During yesterday’s live discussion on The Barakah Effect we had a really insightful deep-dive on the topic, “Your Lord Has Not Forsaken You: Inspirations from Surah Ad-Duha”
On of the amazing takeaways of of Surah Ad-Duha is that it teaches us how Allah prepares the life of Muhammad ﷺ, and Sets him up - both internally and externally - to be the greatest leader of all time.
Here are some of those aspects:
1. Self-Confidence & Assurance - Comforting words
2. Optimism - Better days ahead
3. Gratitude & Humility
4. Empathy & kindness
5. You, too, can achieve Success
Let’s break it down:
1. Self-Confidence & Assurance
In ayah #3, Allah says:
مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَىٰ ٣
“Your Lord (O Muhammad ﷺ) has neither forsaken you, nor does he Hate you.”
This surah was revealed at a time when revelation has briefly stopped. Angel Jibril had not come to the Prophet for a certain duration, and the people of Quraysh were attacking him with sarcastic gaslighting remarks, telling him, “I hope your devil has abandoned you” - supposedly masking her cynicism with “good intentions” of “hope”. As a human being with emotions, words like these hurt the feelings of the Prophet ﷺ.
In life, you will undoubtedly face difficult times where feel incredibly lonely, facing self-doubt, begin questioning yourself, in times where seemingly nobody understands what you’re going through. As the final Prophet and Messenger, no one truly knows how it feels like to bear the burden of this responsibility, nor the hurtful words and difficult situations he has to go through.
With this ayah, Allah reaffirms the heart of the Prophet - that his Lord hasn’t forsaken him, and certainly doesn’t hate him.
Generally speaking, as we recite these verses, they are also a reassurance for the believers: Stick to your principles, even if - or rather, ESPECIALLY when - things get tough.
If you are living by your principles as a believer, fulfilling your purpose in life by obeying the commandments of Allah, then know, that despite what might be apparent on the surface - the loneliness, the haters, and the self-doubt - continue to do the right thing, and stick to your values.
Rest assured: your Lord will not forsake you, nor does He Hate you.
In other words:
وَلَا تَهِنُوا۟ وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا۟ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ١٣٩
“So do not become weak, nor be sad, and you will be superior if you are indeed (true) believers.” (3:139)
2. Optimism: Better days ahead
in Ayah #4, Allah says:
وَلَلْـَٔاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكَ مِنَ ٱلْأُولَىٰ ٤
There are two ways we can translate and understand these ayah. Firstly, if we understand it literally, from a worldly perspective, it means “what comes later (in life), will be better than what comes before it (whether the present, or in the past).”
Secondly, it means “The Hereafter is better than the present life (in dunya)”.
Both meanings are correct, and they ultimately culminate in one meaning to instil optimism in the Prophet ﷺ, and ultimately for us: Your best days are yet to come.
It’s an affirmation of the Growth Mindset: Whatever challenges you go through today, is to prepare you, to shape you, to nurture you to becoming a stronger, more resilient person. Whatever difficulties you face today that are outside of your comfort zone, be patient: this too shall pass. And it’s only a matter of time until you adapt, you get better, and if you face this situation again in the future, it’s easy for you.
From the other perspective, this ayah talks about a very important life Principle, as Steven Covey labels as #2 out of the famous 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People: Begin with the End in Mind.
Ultimately, even if things don’t necessarily improve, in the grand scheme of things, the life in this world is only a temporary existence. The true reward - the true success, true eternal happiness and settling down - lies beyond this life: in the Hereafter.
And as long as you keep on this Straight Path, none of your efforts will go to waste. As He says in the following ayah,
وَلَسَوْفَ يُعْطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضَىٰٓ ٥
“And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied.”
3. Gratitude & Humility
Allah then continues in ayah #6 - #8:
أَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيمًۭا فَـَٔاوَىٰ ٦ وَوَجَدَكَ ضَآلًّۭا فَهَدَىٰ ٧وَوَجَدَكَ عَآئِلًۭا فَأَغْنَىٰ ٨
“Did He not find you (O Muhammad ﷺ) an orphan and gave you a refuge?
And He found you lost and provided Guidance?
And He found you poor and made you rich (self-sufficient with self-contentment)?”
Here Allah reminds the Prophet of the favors He granted him - from his weak state of being an orphan, living without guidance, and living in poverty - and how Allah elevated him from all these adversities.
It’s also worth noting, a little factual detail in sirah. On one hand, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was born of the noble family of Banu Hashim - being raised in an environment of leadership and nobility. Yet Banu Hashim wasn't wealthy, and was in difficult economic circumstances.: as a result, the Prophet ﷺ always had to pour in extra effort, even to help out the housechores of the family of his uncle and guardian, Abu Talib. So, he was conditioned to leadership and taking responsibility through those hard times.
And reciting this ayah, we can reflect this for ourselves, too:
Wasn’t there a time when we, too were weak and helpless? And how people around us had taken care of us, sheltered us, provided us guidance - Our parents, our teachers, our friends, our mentors?
Wasn’t there a time when we knew nothing? Yet Allah had placed in our midst, guardians, teachers, friends, who paved the way for knowledge, showed us the path, enlightened us, elevated us from the life of ignorance?
For many of us, trying to lead righteous lives - wasn’t there a time when we lived a path of sins and disobedience? Didn’t we, too, have a past that we are ashamed of? How did Allah help us and bring us from that darkness into Light?
For many of us who are earning sustenance for ourselves and raising our family - wasn’t there a time when we were struggling to finish our studies, find a job, and struggle to earn a good livelihood? Haven't we all been struck and touched by those miracle moments?
Here, Allah teaches His Prophet - and by extension, you and me - a lesson in Gratitude and Humility, to be a better person, a better leader, for the people around us.
He reminds us,
وَأَحْسِن كَمَآ أَحْسَنَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ
“And do good (to others), just as how Allāh has done good to you.” (28:77)
Just as He was Generous and Kind with you, shouldn’t you, too, spread kindness and generosity with others? Shouldn’t you, too, play a role to help & elevate others, as others played a role in your life?
He also reminds us: None of this is done out of your own efforts. ALL of this was granted to you by Allah - even if you didn’t ask for it. There are many who don’t have half of the blessings that you have. And just has He granted it, He can also take it away. So don’t get arrogant, and never forget to attribute those Blessings to the One who granted it to you.
Yes, Allah had elevated your situation and circumstance, but remember, there are many others who are still living in that state - perhaps even worse. Remember your humble origins.
And this ayah also reinforce the message of Optimism: If you're going through hard times, remember, there was a time when Allah elevated you in the past. And if He could do that back then, He could do it again in the future. Hang in there, buddy!
4. Empathy and Kindness
فَأَمَّا ٱلْيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقْهَرْ ٩ وَأَمَّا ٱلسَّآئِلَ فَلَا تَنْهَرْ ١٠
“And as for the orphan, do not oppress. And for the beggar, do not repulse him.”
The Prophet ﷺ was raised in an environment of hardship: having lived, firsthand, his entire life as an orphan who couldn’t read or write. And until he was married to Khadijah, he was always living a life of difficulty and poverty.
Knowing what it’s like to live in tough times, his upbringing conditioned him to have empathy for the underprivileged in society. Treat them with kindness.
Sure, we might not necessarily have lived through the hardship that others, as the Prophet ﷺ himself went through. At least, acknowledge that we are ignorant and lack knowledge of their suffering, and have the humility to learn and empathize - to listen to them, put ourselves in their shoes.
By instilling these values to treat the “lower class” of society, by extension, Allah also trains us to have kindness and gentleness to the rest of society.
In a materialistic community, people tend to be “nice” only to the upper class, yet they are mean and nasty to the weak of society such as the poor and the orphans. On a superficial level, it can difficult to be kind and gentle to people who seemingly can’t offer you anything “in return”, and therefore it can annoy people and make them uncomfortable confronting these underprivileged “nobodys”.
Allah therefore Reminds us: Don’t stoop to that level. Be better than that. You’re not doing this for them: You’re doing this for Allah!
If you don’t want to give, you don’t have to be nasty while doing it. If you don’t want to give extra, then at least fulfill their rights.
If you can condition yourself to practice kindness, gentleness and generosity, to the weak of society, then it’s a whole lot easier to be kind and gentle to others.
5. You, too, can achieve Success
Ultimately, these verses remind us that the life of the Prophet should also instil hope that ANY of us can be successful in life. He was an orphan, poor, and illiterate. In those days, any one of these three elements would have been a major handicap against success. Yet, by the Mercy of Allah, He elevated the Prophet to becoming the greatest leader in the history of mankind.
Even if we lack knowledge, are poor, or are underprivileged society, we have what it takes to achieve extraordinary success - if we put in the effort!
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