Those who anticipate the worst for you say, “Were we not with you?” whenever you gain a victory from Allah, but if the disbelievers have a success they say, “Did we not have the upper hand over you and yet in spite of that keep the believers away from you?” Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection. Allah will not give the disbelievers any way against the believers. (Surat an-Nisa’: 141)
All through history, hypocrites have rebelled against the truth and waged a war against believers from inside their community. As revealed in the verse “. . . But all might belongs to Allah and to His messenger and the believers. But the hypocrites do not know this” (Surat al-Munafiqun: 8), hypocrites have always claimed that they are superior to believers and will overcome them. Yet despite all these baseless claims, they have never been able to vanquish the believers. Messengers and the believers around them have always emerged victorious. This situation has persisted, just like a law, throughout history.
When events are viewed through the perspective of the Qur’an, the reason for this is easy to see. Allah never permits hypocrites to gain an advantage over the faithful. On the contrary, He overthrows them by means of the messenger and the faithful. Allah reveals in the Qur’an that He has warned all deniers, hypocrites included, who engage in actions aimed against believers and that He will punish them unless they put an end to their cunning activities:
If the hypocrites and those with sickness in their hearts and the rumor-mongers in Madina do not desist, We will set you onto them. Then they will only be your neighbors there a very short time. (Surat al-Ahzab: 60)
Allah also reveals, with examples, how He will always support sincere believers who turn to Him in all they do against the deniers. By means of Allah’s help and support, His messengers have always secured victory, even under the most seemingly difficult conditions.
This is described with several examples in the Qur’an. One of these is Talut, who assumed command of the army in a war waged against the deniers in the time of the Prophet Dawud (as). Talut, placed in command of the believers due to his superior military abilities, made a number of recommendations to the army. However, a number of people of weak faith turned their backs on this advice, though they should have obeyed him, and acted in accordance with their own desires:
When Talut marched out with the army, he said, “Allah will test you with a river. Anyone who drinks from it is not with me. But anyone who does not taste it is with me—except for him who merely scoops up a little in his hand.” But they drank from it—except for a few of them. Then when he and those who believed with him had crossed it, they said, “We do not have the strength to face Goliath and his troops today.” But those who were sure that they were going to meet Allah said, “How many a small force has triumphed over a much greater one by Allah’s permission! Allah is with the steadfast.” (Surat al-Baqara: 249)
At the moment of battle, the hypocrites sought to create difficulties for the faithful by their sudden disobedience, though the believers displayed not the slightest disobedience and supported the messenger in the fighting:
When they came out against Goliath and his troops, they said, “Our Lord, pour down steadfastness upon us, and make our feet firm, and help us against this disbelieving people.” And with Allah's permission they routed them. . . . (Surat al-Baqara: 250-251)
Allah grants success to believers and victory over the deniers in response to their sincerity and determination. While they enjoy great success in this world, and the approval and paradise of Allah in the Hereafter, deniers are cursed and punished by Him.
