Ninth Indication

Question: Why is it that despite being honoured with so much ‘inâyah and rahmah of Allah and the assistance of Subhân, the people of hidâyah, who are hizbAllah1, foremost the prophets and Fakhr al-‘âlam2 ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm, who is the leader of the prophets, were many times defeated by the people of dhalâlah, who are hizb ash-shaytan3?

Why is it that the munâfiqs of Madina, who were near and close to the nubuwwah and risalah of Khatam al-Anbiya4 brilliant like the sun, his guidance through the miraculousness of the Qur’an, effective like a magnificent elixir and to the haqiqahs of the Qur’an that are more captivating than the attraction that exists in the entire universe, insisted on dhalâlah and did not embrace hidâyah? What is the hikmah of it?

The Answer: It is necessary to explain a profound principle in order to solve this astonishing question, which consists of two parts. It is as follows:

Al-Khâliq Zuljalâl of the universe has two kinds of names: those arising from His Jalâl and those from His Jamâl. Since the requirement of these names is to demonstrate their decrees through different manifestations, Al-Khâliq Zuljalâl mixed opposites in the universe, placed them face-to-face and gave them a transgressive and defensive position towards each other in the form of a sort of beneficial contest with hikmah. He gave them a state of a kind of struggle full of hikmah and benefits, made the opposites transgress one another’s bounds, created conflict and transformation and made the universe subject to the law of change and transformation and the principles of progress and gaining perfection. He gave the law of struggle an even more bizarre form in mankind, who are the comprehensive fruit of the tree of creation. He opened the door to jihâd, the means of all human progress, and gave some devices to hizb ash-shaytan so they could challenge hizbAllah.

It is because of this subtle mystery that the prophets were many times defeated by the people of dhalâlah, and the people of dhalâlah, who are extremely weak and impotent, temporarily gain victory over the people of haqq, who are extremely strong in the ma’nawî aspect and resist them. The mystery of the hikmah of this strange resistance is as follows: In dhalâlah and kufr, there is both non-existence and abandonment, which are extremely easy and do not require action. There is also destruction, which is quite simple and easy, and it requires just a little action. There is also transgression; it makes the people of dhalâlah gain rank and authority by harming many with a little action, intimidating them and behaving like Pharaoh. There is also the satisfaction, pleasure and freedom of man’s vegetable and animal powers (quwwa) that do not see consequences and are addicted to present pleasure; those powers (quwwa) cause man’s subtle faculties, like the heart and the mind, to give up their duties that nurture humanity and are cautious about consequences.

In the sacred way of the people of hidâyah, foremost the prophets and their leader Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm, Habîbu Rabb Al-‘âlamîn5, there is existence; it requires firmness, constructiveness, restoring, improving and activity; it is based on important principles such as being in istiqâmah in boundaries, being cautious about consequences, ‘ubûdiyyah, and breaking the Pharaoh state of nafs al-ammarah and its independence; therefore, the munâfiqs of that time in Medina al-Munawwarah closed their eyes to that radiant sun like bats, captivated by a shaytanic force of repulsion against that immense attraction and remained in dhalâlah.

If it is said: Since Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm is Habîbu Rabb Al-‘âlamîn, and it is haqq in his hand and haqiqah on his tongue, and some of the soldiers in his army were malâikah. He watered a whole army with one handful of water. He gave a feast that fed a thousand men with four handfuls of wheat and the meat of a kid. He threw a handful of dust at the eyes of the army of the kâfirs, and that handful of dust entered the eyes of each of them and caused them to flee. How is it that this commander of Ar-Rabb, the possessor of a thousand miracles such as these, was defeated at the end of the Uhud battle and the beginning of Hunayn?

The Answer: Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm was sent to mankind as an exemplary person, guide and imam so that mankind should learn the principles of social and personal life from him, become accustomed to obeying the laws of Al-Hakîm Zulkamâl arising from His will and act in conformity with the principles of His hikmah. If Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm had always relied on wonders and miracles, he could not have been the absolute imam and the greatest guide.

It was because of this mystery that he displayed miracles from time to time when there was a need, only to make his claim affirmed and break the denial of the deniers. Just as, at other times, he obeyed the commands of Allah more than anyone, so did he act in conformity with the laws of ‘Âdâtullah that are established through the hikmah of Ar-Rabb and the will of Subhân and submit to them more than anyone. He would wear armour when confronting the enemy and ordered, "Enter the trench!" He received injuries and suffered hardship so that he could perfectly show to his ummah the obedience and submission to the laws of the hikmah of Allah and the great Sharî’ah of fitrah in the universe.