T h e St ra ig ht Pat h
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completed. The Quran advises us to build our nations as nature
builds its trees:
“Do you not see how God sets forth a parable that the good
work is like a good tree whose root is firm and its branches are in
the sky, yielding its fruit every season by Allah’s leave? Allah gives
parables to men so that they become mindful. And the parable
of an evil word is like an evil tree torn out of the earth and has
no stability. God will strengthen the faithful with (His) steadfast
word, both in the life and the Hereafter. He leaves the wrongdoers
in error. God accomplishes what He pleases.” (14:24-27)
On reflection, it becomes obvious that wherever one is holding
another responsible for one’s failures, it is a clear indication that
he had cultivated an evil tree. If the work of social construction
had been patterned on the ‘good tree,’ the need for lamentations
would not have arisen at all that his ‘tree’ had been pulled out by
someone.
T
he
P
rinciple of
D
ivine
S
uccour
The man who is on the right path has been promised divine
help: “That He may guide you to the right path and bestow on you
His mighty help.” (48:2)
Just as divine succour is certain, it is also certain that God’s help
does not come to one who does not deserve it. It is the way of God
and the way of God does not change. (35:43).
If a man is in a state of helplessness, a call to God is enough to
draw divine help:
“Who answers the oppressed when they cry out to Him and
relieves affliction.” (27:62)
That is, if a man is in a state of utter helplessness he becomes
entitled to divine help: he need only say words of prayer and he
receives it. This is the only condition for him. But for individuals
or groups who are not similarly afflicted, besides prayer there is
one more condition that his actions should be consistent with his
