST COMPASSIONATE” (S: 3 A: 31)
It is clear that obeying Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him, is part of obeying Allah the Highest. The best example of that is that Allah the Highest prescribed for us the SALAH, however all the details about the SALAH we learned from Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him. The times, number, manner of SALAH, the number of Rakaas and what we do and say each time, we learned from Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him. Those who believe that they need only obey Allah’s commands in the Quran only; that they may pray any time they like, any manner they wish and say what they wish when they pray, which is not so. It is not an accident that Allah the Highest made the instructions concerning our most important worship, the SALAH, come through Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him, and not in the Quran.
There is a big difference between hearing and listening. We hear everything that goes on around us, but we listen only to what we pay attention to and what we wish to understand and comprehend. There are those who cannot hear or comprehend, and those who hear but cannot understand or comprehend. Human beings are given the ability to hear and comprehend and therefore, are given the ability to choose. It is because of the ability to understand and comprehend and ability to choose, that we are tried, and rewarded, or punished, for our actions. Those who do not possess this human ability, due to illness or madness are not responsible for their actions. Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “The sins of three are not written down; the boy (child) until puberty, the sleeping person until he rises, and the insane until he recovers”.
The analogy of the disbelievers is that of the animals, who, do not understand or comprehend, therefore they just follow the herd.
Allah the Highest knows what is in our hearts, and those whose hearts have no goodness, are not helped, to be guided and finding the right way. They are left without listening, understanding or comprehending. Those who seek to understand are helped to understand, as for those who do not seek to understand, they are left deaf and without understanding.
Allah the Highest shows his anger to the disbelievers who choose to disbelieve, by sealing their hearts and understanding from receiving guidance. Allah the Highest said: “NAY, BUT STAINED THEIR HEARTS WHAT THEY EARNED”. (S:83 A:14)
This stain is a seal and is a punishment due to Allah’s anger.
Anfal 24
24- YOU WHO BELIEVE RESPOND TO ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER WHEN HE CALLS YOU FOR WHAT YOU NEED FOR YOUR LIFE, AND KNOW THAT ALLAH MAY COME BETWEEN A PERSON AND HIS HEART, AND THAT TO HIM YOU WILL RETURN.
Allah the Highest sent us His messenger and book to guidance which should give us good life, in this life and in the Hereafter. Allah the Highest guides us to what is good for our life, in practical every day terms, in religious, ethical and moral sense. This guidance, we will find in the Quran and in the teachings of Mohamed prayer and peace upon him.
It is clear that Allah the Highest is addressing the believers in this Ayah, and it is expected that the believers will respond positively to this command and what it entails. Should Allah’s rules and guidance come in conflict with the man made rules, we should then know that Allah’s guidance and rules are the ones which will give us good life.
“AND KNOW THAT ALLAH MAY COME BETWEEN A PERSON AND HIS HEART”.
Our hearts here mean what we like and dislike, and what we believe and do not believe, are subject to change. A believer’s heart might be with Allah the Highest at one time, and might be distant from Allah at other times. Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him was heard saying: “O He who turns the hearts, make our hearts steadfast for Your Faith”. We said: “Allah’s messenger, we believed in you and what you came with, do you fear for us?” He said: “Yes, the hearts are held between two of Allah’s fingers to turn the way He pleases”. (Termezi & Ahmed)
Being close to Allah the Highest and to obey Him and to have Allah the Highest always near our hearts is a protection for the believer’s heart and soul, from the whispers and temptations of Satan, and from the temptations of the persons own mind, thoughts and inclinations.
Then to Allah the Highest we will return to be held to account for our deeds, and to be rewarded and punished. Each of us will go to face Allah the Highest and his account alone, as Allah the Highest said: “BUT EVERY ONE IN THE HEAVENS AND EARTH WILL COME TO THE MERCIFUL AS A SLAVE * HE KNOWS AND COUNTED THEM IN NUMBERS * AND EACH WILL COME TO HIM ON THE DAY OF RESURRECTION ALONE”. (S: 19 A: 93-95)
People will then have to face their book of deeds which does not miss a thing, minor or major “AND THEY SAY: “O WHAT A DREADFUL END WE WILL HAVE, WHY DOES THIS BOOK NOT LEAVE A MINOR OR MAJOR DEED WITHOUT BEING ACCOUNTED FOR?” AND THEY FOUND ALL THEY DID THERE, FOR YOUR LORD IS NOT UNJUST TO ANYONE”. (S: 18 A: 49)
Returning to Allah on the Day of Resurrection is for answering for our deeds, and it is too late to put things right then. Returning to Allah the Highest now is our chance to put our life right before it is too late.
Anfal 25
25- AND GUARD YOURSELF FROM A TRIAL AND TEMPTATION WHICH WILL NOT AFFECT THE TRANSGRESSORS AMONGST YOU ONLY, AND KNOW THAT ALLAH IS STERN IN PUNISHMENT.
Trying and testing people is Allah’s policy on Earth, and it is Allah’s policy with every creature which has a choice. Satan was tried and tested by the command to prostrate to Adam, and Adam was tested when he was forbidden a particular tree in Paradise. Allah the Highest said: “DID PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY WILL BE LEFT FOR SAYING: WE BELIEVE, WITHOUT BEING TRIED AND TESTED * FOR WE HAVE TRIED AND TESTED THOSE BEFORE THEM, SO THAT ALLAH MAY KNOW THE TRUTHFUL AND KNOW THE LIARS”. (S: 29 A: 2-3)
The trials and temptations are meant for the good and bad, the transgressors, and righteous.
The sinful and transgressors suffer more from the trial, for they live on the earthly pleasures, and they are not armed by the faith and morale fibre which helps them deal with the difficulties in life.
The believer with a strong faith however tolerate the trials and temptations more, for he knows that Allah the Highest said: “THERE IS NOT AN AFFLICTION IN EARTH OR IN YOURSELVES BUT IS HAS BEEN WRITTEN DOWN IN A BOOK, BEFORE ITS VERY CREATION, AND THIS IS EASY FOR ALLAH * SO THAT YOU MAY NOT GRIEVE FOR WHAT YOU MISSED AND DO NOT BE OVERJOYED BY WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN, FOR ALLAH DOES NOT LIKE THOSE WHO SHOW OFF, AND THE ARROGANT”. (S: 57 A: 23)
Allah the Highest rewards the believer for being patient and tolerating the afflictions. Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Whatever afflicts the believer of ailment, tiredness, sickness, grief, or even a worry that worries him, that will be taken to forgive some of his bad deeds”. (M: Ber; 52 & B: Marda; 1 & T: Janaez; 1 & A: 2; 303)
Allah the Highest is commanding us to protect ourselves from this temptation which strikes the good and the bad, the transgressors and the righteous, which carries a stern punishment from those who fail.
How do we guard ourselves from such trials and temptations as Muslim?
By Patience and Perseverance with Allah’s Faith, and by worship, for Allah the Highest said: “YOU WHO BELIEVE; SEEK HELP IN PATIENCE, PERSEVERANCE AND SALAH, FOR ALLAH IS WITH THOSE WHO ARE PATIENT AND PERSEVERE”. (S: 2 A: 153)
By Observing Allah’s commands and prohibitions.
By enjoining what is right and forbidding what is evil and wrong, for Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “You should enjoin what is right and forbidden what is wrong, otherwise Allah’s punishment will befalls you”.
And by repenting and asking for forgiveness for our sins.
This is how we may protect ourselves from Allah’s anger and punishment.
Anfal 26
26- AND REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE FEW AND MEEK ON EARTH, FEARING SOME OF TO BE SNATCHED BY PEOPLE, BUT ALLAH GAVE YOU SHELTER, SUPPORTED YOU WITH HELP AND VICTORY, AND PROVIDED FOR YOU OF ALL GOOD THINGS, SO THAT YOU MAY GIVE THANKS.
The Muslims were weak and meek and they became strong and feared. They were unable to protect themselves so that they had to migrate from their land, Makah, and leave their homes and property behind, fearing the prosecution of the disbelievers, to escape with their lives and faith, to where they found shelter, help and support in Medina (was called Yathrib before the migration)
The Arabs as a nation were divided into many tribes, some dwelling town and others dwelling the desert. They did not have a government or common leadership. They had the Persian Empire to their east, and the Roman to their North and west and the Abyssinian to the south. The Arab tribes were always in wars with one another and often raided one another. They would not unit even when the army of Abrahah the Abyssinian general marched through their land to destroy their most sacred house of worship, the Kabba.
Under Islam however, they united, formed one state which grow into the biggest and strongest Empire on Earth at the time, where knowledge, science, and arts flourished. A state based on Law, Justice and morale principles. Islam was the main instrument in changing their lives and future.
At present, the Muslim nation is divided into many states, some are without a government, and Freedom and Justice at the Muslim states are at their lowest. Parts of the Muslim Land is occupied; such as Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan. We have plenty of wealth which is squandered on trivia and luxury. We rely on others to provide us with technology and to learn science from, and to provide us with weapons and even on our national security. The clock turned around, and we went back to where we were before Islam, seeking exaltation and power from other than Allah, and we become just meek and humiliated. Allah the Highest said: “THOSE WHO TAKE THE DISBELIEVERS FOR ALLIES INSTEAD OF THE BELIEVERS, ARE THEY SEEKING SUPPORT AND STRENGTH FROM THEM, BUT ALL THE SUPPORT AND STRENGTH IS WITH ALLAH”. (S: 4 A: 139)
Allah the Highest reminds us that support and strength comes from Allah the Highest and from our alliance with Him, not with others, and certainly not with the disbelievers. Such Alliance can be achieved by observing our Islamic Faith, worshipping and obeying Allah the Highest only. To seek exaltation and power with other than Allah the Highest; will lead us to weakness and submission. Supporting Allah’s faith and religion is to only way to having Allah’s support and enter His Paradise, for Allah the Highest said: “YOU WHO BELIEVE, IF YOU SUPPORT ALLAH, HE WILL SUPPORT YOU AND MAKE YOUR FOOT HOLD FIRM”. (S: 47 A: 7)
Allah the Highest is telling us our ailment and in the meantime prescribes us our remedy.
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