Episode 23 - The Reality of Victory and Defeat
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah. Dear brothers, when we see conflicts between a group of believers and their enemies, we often say that the believers were defeated in this round or that victory has been delayed for them. Is our definition of victory and defeat correct? We, as Muslims, believe in the Hereafter and that the righteous and the wicked will not be rewarded in this world. We define victory as Allah defines it. How did Allah define victory and success? Do you remember the verse that defines it? Allah says in Surah Al-Imran: ((Whoever is removed from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has indeed won)). We need to keep this meaning in mind when we see the long suffering of our brothers in Syria and elsewhere. Those who are killed for their faith are, by this meaning, now, if Allah wills, winners and victors.
The people of the ditch tortured and burned them alive, yet Allah says in Surah Al-Burooj, which speaks of their fate: ((Those who believed and did righteous deeds will have gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the great success)).
In the hadith narrated by Bukhari, Haram bin Malhan, one of the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), was stabbed treacherously by a disbeliever with a spear in his back that came out of his chest. Haram placed his hand on the blood and wiped his face, saying: (I have won, by the Lord of the Ka'bah, I have won, by the Lord of the Ka'bah).
Thus, the most important forms of victory and success in our religion are to die while steadfast in your faith. Look at Allah's saying: ((And never will Allah give the disbelievers a way over the believers)). Whoever is armed with faith, all the forces of disbelief will not find a way to turn him away from his religion. And after that, they can do whatever they want with his body, but his soul is under the protection of Allah, who will not allow them any way to it. Is this not a great victory?!
On the other hand, the worst forms of defeat are to abandon something of your religion in the face of the cunning and war of the enemies of the religion. What benefit is the safety of your body at that time if you have suffered a psychological and spiritual defeat?!
So hold fast to your religion so that you may be encompassed by Allah's saying: ((And do not weaken and do not grieve, and you are superior)). Therefore, you are the winners and the victors, but note the condition: ((And you are superior if you are believers)). This is the condition for your victory and your triumph: to live as a believer, so that Allah does not give the disbelievers a way over you, and to die as a believer so that you are removed from the Fire and admitted to Paradise...((Whoever is removed from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has indeed won, and the life of this world is but the enjoyment of delusion)). Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.