In our beloved country the politics of hate for the Muslims has been ruling the roost for the last few years. Not a single day passes when the news of hate propaganda or harassment and subjugation of minorities, in particular Muslims, from some part of the country or the other, hit the headlines. We can say that the politics of hate has become the way of the world here. Let us discuss here what the divine guidance says in such circumstances.
A close study of the Qur’ān reveals that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, during the early days in Makkah wherefrom he started preaching the message of God to the Makkans, along with his followers had to face almost the same circumstances. At that time God related to His Prophet the story of Prophet Moses and Pharaoh to show to him and the world at large how He protected Moses right from the time he was born and how He foiled the plans of Pharaoh – and thereby to establish the true standard of values and power. The fact remains that the true power not only in our physical world but in the entire universe rests with the Lord Creator and none else. And whatsoever power we see the foolhardy wielding recklessly to subjugate ‘others’ is the power delegated by God in fact to test them how far they can go onto the path of recklessness.
Surah al-Qasas, the 28th Chapter of the Qur’ān, presents this story in great detail. The Qur’ān (28:4) says: “Pharaoh exalted himself in the land anddivided its people into castes.” This is what we see today. How they are exalting in the land and how they are dividing the people of the land into ‘we’ and ‘others’.
Then the Qur’ān adds: “One group of them he persecuted….” This persecution of sorts is also being practised in sheer violation of the Constitutional norms and international covenants.
In the same breath, the Divine Book asserts: “For certain, he was one who sows corruption.” Here corruption has been used in its widest meaning, i.e. all the acts of exalting, dividing the people and persecuting them come under the purview of corruption.
In the very next verses, the Qur’ān declares the ultimate end of the evildoers: “But it was Our will to bestow Ourfavour upon those who were oppressed inthe land and to make them leaders, and tomake them the ones to inherit (the land),and to establish them securely on earth,and to let Pharaoh, Hāmān and theirhosts experience at their hands the verythings against which they were takingprecautions.” (28:5-6)
Needless to say, no power on earth however mighty and however equipped with provisions can challenge the might of God. This warning of God is strong enough for the practitioners of corruption to think coolly and mend their ways.