Page 100 - Communication and Argument in the Qur'an

98 COMMUNICATION AND ARGUMENT IN THE QUR’AN

To understand their sincerity better, we can contrast
them to their opposites. The believers are just as sincere as
the hypocrites are insincere. For example, to avoid confron-
tation the hypocrites offer such false excuses as: “Our hous-
es are exposed,” “Do not go out to fight in the heat,” and
“Had we been able to, we would have gone out with you,”
while the believers are eager to confront the unbelievers.
Nor is anything held against those who, when they
came to you for you to provide them with mounts and
you said: “I cannot find anything on which to mount
you,” turned away with their eyes overflowing with
tears, overcome by grief at having nothing to give.
(Surat at-Tawba: 92)
Their sincerity and strong faith in Allah causes these
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believers, when they recite or hear the Qur’an, to “fall on
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t their faces in prostration” (Surat al-Isra’: 107). Allah calls
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them people of knowledge and, in another verse, says:
Weeping, they fall to the ground in prostration, and it
increases them in humility. (Surat al-Isra’: 109)
When they listen to what has been sent down to the
Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears
because of what they recognize of the truth. They say:
“Our Lord, we believe, so write us down among the
witnesses.” (Surat al-Ma’ida: 83)
The sincere prayers of the prophets and
the messengers
Faithful Muslims, those who follow their ancestral reli-