Welcome to our weekly programme "Path towards Enlightenment" in which we present you a fluent and easy-to-understand explanation of the ayahs of the holy Qur’an. We start from where we left you last Friday and here are ayahs 18 and 19 of Surah Ahzab:

 “Allah knows those of you who discourage others, and those who say to their brethren, ‘Come to us!’ and they take little part in the battle;”

“Grudging you [their help]. So when there is panic, you see them observing you, their eyes rolling, like someone fainting at death. Then, when the panic is over, they scald you with [their] sharp tongues in their greed for riches. They never have had faith. So Allah has made their works fail, and that is easy for Allah.”

Last week, we talked about the role of hypocrites in demoralizing Muslims during the Battle of Ahzab, when a 10,000 joint Arab-Israelite army descended upon Medina to kill the Prophet and wipe out Islam, but to their surprise they saw a deep ditch on the approached to the city that frustrated their designs. In the camp of the Muslims, there were hypocrites who only paid lip service to Islam, and in addition to the fact they had no intention to take part in the battle, they tried to create fear amongst the Muslim defenders by exaggerating the might of the invading forces in order to dissuade them from defending Islam and Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him his progeny). Almighty Allah well aware of all the evil propagations of the enemies of truth, who withdrew from the battlefield and persuaded others to leave as well. Those who are weak of become so scared and shaky as if they were already dying before the enemy had even struck at them.

As the next ayah means to say, they are misers not only in giving their souls in the battlefield, but also in giving financial helps for providing the tools and means of war. It is miserliness together with avarice and an avarice which increases every day. The holy Qur’an refers to several of the negative characteristics of the hypocrites. These characteristics are common and general in all hypocrites, whether during the time of the Prophet or now in our own times. In every age and place, such persons of weak faith are found among Muslims, who have no stomach to defend Islam, and may even serve as the Fifth Column for the enemy.

From these ayahs we learn that:

1. When faced by the enemy, we should be careful about persons whose faith in God is weak since not only they flee the battlefront but they deter others from defending through their demoralizing propaganda and disappointing words.
2. In danger, the hypocrites are stingy in helping combatants and when danger is over, they are greedy for collecting the gains of the battlefields. These are the signs of hypocrites.
3. Among the other characteristics of the hypocrites are fear of the enemy in danger, and when the danger is over, speaking in sharp tongues to fellow Muslims, as if they are the main conquerors of the battle and shout like creditors and demand their share of the spoils with rough words.

Now we listen to and read ayah 20 of Surah Ahzab:

“They suppose the confederates have not left yet, and were the confederates to come [again], they would wish they were in the desert with the Bedouins asking about your news, and if they were with you they would fight but a little.”

This ayah refers to the height of fear and weakness of the hypocrites and means to say: Although the enemy has been scattered and no danger threatens Medina, the hypocrites think the powerful enemies are still around the city. Therefore they feel danger and whenever they hear the sound of a horse or a camel, they think that the enemy forces are coming upon them.

They are so overcome by fear that they wish they were in the desert with the Bedouins in order to be safe from danger, and then they ask the news of the city from travelers and would return when full security is guaranteed.

In continuation, the ayah, addressing the faithful means to say: If they stay in the city, most of them would not come to your help against the enemy. So do not worry of their departure or be happy at their stay.

From this ayah we learn that:

1. The hypocrites and persons of weak faith always think that the enemy is stronger than Muslims, and in every encounter the enemy will triumph and the Muslims will lose. They thus make plans on this assumption.
2. Scare and fear of the enemy results in retreat and desertion, while intellect and religion require the faithful to stand against the enemy and not to show weakness.

Now we listen to and read ayah 21 of Surah Ahzab:

“In the Messenger of Allah there is certainly for you an excellent exemplar, for those who look forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remember Allah greatly.”

This ayah describes the Prophet of Islam as the most worthy person to be emulated for those who are devoted to God Almighty, are constantly conscious of the Divine Presence, and have firm belief in the Day of Resurrection when all humanity will be raised to life for the final judgment. In other words, the models for the behaviour of Muslims should not be persons of weak faith or hypocrites.

It is interesting to note that during the defence of Medina in the face of the strong Arab-Israelite force of confederates, the Prophet took part in the digging of the ditch, as it was his habit to practically take part in all daily chores of life, in order to serve as the supreme and most excellent exemplar for Muslims. This is proof of the fact that the Prophet is the best pattern for Muslims in all spheres of life. His excellent spiritual conditions, his devotion to Allah, his patience and perseverance, his awareness, his wit, his sincerity, his magnanimity, and his cheerfulness in tackling the hardships and difficulties of life, can each be a pattern and a lesson for all Muslims. Like an astute captain, he does not show the least weakness or precipitation when his ship faces the strongest tempests. He is also the safest anchor. He is both the guiding torch and the cause of calmness and tranquility of souls. In order to protect the spiritual conditions and coolness of his companions, he jokes with them, and for encouraging them he recites epic poems. He constantly reminds them of the remembrance of Allah, and gives them glad tidings concerning their glorious future and great victories. He makes them aware of the plots of the hypocrites and gives them the required awareness. He does not neglect the correct martial arrangement and selecting the best military methods of defence, even for a moment, and, in the meantime, by applying different ways, he strives to create a gap between the ranks of the enemy.

Yes, he is the best leader and excellent pattern of conduct for the believers in all spheres of life.

From this ayah we learn that:

1. The Prophet practically took part in all spheres of life, just like any other ordinary Muslims. He strove to make Muslims successful both in life and the Hereafter.  
2.  Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny), led a simple and ordinary life, like all other messengers of God, in order to serve as the Most Excellent Exemplar for all Muslims, not only of his time, but for all generations to come.
3. After the Prophet, the Infallible Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt, his divinely-designated successors, set the pattern for the correct behaviour of Muslims through their perfect conduct and manners.
4. When Muslims regard the Prophet and the Ahl al-Bayt as their models in life, they will never become weak or humiliated by the enemies and they will never allow the enemies to dominate them.
5. AS/ME