Sometimes we hear this: “I get obsessive thoughts asking, ‘Where is Allah, the Almighty? Where is His protection and His victory?’”
The answer is as follows:
1) Allah, glory to Him, has made it clear to us that He answers prayers and has shown that He allows afflictions. He has also made it clear that there is no entry into Paradise without undergoing such trials and tribulations.
He says, (أم حسبتم أن تدخلوا الجنة ولما يأتكم مثل الذين خلوا من قبلكم مستهم البأساء والضراء وزلزلوا)
Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, “When is the help of Allah?”
So, do not focus only on the first part of the news and neglect the second part.
2) Allah, glory to Him, narrated to us in His book similar stories to what is happening in Gaza, and even worse. He described Pharaoh, saying, (يذبّح أبناءهم ويستحيي نساءهم)
He kills their sons and keeps their females alive.
Then He made it clear to us that He granted victory to those who were oppressed after a certain period, saying,
(وأورثنا القوم الذين كانوا يُستضعفون مشارق الأرض ومغاربها)
And We caused the people who had been oppressed to inherit the eastern regions of the land and its western regions.
He also explained that their victory was due to their patience, saying, (وتمّت كلمة ربك الحسنى على بني إسرائيل بما صبروا)
And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can alter His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
So, the story is not complete except at its end, not at the beginning.
3) Allah, glory to Him, has made it clear to us that it is His way to grant respite to the oppressors for a certain period, and then He seizes them. He says, (إنّما نُملي لهم ليزدادوا إثما)
We only grant them respite that they may increase in sin.
وقال ﷺ: (إن الله ليملي للظالم)
The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, also said, ‘Verily, Allah gives respite to the oppressor.’
The image has two sides: one related to the oppressed and the other to the oppressor. The scene is not complete without seeing both sides. Allah’s constant practice is not to immediately punish the criminals but to leave them, entice them, and then seize them.
4) The support of Allah for the believers is not only manifested in victory but also in strengthening their hearts and instilling tranquility. Allah says, (إذ يوحي ربك إلى الملائكة أني معكم فثبتوا الذين آمنوا)
When your Lord inspired to the angels, ‘I am with you, so strengthen those who have believed.’ This is what we witness with our own eyes among the people of Gaza and other believers who endure hardships that humans cannot bear, while non-believers collapse under much lesser trials.
5) Allah has informed us extensively in His book about the rewards of the Hereafter that this world is a transient enjoyment and an illusion. He will establish perfect justice on the Day of Judgment, so no soul will be wronged. He has informed us about the Hellfire, punishment, and retribution for the criminals. At that time, all rights will be fulfilled. Those who look at the world with a narrow perspective will not understand.
6) Despite all of this, there is no doubt that the ultimate outcome (in this world) is for the righteous when they uphold their faith and support it. Allah will support His troops and deliver them, as He did with Noah, Abraham, Saleh, Hud, Lot, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, peace be upon them all. This is not exclusive to them; it is a continuous promise and an established tradition after trials and tribulations. Allah says,
(حتى إذا استيئس الرسل وظنوا أنهم قد كذبوا جاءهم نصرنا)
Until when the messengers despaired and were certain that they had been denied, there came to them Our victory.
When we fulfill what pleases Allah and exert our efforts, Allah will never fail to fulfill His promise.
By Ahmad El Moustafa
