Certainly, the Exalted Allah supports His Beloveds, for He makes the meaning pleasing to them rather than the sensual. He makes them be attracted to the light and to faith. After their hearts become purified, and the veil is removed from their insights, they are able to see the beautiful meaning.
Let us read some Qur'anic texts that deal with these two points. The first is about the Exalted Allah's trial of man by making the unworthy seem pleasing. Certainly, the unworthy is ugly and disagreeable, but still it is desired. Accordingly, the Exalted Allah said:

"Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet", i.e., the demands of the instinct make man rush enthusiastically to what seems pleasing because he sees it attractive. The second is the desires that are the characteristics of soul and instinct.
"women and sons". The will to have sons is the result of the instinctive attraction to women.
"and heaped up hoards of gold and silver" is the milieu in which man dreams of living with women and sons.

"horses branded {for blood and excellence}". I have formerly mentioned that, originally, the linguistic meaning of Khail (horse) is something that makes man Yakhtal (boast of). In Arabic, both words are derived from the same stem. Consequently, if the Arabs used to boast of having horses, this may be applied to everything worthy of boasting, and when man is attracted to the object of pride, he usually follows his self-desires.


"and {wealth of} cattle and well tilled land". Cattle and tilled land are the source of nourishment for man. How many the people are today who live only for the sake of eating, rather than eating for the sake of living.


How many the people are today whose only aim of living is mere eating, and the more the kinds of food become varied, the more they feel that, by this variety, they can achieve the goal of their lives.
On the other hand, some other people eat to live because they know that food supports human life.
Then the Exalted Allah said: "Such are the possessions of this world's life", i.e., it is a transient temporary enjoyment. After satisfying instincts such as having food and drink, being attracted to what is pleasing, and after feeling pride, soon everything loses its luster.
"Such are the possessions of this world's life". It is transient temporary enjoyment.
"but in nearness to Allah is the best of the goals {to return to}" (Al Imran, 14).

Notice the two following statements: "Fair in the eyes of men", and "the best". There is a great difference between what seems fair and what is the best. The Arabs call the beautiful girl ' a belle' because of her beauty that makes her do without adornment.
Consequently, the Exalted Allah said that 'the best' exists only with Him, not with anybody else, i.e., real beauty can be found only in His closeness. Ultimately, the return is to Him on the Day of Judgment. According to the people of belief, it is a return to the best. So man moves from what 'seems fair' into the best. If he turns away from the embellished, making use of the cautioning of the Exalted Allah, and if he is attached to the best, he will end in the best return because: "but in nearness to Allah is the best of the goals {to return to}"

The Exalted Allah said to His Beloved, our Master, Muhammad (pbuh): "Say" addressing all mankind thereby, "Shall I give you glad tidings of things far better than those?", i.e., don't you want to know better than all that; better than this transient evanescent, temporary enjoyment that is not perpetual?

"For the righteous, there are Gardens in nearness to their Lord, with rivers flowing beneath. That will be their eternal home; with Companions pure {and holy}; and the good pleasure of Allah. And Allah is All-seer of His slaves" (Al Imran, 15).
The Exalted Allah explains and details the expected beauty after He draws the attention to the fake one.
Referring to 'what seems pleasing', the Exalted Allah said:

"The evil of their course seems pleasing to them. But Allah does not guide who rejects Faith" (At Tawbah, 37). Their deeds are bad, but in spite of their ugliness, the repulsive seems to them beautiful, because there is a secret in the trial of what seems pleasing.

The Exalted Allah said:
"Thus was made alluring, in Pharaoh's eyes, the evil of his deeds" (Ghafer, 37). Pharaoh killed the males of the Jews and kept alive their females believing his deed to be good. He believed that Moses' mission caused corruption on the land. So He said to his folk:
"What I fear is lest he should change your religion, or lest he should cause mischief to appear in the land"! (Ghafer, 26) Hence, he believed the good to be ugly, and the ugliest of the ugly good, and this is one of the secrets of what seems pleasing.

"And he was hindered from the Path; and the plot of Pharaoh led to nothing but perdition {for him}" (Ghafer, 37).


The Exalted Allah said: "Remember Satan made their {sinful} acts seem alluring to them" (Al Anfal, 48).

The above mentioned verses refer to making the sensual seem pleasing, whether is a lustful enjoyment, or a deed that the souls love and have the illusion to be 'beautiful'. This is because man does not depend on the criterion of beauty and ugliness in this case.

Religious scholars (ABPT) agreed upon the fact that beauty and ugliness are legislative concepts. The object is not called fair or ugly unless it is considered so by Shari'a (Islamic law).


Indeed, there is confusion in this case when man becomes attracted to 'what seems pleasing' and turns away from the real fair meaning.

The Exalted Allah bestows His Favor and blessings on His slaves when He makes the abstract meaning seem fair to them.

The following verse is a sample in which the Exalted Allah refers to His supporting His slaves with this sense of beauty, for He does not make the ugly seem to them beautiful. He rather makes the beautiful seem Fair to them so that their hearts become attracted to it.


He said: "But Allah has endeared the Faith to you, and has made it beautiful in your hearts" (Al Hujurat, 7). In spite of the fact that you find obstacles in the way of faith, still you find it desirable.

In spite of the fact that you find difficulties in the way of faith, still you find it desirable.
In spite of the fact that you find impediments in the way of faith, still you find it desirable.
In spite of the fact that you find harm in the way of faith, still you find it desirable.
Didn't one of the Companions say when he was stabbed: "By the Lord of Al Ka'bah, I have won"?

It is a secret: "but Allah has endeared the Faith to you".
There is a great difference between those who are attached to the perceptible that seems to them fair, and those who are attached to the unseen and love it.
One of the Companions was desirous of martyrdom seeking thereby the Exalted Allah's satisfaction. When his insight was purified, and the unseen became uncovered to him, he addressed himself saying:



Have trust in your Lord,
The Lord that you have had hope in.


This is the unseen world you have believed in. It is now unveiled to you.

This is your abode in Paradise. You can see it clearly.
This is Paradise before you, adorned and embellished. So, do not give any attention to the perceptible that seems falsely fair.
The white beautiful maidens with big lustrous eyes in Paradise have adorned themselves for you. They come near acclaiming you and jubilant. But, in that unseen scene, he said to them:



Oh beautiful maidens of Paradise, get away from my sight,
For I haven't fought, or have been fought, for your sake.
My eagerness is not to you, but to your Lord.
Who knows my secret and what I have hidden.

This is the state of those in whose hearts, faith is endeared. But those who are worthy of pity " know but the outer {Things} in the life of this world; but of End of things they are heedless" (Ar Rum, 7), are worthy of crying for, however much they enjoy the pleasures of this life.

They adhere to the ugly, and turn away from the fair. How much is the difference between the two…!
By Allah, the pleasure the magicians of Pharaoh enjoyed when they were crucified on the trunks of the palm trees was superior to that of kingdom and possession of gold and its luster that Pharaoh felt.

The enjoyment the magicians felt was far superior to that of the sovereignty of Pharaoh. They said to him: "Never shall we regard thee as more than the Clear Signs that have Come to us; or than Him Who created us" (Taha, 72).

Where is that generation who apparently carry out worldly deeds, but inwardly their hearts are attached to the unseen?
Where is that generation who are reared on being attached to Allah, so that they have in this life good manners in their dealings, in their worship and in their behavior, but they are superior to the others in their goals, and their inward attachment?

Worldly life has been predestined since pre-eternity. It is unworthy of joy, and those who rejoice in the embellished perceptible are idiots.

The Exalted Allah said:
"Now, as for man, when his Lord tries him, giving him honor and gifts", i.e., the Exalted Allah bestows on him some of the worldly pleasures, "then he would says, {puffed up}," My Lord has honored me". He believes that he is worthy of this honoring.

"But when he tries him", that is, riches or poverty are both two cases of man's trial.
"But when he tries him, restricting his subsistence for him, then he would say {in despair}, My Lord has humiliated me"
"
Nay", for the equation is not as some believe. It is rather based on your success in carrying out the responsibility.

"Nay! But you do not honor the orphans! Nor do you encourage one another to feed the poor! And you devour Inheritance all with greed, And you love wealth with inordinate love!" (Al Fajr, 15-20)
You deviate from carrying out the responsibility properly, and have the illusion that the Exalted Allah will honor you in this life. Certainly, you are mistaken, for the honored is the one with whom the Exalted Allah is satisfied:
" Allah doth enlarge, or grant by {strict} measure, the sustenance {which he gives} to whom so he pleases". It is a matter that is related to the Will of Allah and his decree from pre-eternity.
"They rejoice in the life of this world; but the life of this world is but little comfort in the Hereafter" (Ar Ra'ed, 26), that is, all the transient worldly pleasure are incompatible with that of the Hereafter.

The Exalted Allah said:
"Qarun was doubtless, of the people of Moses; but he acted insolently towards them" (Al Qasas, 76). In this Surah, affiliation to nation is mentioned frequently to draw the attention to the fact that this affiliation is not enough, for the believer who was one of the people of Pharaoh is praised by Allah, and the transgressor who was one of the Jews is dispraised: "Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is {He Who is} the most righteous of you" (Al Hujurat, 13).

Nothing dispersed our Ummah but the assumptions of nationalities. That took place when the Jews prepared what was called "Union and Promotion" and talked about the Turkish nationality, and instigated trends that boasted of nationalities disregarding the great Mission that is revealed by the Prophet of all humanity, Muhammad (pbuh), who said to mankind: "Your Lord is one, and your father is one".

In the Mission of our Master, Muhammad (pbuh), in which he said to all mankind: "Your Lord is one, and your father is one", there is no difference between the countries of the North and those of the South, nor between one nationality and another.

"Such were the treasures We had bestowed on him, that their very keys would have been a burden to a body of strong men. Behold, his people said to him: Exult not, for Allah does not love those who exult {in riche}" (Ar Ra'ed, 26).
Compare between the above mentioned verse and the following one:
"They rejoice in the life of this world: but the life of this world is but little comfort in the Hereafter". (Ar Ra'd, 26)

"But seek, with the {wealth} which Allah has bestowed on thee", i.e., the wealth the Exalted Allah bestows upon you, "the Home of the Hereafter, nor forget thy portion in this world". The portion allotted for you is predestined, i.e., it neither increases nor becomes less. The Exalted Allah has decreed a certain amount of wealth for you that will never change even if you move wherever you want, but you should gain it lawfully and by work in addition to adopting worldly means. So do not have the illusion that your allotted portion will increase.
"But do thou good, as Allah has been good to thee, and seek not {occasions for} mischief in the land. For Allah loves not those who do mischief" (Al Qasas, 76-77).

The Exalted Allah supports the resolution of the people of belief so that their hearts do not be attached to what seems beautiful. He said: "Let not their wealth nor their {following in} sons dazzle thee".

Consider the following verse:" Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: women and sons; heaped up hoards of gold and silver", then read the Exalted Allah's address to His beloveds, and to His Beloved, Muhammad (pbuh) as well, when He said: "Let not their wealth nor their {following in} sons dazzle thee. In reality Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in this life, and that their souls may perish in their {very} denial of Allah" (At Tawbah, 55).

The Exalted Allah bestows worldly luxuries to the believer and the non-believer. But guidance is given only to the believer. The Exalted Allah gives us many examples concerning this issue. Some of his Messengers were kings, such as Solomon and David, some others were tried and patient. Job was tried by sickness; Joseph by imprisonment. Some others were killed.


Consequently, the Exalted Allah gives luxuries to the believer and non-believer. He gave authority to Solomon as well as to Pharaoh; He gave luxuries to Hdil Qarnain as well as to Qarun. How great is the difference between the one who holds these pleasures by his hand and is a true slave to his Lord, and the one who is tempted by this life and becomes heedless of Allah.

The Exalted Allah said: "The {material} things which you are given are but the conveniences of this life and the glitter thereof, but that which is with Allah is better and more enduring. Will you not then be wise? Are {these two} alike? one to whom We have made a goodly promise, and who is going to reach its {fulfillment}, and one to whom We have given the good things of this life, but who, on the Day of Judgment, is to be among those brought up {for punishment}?" (Al Qasas, 60-61). i.e., among those who are imprisoned and chained in torture.

The Exalted Allah also said: "The mutual rivalry for piling up {the good things of this world} diverts you {from the more serious things}", i.e., you desire increasing your wealth and the material till this diverts you, and occupies your hearts, and you persist in this state… "Until you visit the graves".
"But nay, you soon shall know {the reality}. Again, you soon shall know! Nay, were you to know with certainty of mind, {you would beware}! You shall certainly see Hell fire! Again, you shall see it with certainty of sight! Then, you will be questioned that Day about the joy {you indulged in}!" (At Takathor, 1-8).
At this point, and on this occasion, the people of the material can be distinguished from the people of faith. In between, the hypocrites stand. The hypocrite is the one whose trust in Allah and in the unseen does not reach the level of fixed belief. His heart is sometimes attracted by the material, and at another to the unseen. When he finds that the balance of the people of belief is predominant, he applauds their deed, follows them, and agrees with them, then walks in their way. There is a great deal of people who belong to this type.

The Exalted Allah said: "The desert Arabs who lagged behind will say to thee". They are the people who lag behind the procession of fighting in the cause of Allah, the procession of proselytizing day and night, the procession of carrying out the responsibility of the Mission and conveying the trust.
"We were engaged in {looking after} our flocks and herds, and our families; therefore, ask forgiveness for us. They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: Who then has any power at all {to intervene} on your behalf with Allah, if His Will is to give you some loss or to give you some profit? But Allah is well acquainted with all that you do".
In a debate with a person, I once said to him: "You have an opportunity in science, and another in knowledge".
He said: "I am preoccupied with so and so…".
I said: "It is a valuable opportunity".
He said: "I can't leave work".
I asked him: "What if your leg breaks? What if you are taken to hospital? What if the Angel of death comes to take out your soul? You are lying to yourself. You are missing an opportunity. You are an idiot because you are wasting valuable opportunities for your heart, for your safety, and for your success. You are missing an opportunity of being one of the people who gain the satisfaction of the Exalted Allah.

"Nay, you thought that the Messenger and the Believers would never return to their families". You expect the destruction of the people of the truth. You look down on them because they have no power, and your hearts tend to be on the side of the materialists. You say to yourselves: "What have we to do with the poor and the weak?"
Ali Bin Hatem came to the Prophet (pbuh) after he had been dazzled by the power of Caesar and Khosrau. Ali was one of the wealthy people among the Arabs. His father was Hatem At Ta'I who was well known among the Arabs. Moreover, he used to attend the assemblies of the kings. He looked at the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions, and noticed their poverty and that they possessed nothing of the worldly luxuries. The Prophet (pbuh) could read what was going on in Ali's mind. He told Ali that the kingdoms of Caesar and Khosrau would be handed over to the Muslims, and that their wealth, Ali was dazzled by, would be at the feet of the Messenger of Allah and his Companions.


Consequently, the question of self-interest that makes man be diverted from the Mission is an old, new one.
They said: "We have nothing to do with the people of proselytizing. They are weak…; they are poor… . Let us occupy ourselves with what makes us be raised and what is beneficial to us…, because, according to their short-sighted opinion, what raises and benefits them is what 'seems pleasing', and not the 'best'.
"This seemed pleasing in your hearts", i.e., you find the death of truth and its people pleasing, "and you conceived an evil thought, for you are a people lost {in wickedness}" (Al Fath. 11-12). According to the logic of the unseen, it is you who are the people of perdition. You are heedless of the great truth that the Exalted Allah promises the people of belief. Would that your hearts were comprehensive of this truth. It is the Exalted Allah Who decides:" Those who resist Allah and His Messenger". However wealthy they are, and however strong their authority is, they "will be among those most humiliated. Allah has decreed: 'It is I and My messengers who must prevail'; for Allah is One full of strength, able to enforce His Will" (Al Mujadilah, 20-21).‏
If you are confident of Allah and His words, wait a little…, restrain yourself for a while…, be steadfast on the right and do not turn away from it.
The Exalted Allah said:
"{Wait} in patience and constancy; for the earth is Allah's to give as a heritage to such of His servants as He pleases; and the end is {best} for the righteous" (Al A'raf, 128), i.e., commit yourself to the path of piety, do not turn away from it, and be patient, even if you are harmed in this cause.

Read the Exalted Allah's following words:
"And their Lord accepted of them {their supplication and answered them}, and answered them: 'Never shall I allow the work of any of you to be lost, be he male or female: you are members, one of another; so those who emigrated and were driven out of their homes, and suffered harm in My Cause, or fought or been slain in My cause, verily, I will blot out from them their evil deeds, and admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing beneath, a reward from the Presence of Allah, and from Allah is the best of rewards. Let not the strutting about of the Unbelievers through the land deceive thee. Little is it for enjoyment; their ultimate abode is Hell; what an evil bed {to lie on}"(Al Imran, 195-197).

Read the Exalted Allah's following words:
"- But those will prosper" , i.e., be successful and be saved.
-"who purify themselves", i.e., the one who is purified, outwardly and inwardly.
- "And glorify the name of their Guardian Lord, and {lift their hearts} in Prayer", i.e., he is connected with his Lord, and is in communication with Him.
- "Nay {behold}, ye prefer the life of this world", i.e., you prefer this worldly life to the next, and you turn away from the communication with your Lord.
"- But the Hereafter is better and more enduring" (Al A'la, 14-17).

Read the Exalted Allah's following words:
"By the Glorious Morning Light. And by the Night when it is still. Your Guardian Lord has not forsaken thee, nor is He displeased. (with you). And verily the Hereafter will be better for thee than the present. And soon will your Guardian Lord give you {that wherewith} you will be well pleased" (Al Duha, 1-5).

Oh Allah, make our hearts steadfast in Your religion.
Oh Turner of the hearts and the insights, make our hearts fixed in your religion; provide us with the preservation of Your Trust; make us from the people who are steadfast in the method of Your Beloved; and make us listen to wisdom and follow the best of it.
I say my words and ask Allah's forgiveness.