88- HE SAID: “O MY PEOPLE, IF I HAVE UNDERSTANDING
CONCERNING MY LORD AND HE PROVIDED ME WITH A GOOD PROVISION, AND I DO NOT WISH
TO DISAGREE WITH YOU, THEN DO WHAT I AM FORBIDDING YOU, BUT I WISH TO CORRECT
MATTERS AS MUCH AS I CAN, MY SUCCESS WILL ONLY DEPEND ON ALLAH, UPON HIM I RELY
AND TO HIM I REFER FOR EVERY THING THAT MATTERS.
89- AND MY PEOPLE, DO NOT LET YOUR ANIMOSITY TO ME
MAKE YOU SIN AND DO WRONG, FOR THEN WHAT AFFLICTED THE PEOPLE OF NOAH, OR THE
PEOPLE OF HUD OR THE PEOPLE OF SALAH, AND THE PEOPLE OF LUTE, ARE NOT LONG
GONE.
90- ASK YOUR LORD FOR FORGIVENESS THEN REPENT TO
HIM, FOR MY LORD IS MOST MERCIFUL AND AMIABLE.
Allah the Highest makes his prophets and messengers clear
about their Lord and His commands.This
is part of the wisdom they are given “ALLAH GRANTS WISDOM TO WHOM HE
WILLS.INDEED, HE WHO IS GRANTED THE
WISDOM, HE HAS BEEN GIVEN A GREAT DEAL OF GOODNESS, BUT ONLY THOSE OF SOUND
MINDS KNOW IT”.(S: 2 A: 269)
The believers should obey Allah’s commands, manifestly and in
secret, for Allah the Highest knows what we reveal and what we hide, otherwise,
it is hypocrisy to be good manifestly and disobedient in secret.A person’s deeds should always be in line
with what he says, not like those whom Allah the Highest said this Ayah about: “HOW
WOULD YOU COMMAND OTHERS TO BE RIGHTEOUS WHILE FORGETTING YOURSELVES, WHILE YOU
READ THE BOOK? HAVE YOU NO UNDERSTANDING?”(S: 2 A: 44)
The mission of the prophet is to put matters right for his
people, in their belief and worship, and also in their everyday life practices
and in the way they deal with each other.
A believer should remember always, that every achievement and
success he enjoys is because Allah meant it to happen, and whatever happens to
him, happens with Allah’s knowledge and permission.We should also examine our decisions and
deeds against Allah’s rules and commands, to see that we are doing right in
Allah’s eyes.Allah the Highest supports
and helps people when what they do is according to His wishes and rules.We should be aware that animosity and strive
between people may blind their eyes from seeing and doing what is right.
Shoib, peace upon him, advised his people not to let their
anger and animosity to him lead them to disbelieving his message, as then they
would be punished like the people of Noah, Salah, Hud and Lute.They, the people of Lute did not live long
before them, and they were still remembered.
Shoib was in fact showing a great deal of caring and
affection for his people,not wanting
them to suffer, and even his awareness of their hatred and animosity to him, did
not prevent him advising them.
Shoib advised them, on the way to save them from being
punished:
-To ask Allah
the Highest for forgiveness for their sin, the greatest of which was disbelief.
-To repent; that is not to return to doing such sins.
No one should despair of Allah’s forgiveness even after
committing the greatest sins, for Allah the Highest said: “SAY: O MY SLAVES WHO TRANSGRESSED AGAINST THEMSELVES
EXCESSIVELY, DO NOT DESPAIR OF ALLAH’S MERCY, FOR ALLAH FORGIVES ALL SINS, FOR
HE IS THE MOST FORGIVING, THE MOST MERCIFUL”.(S: 39 A: 53)
Indeed Allah the Highest is very pleased with a person’s
repentance, which Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said about: “Your Lord is more joyful of His slaves repentance that a
person losing his camel in a dry desert then finding his camel”.
