Page 50 - The Importance of Patience in the Qur’an

48 THE IMPORTANCE OF PATIENCE IN THE QUR'AN

most important reason for this is that the true religion offers a moral
code that may deprive them of some worldly advantages that they
obtained by unjust means. Since they hold a superior position in their
communities in terms of wealth, rank, and status, they can easily
exploit their people and convince them that injustice and wrongdoing
are reasonable.

The Qur'an's morality requires people to be honest, just, and
helpful toward the poor. Thus, because these leaders regard this
characteristic of the faith as a danger to their worldly interests, they
attempt to blacken the reputation of the faithful who attempt to
spread religious morality and thereby make them unsuccessful.
We can see one of the clearest examples of this in the behavior of
Pharaoh, who enslaved and abused the children of Israel. Allah sent
Prophet Musa (as) as a savior to these people, who were exploited
and forced to work in very arduous conditions. Pharaoh, observing
that the true religion instructed him to behave justly, mercifully, and
with a good conscience toward the children of Israel, tried to discredit
Prophet Musa (as) and his followers in the people's eyes. By doing
this, he thought that nobody would respect the religion preached by
Prophet Musa (as) and that a danger to his own interests would
thereby be averted. He also hoped that such slander would destroy
the believers' morale and that they might abandon their efforts to
spread the faith. The Qur'an relates some of these slanders, as follows:

We sent Musa with Our Signs and clear authority to Pharaoh,
Haman, and Qarun. But they said: "A lying magician." (Surat al-
Mu'min, 23-24)
But he turned away with his forces, saying: "A magician or a
madman!" (Surat adh-Dhariyat, 39)

What Pharaoh and his circle said to Prophet Musa (as) was not