Blindspot!
From Issue: 774 [Read full issue]
Four Stations
[... continued from previous issue]
3. Ansarullah
The meaning of the word ‘ansar’ is helpers, supporters. When Isa (peace be upon him) called out to his nation asking, “who are my helpers for Allah?” some of them responded by saying, “We are helpers of Allah.” [As-Saff 61:14] They showed their servitude to Allah by offering themselves as “helpers of Allah” (Ansarullah). In another place in the Quran Allah says, “O you who believe, if you help Allah, He will help you and make your feet firm.” [Muhammad 47:7] Why would Allah, the owner of the universe, who does not need anything from His creations, ask for help from the believers?
Allah has decreed laws that govern all of His creations. The sun, the moon, stars, galaxies, plants, trees, rivers, oceans, fire, water, air, birds, insects and animals all of them are governed by the laws prescribed by Allah. These laws that needed no Messenger govern every aspect of those creations. Allah has not given those creations the free will to accept or defy the laws that govern them. Indeed, Allah has subjected all of His creations to the divine laws, except for humans.
Allah has not forced the acceptance and obedience of divine laws on humans. He does not even reach out to every single human being with the divine message, instead he sent down Messengers with His divine guidance and has given humans the choice to accept or defy His guidance. This is why the help of humans are needed to establish a system in accordance with the guidance from Allah. Allah has done so not because He is incapable but to reward humans who offer themselves to be His helpers. Those who offer themselves as helpers of Allah to establish the Divine guidance among humans are given the station of Ansarullah.
One who serves Allah only in personal life and does not work towards establishing Divine laws sent by Allah through His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) cannot reach the station of Ansarullah. Even if a person is known to be ‘pious’ and a ‘scholar’, he or she cannot reach the station of Ansarullah without working towards establishing a system based on divine guidance.
Allah has reminded the Prophet (peace be upon him) of this important task in several places of the Quran (At-Tawba 33, Al-Fath 28, As-Saff 9) saying, “It is He Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the true way of life, to prevail over all other ways of life.”
The Quran, the life of the Prophet and his companions, show that the responsibility to establish a divine way of life is not solely the responsibility of Prophets. Those who believe in the last Prophet also bear the same responsibility. That is why those who did not aid the Prophet in his attempt to establish the divine way of life were labelled as hypocrites despite their prayers and fasting.
[to be continued]
Compiled From:
“Four Stations of Believers” - Ghulam Azam