Allah endues with honor whom He wills

Say (O Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam)): “O Allah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with honor whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able to do all things.” [Surah ‘Ali ‘Imran, 3:26]

Ibn Kathir explains this Ayah as one that encourages thanking Allah for the favours He has bestowed. Allah granted Prophethood to Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam), transferring it from the Children of Israel to the Arab, unlettered Prophet, the Final and Last of all Prophets and the Messenger of Allah to all mankind and Jinn and thus making him the seal of all Prophets. Allah mentions, “And they say: “Why is this Quran not sent down to some great man of the two towns (Makkah and Ta’if).”” And then He, Subhanahu Ta’ala, beautifully refutes them by saying, “We decide for Our creation what We will, without resistance from anyone. We have the perfect wisdom and the unequivocal proof in all of this, and We give the Prophethood to whom We will.”

Allah honored Muhammad’s (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) ummah through His deen, reaching the eastern and western parts of the world. An example of this honor was beautifully illustrated by the companion Rabi’ b. Amir (radhiAllahu anhu), when he entered into the presence of Rostum, the leader of the Persian army, in response to his request for negotiations. The pomp and glitter of the magnificent reception laid out by the Persians in no way made this bedouin feel inferior or leave him in awe. Instead he marched forward, indifferently, in his ragged clothes and on his short-legged horse. Tying his horse to Rostum’s throne, the latter, taken aback, asked, “What brings you?” Rabi’ (radhiAllahu anhu) responded with his unforgettable words, “Allah has sent us to free mankind from the worship of people to the worship of Allah, from the narrowness of this life to the expanse of the Hereafter.”

‘Umar (radhiAllahu anhu) once protested to Rasulullah, “Are we not on the right path in this life and the Hereafter?” To which the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) answered: “Of course you are! I swear by Allah in Whose Hand my soul is, you are upon the truth in this world and in the Hereafter.” ‘Umar (radhiAllahu anhu) said in response, “Why then must we conduct ourselves secretively. I swear by Allah Who has sent you with the Truth, we will leave our concealment and proclaim our noble cause publicly.” He then proceeded to march with the Muslims to pray openly at the Ka’bah at a time when the oppression and torture of the Muslims was at its height.

During his Caliphate, ‘Umar (radhiAllahu anhu) set out for Ash-Shaam with Abu Ubaydah. On this journey, they came upon a deep creek, which they needed to cross. So ‘Umar took off his sandals and carried them on his shoulders. Then he took the reign of the camel and began ploughing through the water. Seeing the khalifah of the Muslims in this state, Abu Ubaydah (radhiAllahu anhu) felt saddened and said, “I fear that the people of the village will think you without honor.”

‘Umar replied, “Oh Abu Ubaydah, if only someone less knowledgeable then you made such a statement. We were of the most disgraced of people, and Allah granted us honor with this Islam. Now, whenever we seek honor in other than that which Allah honored us with, Allah shall disgrace us (once again).”

Dua’

Say : “O Allah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with honor whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able to do all things.”