Examples of Strength in Faith in the Lives of the Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention
Anyone who reads the books of Sunnah and Seerah (biography), and reviews the stories of the Prophets and Messengers, will find that strength in practicing the religion, facing the disbelievers, as well as in calling others to Allah The Almighty was evident in their lives.
Prophet Nooh (Noah), may Allah exalt his mention, was engaged in Da’wah (propagation to Islam) day and night, in secret and in open; it was said that he even went to their homes to preach to them. However, his people would make him bleed until he would faint; and even then, whenever he would regain consciousness, he would say to them, "Worship Allah, for you have no deity other than Him." For nine hundred and fifty years, he persevered in his Da‘wah and in the end, only a few people had believed in him. Did he lose heart or discontinue his Da‘wah? Never!
In fact, he, may Allah exalt his mention, was ordered to build a ship, which he did on land, knowing well that Allah The Almighty would set it to sail and anchor it. So, whenever some of his people passed by and mocked him, he would simply respond with what is stated in the verse (which means): {If you ridicule us, then we will ridicule you just as you ridicule.} [Quran 11:38]
Likewise, Prophet Ibraheem (Abraham), may Allah exalt his mention, demolished the idols of his people, invited his father to Islam, confronted his people and debated An-Namrood (Nimrod), who dominated the world in his time. He also left Haajar (Hagar) and Ismaa‘eel (Ishmael), may Allah exalt their mention, in a desolate place, even set about slaughtering his son in order to obey the order of Allah The Almighty, traveled the world, strove in His cause not fearing any earthly power and openly declared that he set out to his Lord and His guidance. Allah The Almighty describes him, Saying (what means): {Indeed, Abraham was a [comprehensive] leader, devoutly obedient to Allah, inclining toward truth, and he was not of those who associate others with Allah. [He was] grateful for His favors. Allah chose him and guided him to a straight path.} [Quran 16:120-121]
Similarly, Prophet Moosaa (Moses), may Allah exalt his mention, challenged Pharaoh who claimed Lordship and Divinity; he even defied the magicians who were said to number seventy thousand. Thus, the young woman in Madyan, where he had set out to, said about him (what means): {O my father, hire him; surely the most charitable [man] you [can hire is the [one who is] powerful [and] trustworthy.} [Quran 28:26] The strength of Prophet Moosaa, may Allah exalt his mention, was evident in his preaching to the Children of Israel, patience with them and invitation of them to adhere firmly to the religion of Allah The Almighty, Who quotes him, Saying (what means): {Seek help through Allah and be patient. Indeed, the earth belongs to Allah. He causes to inherit it whom He wills of His servants. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous.} [Quran 7:128] It also manifested in the manner in which he honored the symbols of Allah The Almighty, as well as when he dropped the Tablets and seized his brother by his hair, pulling him toward him.
Anyone who reads the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad will, too, find faith-related strength perfectly highlighted in his Da’wah and endurance of the harms that his people inflicted on him and his noble Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. Nonetheless, his response was: “If they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, in order to [make me] abandon this [mission], I would not do so until Allah makes it reign supreme or I perish in its defense."
The disbelievers first made generous offers to him so that he would renounce the Da‘wah, but he remained persistent. They then collaborated to kill him, but Allah The Almighty saved him. He had to emigrate from the most lovable city to his Lord and to himself, and yet, he never forsook striving for Him in Makkah or Madeenah.
Not only was he endowed with strength in faith, but also physical prowess. He was always resolute, even in the heat of battle, so much so that the courageous among the Companions, may Allah be pleased with him, would even seek refuge with him. On the day of the campaign of Hunayn, when Muslims were in the throes of what seemed like defeat, he continued to declare, "I am the Prophet, [that is] no lie; I am the son of ‘Abdul-Muttalib" until his Companions, may Allah be pleased with him, gathered around him. He triumphed over Rukaanah, one of the Arabs famous for his strength, in wrestling, thrice.
The Mother of the Believers, Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, would provide Muhammad with food, when he would seclude himself to worship Allah The Almighty in the cave of Hiraa' for many consecutive nights. This happened before his Bi’thah (commissioning as a Prophet); indeed, who can do this now?
The righteous predecessors
If we examine the circumstances of the righteous predecessors, we will also observe their truthful obedience, with power and determination, and without any change or alteration.
The righteous man mentioned in the Chapter Yaaseen, for instance, witnessed the death of the messengers, yet, he came from the farthest end of the city in an attempt to revive the faith and addressed the people, saying (what means): {O my people, follow the messengers. Follow those who do not ask of you [any] payment, and they are [rightly] guided.} [Quran 36:20-21] Was he not afraid of being harmed or killed? Why did he not take [the safety of] his home and family into consideration? The truth is that he entrusted his affairs to Allah The Almighty, convinced that He would not fail His allies who strictly follow his Sharee’ah in good and bad times. When they took him and killed him, he advised them then as he would in his lifetime; Allah The Almighty quotes him, Saying (what means): {I wish my people could know. Of how my Lord has forgiven me and placed me among the honored.} [Quran 36:26-27] However, they were worthless in the sight of Allah The Almighty as He continues to Say (what means): {And We did not send down upon his people after him any soldiers from the heaven, nor would We have done so. It was not but one shout, and immediately they were extinguished. How regretful for the servants. There did not come to them any messenger except that they used to ridicule him.} [Quran 36:28-30]
Unwavering faith and profound conviction were the main factors behind the attitude [and actions] of those known as the Companions of the Cave, the lone believer in the family of Pharaoh and those thrown in a ditch because of their faith, as well as the infant ‘Abdullaah, among them.
How else would we interpret the case of Sumayyah, her husband Yaasir and their son ‘Ammaar, may Allah be pleased with them? They were tortured in the cause of Allah The Almighty and yet, they firmly adhered to His obedience. In the same way, the disbelievers would put Bilaal, may Allah be pleased with him, under the burning sun with his back loaded with rocks. Despite that, he would intone: "[Allah is] One, [Allah is] One." A lady known as Umm Tameem would also heat pieces of iron until they turned red and place them on his head until he, may Allah be pleased with him, writhed in pain.
Tortured people on earth are many; some of them have been imprisoned, killed or banished, while others’ heads were even sawed off and yet others cut with combs of iron separating their flesh and bones. However, all this does not cause the strong ones to renounce their religion.
The Prophet too, suffered many hardships, as none on earth was harmed like him at the time. But, he neither faltered nor submitted and would rather say, “Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.”
Indeed, this is a call to Muslims to respond to [this attitude of] the Messenger of Allah and follow him. We must not believe in a part of the Quran and disbelieve in its other sections, for anyone who does so will be subjected to the severest of punishments; and, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Your Lord is not unaware of what you do.} [Quran 28:93]
Let us beware of the traits of hypocrites, who worship Allah The Almighty only in times of welfare, as He Says (what means): {And of the people is he who worships Allah on an edge. If he is touched by good, he is reassured by it; but if he is struck by trial, he turns on his face [to the other direction]. He has lost [this] world and the Hereafter. That is what is the manifest loss.} [Quran 22:11] He also cautions, Saying (what means): {Those who take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek with them honor [through power]? But indeed, honor belongs to Allah entirely.} [Quran 4:139]
Tomorrow, when the Day of Judgment will arrive and anything that was concealed will be exposed, the hypocrites will be shown their deeds, which Allah describes, Saying (what means): {Their deeds are like a mirage in a lowland which a thirsty one thinks is water until, when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing but finds Allah before Him, and He will pay him in full his due; and Allah is Swift in account.} [Quran 24:39]
Thus, we will not be excused for our [feebleness that is apparent in our] amending and replacing the Sharee’ah of Allah, when even Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, would say (what means): {It is not for me to change it on my own accord. I only follow what is revealed to me.} [Quran 10:15]
We must not take concessions or coercion as pretexts. Life is of little worth and Paradise is a precious commodity; that is why the noble free people prefer their demise to humiliation. Indeed, death in the cause of obeying Allah is far better than a life of defiance.
Regarding the destruction of our enemies, it lies in their boasting of their power, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {As for 'Aad, they were arrogant upon the earth without right and said, ‘Who is greater than us in strength?’ Did they not consider that Allah Who created them is greater than them in strength? But they were rejecting Our signs.} [Quran 41:15]
Hence, though our bodies may become frail, our faith and conviction must not. O servants of Allah The Almighty! Abide by His religion with strength and steadfastness, for anyone who retreats, does so only to the detriment of him/herself. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people; then they will not be the likes of you.} [Quran 47:38]