Page 17 - The Courage of the Faithful

Courage According to the Qur'an

As for the courageous acts of unbelievers, these are carried out
solely for their own gain or other worldly ambitions. There f o re ,
those who are removed from the light of the Qur'an apply what they
deem as courage to the wrong situations. In matters where tru e
courage is re q u i red, they may actually falter. As such, the courage
they usually exemplify is of little purpose, and of no benefit to them-

selves, with regards to the Hereafter.
Being bound by his conscience, a believer cannot fail to be
courageous. For example, if an innocent person is accused, and he is
aware of his innocence, he defends the person, for the good pleasure
of Allah, even if it is in conflict with his own interests, or places him
at risk. This is a true example of outstanding courage. The source of
this courage exemplified by the faithful is their fear of A l l a h .

Because, Allah instructs us in the Qur'an:
… Do not conceal testimony. If someone does conceal it, his
heart commits a crime. Allah knows what you do. (Surat al-
Baqara, 283)
As told in the above verse, concealing evidence is defined by
Allah as unlawful. Because they fear any shortcomings or hesitation
in obeying Allah's commands, the faithful display exemplary
courage in following Allah's prohibitions.
In a society that does not abide by the Qur'an, a person who lis-

tens to the voice of conscience, and defends the rights of the down-
trodden, is asked questions like, "Are you his lawyer?" or "Is it your
job to defend him?", in an attempt to belittle him and cause him to
give up. The truth, however, is that what he is doing is a noble ex-
ample of morality, and which deserves appreciation. If the person
being criticized also fails to adhere to religious morality, he will be

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