بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم 

Three Quranic Verses to Reflect On During Gaza Genocide

Forty days and counting. 
Witnessing a week of brutal bombings and lives lost was agonizing. To have to endure a month and more! Ya Rabb! Even the strongest of people are shaken. As a friend mentioned today, “people are losing their minds”. 

And I’m not even talking about those who ARE in Palestine. I’m only talking about those watching. 

Numb and frozen are what many of us are feeling.
Perhaps scrolling less, sharing less, starting to avoid the images altogether. Becoming silent. But we cannot abandon our brothers and sisters now. Just because we are tired and we have a choice. Remember, they don’t have a choice. So we have to continue to do our part. 
Everyone’s role is different, whether it is using their platform to spread the truth further, calling your state’s government offices, or making the effort to wake up for tahajud and raising your hands in duaa. And so much more. Ask yourself, what are your skills, what is your area of expertise, and what can YOU, as an individual, do to contribute and help out. Yes, it’s true that with each passing minute our grief deepens, our broken hearts shatter into smaller pieces. We can’t keep going on like this. But let’s try not to let our pain lead us to inaction. Rather the opposite. 

Don’t succumb to despair and let Shaytan and the Zionists win. Don’t let their reach extend so far, that you, in the comforts of your home, are now immobile and silent.

However, where do we get our strength from to continue? 

It is important and more so when you are feeling low, to turn back to your Originator. Your Creator. The only One who can revive your heart. The only One who can give you the strength to endure. 
I’m not saying to ignore your mental exhaustion; your feelings are valid and humane. Guilt and fatigue are normal, take breaks so you can keep going. But during these break times, allocate some time for zikr. Reflect on Allah’s Greatness, ponder over the stories from the lives of Prophets (AS) and Sahaba (RAD). Gain strength through Allah’s Words.

And so, here are three verses from the numerous Quranic verses and Ahadith that offer comfort, inspiration and motivate us to never give up or lose hope. 

1. Surah Yusuf (in its’ entirety) and in particular, the following ayah: 

وَجَآءُو عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِۦ بِدَمٍۢ كَذِبٍۢ ۚ قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًۭا ۖ فَصَبْرٌۭ جَمِيلٌۭ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ ١٨
“And they brought his shirt, stained with false blood. He (Yaqub) responded, “No! Your souls must have tempted you to do something ˹evil˺. So ˹I can only endure with˺ beautiful patience! It is Allah’s help that I seek to bear your claims.” (12:18)

Some context: The ten brothers of Yusuf (AS) were so jealous of him that they conspired together to get rid of him. They threw him in a well and approached their father, Yaqub (AS). In their hands, they held the bloodied shirt of Yusuf (AS). 

قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَبَانَآ إِنَّا ذَهَبْنَا نَسْتَبِقُ وَتَرَكْنَا يُوسُفَ عِندَ مَتَـٰعِنَا فَأَكَلَهُ ٱلذِّئْبُ ۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ بِمُؤْمِنٍۢ لَّنَا وَلَوْ كُنَّا صَـٰدِقِينَ ١٧
“They cried, “Our father! We went racing and left Yusuf (Joseph) with our belongings, and a wolf devoured him! But you will not believe us, no matter how truthful we are.” (12:17)

Place yourself in Yaqub (AS) shoes. A father of twelve boys. You have always sensed the jealousy of your sons towards Yusuf (AS). You have always tried to be cautious. But one day, your sons beg you to allow Yusuf (AS) to accompany them, and they promise to let no harm fall on Yusuf (AS).

أَرْسِلْهُ مَعَنَا غَدًۭا يَرْتَعْ وَيَلْعَبْ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَـٰفِظُونَ ١٢
“Send him out with us tomorrow so that he may enjoy himself and play. And we will really watch over him.” (12:12)

قَالَ إِنِّى لَيَحْزُنُنِىٓ أَن تَذْهَبُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَأَخَافُ أَن يَأْكُلَهُ ٱلذِّئْبُ وَأَنتُمْ عَنْهُ غَـٰفِلُونَ ١٣
“He responded, “It would truly sadden me if you took him away with you, and I fear that a wolf may devour him while you are negligent of him.” (12:13)

قَالُوا۟ لَئِنْ أَكَلَهُ ٱلذِّئْبُ وَنَحْنُ عُصْبَةٌ إِنَّآ إِذًۭا لَّخَـٰسِرُونَ ١٤
“They said, “If a wolf were to devour him, despite our strong group, then we would certainly be losers!” (12:14)

Against your better instincts, you give permission.
They come back with his bloodied shirt.
And tell you a wolf ate him. 
Moms, when a sibling pushes the other, we get upset. Time-out, apologize, and so on-! 
Just imagine, as a parent, your OWN children come to you, having committed what you had feared most, and lying to you about it. 
You know a wolf hasn’t eaten Yusuf AS. What kind of a wolf doesn’t tear the shirt of the boy he’s supposedly eating?
But despite the pain and the sadness and the anger, the words Yaqub (AS) uttered were not, “how dare you!” Rather, “patience, beautiful patience.” 
Betrayal hurts deeper when it’s your own family. But still, sabrun jamil.

And what does beautiful patience mean?
A patience in which you place your entire trust in Allah SWT and do not complain about the test. You turn to Allah and wait for things to play out.

And this is exactly what Yaqub (AS) did. What was the outcome? More than he could have ever imagined. 
Not only was he reunited with his missing son, his son was now King of Egypt. This story is a masterclass of patience and trust in Allah SWT.   

وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيْهِ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ وَخَرُّوا۟ لَهُۥ سُجَّدًۭا ۖ وَقَالَ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ هَـٰذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُءْيَـٰىَ مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّى حَقًّۭا ۖ وَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ بِىٓ إِذْ أَخْرَجَنِى مِنَ ٱلسِّجْنِ وَجَآءَ بِكُم مِّنَ ٱلْبَدْوِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ أَن نَّزَغَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَ إِخْوَتِىٓ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَطِيفٌۭ لِّمَا يَشَآءُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ١٠٠
“Then he raised his parents to the throne, and they all fell down in prostration to who then said, “O my dear father! This is the interpretation of my old dream. My Lord has made it come true. He was truly kind to me when He freed me from prison, and brought you all from the desert after Satan had ignited rivalry between me and my siblings. Indeed my Lord is subtle in fulfilling what He wills. Surely He ˹alone˺ is the All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

2. Nothing is impossible for Allah SWT. When the disbelievers gathered together and kindled the largest fire they could manage in order to throw Ibrahim (AS) into it, Allah SWT ruined their plans. Allah made the impossible possible. Fire, created to burn and destroy became cold. Why? Because Allah commanded it to. 

قُلْنَا يَـٰنَارُ كُونِى بَرْدًۭا وَسَلَـٰمًا عَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ٦٩
“We ordered, “O fire! Be cool and safe for Abraham!”(21:69)

وَأَرَادُوا۟ بِهِۦ كَيْدًۭا فَجَعَلْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْأَخْسَرِينَ ٧٠
They had sought to harm him, but We made them the worst losers. (21:70)

So the oppressors can bomb and come rolling in with their tanks, take billions of dollars to fund their genocide, plot and plan, but at the end of the day, Allah SWT can make it all null and void with a simple command. 
Here’s some more insight from Maariful Quran regarding the above verses.

حَرِّ‌قُوه (Burn him – 21:68) that is the entire community and Namrud decided to burn him in fire. The historic version is that for full one month the entire population of the city were busy collecting fire wood for this purpose. Then after lighting the fire wood they fanned it to make it burn ferociously for the next seven days, until the flames rose high up into the sky. When the fire blazed with full ferocity they decided to throw Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) into it. But the fire was burning with such intensity that no one dared to approach it. Then the Shaitan gave them the idea to use a catapult to throw him into the fire. While people were preparing to throw Allah’s Friend (خلِیل) into the sea of fire all the angels and all the creatures of the earth and sky cried out in unison at the fate that lay in store for Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . At that Allah Ta` ala permitted them all to help Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) . When the angels asked Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) whether he needed their help. He replied that Allah was enough to help him and that He was watching over him. Jibra’il al-Ameen (علیہ السلام) enquired whether he could render him any help to which Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) replied, “of course I need help, but from Allah, not from you”. (Mazhari)

Ibrahim (AS)’s strength and trust in only Allah SWT is an inspiring lesson. Ibrahim (AS) didn’t even want help from the angel, Jibra’il (AS), who at the end of the day would only be following Allah’s commands. But such was the conviction and faith of our Prophets. 
And so, If Allah wants victory, then no matter how dire the situation looks, victory will be achieved. We just have to trust in Allah’s plan. Which brings me to the next ayah:

2)

وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ ۚ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ خَيْرُ ٱلْمَـٰكِرِينَ ٣

And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you to imprison you, or to kill you, or to expel you (from Makkah); they were plotting and Allah too was plotting; and Allah is the best of plotters. (8:30)

The Quraish gathered together and plotted various ways to get rid of our beloved Prophet (SAW). But as we know, all it took was a handful of dust to thwart their plans. Allah SWT doesn’t need grand means to save a nation. Nothing is too difficult for Allah SWT. 

Another point from this same ayah, is the Arabic word, يَمْكُرُ
When it is used in the context of the Quraish, it is translated as plot. And when it is used in the context of Allah SWT it is translated as plan. In Arabic, certain words can have opposing meanings depending on context. 
Plotting is intended negatively, as per dictionary.com: a secret plan or scheme to accomplish some purpose, especially a hostile, unlawful, or evil purpose. 
Allah SWT of course doesn’t plot. Everything happening, the functionality of this very world is all through Allah’s plan. 
And what’s absolutely amazing and transcending, subhanAllah, is that the word, يَمْكُرُ is in the indefinite tense (فعل مضارع) which denotes present and future. 

وَيَمْكُرُ‌ونَ وَيَمْكُرُ‌ اللَّـه
 “And they were plotting and Allah was planning“

In other words, this isn’t restrictive to the one incident. Not at all, the disvelievers will forever continue plotting and devising ways to hurt the believers. And at the same time, Allah SWT’s plan and help will continue to ruin the disbelievers plots. 

3) 

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَـٰفِلًا عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ ۚ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍۢ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرُ ٤٢

Do not think ˹O Prophet˺ that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them until a Day when ˹their˺ eyes will stare in horror. (14:42)

This verse was revealed to comfort our beloved Prophet (SAW) from all the oppression and torture that was befalling the Muslim community. 
We are miles away from the atrocities taking place in Palestine. However, in the early days of Islam, our beloved Prophet (SAW), who shed tears for his Ummah, who’s love for his Ummah cannot be surpassed, had to walk by his own people being tortured.
We’ve heard of Summaya (RAD), the first martyr in Islam. Summaya (RAD), her husband Yasir (RAD) and her son Ammar RAD, were amongst the first to accept Islam and the first to be tortured by none other than the evil Abu Jahl. And our beloved Prophet (SAW) had to walk by this scene of horror and at that time, he was unable to do anything. Imagine the heartache felt by our beloved Prophet (SAW). It is our pain right now multiplied.
The only thing our beloved Prophet (SAW) could do was offer words of comfort.“O family of Yasir! Hear the glad tidings that your promised abode shall be Jannah.”

And what better promise can there be? What better reassurance can there be? After all, this world is temporary, Jannah is our eternity. 

Coming back to the verse, it offers comfort to our beloved Prophet (SAW) and in the same verse, promises reckoning for the oppressors. A strong warning to the oppressors, that just because Allah SWT has allowed them continue their tyranny and to do what they wish, this doesn’t mean that Allah SWT is unaware of it. Allah SWT through His Mercy and Wisdom is giving them time to stop and repent and turn back to Allah SWT and if they don’t, Allah SWT is Just and Swift in reckoning. 

Some common factors and gems of wisdom from merely these three verses from the Quran, are patience, trust and acknowledging Allah’s Justice and Power. The Palestinians couldn’t have summed it up better than when faced with destruction and death, tears rolling down their face, they look towards the sky and say, 

حسبنا الله و نعم الوكيل

May Allah SWT grant freedom and ease the difficulties of the Palestinians, and all oppressed Muslims.