Why should a person support the religion of Allaah?

The believers must learn lessons from the behavior of the disbelievers, in order to be alert, return to Allaah The Almighty and repent from falling short in supporting their religion and the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam.

Our primary concern should then always be: how should we support the religion of Allaah The Almighty and His Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, so that He will aid us? How can we have knowledge of our faith and go back to it? Any answer to that requires of us that we know the reason behind [our] subjugation, humiliation and disgrace; and, that is akin to the underlying cause of the defeat of Muslims in the battle of Uhud. In this respect, Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And Allaah had certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were killing the enemy by His permission until [the time] when you lost courage and fell to disputing about the order [given by the Prophet] and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you love. Among you are some who desire this world, and among you are some who desire the Hereafter. Then He turned you back from them [defeated] that He might test you. And He has already forgiven you, and Allaah is the Possessor of bounty for the believers.} [Quran 3:152]

Indeed, a similar trial is currently facing the believers, so we must reflect on this and deduce how to tackle it. We know that what afflicted Muslims in the battle of Uhud was owing to their disobedience of the command of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, in only one aspect. This was, that he, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, had ordered the archers to not abandon their posts, even if they were to witness the Muslims being snatched by birds. However, they failed to comply with his, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, instructions, thinking that the believers had defeated the polytheists and they were no longer applicable. Therefore, they left their positions and descended the mountain to collect the spoils of war with other Muslims and take their share. However, the reality was contrary to that, and they were then defeated because of their defiance of the order of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam.

The believers were severely affected during that incident in which Hamzah, may Allaah be pleased with him, as well as seventy believers were killed and others injured.

Likewise, today, we deserve humiliation, defeat and disgrace until the Day of Resurrection, due to the contradictions we subsist in, and for which the believers are foremost censured, even before the disbelievers, the disobedient and the immoral. That is because our faith is the only resort in the defense and support of the religion of Allaah The Almighty. The non-practicing, the negligent, the flagrant rebellious and those who are indifferent toward Islam and care neither if it is discredited or humiliated, will never stand up for it; indeed, they are but as cattle, or perhaps, further astray.

Hence, the only supporters of this religion are its believers. So, a failing in fulfilling our obligation towards it portends further destruction of the remaining walls of the fortress of the religion of Allaah The Almighty. What afflicted the believers during the battle of Uhud may very well affect us, too, and verily, there is no power or strength save with Allaah The Almighty.

Thus, the onus of the defense of Islam falls squarely on believers and not anyone else. Conversely, as Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, Allaah defends those who have believed. Indeed, Allaah does not like everyone treacherous and ungrateful.} [Quran 22:38] According to a different mode of recitation, this verse can be interpreted to mean that Allaah The Almighty [also] wards off [harm] from those who believe.

Why else must Muslims return to supporting the religion of Allaah The Almighty? [We must remember that] He is able to destroy the disbelievers and seize them in a manner that speaks of His Might and Perfection in Ability. However, as Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {That [is the command]. And if Allaah had willed, He

could have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others.} [Quran 47:4]

This verse indicates that Allaah The Almighty is able to exact retribution upon the disbelievers and crush them; He may say, "Be!" and [whatever He wants] may transpire, and He could cause the earth to swallow them as He did with others. However, He wants to try the believers with those who reject faith, and the latter with the former. According to the verses that follow, this would be for one [or more] of the following reasons, so the martyrs of the believers [in the course of their struggle] would be in Paradise and the dead of the disbelievers would take their place in Hell, or, it might be a factor for non-Muslims to accept Islam as their faith and return to Allaah The Almighty, or, it may play a role in exalting the religion of Allaah The Almighty, or, it could be a way to distinguish the believers from others and purify them.

Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And these days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people so that Allaah may make evident those who believe and [may] take to Himself from among you martyrs - and Allaah does not Like the wrongdoers - And that Allaah may purify the believers [through trials] and destroy the disbelievers.} [Quran 3:140-141]