Tauba Is A Gift

Darse Quran by Maulana Muhammad Mustafa Shareef Naqshbandhi
Published in Muslim Murasu, May 2012

Mecca came under Muslim control. People were embracing Islam in groups and droves. This was a victory without bloodshed. Fear about Muslims settled in the hearts of opponents. Muslims were expected to act more resolutely. But inhabitants of Hunain challenged Muslims for a fight. Rasoolullah (sal) prepared for the battle. He along with Sahabas headed towards Hunain. Sahabas were proud in the aftermath of victory of Mecca. They were strong in number and were over confident. Muslims were far outnumbered in the battle of Badr. They had their complete faith in Allah then. But Hunain situation was different. Allah’s help stopped because they believed more in their strength. Sahabas realized their mistake. Victory goes to the side which Allah supports. They corrected their ideas. ‘Tasawwuf’ means to correct the thinking. There should be strong and constant contact with Allah. Faith should not be put in children, wealth and property.
“Allah helped you in many battlefields. Surah 9, Tauba, verse 25 - ‘lakadh nasrakumullahu fi mavathina kasheerathin’. Allah had helped in Badr, Uhud and Kandaq. Mecca was conquered without bloodshed. ‘va yawma hunain’. You had lost in Hunain. Then victory was gifted to you. Allah’s servants should constantly ask for His help. Some people change their attitude once they see some money. Rasoolullah has told that he is not afraid that his Ummath will go towards Shirk or Kufr; but when the world is opened in front of them, they may lose sight of the main purpose.
Parents are not guiding their children nowadays. TV has taken their role. Children believe the scenes in TV as reality. They jump from terraces believing that superman will save them. We have to select lesser of the two evils. Parents should take remote in their control. House won’t change without making TV as Muslim. Preaching is not sufficient; deeds should follow. Society will change when individual families change. When you implement what you know, new unknown things will be revealed to you. You will receive Ilham. TV is terrible evil. You have to start acting now.
There were many advantages in Hunain. But Allah’s help was not sought. ‘falam thugni ankum shaiya’. Your count did not help you. ‘valaakath alaikumul arlu’. Ground started shrinking under your feet. ‘bima rahubath’. You were losing when actually you should have been winning. Reason was over confidence in number. ‘shumma vallaithum mudbireen’. You started running from the field. But Rasoolullah stood firmly. Sahabas like Abubakr, Umar, Ali used to come under protection of Prophet during battles. Prophet will lead from the front and Sahabas used to follow him. Some Sahabas ran away in Hunain. But some others were standing around Prophet and giving calls for others. Then all Sahabas regrouped and came together. Allah should be remembered more during battles. Battle is not for rule or kingdom. It is for the sake of truth. Jihad is an Ibadath. Sahabas used to pray and worship during battles.
‘Shumma anzalallahu sakeenathahu alaa rasoolihi va alal moomineen’. God poured His calm on Prophet and believers. ‘va anzala junoodan lam tharavha’. Allah sent down an army of angels which were invisible. This is special privilege for Rasoolullah. Angels came for battle instead of doing Tasbeeh. No other Prophet had this privilege. ‘va azzaballazeena kafaroo va zalika jazaul kaafireen’. He punished unbelievers. Thus Allah penalises unbelievers.
Man will receive Allah’s mercy when he repents for his mistakes. Adam (alai) did a mistake. He regretted and repented. Shaitan, on the contrary, did not accept his mistake. ‘fabimaa agvaithani’ 7:16 - 'You misled me'. He did not regret, instead argued. Man can make mistakes. But he should hold firm onto ‘asthagfirullah’. His sins will be forgiven.
‘rabbana lalamnaa anfusanaa va inlam thagfirlana va tharhamna lanakoonanna minal kasireen’. Surah 7, Ahraf, verse 23. ‘Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls. If You do not forgive us and bestow Your mercy, we will be lost’. Man should not be adamant in his mistakes.
One who has learnt to repent has received Allah’s love. All make mistakes. Only few are fortunate to feel remorse. Tauba is not a little matter. One should not make light of his mistakes. Shaitan will do sugar coating and obstruct us from repenting. Door of Tauba is door of success.
9:27 - ‘Shumma yathoobullah min baadi zalika alaa main yashaullahu gafoorun raheem’. Allah turned in mercy towards them and forgave them. Allah is most forgiving. Once sky was decorated. Angels asked about the occasion. Allah said, “One of my servants who had gone away from Me has returned back”.
Now the declaration comes. ‘ya ayyuhallazeena aamanu innamal mushrikeena najasun’. Pagans are unclean. They should not enter Baithullah after this year. ‘falaa yakrabul masjidal haraam baada aamihim haza’. There were 360 idols in Kaba during victory of Mecca. This happened in Hijri 8. Every job needs discretion. 13 years of preaching in Mecca, Badr, Uhud battles, Udaibiya agreement and later Mecca victory. Kaba was purified after this. One should not act callously or in haste. Patience, discretion and proper judgement are needed. There was Gautam Budha statue in Afghanistan. They demolished it. Every country came waging war on them.
Some people are holding the view that Kaba was a temple. Truth is that Kaba  initially did not have idols. Idolators penetrated and planted idols there. Kaba did not have idols when Prophets constructed it initially. Some people entered our house and kept idols.
Mushrik were not allowed to enter Kaba after success of Mecca. They have not entered there till this date. The purity referred in this verse is not about dress or body. It is about hearts. We are not against any community. We are against evils in their hearts. Do not hate them. Love them. Invite them to your houses and show hospitality. Your good behavior may make them accept Islam.
Mushriks were big merchants. There was a fear that economy can come down if they are expelled. Verse 28 - ‘va in kifthum alylathan fasaufa yugneekumullahu min fazlihi insha’a innallaha aleemun hakeem’. ‘If you fear poverty, soon God will enrich you if He wills, out of His bounty’. Now Mecca is the most prosperous place in the world. There is no fruit that is not available there. New technologies and cars are introduced there. People from all over the world buy products from Mecca and take to their homes for Barakath. Allah has instilled love for Mecca and Medina in the hearts of Muslims. Some people do Haj repeatedly. This shows that their first Haj is approved. Muslims all over the world will develop if Arabs are strong. There won’t be weakness. We pray for safety and peace in Mecca and Medina in our Jumaa prayers. Harmony there means harmony everywhere. When an Aalim steps out of his house, angels spread their wings above him and fishes in the seas pray for him till he returns home. His safety means safety for everyone. Similarly, peace in Mecca and Medina means peace for the entire world.