{Do not weaken and do not grieve}

Do not weaken and do not grieve

During these unsettled conditions; the believer might forget some issues that he should take into his consideration, thus, we should remind of them frequently lest the righteous mislead the right path. Allah Almighty says: {And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers} [Az-Zaryat:55].

Exaltation is always associated with faith, Allah Almighty says: {So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers} [Al-`Emran:139]. When we contemplate on the verse and know that it has been revealed after a great trial for Muslims, you would know for certainty that the criteria of Allah are different. Allah Almighty stresses that the true believer is more superior to others, and that such superiority is through his faith not influence, and by his creed not positions. Therefore, you should increase your faith to be elevated and esteemed by the Lord Allah.

We should keep in mind that the universe belongs only to Allah Almighty who confirmed it in the Glorious Quran: {You give the dominion to whoever You like, and removes it from whomever You like} [Al-`Emran:126]. Allah Almighty made this through means acknowledged to people in this life that Allah Almighty makes a man, an institution, or an organization a means to deliver the reign to someone or takes it from another. However, we should not be deceived that we should not believe that these feeble means are the giver for dominion or those are who took it, rather all affairs are to Allah, so rectify your faith to have reward and victory.

We should keep in mind that all sons of Adam are wrong doers, and the best among them are the penitent. No human is infallible except the Messengers and Prophets of Allah. If err is grave, the believer would be punished in this life, and this is a mercy from Allah Almighty, because this is an expiation for sins before meeting Allah on the Day of Judgment, and at the same time is tantamount to drawing the believer's attention to correct his route. So, let's hold these moments a chance to reconsider our conditions and call ourselves to account, examine the defects and sins, repent to Allah sincerely, and resort to Allah to the full. By that means, the err turns to an interest, and the harm turns to an advantage, therefore the path of the believer will be proper and straight, and thus the life of the believer will be straightened through this perception.

We should remember that Allah Almighty has not made hope and optimism an optional matter for Muslims that He (swt) decisively says: {and despair not of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people} [Yusuf:87].

Therefore, despair term should not be in the Muslims' minds or hearts, rather life is rounds, and at every stage of our life, we, Muslims, should be optimists and confident.

Muslims are always happy because they belong to Islam, read the Quran, follow the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), believe that Allah is a predominant over others, but most people do not know, and they are sure that the fortunate end is for the pious.

Muslims should keep in mind that Allah Almighty likes to choose some of His Servants to render them as martyrs to elevate their standing and dignify them, and that these martyrs are the true winners.  Martyrdom is the end of the martyrs, and this happy end is not dependent on the political choices some leaders choose, or on the decisions made in the battlefield, rather it is dependent on a tenet instilled in the hearts of the martyrs for which Allah Almighty has chosen. We should keep in mind that we still to the moment visit the braves of Uhud martyrs, though they fell martyrs due to fatal error, most of them had not caused this error, led to grave misfortune. O Allah! We ask You to raise the positions of the martyrs who died in Your Cause and to bring down tranquility and patience on their people.

Muslims should keep in mind that sorrows befalling us at times in this life and pains making our hearts bleeding at some incidents during life are in reality a great good beyond our grasp, as Allah makes them a reason to expiate our sins, elevate our positions, rectify our hearts, and draws us closer to Allah Almighty. The Prophet (pbuh) said: «A believer will not be exposed to any suffering, hardship, disease, harm and sorrow, unless God ignores some of his sins (in lieu of them)». the life of the Prophet was a series of sorrows, yet this has not hindered his progress or weakened his resolution, rather He (pbuh) deemed that a sign to the perfect faith. In this connection, when the Prophet (pbuh) was asked about the most people in trials, He (pbuh) replied: «Prophets are tried harder than others, and next to them in this matter are the like of them (the righteous).Man is tried in proportion to (the strength of) his faith. If he has a strong faith, he will be tried harder, and vice versa. He is constantly subjected to tests and trials in order to be purified of his sins».

Muslims should bear in mind that steadiness is a gift from Allah Almighty, so we should be fitting to this endowment which is only given to the true adherent believers. In this regard, Allah Almighty says: {Allah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word, in worldly life and in the Hereafter. And Allah sends astray the wrongdoers. And Allah does what He wills} [Ibrahim:27]. The more closer the Muslim draws to Allah, the more He (swt) enlightens his insight , keeps him firm in trials, and facilitates to him the plain right path, so the Muslim does not go astray. Therefore, Muslims should act upon that and purify their hearts from the stains of life and be sincere to the only One, Allah Almighty, and by that, Muslims will be gifted by steadiness in this life and after-life.

I ask Allah Almighty to guard our Muslim nation and keep us on the straight path and join us to the righteous.

I ask Allah to grant victory to Islam and Muslims.