Quran Garden

Session 531

Chapter 3

Verse 200

You who believe, be patient, more steadfast than others, stand firmly on guard, and be mindful of God so that you may prosper.  (Chapter 3: Verse 200)

This verse concludes Surah Al Imran, and in many ways, it distills the lessons of the entire chapter into a few words from the Almighty.

Surah Al Imran came after Surah of Al-Baqarah.  The two chapters share the theme of essential creed: belief in God, affirmation of Prophet Muhammad, and what he brought from God as the final and dominant heavenly message.  Thus, Allah discusses the issues of belief, guidance, and the Book in both chapters.  He also urges us to reflect on how the people entrusted with previous divine revelations strayed from His path, chasing their desires instead.  Surah Al-Baqarah discusses explicitly the situation of the Jews and counters their arguments, while Surah Al Imran focuses on the Christians and examines their beliefs.

Next, Allah presented the issue of faith in the Muslim community and adherence to the leadership of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.  More specifically, the real-life test of the battle of Uhud was discussed in detail.  Uhud is one of the many situations where the believers were tested severely, and some weak believers had to repent and return to the path of their Lord.  

The last Aya of Al Imran addresses all Muslims with the phrase, "You who believe." They are the believers who have firm faith in God, His Book, the message of Muhammad, and the arguments against the Jews and the Christians; both have deviated from their divine message.  These discussions are not just theoretical; they were tested in real-life situations, most notably in the Battle of Uhud.

Allah concludes the lessons of Al Imran with four commands representing the essential actions of the believer: be patient, persevere, stand firmly for the truth, and fear Allah.  What is the ultimate purpose of these commands?  God says, "so that you may prosper."

In Arabic, much like in English, the verb "to prosper" has many synonyms, such as to win, succeed, triumph, and so on.  In the verse under study, God chose the Arabic word 'Tuflehoon' 'تُفْلِحُونَ' from the linguistic root "fa la ha" which means to plow the land for sowing.  The Almighty chose this word to reference something tangible to us.  He wants you to know that all the hard work, patience, and standing for the truth will reap great rewards in the Hereafter.  You are, in essence, sowing the seeds of success for yourself and your family.  God says:

The example of those who expend their wealth in the way of God is that of a grain of corn from which seven ears grow, each ear containing a hundred grains.  Truly, God multiplies for whomsoever He will, for God is Infinite and All-Wise.  (2:261)

An intelligent farmer invests in his or her land; in return, the earth will more than quadruple the investment.  Such farmer has soiled hands, dirty clothes, and a sweaty forehead, but he will be supremely pleased at the time of harvest.  If the earth, one of God's creations, gives back so abundantly, imagine the return on investment from the Creator of the earth!  Islam never takes from you; instead, if you put in the hard work, it multiplies what you invest many times over, and through such examples, Allah encourages you to invest in your faith and community.  Thus, it is best not to look at religious obligations, such as being patient and persevering, as a burden: they are your ticket to a very comfortable and everlasting hereafter.

Allah used the tangible example of productive agriculture to teach us about the intangible truth of prosperity.  Who are the "prosperous" Allah referring to?  They are the ones who thrive in this life by overcoming the enemies of faith and spreading justice, and thrive in the next life through the eternal bliss of Paradise.  However, the first command, "Be patient," should alert you that there will be much difficulty on God's path.  God says,

Do people think they will be left alone after saying 'We believe' without being put to the test? (29:2)

Faith leads to Paradise, and Paradise is surrounded by hardships.  Implementing God's teachings is not easy because obligations require hard work and determination.  Allah created you and gave you free will.  So when it comes to actions, you can choose to do or not do.  Religious obligations limit your freedom.  When, for example, Allah says to you, 'pray at dawn,' then there are two levels of difficulty.  First, if you usually wake up late, you must push yourself to get up and pray.  Second, you must resist the temptation of falling into sin by abandoning God's command.  Both these matters require a great deal of patience.  

Likewise, you must exercise patience when Allah commands you not to do something you desire.  For example, when it comes to the opposite sex, Allah asks you to lower your gaze.  Abstaining from sin requires a great deal of patience. 

How about events that do not fall within the scope of do and do not do?  You may face a situation where you have no choice, such as being involved in a car accident or falling ill.  How are you supposed to handle the ugly events of life?  A believer is patient over the pains of life because he or she has trust in the Lord.  God is your Creator, and no one ruins his or her creation.  To the contrary, God takes ultimate care of us.  So when He afflicts you with a sickness or an emergency, rest assured that divine wisdom is behind it.

Let's look at difficulties and patience through another lens.  Sometimes, patience involves personal struggles, separate from societal influences, while other times, individual hardships are caused by society.  When it's a personal struggle, patience involves obeying Allah and resisting the inner desires that lead to sin.  This often means sacrificing immediate pleasures for the sake of obedience to the Lord.  It is as if the Almighty is saying: I have created you, and I know the struggles within yourself towards desire, but put your trust in Me and be patient because the rewards are more than worth it.  

In the next session, we will discuss hardships that are inflicted, not from within yourself, but from those around you.  God says in Aya 177 of Surah Al-Baqarah

to honour the promise when it is made; and to be patient in poverty and hardship and during battle.  Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the mindful.