Resolve, Conviction & Faith in Allah Ta’ala

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ*

'And when you have resolved [to do something], rely on God; for God loves those who rely [on Him].'

(Surat Aale-Imraan: 159)

This article was written by Ra'sul Hududil Mayameen Janab Syedi Aziz Bhaisaheb Qutbuddin in 2015.

As the month of Rabiul Awwal, the month of Rasulullah’s SA Milad, ends we remember our guide and Prophet, Rasulullah SA. There is no better exemplar of resolve, conviction and faith and tawakkul in Allah Ta’ala than Rasulullah SA. In the early days of establishing the religion of Islam, Rasulullah SA faced extreme slander, persecution, and hostility from the tribe of Quraysh. Initially, the numbers of those who followed Rasulullah SA were very limited and the people of the Quresh tribe ridiculed Rasulullah’s SA mission. As the number of Rasulullah’s followers increased, the Quresh’s ridicule turned to concern and hostility. When the season of Hajj approached, the Quresh plotted together and decided that they would tell all those who came to Mecca for Hajj that Muhammad was a magician who enchanted people into following him (Hajj was an Abrahamic tradition and people came for Hajj to Baitullah even before Islam). Though many powerful people of Quraysh were against him, Rasulullah SA had the protection of Maulana Abu Talib AS, Rasulullah’s SA paternal uncle, who had great stature in the tribe. When Rasulullah’s SA grandfather Maulana Abdul Muttalib AS passed away, it was to Abu Talib that he entrusted the upbringing of Rasulullah SA. While Rasulullah SA was in Maulana Abu Talib’s AS protection, the Qurayshis dared not attempt to kill Rasulullah SA. Indeed, as a poet has eloquently expressed, if it were not for Abu Talib AS and his son Ali SA, the religion of Islam would not have been established.

Soon enough, the Qurayshis approached Imam Abu Talib AS and asked him to restrain Rasulullah SA and threatened him with dire consequences. Maulana Abu Talib AS tested Rasulullah’s SA conviction and resolve: Abu Talib informed Rasulullah of the Quraysh’s threat and the increasing difficulty of the situation, seeming to imply that protection of Rasulullah SA and his cause was becoming impossible. Rasulullah SA felt that now, even Maulana Abu Talib AS was abandoning him. His eyes welled with tears as he said to Abu Talib AS: “I swear by Allah Ta’ala, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand, and demand that I forsake this religion and mission, then by God I will not. Not until this religion spreads across the lands or until I die professing it.” Maulana Abu Talib AS replied, “I swear by Allah Ta’ala that I will never forsake you. Go and establish Da’wat as you have for I will never surrender you to them.”

Such was Rasulullah’s SA resolve and such was his tawakkul and faith in Allah Ta’ala. A true practitioner of the teaching in the Qur’anic Ayat quoted above, “and when you have resolved [upon a matter], then keep your faith in Allah Ta’ala. (Surat Aale-Imran: 159)”

Today, Rasullulah’s SA Da’wat continues. An Imam in the progeny of Rasulullah SA graces the face of this earth. In his seclusion, his Da’i establishes his Da’wat. We have not seen Rasulullah SA, but we see in his Da’i today the same resolve and conviction. We see absolute unshakeable tawakkul and faith in Allah Ta’ala.

In his qasida written on Eid ul Fitar last year, Syedna Qutbuddin TUS wrote, “I am fida on my Maula Imam-uz-zaman with pure intent and firm resolve.”

اَفْدِيْ عَلىٰ مَوْلىٰ الْخَلائِقِ مَالِكِي

بِخُلُوْصِ نِيَّاتٍ وَعَزْمٍ مُحْكَمٖ

Throughout this year, we have seen Syedna TUS face all challenges with a firm resolve and complete trust in Allah Ta’ala. He is a living exemplar of resolve and tawakkul.

May Allah Ta’ala give us the strength to follow his example and remain steadfast in our belief in his Da’wat, the Da’wat of the 52 Dai’s, the Da’wat of Imam-uz-zaman and the Da’wat of Rasulullah SA. May Allah Ta’ala give us strong resolve and faith in Him in all our endevours.