What is Islam
01- The Holly Kalimah
02- Salaah (The Prayer)
03- Zakaah
04- Soum (Fasting)
05- Hajj
06- Taqwaa (Piety)
07- Honesty in Dealing
08- Social Conduct & Mutual Relations
09- Good Manners & Nobel Qualities
10- Love of Allah, Nabi (SAWW)
11- Preaching & Propagation
12- Constancy
13- Jihad
14- Martyrdom
15- Life after Death
16- Heaven & Hell
17- Zikr
18- Dua
19- Durood Shareef
20- Taubah
CONSTANCY
One of the special responsibilities a man owes to Allah (Subhaanahu Wata'aalaa) once he has accepted the faith of Islam is that he remains firm and steadfast in his faith at all times and in all circumstances. He is expected to uphold the faith with all his courage and strength, however, adverse the conditions may be. He must not prove disloyal to Islam in any event. He must not give it up. This is what is meant by 'constancy of faith'. Such men have been spoken of very highly in the Holy Quraan and a bountiful reward has been promised to them in the Hereafter. It says:
In
the case of Those who say, "Our Lord is Allah, and, further, stand
straight and stead fast, the angels descend on them (from time to
time): "Fear ye not" (they suggest), "Nor grieve! But receive the
tidings of the Garden (of Bliss) which ye were promised! We are your
protectors in this life and in the Hereafter / Therein shall ye have
all that your souls will desire! Therein shall ye have all that ye ask
for! A hospitable gift from One, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
[XLI:30-31]
What wonderful tiding does the above
verse contain for those who are constant in faith and who patiently
preserve and remain steadfast in times of misfortune and peril. If one
could attain this position even at the cost of one's life, property and
everything it would not be a bad bargain indeed.
It is related
that once a Companion asked the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihe Wasallam) to
tell him something that could suffice for him always and after which he
would not have the need to turn for advice to anyone. The Prophet
(Sallallahu Alaihe Wasallam) said, "Say, Allah (Subhaanahu Wata'aalaa)
(alone) is my Lord", and tick to it (i.e., conduct your life in
accordance with it unswervingly)."
For our benefit and
guidance a number of extremely inspiring parables have been narrated in
the Holy Quraan of devout and faithful servants of Allah (Subhaanahu
Wata'aalaa) who remained true to faith in circumstances of utmost
distress and suffering. Neither fear nor greed could make them deviate
from the path they had chosen. One such parable is of the Magicians of
Egypt who were summoned to challenge Prophet Moses (Alaihis Salaam) and
great rewards and honours had been promised to them. Yet after the
truth of Divine inspiration and the Apostolic message of Moses (Alaihis
Salaam) had dawned upon them, they cared neither for the riches and
honours the Pharaoh had promised nor for the savage punishment they
were sure to receive at his hands for disobeying his commands. Rising
above the considerations of gain or loss, they boldly declared before
the vast assembly of men, "We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses."
Later, when they were threatened by that enemy of Allah (Subhaanahu
Wata'aalaa), the Pliaraoh, that he would have their arms and legs
severed and then they would be hanged on the gallows they replied
dauntlessly, displaying magnificent courage of conviction that:
"So
decree whatever thou desirest to decree: for thou canst, decree
(touching) only the life of this world. For us we have believed in our
Lord: may He forgives us our sins. [XX:72-73]
Still
more inspiring is the story of Pharaoh's wife. You know that pharaoh
was the all-powerful monarch of Egypt whose wife was the sole mistress
of his heart. From this you can imagine how enviable would have been
her lot. All the world's glories and luxuries were at her feet. Yet
when the innermost depths of her soul were stirred by the Divine call
of Moses (Alaihis Salaam), she did not give a thought to what her
husband would do to her or how her life of cloudless bliss would change
into one of colossal distress and misery. Regardless of the
consequences she proclaimed her faith and once she had done so she
flinched not from the path of duty towards Allah (Subhaanahu
Wata'aalaa) and religion although the torture she was subjected to was
truly barbarous, the very idea of which is enough to make our flesh
creep even today. In return for it, such a unique honour was conferred
on her by Allah (Subhaanahu Wata'aalaa) that her name has been
mentioned reverentially in the Holy Quraan and the patient perseverance
displayed by her and her sacrifice have been held forth as an example
to all Muslims.
And
Allah sets forth, as an example to those who believe, the wife of
Pharaoh: behold, she said! "Build for me in nearness to Thee, a mansion
in the Garden, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings, an save me from
those that do wrong. [LXVI:II]
Glory be! What rare
honour, what matchless distinction, really, that Allah (Subhaanahu
Wata'aalaa) has chosen for the constancy of faith of that blessed lady
to serve as an example to the entire Ummah, from Hadhrat Abu Bakr (RA)
down to the last generation of Muslims before the Last Day.
It
is related that when the atrocities perpetrated by the Polytheists of
Makkah on Muslims exceeded all limits and the Companions approached the
Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihe Wasallam) to pray to Allah (Subhaanahu
Wata'aalaa) for mercy and protection, the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihe
Wasallam) remarked, "You have become disheartened so soon! Men of Allah
(Subhaanahu Wata'aalaa) before you were subjected to such brutal
torture that combs of red hot iron were driven into their heads and the
skulls of some of them were sawed off into two and yet they remained
steadfast and did not abandon their faith."