Surah Al Anfal

Surah Al Anfal discusses the events of the Battle of Badr. It talks about the comfort and the victory that Allah swt gives to those who strive in His cause. The Prophet (May the peace an Blessings of Allah be upon him), along with his companions were confronted with many difficult situations. Their property and wealth were seized and they were often under threat of attack. In battle the Prophet and the Companions were out numbered by three times as many as the opposing forces, yet Allah swt granted them victory. The Muslim soldiers no doubt felt concern upon learning of the number of enemies they would have to brave, but they placed their trust in Allah knowing that failure would only find them if they turned away from Him. We learn from this, that victory and success for the believers are not necessarily found in numbers or in power, but in devotion and sincerity to Allah swt.

This lesson takes Muslims onto the field of battle that is within the nafs. As we have read in the previous surah, Allah is calling us to use Ramadan as a time of training for our souls, a preparation for the months we will face before next Ramadan. Unfortunately, we often find Muslim non-Muslim environments being neglectful of their Ibadah, afraid of what their coworkers or peers will think of them. It is natural for people to feel, at times, that they are 'out of place' as they are doing something that may be outside of the norm of the environment around them. However, this becomes a problem when the feelings lead a person to be neglectful of Allah, the One who has created us and granted us the ability and health to live our lives. Allah swt is reminding us that if we sincerely work towards establishing our faith within our hearts and devote ourselves to constant improvement of our relationship with Him, that He will make smooth and easy the path to that which we are seeking. Allah swt explains in a Hadith Qudsi that there is nothing more beloved to Allah swt from His servant than engaging in the acts that Allah has commanded from them. With each extra effort and struggle, Allah's love for His servant only increases. This hadith also reflects Allah's willingness to bridge any gap between His servant and Himself, as long as we desire to be closer to Him.

This surah reminds us of the great tests that the first generation of Muslims faced. The Muslims were physically and emotionally tortured in Mecca to the point that they had to flee in order to protect their lives. They were abandoned by their families and left with nothing. The Meccans took away their wealth, limiting their means for protection and defense. They were under constant difficulty and hardship but their faith remained strong and hearts remained centered on Allah swt and attainment of Paradise. We should look back at the struggles of such people each day and be grateful for their courage and perseverance. The current state, in which Muslims find themselves easily able to practice Islam in a land so far from Mecca, is a direct result of their efforts. We must appreciate what they have built for us and strive to further improve the state of Muslims in ADAMS, Virginia, America and around the world. At the same time, it should be recognized that each of us has our own trials that should not be made light of. Every persons test is their own, and every test is an opportunity to draw us nearer to Allah swt. We must evaluate each situation and what would be pleasing to Him. May Allah establish Iman in our hearts and help us to come closer to Him through our trials and not to allow ourselves to distance from Him.