As-Sajda (The Prostration)

24. “And We appointed from among them leaders who guided (people) by Our command, when they endured patiently, and they were quite certain of Our signs.”

The appointment of Divine leaders is among the rights of Allah (s.w.t.).

Certainty and patience with perseverance are two necessary conditions for leadership. (A leader must have certainty in the aim and he must have patience and perseverance until the last moment.) Therefore, this verse points to the honours that the children of Israel obtained under the shade of perseverance and faith in order that it can be a lesson for others.

It says:

“And We appointed from among them leaders who guided (people) by Our command, when they endured patiently, and they were quite certain of Our signs.”

Here the Holy Qur’an counts two things as the secrets and conditions of leadership: one is proving faith and certainty to the Divine verses, and the other is patience and perseverance.

This matter is not allocated to the Children of Israel; it is a lesson for all nations and for the Muslims in all times. They must strengthen the basis of their own certainty and do not fear from the difficulties found in the way of confirming the line of Monotheism. They must have patience and perseverance in order to become the leader of the nations throughout the history of the world.

The Qur’anic term /yahdun/ (they guide) is used in the simple present tense, and also the term /yuqinun/ (they are certain) which is in the simple present tense, too, are two evidences for the continuation of these two qualities throughout their lifetime since the subject of leadership is not far from difficulties even for a moment and in every step the godly leader of people encounters a new problem against which he must permanently struggle by the power of certainty and perseverance and continue the line of guidance by Allah’s commandment.

It is notable that the subject of guidance is conditioned to ‘Allah’s command’ and the Holy Qur’an says:

“Who guided (people) by Our command”

and the important thing in the subject of guidance is this very thing that it originates from the command of Allah, not from the people’s affair and the desire of the self, nor imitation from this and that.

Considering the contents of the Qur’an, Imam Sadiq (as) in his expressive tradition, divides leaders into two kinds: The first are the leaders who undertake the leadership of people by the command of Allah, not by people’s affair.

They always give priority to the command of Allah, the Almighty, the Wise, rather than their own affairs and they consider Allah’s commandment above their own command.

But the second kind are the leaders who invite others to Fire and give priority to their own command before the command of Allah. They act according to their own carnal desire and against the Book of Allah.¹

Whether the Qur’anic word /’amr/ (command), here, is a religious command (the Divine commandments in religion) or a genetic command (the influence of Divine command in the world of creation), the apparent of the holy verse leads to the first meaning and the interpretations of the traditions and commentators indicate to this very meaning, too. But some of the great commentators have taken it with “genetic command.”

Explanation: In the verses of Qur’an and Islamic traditions Guidance has been rendered into two meanings: Showing the way, and taking a person to what he demands (causing him to reach the destination).

The guidance of the Divine leaders is also done by both those ways. Sometimes they suffice only to enjoinment and prohibition but sometimes, by innate influence inside the receptive hearts, they cause them to reach educational aims and spiritual positions.

Patience and Perseverance in Divine Leaders

In the holy verses under discussion, there are two qualities mentioned for the Divine leaders: the first is patience and perseverance, and the second is Faith and certainty to Divine verses.

This patience and perseverance, mentioned in the above, has a lot of branches.

Sometime it is for the afflictions that come to a person.

Sometimes it is in the fact of the freedom which may be given to his friends and advocators.

Sometimes it is alongside of the slanders, ill-talks and profanities that are done against sacred things.

Sometimes it is from the side of malevolent persons.

Sometimes it is from the side of ill-wishing ones.

Sometimes it is from the side of ignorant people.

Sometimes it is from the side of a group of knowledgeable wrong-doers.

In short, an aware leader must always show patience and perseverance in the face of all these difficulties and other than them. He must never go out from the centre of events. He must not be impatient nor does he complain. He should not lose his control. He must not become hopeless. He must not be anxious nor regretful. Such a leader can gain his goal.

There is a conclusive and interesting tradition in this regard narrated from Imam Sadiq (as).

Once he (as) told one of his close companions:

“He who shows patience, is patient for a short time (and after it there comes victory); and he who is impatient, he also shows impatience for a short time (and its fruit is failure).”

Then he said:

“You should be patient in all your affairs, because Allah, the Almighty, has appointed Muhammad (S) to prophecy and commanded him to patience and perseverance, and He told him to show patience in the face of what they say and if it is necessary he may separate from them, but not a separation that hinders his invitation unto the Truth.

Here is the Qur’an’s saying:

‘And have patience with what they say, and leave them with noble (dignity)’.”2 ,3

He also told him to do good instead of their bad actions. It is in this case that those who are his enemy will become as his sincere friends.

The Qur’an in this regard says:

“And not alike are the good and the evil. Repel (evil) with what is best, when lo! He between whom and you was enmity would be as if he were a warm friend.”4

Then he (as) added:

“The Prophet (S) showed patience and perseverance so much so that they threw the kinds of arrows of calumny towards him. (They called him mad, sorcerer, and poet and belied him his prophethood.) The breast of the Prophet (S) became straitened because of their words and Allah sent down this verse to him, saying:

‘And certainly We know that your breast straitens at what they say,’

‘Therefore celebrate the praise of your Lord and be of those who make obeisance’,²

because these acts of worship comfort you.” “Again they rejected him and accused him. He became sad. Allah sent this verse to him indicating that He knew that their words had made him sad, but he should know that their aim was not to belie him, but those unjust people belied the verses of Allah.

The Holy Qur’an says:

‘Indeed We know that what they say surely grieves you. Yet verily it is not you (that) they belie, but the unjust deny the signs of Allah.’³

‘Messengers indeed have been denied before you, but they, were patient on being denied and hurt, until Our help came unto them…’⁴

The Prophet (S) was again patient until they violated the limit. They uttered the Name of Allah badly and belied.”

The Prophet (S) said:

“O Lord! I was patient in respect to myself, my family and my honour, but I can not be patient in the face of their slanders against Your Sacred Rank.”

Again Allah commanded him to be patient and said:

“And certainly We created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six periods and there touched Us not any fatigue.”8

Then Imam Sadiq (as) adds:

“After that, the Prophet (S) was patient in all cases and for all difficulties, and this patience caused that Allah gave him glad tidings that there would be some Imams (leaders) in his family (his progeny), and He recommended those Imams to be patient, too.11” “It was here that the Prophet (S) said:

‘Patience for the Faith is like head for the body’.

And finally this patience and perseverance caused him to overcome the polytheists and the Divine command was issued that he could take vengeance of those transgressors who were not worthy of guidance, so they were killed by the Prophet (S) and his followers. This was their recompense in this world, in addition to the rewards of the Hereafter.”

Then Imam Sadiq (as) said:

“He who is patient and counts it for Allah, will not go out of the world until the time when Allah enlightens his eyes with the defeat of his enemies, besides the rewards that He will store for him for the Day of Hereafter.”9