Surah 1-2 - YasSarNal QuR'aN

Al-Baqarah (The Cow) | ACQUIRING REAL STRENGTHIslam and by its role of guardianship over the rest of mankind, the Qur’ān givesMuslims specific instructions to endure adversity with patience and to observe theirprayers. These are the best help they may have in the fulfilment of their great rolethat requires great sacrifice.These are the two most essential requisites for the Muslim ummah to be able towithstand the hardships and trials that were to come, and to fulfil its universal andhistoric role in this world. Lives would have to be sacrificed; poverty, death, famineand insecurity would have to be faced with courage and strength, for the ummah toestablish and defend the Divine world order, make it a reality in human society onthis earth, and assert God’s unrivalled sovereignty over all its affairs.In return, the Muslim community shall receive God’s blessings, mercy andguidance, making it a most profitable bargain indeed, if only the Muslims wouldappreciate it.The Power of Patience“Believers, seek strength in patience and prayer. God is with those who are patient.”(Verse 153) Patience is mentioned frequently in the Qur’ān. God is aware thatpatience is an essential element in maintaining a steady and balanced pace in the faceof the inevitable hardships and adversities of life. It is a prime requirement for theMuslim community in its universal responsibility for establishing God’s order onearth.Patience is required on the personal level for observing one’s religious duties, forresisting temptation, misfortune, poverty, oppression and injustice, and for carryingout one’s responsibilities towards the establishment of the Islamic way of life insociety. Patience and perseverance are required to remain always on the alert, readyto give whatever sacrifice may be needed. When those who are hostile to God’s causeseem to wield power, when falsehood seems too strong, when help seems to beendlessly delayed and the destination too far away patience and perseverance are themost important qualities to have. They are also needed to face those who are deviant,erring, harsh and persistent in their opposition to the truth.When victory seems far away and the going gets really tough, people tend to loseheart and give up. To avoid that state of despair, God links patience with prayer, asan inexhaustible source of strength and energy. The two combine to infuse the heartwith boundless confidence and fortitude and to impart to the believer totaltranquillity, happiness and inner peace.When man, weak as he is, faces a task that seems beyond his limited resources,when he faces the powers of evil, when he finds temptations and allurements very162