In the Name of Allah, we praise Him and invoke peace and blessings upon His Messenger.
While we are all following the attacks on our brothers and sisters in Gaza in increasing anger, it is necessary to remember an essential theological concept with every dead woman or child we see on TV lying in a pile of rubble: our enmity towards this accursed nation should be first and foremost because of their kufr. Their offenses against Allah and His Prophets since the start of their miserable existence far outweigh in evil and vileness all of the bombs, missiles, killing, starvation, and expulsion they have afflicted us with since 1948.
When one looks through their history, one finds example after nauseating example of stubbornness, rejection, and mockery of the signs of Allah. By Allah, every time I go back and read their tragic stories with Prophet Musa, I still shake my head at how a group can be filled with such stubborn disbelief despite the presence of a real live Messenger from Allah in their midst, and it is during such reflection that one comes to understand the Prophet Muhammad’s words: “Glad tidings seven times to the one who believes in me without seeing me.”
Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned in ‘Ighathat al-Lahfan’ (2/306):
“Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that when Musa returned to his people and saw how they were worshipping the cow and said to his brother and as-Samiri what he said, and he burned the cow and threw it in the river, Musa then chose seventy of their best men and said: “Go to Allah and repent to Him from what you have done, and ask Him to repent unto those of your people you have left behind. So, fast and purify yourselves and your intentions.” So, he went out with them to Mount Sinai for an appointment he made with his Lord, and he would never approach to meet Him without His permission. So, the seventy men said to him: “O Musa, ask your Lord for us to let us hear His Speech.” He said “I will do so,” and when Musa got close to the mountain, he was shaded with clouds until they overwhelmed the entire mountain. He got closer and entered the mountain, saying to his people: “Get closer.” When Musa would speak with his Lord, his face would be covered with such a dazzling light that no human being could look at him. So, a barrier was placed between he and his people, and they approached until they entered the area that was covered by the clouds. They fell prostrating and heard Allah Speaking to Musa, issuing commands and prohibitions. When Allah was done doing so, He removed the clouds from around Musa, and Musa came out to them and they said to him: “We will not believe in you until we see Allah out in the open!” So, a lightning bolt struck them, and they all died.”
Imagine, this was the state of the seventy best men from the Children of Israel!
Ibn al-Qayyim continued a few pages later (2/311):
“When they were presented with the Torah, they did not accept it despite the fact that they had personally witnessed the signs that they had witnessed. So, Allah commanded Jibril to uproot an entire mountain and hold it over their heads, saying to them: “If you do not accept it, I will throw this on you.” So, they accepted it unwillingly, and Allah Said: {“And when We raised the mountain over them as if it had been a canopy, and they thought that it was going to fall on them, We said: “Hold firmly to what We have given you, and remember that which is therein so that you may fear Allah and obey Him.””} [al-A’raf; 171]
‘Abdullah bin Wahb said that Ibn Zayd said: “When Musa returned from his Lord with the Tablets, he said to the Children of Israel: “These Tablets contain the Book of Allah and His commands that He has commanded you with, as well as His prohibitions that He has prohibited you from.” So, they said: “And who would listen to you? No, by Allah, we will not accept this until we see Allah out in the open, until He comes out to us and says: ‘This is My Book. So, take it.’ Why doesn’t He Speak to us like He does with you, Musa?” So, such anger came from Allah that a lightning bolt struck them, killing them all. Allah then brought them back to life after they had died, and Musa said to them: “Take the Book of Allah.” They said: “No.” So, he asked them: “Don’t you know what just happened to you?” They replied: “Yes, we died and were brought back to life.” He said again: “Take the Book of Allah,” and they again refused. So, Allah sent the Angels to take a mountain and hold it over their heads, saying: “Do you know what this is?” They said: “Yes, Mount Tur.” The Angels said: “Take the Book of Allah, or we will throw this on top of you.” So, they took it through a covenant.”
In these two aforementioned stories, one cannot help but cringe at the horrible manners displayed with their Prophet, and before that: Allah! This comes despite the mercy and politeness of Musa in addressing them, as well as Allah’s Mercy in giving them chance after chance to repent and accept what was so blatant and clear, even bringing them back to life to ponder over their transgressions for which they were killed.
However, it doesn’t stop there.
This blasphemy was complemented by their worship of a golden calf immediately after seeing the Red Sea open up and swallow Fir’awn, a manifestation of Allah’s Might!
It was complemented by their accusations against Allah of being poor and stingy, and that He had a son!
It was complemented by their taking their rabbis as lords besides Allah, obeying them in what they legislated in opposition to their Shari’ah!
It was complemented by their accusations against the progeny of Prophet Ya’qub of illicit sexual relations, such that Prophet Dawud was the product of adultery!
It was complemented by their accusations against Prophet Lut that he fornicated with his two daughters – while he was drunk!
It was complemented by their accusations against Prophet Yusuf of being a fornicator!
It was complemented by their accusations against Maryam of being a whore, such that Prophet ‘Isa was a bastard child!
It was complemented by their accusations against Prophet Sulayman of being a magician, just as they claim about Prophet ‘Isa!
And it doesn’t stop there! Their position towards the Prophets and Messengers sent to them was not limited to mere rejection, insults, and disbelief in their messages. Rather, their seething hatred to anything divine led them to take the ultimate step of transgression: murdering the Prophets of Allah! From the Prophets of the Children of Israel up to our own Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them all), this accursed group combined the crime of kufr with the crimes of murder and arrogance. They historically boast of having allegedly killed ‘Isa, and with our own Prophet in their midst, they attempted to murder him by dropping a boulder on his head, poison him, cast a spell on him, ally with the polytheists against him, break their pacts with him, and on and on.
Such was the experience of the Prophets and Messengers appointed by Allah with the Children of Israel, and our love of Allah and His Books and Messengers transcends that of our love for ourselves, and even for our brothers and sisters in faith. Therefore, while the believer feels gallantry and jealousy for his oppressed brothers and sisters in Palestine, this feeling should be magnified many times over for our Lord, Book, and Prophets such that our hearts burn in passion with their priorities in proper order…
{“Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those with him when they said to their people: “Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allah. We have rejected you, and there has started between us and you hostility and hatred forever until you believe in Allah, alone…””} [al-Mumtahanah; 4]
And Allah Knows best.
source:
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