Part 22

If only you were to give us respite for a short time!" Say: "The Enjoining Right & Forbidding Wrong - 44 Translated by Salim Abdallah ibn Morgan provision of this lower life is but little, and the hereafter is better for those who have piety, and you will not be mistreated or dealt with unjustly in the least.] Quran 4/77 Every verse in the Quran in which Allah urges the believers to jihad, and explains its desirability, and harshly criticizes those who turn away from it and neglect it all of that constitutes a condemnation of cowardice. Human Affairs Will Not Go Straight Except With Courage And Generosity Since reform of human affairs in this world and the next will not be perfected except with the presence of courage and generosity, Allah has explained to us that anyone who turns his back on courage - by failing to struggle in the path of Allah - will be replaced by others who will fulfill their duties. And whoever turns away from the spending of their property in the path of Allah, will be replaced by others who will fulfill their duties. Allah said: [O, you who believe, what is wrong with you such that when you are called to come forth in the path of Allah, you become heavy, stuck to the earth? Are you contented with the life of this world in preference to the hereafter? Verily, the provisions of this life are but little in relation to the hereafter. If you fail to come forth, Allah will punish you a painful punishment, will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Allah in the least. Allah is capable of all things.] Quran 9/38-39 [You are the ones, you are called to spend in the path of Allah. Then, some of you are miserly and withhold. And whoever withholds denies only himself. Allah is wealthy, free of all needs, and you are the impoverished ones. If you turn away, Allah will replace you with another people, and they will not be like you.] Quran 47/38 It was courage and generosity with which Allah preferred "those who came before" (asSaabiquun), saying: [They are not the same, those of you who spent (in the path of Allah) and fought and struggled before the victory - these have a greater reward than Enjoining Right & Forbidding Wrong - 45 Translated by Salim Abdallah ibn Morgan those who only spent of their wealth and struggled and fought after that, and to each of them, Allah has promised good.] Quran 57/10 Allah has mentioned jihad with ones life and ones property in His path, and praised them in many verses of His book. This is courage and forbearance in obedience to Allah ta'ala. Allah said: [How many small groups have overcome large groups with the permission of Allah? Allah is with those who have patience.] Quran 2/249 [O, you who believe, when you meet (an opposing) army, be steadfast and remember Allah much, that you may be successful. And obey Allah and His Prophet, and do not disagree such that you cause your own defeat, and lose your (favorable) wind. And be patient, verily Allah is with those who have patience.] Quran 8/46 What Is Courage? Courage is not strength of the body. A man may be strong physically, but weak in heart. Rather, courage is the strength of the heart and its steadfastness. The critical factors in warfare are physical strength, skill in warfare, and the courage and steadfastness of the hearts of the fighters. The only courage which is praiseworthy is courage based on knowledge and information, not mere wildness, with neither thought nor differentiation between praiseworthy and blameworthy actions. For this reason the strong and capable, as defined by Islam, is the one who can control himself when in anger such that he does only that which is truly beneficial. As for the one who is overcome by his anger, he is neither courageous nor capable. A Return To Patience And Its Types As we have said, the key to true strength is patience, it is a necessary element. Patience is of two types: patience when angry, and patience when afflicted with calamity. Al-Hassan (i.e. Al-Basry) said: Enjoining Right & Forbidding Wrong - 46 Translated by Salim Abdallah ibn Morgan "No slave of Allah has struck a more effective blow than wisdom and forbearance in anger and patience in the face of calamity." This is because the common element in all of these things is patience with what is painful. The courageous and capable is the one who can be patient and persevere in spite of pain. Something painful - if it is something which can be driven away - causes anger. And, if it is something which cannot be driven away, it causes grief (huzn). This is why the face becomes flushed in anger, as the blood boils due a feeling of power and capability to destroy what is causing the anger, and the face becomes pale and bloodless in grief, as the blood recedes due to the feeling of weakness and inability to do anything about the cause of grief.