[الطامعة في رضا ربها]

The Opposition

"My father said, 'O son! There is no good in that religion, the religion of you and your forefathers' is better.'"

This is the theme of all those who blindly follow other in matters of faith. It reminds us of the saying of Allah,

( وَقَالَ اْلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَسْمَعُواْ لِهَذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَالْغَوْا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُونَ (26) )

"And those who disbelieve say, 'Do not listen to this Qur'aan, rather speak noisily during [the recitation of] it, that perhaps you will overcome.'"

[Surah al-Fussilat (41):26]

( إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا ءَابَاءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى ءَاثَارِهِم مُهْتَدُونَ (22) )

"We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we guide ourselves by their footsteps."

[Surah al-Zukhruf (43):22]

( بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَاءَنَا )

"Navy, we shall follow that which we found our fathers (following)..."

[Surah Luqman (31):21]

(مَّا سَمِعْنَا بِهَذَا فِي ءَابَائِنَا الأَوَّلِينَ (24) )

"Never did we hear of this among our fathers of the old."
[Surah al-Mu'minoon (23):24]

Many times, when you talk to people who have converted to Islam from other religions, they say that they heard the same arguments which Allah mentioned of the disbelievers. The issue is the same. It comes in the form of, "Do you want to leave the religion of your fathers and forefathers?" Not only that, but the parents and family at large may take a stand against the convert. The magnitude of this opposition may range from actual life threatening situations to strong boycotting. This is the general trend, but there are, however, cases of minor opposition and neutrality.


"I said, 'No, by Allah, it is better than our religion.'"


He loved his father, but he did not flatter him. He didn't compromise about what he felt at that time as that time as the truth. What was his father's response?


Salman said, "He threatened me, chained me by my feet and kept me confined to his home."


A father torturing his beloved son to sway him away from exploring the truth! Many prophets were opposed, accused, and ill-treated by members of their own families because of their opposition to 'known tradition'! Did Salman stop there?