In profane society, people develop their characters according to the power or status they possess. For the individual to be self-confident, he must be either very rich or famous, or beautiful or handsome. Being the son or daughter of a “respected” man is also an important reason for self-confidence in a purely ignorant community.
However it is quite a different matter for the believers. This is because the believers rely for support on no one but Allah, attach no importance to any of the worldly criteria that the unbelievers follow. Allah is always the supporter of the believers. He never lets them down in the face of opposition from the unbelievers. “Allah has decreed: ‘It is I and My messengers who must prevail’ ”(Surat al-Mujadila, 58:21), so the messengers and those who follow them will triumph with this great support. Allah guarantees:
“If they intend to deceive you, Allah is sufficient for you. He it is Who has strengthened you with His help and with the believers.”
It should never be forgotten that it is only Allah who strengthens and improves the believers and enables them to succeed. It is not enough just to depend on physical cause and effect. These can achieve nothing, except being prayers in action. Of greater avail is verbal prayer, for it is in response to prayer, that Allah produces the desired results. That is why the believers have to rely solely on the support of Allah.
As a result, they become so courageous and confident as to challenge the world. They become too strong to be affected by any negative thought or action. Musa (Moses), who did not lose heart while all his people transgressed, said:
“If you show ingratitude, you and all earth together, yet is Allah free of all wants, worthy of all praise.”
Musa was that confident and fearless, because he was certain that Allah and His support were always with the believers. Allah had once revealed to him:
Musa’s attitude should definitely be an example to all the believers. For Allah has promised to protect and support not only Musa and other messengers, but all believers—every one them—against the unbelievers, and lead them to triumph. As stated in the Qur’an;
“...never will Allah grant to the unbelievers a way (to triumphs) over the believers.”
The believers are responsible for merely maintaining their devotion to Allah and being good servants of Him. When this is the case, they will have nothing to fear.
“O you who believe! Guard your own souls:
If you follow (right) guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who stray; to Allah is your return, it is He that will show you the truth of all that you do.”
Unbelievers can never do harm to the righteous. All plans and plots made against the believers will be useless. In the verse below, this mystery is explained:
“Mighty indeed were the plots which they made, but their plots were (well) within the sight of Allah, even though they were such as to shake the hills!”
While unbelievers plot against believers, in reality Allah "draws them near to destruction by degrees from whence they know not." (Surat al-A’raf, 7:182). They suppose that they are superior to the believers and can easily beat them. However, Allah is on the believers’ side and His Power, Glory and Greatness are manifest to them. The Qur’an expresses this truth, which cannot be comprehended by the hypocrites, as follows:
“They are the ones who say, ‘Spend nothing on those who are with Allah’s Messenger, to the end that they may disperse.’ To Allah belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth; but the Hypocrites understand not. They say, ‘If we return to Medina, surely the more honourable will expel therefrom the meaner.’ But honour belongs to Allah and His Messenger, and to the Believers; but the Hypocrites know not.”
This is definitely an unchangeable rule. Believers, in accordance with the verse, “O you who believe! Take your precautions...” (Surat an-Nisa, 4:71), shall always be careful and cautious of unbelievers, but feel the comfort of the above divine rule.
Allah explains the same rule in another verse:
“Those who reject Allah, hinder (men) from the Path of Allah, and resist the Messenger, after Guidance has been clearly shown to them, will not harm Allah in the least but He will make their deeds of no effect.”
