Page 66 - Zeal and Enthusiasm in the Qur'an

Zeal and Enthusiasm Described in the Qur’an

mercy. They might even spend months or years, day and night, to
help a person adopt the good values of Islam. Similarly, they ea-
gerly spend their wealth for this cause. The zeal they feel grants
them great power both in the physical and spiritual sense. To the
end of their lives they never stop communicating the message of
Allah in the best and wisest way.

However, it should be made clear that even if all their efforts do
not result in a single person’s guidance, they will never feel frus-
trated because the duty of a believer is only to communicate the
message, while it is Allah Who actually guides an individual. From
the Qur’an it is known that many of the idolaters in Makkah did not
embrace Islam in spite of all the sincere and great efforts of the
Prophet Muhammad (saas). But his effort was rewarded, and Allah

revealed to him:
"Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like,
but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of
the [rightly] guided." 84
It is stated in the Qur’an that all prophets showed the same
commitment in communicating the message. The difficulties they
encountered along the way never discouraged them. On the con-
trary, they continually resorted to every method to show their peo-
ples the right path. The zealous efforts of the Prophet Noah (as)

have been described as follows:
"He said, ‘My Lord, indeed I invited my people [to truth]
night and day. But my invitation increased them not except
in flight [i.e., aversion]. And indeed, every time I invited
them that You may forgive them, they put their fingers in
their ears, covered themselves with their garments, per-
sisted, and were arrogant with [great] arrogance. Then I in-
vited them publicly. Then I announced to them and [also]

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