Maintaining one's faith in Allah and Islam is one of the most difficult thing to do ever sine the advent of Islam and more so in the environment we live in today. In the initial verses of Surah Al-Hadid (Chapter 57 of the Qur'an), specially verses 11-19, the mention of believers and the hypocrites is made. Why not the unbelievers, one may ask? It is because we know exactly that the unbelievers do not believe in Islam and monotheism of Allah. But the hypocrites are most dangerous for they wear two masks: An outward mask of being a Muslim and inward mask that of unbelievers.
These dual faced people are those who have weak Iman / faith إيمان and because of this they lose the rigours of tests and trials a true believer goes through. Even in times of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ the hypocrites, specially in the city of Medinah, would outwardly claim to be Muslims but whenever a time of test came, they always abandoned Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and joined hands with the unbelievers.
So is the case even today. Many of the born Muslims have a very weak Iman and in their hearts there is always a tug of war going on between the truth and the otherwise. This is specially happening now with those Muslims who have gone to foreign lands and find themselves amid atheists and non believers, whose life is at tangent to the teaching of Islam. Coupled with the anti Islam propaganda, much talked of Islamophobia is taking a heavy toll on these Muslims who do not really know Islam well and get overpowered by their environment of "openness and lewdness" and start to lose their Iman. Thus they become similar to hypocrites who are outwardly Muslims, yet their hearts are far distant from the true Iman.
Let us now take a deeper look what the the initial verses of Surah Al-Hadid (Chapter 57 of the Qur'an) and see how fate of the hypocrites is being portrayed and the severe consequences on the Day of Judgement. In the initial verses, Allah reminds us of His supreme authority and dominion over all that exists, emphasizing His control over both the seen and unseen. These verses help us understand how Iman (faith) can be lost when we fail to recognize and internalize these fundamental truths. Here’s how these ideas relate:
Forgetting the Majesty of Allah
The surah begins with: "Whatever is in the heavens and earth glorifies Allah, for He is the Almighty, All-Wise." (57:1)
When a person loses sight of the constant glorification of Allah by all creation, they may begin to neglect their own relationship with Him. This forgetfulness can lead to heedlessness (ghaflah) and eventually weaken their iman, as they fail to see Allah’s presence in all aspects of life.
Becoming Detached from Allah’s Absolute Control
In verses 2-3, Allah is described as: "To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and causes death, and He is over all things competent." (57:2)
Forgetting that Allah alone has the power to give life, death, and sustenance can lead to dependence on worldly means. When people start attributing success and failure solely to themselves or to worldly factors, they might lose faith in Allah’s ultimate plan, leading to the weakening of their reliance (tawakkul) on Him.
Neglecting the Knowledge of the Unseen
Verse 4 mentions: "He is with you wherever you are." (57:4)
A person may lose iman when they forget that Allah’s knowledge encompasses everything, including what is hidden in their hearts. Losing sight of Allah’s omnipresence can result in carelessness toward personal deeds, both inward and outward, thereby weakening faith and connection to Allah.
Being Overwhelmed by Dunya (Worldly Life)
Surah Al-Hadid later discusses how the adornments and distractions of this worldly life can delude people: "Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another..." (57:20)
When one becomes overly attached to the fleeting pleasures and distractions of the dunya, the heart becomes distant from Allah, and this attachment can lead to a gradual erosion of iman.
Plight of Hypocrites on the Day of Judgement (Verses 11-19)
Then come the warning shots as mentioned in verses 11-19. Here the comparison of the believers and hypocrites is given. On that day the true believers will have their light shining before them while the hypocrites will have their fate no different than the disbelievers and Those who spend in charity will be repaid manifold and also be given liberal reward besides it:
(57:12) On that Day you will see believing men and women that their light will be running before them and on their right hands. (They will be told): “A good tiding to you today.” There shall be Gardens beneath which rivers flow; therein they shall abide. That indeed is the great triumph.
(57:13) On that Day the hypocrites, both men and women, shall say to the believers: “Look at us that we may extract some light from your light.” They will be told: “Go back and seek light for yourselves elsewhere.” Then a wall shall be erected between them with a door in it. On the inside of it there will be mercy, and on the outside of it there will be chastisement.
Many of our Muslim brethren going astray and are heedless about the gravity of losing Iman. They are on the verge of being a believer and a hypocrite, though unknowingly. This is the subject of an informational lecture by one of the most eminent scholars of present times, Nouman Ali Khan, who talks in detail as how do we lose faith and its consequences as mentioned in Suarah Al Hadid. Please watch the video:
About Nouman Ali Khan: Born to a Pakistani family, Nouman Ali Khan is an American Muslim speaker and Arabic instructor who founded the Bayyinah Institute for Arabic and Qur’anic Studies, after serving as an instructor of Arabic at Nassau Community College. He has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan.
Let us our brothers and sisters, specially those who have gone for higher studies and seeking employment un Non Muslim countries, be mindful of not losing faith despite an environment which entirely tangent to teachings of Islam. Many of our sisters immediately throw away their Hijab and enter into revealing attire and amalgamating into a life of lewdness and forgetfulness of their faith. By and by their Iman falls to a dreadful low level, which is what has been warned about.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is our duty to convey only to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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