The force which is never defeated

The student said to his teacher, "Tell me about the strongest force that humanity has known since the dawn of history. I am sure that you believe like me that it is the force of the space ship and the atomic bomb".

The teacher and master said: "Easy, young student, do not ask me and answer before I do", the student replied, "Pardon me my master, I want to hear your answer".

The master said: "Let me ask you another question, which one of the two is greater, the bomb and the spaceship, or he who manufactured the bomb and launched the spaceship?". "No doubt that the one who manufactured the bomb and launched the spaceship is stronger than both", said the boy. The teacher said: "Then, you agree with me that the strength of man is greater than any material force on earth". The student answered, "Yes, man is the one who moulds the matter to his own service, and guides it towards his needs". The professor replied, "If you found a force that guided man and pushed him forward, made him work constantly, and ejected him like a bomb or stronger, and launched him like a spaceship or tougher?" The student responded quickly, "It would certainly be the greatest force that man has witnessed on earth, what is this force? How real is it? You have triggered my curiosity by your talk about it." The teacher said: "It is the force of faith." The student inquired, "Faith in what? Some people make faith in any principle real faith."

The professor said: "I do not deny that absolute faith in any idea will give the one who has it strength and firmness, as that appears in the disputes between individuals and groups. The individual who has any conviction will win over the one who has none. The group whose life focuses on any faith - even if it has no understood bases- will in the end defeat the group which is devoid of faith. But the faith that I refer to is faith in Allah, the giver of life, and the creator of the universe and of man. Faith in recompense and life in an eternal world, wherein each person is recompensed for what he did, and it is not unjust. Faith in an unseen wide world, which is filled with the soldiers of Allah whose numbers cannot be counted, they are the favourite angels. Faith in the divine inspiration, which is the link between the earth and the heavens, and the sign of the guidance of the creator to the created. Faith in the ideal human models, i.e. the Prophets, who received Allah's revelation in order to lead people out of obscurity and into light, with the permission of Allah, to the path of the Mighty and the Praiseworthy.

Faith that the universe is not run haphazardly, and its events do not occur without guidance or consideration. Everything in it is led by fate and every small or big event is planned (ahead).

Faith in the dignity of man whom Allah had allowed to inherit the earth and to inhabit it. He gave him responsibility in this world, in order to make him close and promise him eternity in the Hereafter.

That, my son, is faith, which the Prophets and Messengers have advocated, and for which the companions, martyrs and upright men fought. It is the real meaning that we want to construe from the word faith. It is faith as it came in Islam". The teacher and master continued to explain, and the young student listened in suspense and impatience.."This faith, my son, is a forward pushing force that holds the weak so that he does not fall, and the strong lest he becomes unruly, and prevents the victorious from being defiant and the defeated from despairing and collapsing.

The young student said: "But, Professor, you have talked to us earlier about another force in man which is strongly presumptuous and the strength of the instincts, of staying alive, of lust, and of wrath and fighting."

The elderly professor said: "Yes, my son. I have not forgotten what I have said earlier, and I do not deny that human instincts have their presumption and their strength. In the presence of faith, these instincts lose their supremacy and their knot loosens. At the same time it bows obediently to the strength of faith. Thus, faith becomes the commanding and obeyed master and the instinct becomes the obedient servant which follows the orders of faith and acts only under its will. Do you want me to give you an example from history?" The student said, "Yes. We have learned that it is with examples that we can clarify our statements."

The professor said: "Have you heard of the story of our master Youssef, the righteous? You must have heard his story in the Surah of Youssef in the Qur'an. It is the story of a young pious man who has submitted his.instincts to his faith. Thus Allah eternalised his mention, and has recorded his story so that it is a light and a guide for the others.

Youssef was in the strength of his youth and the primacy of age. A good deal of strength and handsomeness were bestowed upon him. He was full of youth, beauty and activity. Allah's fate had it that he had to work in the house of the wife of the Governor of Egypt. But the woman in whose house he worked became infatuated with him because of his youth and beauty. Thus she forced him to go with her and she locked the doors and said, "come here!". It is certain that the situation was embarrassing. The trial that Youssef had to undergo is not the kind of trial that one forgets as soon as it passes. It is one that one is reminded of in the day and night and while going about his business. It was not an adventure with one of the ladies of the night, the ones who sell the use of their bodies. It was a trial with a woman of a high standing, who is endowed with beauty, belongings and capability. It is the head of a house and the wife of the Governor, and he was only a boy who was bought very cheaply, and whose home and parents were unknown. He was only a servant in her house, who was only supposed to obey orders. So what did the boy Youssef do before this temptation and this trial?"

The young student said to his teacher, "By Allah, this is a very embarrassing situation, and a solemn test to the faith of Youssef." The Professor said, "Yes, indeed, the test was difficult but it ended by the success of Youssef. The strong voice of the instinct was telling him to respond positively to what the woman was requesting him to do, but the voice of faith in his conscience was stronger. He reprimanded her by the following conscientious words when he said: "I seek refuge in Allah! Lo! He is my Lord, who hath treated me honourably. Lo! Wrong doers never prosper" (Surah 12, Verse 23.).

The woman tried to deceive him and to impose on him to satisfy her sinful desire in front of all her women saying, "I asked of him an evil act, but he proved continent, but if he does not my behest he verily shall be imprisoned, and verily shall be of those brought low" (Surah 12, Verse 32).

Youssef was caught between two evils, either to be tested with regard to his religion and commit a monstrosity and an evident sin, or be tested with regard to his freedom in this world and be imprisoned and brought low."

The student said, showing some impatience: "So what did Youssef choose?" The teacher said, "He was led by the logic of faith to favour the peace of his religion over his safety in life. So, he invoked his God, as the Qur'an relates, "O my Lord! Prison is more dear than that unto which they urge me, and if Thou fend not off their wiles from me I shall incline unto them and become of the foolish" (Surah 12, Verse 33) .

The student asked his teacher: "So, what happened to Youssef after that?" The teacher answered, "His God fulfilled his wish and fended off their wiles from him. Thus, his faith was secured but his life was not safe. They imprisoned him unjustly and remained thus for a few years. The obscurity of the prison did not turn off the light that was in his heart, and did not make him forget that he was a Muslim who was carrying a message. So he remained in prison advocating the oneness of Allah, and leading his companions away from paganism and its folklore. He was taking every opportunity to spread the message of Allah, as when he saidto the two young boys who asked him to interpret dream or explain a vision. So he informed them of what Allah taught him about the unseen and said, "This is of that which my Lord hath taught me. Lo! I have forsaken the religion of folk who believe not in Allah and arf disbelievers in the Hereafter. And I have followed the religion of my fathers Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob. It never was for us to attribute aught as partners to Allah. This is of the bounty of Allah unto us (the seed of Abraham) and unto mankind; but most men give not thanks. O my two fellow-prisoners! Are diverse lords better, or Allah the One, the Almighty? Those whom ye worship beside Him are but names which ye have named, ye and your fathers. Allah hath revealed no sanction for them. The decision rests with Allah only, Who hath commanded you that ye worship none save Him. This is the right religion, but most men know not (Surah 12, Verses 37-40).

Then the student asked: "So what was the fate of this believing prisoner?" The teacher said: "The end, my son, is always in favour of the obeying believers. This is the Way of Allah, and you will never witness a change or an alteration of His Way. The people needed him like an ignorant needs a scholar, or like a sick man needs a doctor, or the stray sailor needs the leading star. So they found no way other than be humiliated and release him. He refused to leave prison until it was announced that he had been innocent all along. He left prison like a clean slate, with his head high, and his forehead shining, "And the king said: Bring him unto me that I may attach him to my person. And when he had talked with him he said: Lo! Thou art to-day in our presence established and trusted. He said: Set me over the storehouses of the land. Lo! I am a skilled custodian. Thus gave we power to Joseph in the land. He was the owner of it where he pleased We reach with Our mercy whom We will. We lose not the reward of the good" (Surah 12, Verses 54-56)

Thus the prisoner of Egypt of yesteryear became its Governor today, he became the comptroller of its riches and its provider during a period of crisis and famine, which spread through Egypt and its neighbouring countries. This position was another test for the faith of Youssef, as man is tested with good as he is tested with evil." The student said: "How can he be tested with good, when a test is only an affliction?" The teacher said, "Haven't you heard the saying of Allah, Glory and Majesty to Him, "and, We try you with evil and with good, for ordeal" (Surah 21, Verse 35). Some people will control themselves during periods of crisis, and endure and be strong, and when they are tested with good they become impatient, haughty. But when Youssef became Governor, nothing changed in him, even when compared to the time when he was a prisoner.

He owned the world, but it did not own him. He controlled the treasuries of Egypt, but they did not control his heart. When food used to be served to him, he would eat a few bites to calm his hunger but not to become full. When he was asked about that he would say: I am afraid that if I am full I will forget the hunger of the poor.

There was another situation when the faith of Youssef, the righteous, became evident. This was when his brothers came under his control. They had wanted to kill him so that they receive more consideration from their father. They dropped Youssef in a well, sold him for a very low price and exposed him to ridicule and slavery. They came to Egypt from Palestine asking for help and food. Then Youssef was capable of revenge but he forgave them and said: "Have no fear this day! May Allah forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy" (Surah 12, Verse 92.)

After Youssef had become minister and chief, and his eyes were filled with the arrival of his father and his brothers, his ambitious soul aspired to what is greater than ministries and that last longer than kingdoms. He aspired to the approval of Allah, Be He Praised, and the happiness of meeting him in the house of eternity. So he invoked Allah with his famous call, "O my Lord! Thou hast given me (something) of sovereignty and hast taught me (something) of the interpretation of events - Creator of the heavens and the earth! Thou art my Protecting Guardian in the world and the Hereafter, Make me to die Muslim (unto Thee), and join me to the righteous" (Surah 12, Verse 101.)

That is, my son one of the models of strong faith, it is an example for the youth, and an example for those who understand, and evidence for the nonbelievers and guidance and blessing for the people who believe.