Episode 9 - Wait for the right moment!

We are still talking about Allah's wisdom in trials, and here we add a new element, which is discussing: Allah's wisdom in choosing the duration of the trial. Sometimes, during my trials, a thought would come to me: (I have benefited greatly from this experience for my religion, but I fear that if the trial prolongs, it may have the opposite effect!)! Then I said to myself: What is your concern? You are a servant; leave your affairs to Allah, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing, the All-Knowing. He knows best the duration of the trial, its severity, its timing, and its type. He chooses what He wills, glorified and exalted be He, and He is wise in His choice. To understand this meaning; let us contemplate the story of the Battle of the Trench (Al-Ahzab): The trial occurred at its time and ended at its time.. The crisis had lasted until the complete distinction between the hypocrites and those with sickness in their hearts and the believers was made, and the truths of men were revealed.. So, from Allah's wisdom and mercy, the trial continued until these things were realized, so that the believers would be cautious of the hypocrites and not be affected afterward by their words and the poison they spew with deceit. And from Allah's wisdom and mercy also that the trial did not continue and intensify beyond that, so that a foot would slip after it was steadfast, and some believers would deviate from their faith and certainty. {And when the believers saw the confederates, they said: This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth. And it only increased them in faith and submission.} [Al-Ahzab: 22].. So when the believers saw the confederates, they stood firm and were patient, and (patience is only at the first shock).. So Allah saved them by their faith and made them speak words that preserved their religion for them.. And their saying: {This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us}.. The commentators said that they meant by this Allah's saying in Surah Al-Baqarah: {Do you think that you will enter Paradise while such trials as came to those before you have not come to you? Distress and hardship befell them, and they were shaken so that the Messenger and those who believed with him said: When will the help of Allah come? But surely, the help of Allah is near.} [214] (Ibn Ashur said that this verse was revealed a year before the Battle of the Confederates).

But the trial continued and intensified.. And the siege lasted a month, and in this month: hunger, cold, fear.. The disbelievers tried to attack the Muslims from weak points in the trench. And matters reached their peak when the Muslims learned that the Jews of Banu Qurayzah had broken their covenant and allied with the disbelievers.. And now, at any moment, the Jews of Banu Qurayzah could open their gates, and the disbelievers would rush into the city, spreading killing, torture, and violation of honor. Allah said: {When they came to you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes turned away and the hearts reached the throats and you thought about Allah thoughts.} [Al-Ahzab: 10, 11]..

At this moment, Allah saved the believers, and Allah sent the wind, which uprooted the tents of the disbelievers, overturned their pots, scattered their crowds, and they withdrew defeated. Look -glory be to Allah the Great!- at this appropriate timing. Now, let us contemplate: What would have happened if the victory had been delayed beyond this point? And what would have happened if the victory had come before this time? If the victory had been delayed -more and more- it is feared that some believers would have spoken words or done deeds as came from the hypocrites. The hypocrites were saying: " Muhammad promised us the conquest of Persia and Rome, and here we are besieged, so that none of us can go out for his need. What Allah and His Messenger promised us was nothing but delusion" (Al-Tabari). If the victory had been delayed, perhaps doubt would have stirred in the hearts of the believers and what would have eroded their past and taken away their good deeds. But Allah -glorified and exalted be He- in His wisdom and mercy preserved their religion for them; so the victory did not delay beyond that point; because Allah tests the believer according to his religion.

Now, the other question: Why did the victory not come before that? Why was the battle not decided, and why did the wind not come the day after the siege, the first week of the siege, the second week of the siege? Why did the siege last a full month?

There is wisdom in that, and Allah knows best His wisdom - that Allah wanted to strengthen the resolve of the believers, for the more the trial intensified, the stronger their resolve became and the more they ascended in ranks.

And from it that this earthquake that befell them broke them before Allah and made them feel their need for His mercy, glorified be He, and their weakness in comparison, so that they would not be amazed by themselves nor be deceived by them, nor attribute the virtue to themselves in patience and steadfastness, but they attribute all the virtue to Allah, glorified and exalted be He, who saved them at the critical moment.

Therefore: The victory did not delay to the extent that it would sow in the hearts of the believers what would take away their faith. And it did not come in an early stage before the trial intensified and their resolve was strengthened and their souls humbled to Allah and they knew that they have no one but Allah, and they distinguished themselves from the hypocrites and the truths of these hypocrites were revealed to them.

So look at Allah's wisdom -glorified and exalted be He- in the duration of the trial. So glory be to the All-Wise, the All-Knowing, who does not waste the work of His believing servants, and at the same time He nurtures them and disciplines them.

The conclusion of this station:

Be certain of Allah's wisdom in choosing the duration of the trial.