Reflections on Divine Control and Struggle

O sea

What are you thinking about now?

About God, how He governs and plans.

About God.

How He links events together.

And how He controls all affairs, the Ever-Living, the

Sustainer, Sovereign of heaven and earth.

How He changes circumstances.

Consider how He grants victory to whom He wills, when He wills.

How wisely He brings things forward and delays them.

How He strikes whom He wills through whom He wills, through

lessons and signs.

Go forth and see how He lets them go, then seizes them

suddenly.

How wretched was the fate of those who were arrogant. Consider how He humiliates

the wrongdoers.

He decreed victory for His servants ever since He said, “Go forth.”

Consider how He called for jihad and led those He called

to it, so you attend and he attends. Consider how

He called your defense of your land a victory for Him, though He is

the One who cannot be defeated. Consider how He made the aggression

an opportunity to draw you to His guidance, from One who is the source of guidance.

Consider how He guided you despite

their siege, along paths and

prepared you for what you could never imagine. Consider how you were

fearful, humiliated, oppressed, and where

you have become. Remember how He honored you

and elevated your status among all nations

so that you may be mindful of Him and give thanks. Consider how He honored you with a victory

beyond what you can imagine and beyond what I can imagine.

Consider how He granted you towns and spoils.

And another you could not attain, consider how He encompassed it.

How He restrains the hands of those who plotted against you.

They transgressed, nearly tyrannized and acted arrogantly. God was

guiding, helping, repelling, showing kindness, in its broad and minute matters,

and planning. Consider how He blinds them to

His enemies.

While they had calculated and planned their affairs.

Consider how He brought them forth and turned them away from you

and prepared you for what is greater, through God's intervention

the Almighty, in their thoughts. Your Lord willed it,

not they. They decided and mustered,

then He made them few and multiplied you.

Glory be to Him who diminishes and increases among His servants.

They gathered, then He cast terror into their hearts,

so that all their equipment seemed insignificant.

They came with their might, and He came with His might,

glory be to Him, and He did not grant respite for even an hour. I believe

that His giving is true giving, and His punishment is the

greatest punishment. I awaken in His care.

For you, the waves of His signs are astounding.

And because I am human,

I see of His kindness what you do not see, so glorify Him

and seek forgiveness. How much plotting against you He has repelled that you did not

know about, and without His repelling it, you would not

be able to. If you do not sense the greatness of what

He has bestowed, you truly ought to feel it.

It is enough for you to appreciate the grace of His Book.

And enough for you is the verse, “Remember Me, and I will remember you.” Remembrance

from you is on the tongue.

His remembrance spread throughout the earth.

And soldiers who prevailed. Glory, glory

to Him, all that is in heaven and earth praise Him, mobilized.

Glory be to Him, every being glorifies His majesty

and proclaims His oneness and greatness.

Glory be to Him. He is the One who, when He says to something,

“Be,” it is, while none other can. Glory be to Him.

Glory be to Him, glory be to Him.

He is the Almighty, the Subduer, the Supreme. What can I think of

but His planning?

Now ask me what I feel.

Goosebumps at the awe-inspiring prostration of the heroes

and the prisoners who were freed. I

envy His servants in prostration, while I belong to Him.

Every prostration is breathtaking,

and I wish I had knees

and a forehead to prostrate in thanks, or a tongue

that remembers Him. I long for a day when I can pray

humbly to God like a human being,

then prostrate. Blessed are the people

who read His Book, and every humble heart

that reflects on it.

O sea,

did you see them flee yesterday?

I saw what tomorrow’s gathering will be like. At

home, I truly thought it was a gathering,

so I remained waiting for when I would erupt.

I thought evaporation was a trait unique to me,

but I saw the invaders evaporate. O sea,

our people’s stance has never ceased

for Gaza, bearing fruit every day.

This is Mayyum, and Gaza’s gate, everyone on

earth except the aggressors will pass through. And passage

Israel, Gaza alone is the one who

decides when we withdraw and appear. Today is the day

for us to tell our enemies: If you mock us,

then we mock you. Glory be to Him who made the enemy

conscripted with us, fighting and destroying itself.

So seek His forgiveness, glorify Him, and increase

your remembrance of Him in praise and gratitude. Increase it. Indeed,

the one who reflects

on manifestations of His kindness, the Day of Resurrection will come

while he is still reflecting.