The tradition of Allah The Almighty has no scope for favoritism or flattery, as He Says (what means): {You will not find in the way of Allah any change} [Quran 33:62], and, in fact, stresses in another place, {You will never find in the way of Allah any change.} [Quran 35:43] The fair Sharee‘ah neither distinguishes between equals nor renders the unequal as equivalent.

Thus, the inevitable destruction of the evil planner, the one who breaks his word and the unjust person is only a question of time, which, in itself, is a chance for reform. However, that does not reflect a change in principles and what has been established as the tradition of Allah The Almighty.

Muhammad ibn Ka’b Al-Qurathi  says, “Three traits beset those who possess them: scheming, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Evil plans shall not beset any save the authors of it} [Quran 35:43]; injustice, as in the verse (which means): {O mankind, your injustice is only against yourselves} [Quran 10:23]; reneging, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {So he who breaks his word only breaks it to the detriment of himself} [Quran 48:10].”

Why these attributes particularly, and others in general, affect their bearer is because consequences are closely related to the causes, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Whoever does a good deed - it is for himself; and whoever does evil - it is against the self.} [Quran 45:15] Similarly, He Says (what means): {[And said], "If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, [you do it] to yourselves."} [Quran 17:7] Moreover, the Prophet  said, "Do whatever you want, for you will be rewarded or punished accordingly."

He  also narrated that Allah The Almighty Said:"O My servants, indeed, I enumerate and record your deeds for you, then I grant you your reward or punishment in full, correspondingly. Therefore, anyone who finds [in life] delight and good reward, should praise Allah The Almighty [for His enabling him or her to do good]. Likewise, whoever finds otherwise, should blame none but him/herself."

Once, a man went to a scholar and said, "The people of so-and-so have collaborated to harm me, as if they are a single hand." So, he read out the verse (what means): "The hand of Allah is over their hands." [Quran 48:10] The man then complained, "They hatch plots", so the scholar recited (what means): "The evil plot does not encompass except its own people." [Quran 35:43] Then, when he said: "They are so many", the scholar recited the verse (which means):"How many a small company has overcome a large company by permission of Allah." [Quran 2:249]





The plots of the disbelievers destroy only them

If you want to be saved from the unbelievers and the immoral people, have faith in their inescapable destruction being caused by their scheming, oppression and betrayal. In fact, they destroy themselves with their own hands before anyone else’s weapons touch them and they alone suffer the outcome of their evil qualities. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And the disbelievers planned, but Allah planned. And Allah is the best of planners.} [Quran 3:45] He also Says (what means): {And thus We have placed within every city the greatest of its criminals to conspire therein. But they conspire not except against themselves, and they perceive [it] not.} [Quran 6:123]

The Noble Quran tells us of the intrigues of Thamood against their Prophet Saalih, may Allah exalt his mention, where Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And they planned a plan, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not. Then look how was the outcome of their plan - that We destroyed them and their people, all.} [Quran 27:50-51]

Commenting on these verses, some scholars said that the phrase {while they perceived not} implies that the people of Thamood were unaware of the angels that Allah The Almighty ordered to descend to protect Saalih, may Allah exalt his mention, from their assassination attempt. These angels pelted every one of them with stones until they were all killed, and their Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was safe from their conspiracy.

In another version, it is said that the people plotted to kill him, may Allah exalt his mention, so, they pretended to embark on a journey, when, in reality, they hid in a cave, so as to return and murder him at night. However, Allah The Almighty caused a rock to roll down over the mouth of the cave until it became blocked; and this was His scheme against them.

Similarly, the disbelievers hatched plots against Prophet Muhammad  as Allah The Almighty Says (what means):{And [remember, [O Muhammad], when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or evict you [from Makkah]. But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners.} [Quran 8:30]

Thus, He saved the Prophet  who consequently immigrated safely to Madeenah and managed to eliminate the leaders of the disbelievers, such as Abu Jahl, ‘Utbah ibn Rabee‘ah and Shaybah ibn Rabee‘ah. Later, Allah The Almighty spread Islam among their very own after the conquest of Makkah. When the Prophet  passed away, Allah The Almighty had granted him victory over them and exalted him in status and reputation.

The hypocrites had also contrived evil plans against the Prophet . Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {But they who plot evil deeds will have a severe punishment, and the plotting of those - it will perish.} [Quran 35:10] Therefore, their schemes were eventually thwarted and their deception was evident to all rational people. In this manner, anyone who conceals anything evil will have it divulged by Allah The Almighty through his or her facial expressions and slips of the tongue; then, he or she will surely be affected suitably.

In addition, the Jews conspired extensively against the Prophet  tried to assassinate him and colluded with other disbelievers against him several times. Yet, he  managed to kill some of them and evicted others; later, he emerged victorious and his message was propagated to all. As the ultimate response to their attitude, before the end of time, the stones and trees, except the Al-Gharqad (boxthorn), which is their shrub, will betray the Jews hiding behind them by revealing their location to the Muslims pursuing them; and, Allah The Almighty will let the Muslims conquer the Al-Aqsaa Mosque in Jerusalem.

Therefore, beware of scheming and do not be stunned by the people who plot against you. Qays ibn Sa‘d ibn‘Ubaadah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Had I not heard the Prophet  say that plots and deception are in Hell, I would have been one of the most evil planners." [Al-Albaani: Saheeh]

 

Meaning of the planning of Allah The Almighty 

As is common knowledge, the manner in which Allah The Almighty plans, fits His Majesty; it indicates the way in which He inflicts punishment on those who conspire evil against His allies and Messengers, which is countering their schemes with good plans. Therefore, while their plots are most vile, the planning of Allah The Almighty is the finest, because it constitutes justice and fair recompense. In addition, His manipulation of the disbelievers is a punishment for their deceitfulness of His messengers and allies. Verily, there is no plan or deception better than His.

Bearing in mind that the ill effects of conniving are suffered by the perpetrators, the same applies to the oppression they inflict, which is a sin that entails a swift recompense. It was said that anyone who draws the sword of injustice will be killed with it, for it afflicts its doer; therefore, one should avoid injustice.

‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with them, would say, "If it happened that a mountain repressed another mountain, Allah The Almighty would level the unfair one." The following quote is also attributed to him: "A king uttered a word of injustice while he was sitting on his throne. Allah The Almighty then transformed him into an unknown object, perhaps a fly or something else. Most importantly, he did not have any significance after that again."

Furthermore, ‘Abdullaah ibn Mu‘aawiyah Al-Haashimi  relates, “When he was on his deathbed, ‘Abdul-Muttalib asked his ten sons to assemble and advised them as follows, ‘O sons, do not be unjust, for, I swear by Allah, [He] did not create anything more speedy in generating punishment than injustice. I have never witnessed people who continued [to live in peace] despite their transgression, except perhaps your relatives from Banu ‘Abd Shams.’”

Ibnul-Qayyim  remarked, “How strange it is that the human self has the arrogance of Iblees, the envy of Qaabeel (Cain), the insolence of ‘Aad, the transgression of Thamood, the audacity of Nimrod, the discourtesy of Pharaoh, the tyranny of Qaaroon, the ugliness of Haamaan, the fancies of Bal’aam, the deception of the people of Sabbath, the rebellion of Al-Waleed and the ignorance of Abu Jahl! It is also characterized by some beastly characteristics, such as the keenness of the crow, the voracity of the dog, the vanity of the peacock, the vileness of the scarab, the ingratitude of the Dhabb (a kind of reptile), the grudge of the camel, the leaping of the cheetah, the hostility of the lion, the wrongdoing of the mouse, the maliciousness of the snake, the toying of the monkey, the persistent hoarding of the ant, the slyness of the fox, the lightness of the butterfly and the laziness of the hyena. However, despite all that, struggling against these bad traits, does, eventually, remove them."

Texts in the Quran vilify injustice, such as where Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {The cause is only against the ones who wrong the people and tyrannize upon the earth without right. Those will have a painful punishment.} [Quran 42:42] In general, injustice incorporates haughtiness, arrogance, oppression, corruption and committing sins. It is one of the five things that all divine faiths prohibit, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Say, "My Lord has only forbidden immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed - and sin, and injustice without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know."} [Quran 7:33]

That is why the promise of Allah The Almighty of His support, to all those that have been oppressed should suffice them, as He Says (what means): {That [is so]. And whoever responds [to injustice] with the equivalent of that with which he was harmed and then is tyrannized - Allah will surely aid him.} [Quran 22:60]

Moreover, the Prophet  said: "No sin is worthier of its doer’s punishment being hastened by Allah in the worldly life, in addition to what is stored for him in the Hereafter, than injustice and severance of family relations." [Ahmad and Abu Daawood] A slightly different version reads: "No act of obedience to Allah necessitates a reward faster than upholding the ties of kinship; and nothing prompts punishment swifter than injustice, cutting off ties and the untruthful oath and empty promises.” [Al-Bayhaqi, Saheeh – Albaani]

The Prophet  also said: "Allah revealed to me that you should be humble such that no one boasts over another or transgresses against another." [Muslim]

If we reflect on the history of nations, we will discover that there are lessons to be learned from the stories of the tyrants among them in the past and present. We will find that their final ends affirm the fact that the norms established by Allah The Almighty in the universe are in total conformity with what is stated in His Book.

For instance, Pharaoh persecuted others in the land without right, claimed Lordship and Divinity, and said, as cited in the verse (which means): {Does not the kingdom of Egypt belong to me, and these rivers flowing beneath me?} [Quran 43:51] He tried to apprehend Prophet Moosaa (Moses), may Allah exalt his mention, and those who believed in him among the Children of Israel. Along with his army, he pursued them out of cruelty and enmity. However, Allah The Almighty drowned him and caused water to surge over him as an appropriate punishment. Later, the Egyptians saw his rotten corpse after they had earlier worshipped him instead of Allah The Almighty, Who Said (what means): {So today We will save you in body that you may be to those who succeed you a sign.} [Quran 10:91]

The Quran also relates the story of another tyrant, Qaaroon; Allah The Almighty Says that his people advised him, saying (what means): {And desire not corruption in the land. Indeed, Allah does not like corrupters.} [Quran 28:76] But when he did not heed this, Allah The Almighty destroyed him, as He describes, Saying (what means): {And We caused the earth to swallow him and his home.} [Quran 28:81]

The tyranny that the preceding nations practiced against the Prophets and Messengers contains many admonitions and morals for all those who have intellect, for Allah The Almighty seized them with His might and power. The people of Nooh (Noah) and ‘Aad, and many other generations lived until they [disbelieved in them and] perished along with their deeds that were presented to Allah The Almighty, Who Says (what means): {And how many have We destroyed before them of generations? Do you perceive of them anyone or hear from them a sound?} [Quran 19:98]