Surah 1-2 - YasSarNal QuR'aN

Al-Baqarah (The Cow) | ACQUIRING REAL STRENGTHguided.” (Verse 157) It is indeed a noble and honourable reward that they will receive.Indeed, they share in the same type of reward the Prophet himself receives. What ismore is that they have a testimony by God making it clear that they are rightlyguided. This, again, is an honourable status.In the process of mobilizing the Muslims for their great struggle, or jihād, GodAlmighty makes it clear that the believers’ only reward for making the sort ofsacrifice involved in struggle in God’s cause, which includes loss of life, property,hunger, worry, as well as depletion of numbers and resources, will be God’s mercyand blessings.No material victory, power or wealth whatsoever is promised here — only God’smercy and blessings. There is no promise of victory or having power in their owncommunity. That pioneering Muslim community was being prepared for a role thatis more valuable than the very life of its members. Members of that community hadto be free of all personal ambitions and selfish desires, and the community’s aimsand objectives had to be free of all worldly considerations, including victory forIslam through its own efforts.The Qur’ān teaches the Muslims to seek nothing in return for their obedience,struggle and hard work but God’s pleasure, blessings and guidance. That is to be theultimate goal of their endeavour, and these will be the sweet fruits of their labour. Asand when the victory comes, it will not be a victory for them but for the religion andthe way of life they represent and are striving to establish in society.God’s mercy and blessings are ample reward for the believers’ perseverance andfor the sacrifices they make. In fact, they are a better reward than any material orworldly gain they aspire to achieve.The foregoing passage has given us a glimpse of God’s amazing but effectiveapproach in educating the Muslim community and preparing its ranks for upholdingHis order and carrying it on to the rest of mankind.168