Episode 8
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah. Dear brothers, we mentioned in the previous episode that one of the methods of falsehood is to attack the truth carried by the call, claiming that most of its followers are the weak and those without social status. We mentioned what the people of Nuh said to their prophet, peace be upon him: (We see that none follow you except the most wretched among us).
We will continue with this method of falsehood and mention another example, which is what Allah the Almighty mentioned in Surah Al-An'am: ((And thus We have made some of them a trial for others that they might say: Are these the ones whom Allah has favored among us? Is not Allah the most knowing of the grateful (53) )) This means that the nobles of Quraysh looked down upon the believers who were poor, slaves, and maids, saying, 'Does it make sense that Allah would choose these people for His religion and leave us, the nobles?' They thus cast doubt on the validity of the call. This is a trial that affects weak hearts that prefer this world over the Hereafter: ((And thus We have made some of them a trial for others)).
When Heraclius, the king of Rome, asked Abu Sufyan about the Prophet, peace be upon him: (Are his followers the weak or the nobles?), he replied: The weak among them. Heraclius then said: (They are the followers of the prophets).
...Yet, they are the beloved of Allah, whom His Prophet, peace be upon him, was commanded to be gentle with, strengthen their resolve, and be patient with them. Allah the Almighty said in Surah Al-Shu'ara' ((And lower your wing to those who follow you among the believers (215) )), and He said in Surah Al-An'am ((And when those who believe in Our verses come to you, say: Peace be upon you. Your Lord has written upon Himself mercy)).
Therefore, brothers, we must imagine the pressure on Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, as he found himself, the wealthy and noble merchant of Quraysh, among the weak and poor like Ammar, Yasir, Sumayyah, and Bilal, may Allah be pleased with them, and the first generation of Muslims. They were his brothers in faith and closer to him than the wealthy and noble disbelievers of Quraysh.
It is not easy for a noble like Abu Bakr to suddenly be classified among the weak, but he stood firm and was the first noble and wealthy person to follow the Prophet, peace be upon him, setting a good precedent. Other nobles, wealthy individuals, and tribal leaders entered Islam through him after Abu Bakr broke the barrier of preferring social status over following the truth, and they became among the great figures of Islam. Six of the ten promised Paradise followed Islam through Abu Bakr: Uthman bin Affan, Al-Zubayr bin Al-Awwam, Abdur Rahman bin Auf, Abu Ubaydah bin Al-Jarrah, Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas, and Talhah bin Ubaydullah. Thus, Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq held a high status with Allah the Almighty and in the hearts of the believers.
Similarly, in our times, if you are someone with social status, high qualifications, and vast wealth, it is not easy for you to follow a call whose followers are considered socially inferior by your class. However, if you prioritize Allah over all else, Allah the Almighty will elevate you, break the barrier, and make you a role model for good. Those who follow the call of truth after you will follow your example, adding to your good deeds, if Allah wills. And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.