Bismillah
Man is deluded by the illusion of control.
How many nights have been spent plotting and analyzing as though our plotting and analyzing could, on their own, reverse time and destroy civilizations?
It is not uncommon to want to be a step ahead of everyone else in this unpredictable game of “life”. As all unpredictable games, harmful uncertainties could attack at any instance. Man tries to avoid that by armoring himself with pessimism and cynicism. After all, wouldn’t expecting all snakes to be venomous protect you from the debilitating pain associated with a venomous bite?
The muslim finds it difficult to reconcile between his natural predisposition as a distrustful human being fighting to survive and what is required of him as a slave of The Most High and a follower of the sunnatic traditions. Here you have a humanly force telling you that assuming evil of everyone is the path to victory, and a divine force admonishing believers to have good thoughts of one another.
It would be common sense to follow all that is divine; unfortunately, the heart submits according to its level of faith, so while the strong believer finds it easy, by the will of Allah, to willingly accept divine instruction, the not as strong believer needs persuasion.
Short history:
In the 6th year of the Hijrah, the Prophet SAW set out from Madina to Makkah to make ‘umrah. The Makkans, as hostile as ever, stopped him from doing that. In Allah’s wisdom, it led to the drafting of a treaty: the famous Treaty of Hudaibiyah.
How could the muslims trust the disbelievers of Makkah who’d send them out of their homes and persecuted some of their brethren to uphold these agreements? Is a people known for burying their own daughters alive to be trusted not to betray the conditions of a document?
How could the muslims accept this and not sense possible treachery?
Because Allah, The Perfect, had told them what to do in such an instance:
Al-Anfal - 8:61
وَإِن جَنَحُوا۟ لِلسَّلْمِ فَٱجْنَحْ لَهَا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
If the enemy is inclined towards peace, make peace with them. And put your trust in Allah. Indeed, He ˹alone˺ is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
Al-Anfal - 8:62
وَإِن يُرِيدُوٓا۟ أَن يَخْدَعُوكَ فَإِنَّ حَسْبَكَ ٱللَّهُۚ هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِهِۦ وَبِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
But if their intention is only to deceive you, then Allah is certainly sufficient for you. He is the One Who has supported you with His help and with the believers.
Al-Anfal - 8:63
وَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْۚ لَوْ أَنفَقْتَ مَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مَّآ أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
He brought their hearts together. Had you spent all the riches in the earth, you could not have united their hearts. But Allah has united them. Indeed, He is Almighty, All-Wise.
The commandment is to agree to a ceasefire with the enemy, as long as they seek reconciliation. This doesn’t mean that they will not pull one over you, as they might; comfort lies in relying upon Allah, and believing that He hears the silent thoughts of the one intending to betray, and He knows all of their plots.
If the muslims could enter an agreement comfortably with disbelievers, is the believer not worthier of this?
This does not mean that we trust every being with two lungs and a liver; of course, we judge man by what we know of him of the apparent. A person undoubtedly untrustworthy does not deserve such trust. For the ones whom we have seen good from, we have good thoughts based on what we know, and rely upon Allah for what we do not know.
Knowing this eases sincerity and excellence in our relationships, because what poisons a bond more than the thought that one party has some hidden evil agenda?
So, go above and beyond; do the most, for the sake of Allah, and do not worry about ‘What Ifs’. Is Allah not sufficient for His slave?
Assalaamu alaikum.
This came at right time for me. Alhamdulillah the plan of Allah is indeed the best plan. Jazakallahu khairan for this piece!!!
I needed to read this so badly today. Making a decision in my life and “what if’s” are plaguing my thoughts
Jazakillahu khayran for this newsletter
It was timely.
May you be blessed with plenty barakah filled days uhkti 💛