Yunus (Jonas)

65. “And let not their speech grieve you. Verily the glory is wholly Allah’s; He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”

As a good end awaits those who observe continence, the attainment of this goal requires one to pass through some great difficulties. Among them is that one can cite the struggle which the faithful experience within their hearts in the process of overthrowing and revising their aspirations.

This can tend to make them feel hopeless, giving them the impression that the oppressors can overcome them. But this is not so, Allah, the Exalted in Majesty informs us that we must not let the oppressors make us sorrowful. The Majesty is entirely His.

It is He Who is All-Hearing and Omniscient. This good news only applies to those whose existence embodies the characteristics of the friends of Allah.

The verse says:

“And let not their speech grieve you. Verily the glory is wholly Allah’s; He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”

In the Islamic texts one reads that:

Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali-ibn-Abi-Talib (as) once was asked about the meaning of Allah’s words when He says: “Behold! Verily no fear shall be upon the friends of Allah, nor shall they grieve”, and who the friends of Allah were.

Amir-ul-Mu’mineen answered:

“The friends of Allah are those who are sincere in their worship, they are cognizant of the depth of those matters that are of the world, whereas others attach importance to the outward appearance of the world. These believe in the idea of the permanent character of the world while the others do not believe in its lack of permanence...”1

It is also narrated from Imam Baqir (as) who said that it is written in Imam Sajjad’s (as), book concerning the friends of Allah that they are those who accomplish their religious obligations, and act according to the practice of Allah’s Messenger (S).

They are those who abstain from all that is forbidden, and have let the transient world go by, while they are only interested in what is dear to Allah. They make a living in accordance with the laws which consider these ways of earning a livelihood lawful.

They abhor arrogance, shun the hoarding of wealth and pay all the obligatory religious dues. Allah has blessed them all for what they earn, and He has also fixed a great reward for what they have saved in advance for their life in Hereafter.