Surah Ibrahim (Abraham ) 14 : 13

Explanatory Note

At this point tyranny reveals its intentions. It does not argue, think or take a rational approach. It feels that it has no power to face up to faith, and that it will inevitably be defeated. Hence, it threatens the use of brute force, which is the only means to which tyranny can resort.

The unbelievers warning their messenger about explusion from their land clearly shows the nature of the battle between Islam and ignorance, or jāhiliyyah. The latter does not agree that Islam should have its own entity, which is independent from it. It will not tolerate a separate existence for Islam, and will not live in peace with Islam, even if Islam wants peace with it. That is because Islam wants to be represented in a social set up with its own leadership and because it claims allegiance from its followers. But jāhiliyyah cannot tolerate this. Therefore, the demand the unbelievers make of their messengers is not merely to stop calling on people to believe. They further demand that they return to their own ways and be fully integrated in their own society. They must not have their separate entity. But divine faith will not accept this as it is contrary to its nature. Hence, the messengers reject this demand. It is not for a person who submits to God to go back on that and return to jāhiliyyah.

When brute force reveals its shameless face, there is no room for argument or a peaceful call to accept the faith. But God will not abandon His messengers to face jāhiliyyah on their own. By its very nature, a society based on jāhiliyyah does not allow anyone who submits to God to work from within its boundaries, unless the work of that believer and his efforts and potentials will support that society and contribute to its power. Those who imagine themselves able to serve their faith by penetrating un-Islamic society and working within its system do not actually understand the nature of the organic structure of that society. It is a society that forces everyone to work for its beliefs and concepts. Hence, the noble messengers’ refusal to revert to their people’s old ways, after they had been saved from them by God.