Page 20 - The Importance of Following the Good Word

Make allowances for people, command what is right,
and turn away from the ignorant. (Surat al-A`raf, 199)
Though recognizing there is little possibility that the dis-
believers will heed their advice, still they persist, offering
them the good word, in hope that maybe this last attempt
will be the opportunity for the disbelievers to accept faith:
[The man who believed said,] "My people! How is it
that I call you to salvation while you call me to the
Fire?
You call me to reject Allah and to associate something
with Him about which I have no knowledge, while I
call you to the Almighty, the Endlessly Forgiving.
There is no question that what you call me to has no
foundation either in this world or the Hereafter, that
our return is to Allah, and that the profligate will be
Companions of the Fire.
You will remember what I say to you. I consign my af-
fair completely to Allah. Truly Allah sees His ser-
vants." (Surah Ghafir, 41-44)
The primary reason for which the believers responded in
each instance in a forgiving, kind and positive manner to-
wards disbelievers, despite their being averse, is our Lord's
demand of such moral excellence. Expecting no other reward
in return, believers perform this act of worship only to earn
Allah's good pleasure.

Believers Call to Allah Without Expecting
Anything in Return

As we also stated earlier, throughout history, prophets
sent by Allah, and the believers who followed in their foot-

18 THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING THE GOOD WORD