Page 79 - The Arrogance of Satan

77
The Chiefs of the Nations

They Do Not Obey Messengers

The messengers Allah sends to the nations of the world
are endowed with moral excellence, intelligence, and insight.
They are chosen by Allah and are specially endowed with
wisdom. One verse reads: "He gives wisdom to whoever He
wills and he who has been given wisdom has been given
great good. But no one pays heed but people of
intelligence" (Surat al-Baqara: 269)
Since these men are superior in faith, knowledge and
wisdom, believers hold them in high esteem. Corrupt chiefs
of the nations, on the other hand, arrogantly oppose the
messengers, though they are the most trustworthy and
noteworthy of people. Moreover, they insult them, cast
aspersions against their honesty and other praiseworthy
qualities, and even lay traps against them and plot to
assassinate them. This they perform under the influence of
the wicked arrogance festering in their hearts. This pride
they harbour hinders them from being submissive to Allah' s
messengers and causes them to deny the truth:

Has news not reached you of those who came before
you, the peoples of Nuh and ' Ad and Thamud, and
those who came after them who are known to no one
but Allah? Their Messengers came to them with Clear
Signs, but they put their hands to their mouths, saying,
"We reject what you have been sent with. We have grave
doubts about what you are calling us to." (Surah
Ibrahim: 9)
The Qur' an also reveals how these arrogant and
belligerent chiefs of the nations respond to prophets and how