Page 82 - Zeal and Enthusiasm in the Qur'an

Zeal and Enthusiasm Described in the Qur’an

bad, and that only those who are steadfast will be rewarded. The
disease in their hearts causes them to harbor doubts about Allah’s
support. Instead of putting their trust in Allah, they fall into despair
and begin to entertain unjust thoughts about Him. Thus, the dis-
ease concealed in their hearts surfaces. In the Qur’an, Allah de-
scribes the way they lose their zeal abruptly in the face of trials and

begin to doubt Allah’s promise:
"And [remember] when the hypocrites and those in whose
hearts is disease said, ‘Allah and His Messenger did not
promise us except delusion." 120
This attitude is surely a result of deficiency in their faith. Such
people fail to understand that everything they encounter was cre-
ated purposely to test them. Those in whose hearts is disease dif-

fer from sincere believers by the attitude they assume toward such
trials. Believers become more zealous and peaceful by putting
their trust in Allah no matter what befalls them and knowing that
Allah’s help is always near.

Their lingering behind
People displaying hypocritical tendencies adopt a rationale
that is completely different from that of believers and very distant

from that of the Qur’an. Due to the defect in their belief, their ra-
tionale is based not on gaining the acceptance of Allah but merely
on pleasing themselves and deriving personal benefit. For this rea-
son they consider engaging in Islamic work as a futile effort. Since
their faith in the hereafter is rather cloudy, they assume that efforts
made for the hereafter may not bring adequate benefit in return for
all their work and exhaustion. Hence, they find it more profitable to

spend their time in attaining immediate worldly gains instead of

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