In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Pattern of Rejection

God declares in chapter 55 that He taught the human how to distinguish (55:3-4). His divine means for that are countless, He is the Most Gracious, Most Merciful. One of the means is that within the narration of Quran He brings to our attention certain signs and patterns of human behavior to recognize different kinds of people. Such lessons in human behavioral patterns help His servants distinguish ill and healthy, righteous and wicked, truthful and liar. This step guides them to further understand the consequences of such behavior, manage any harmful effects and properly choose and plan their actions.

One of the most hurtful experiences His servants go through is the sense of sadness and loneliness they feel when they try to introduce the divine truth only to encounter the arrogance and stubbornness of the ignorant ones. The Most Wise has taught us many of the reactions the arrogant ones consistently display and He has spelled out their insults to guide us through those disappointing situations. In a merciful and educational approach, God also pointed out the believers' normal emotional responses to such situations of rejection. It is heartening to witness God extending His hands for a pat on the shoulders of His servants acknowledging their pain and kindly advising them of how to deal with it.

We learn about the consistency in behavior of the arrogant ones through these powerful reminders:

[51:52] Consistently, when a messenger went to the previous generations, they said, "Magician," or, "Crazy."
[51:53] Did they make an agreement with each other? Indeed, they are transgressors.

[56:82] Do you make it your business that you disbelieve?
[56:83] When the time comes and it (your soul) reaches your throat -
[56:84] you will then look around.
[56:85] We are closer to it than you are, but you do not see.

There is an explanation for the consistency in choosing specific insulting behavioral pattern while rejecting the truth to hurt the believers. Those who have the inner negative energy of rejecting the truth and/or any kind of Quran reminder tend to dismiss the given knowledge through the dismissal of the person giving them such knowledge. This is usually done through undermining their human characters or qualifications. It is always much easier and more comforting to them to reject the truth when they convince themselves and others that the advisers are seeking authority, arrogant, crazy, liars, rude, fools, not eloquent, or socially inadequate. Using this maneuvering approach to shift the focus away from the truth or from their own ill souls, their true colors become very evident to the believers. They only deceive their souls without perception. To the contrary, the guided ones who manage to subdue their egos would focus on the message they receive rather than the entire delivery process:

[7:75] The arrogant leaders among his people said to the common people who believed, "How do you know that Saaleh is sent by his Lord?" They said, "The message he brought has made us believers."
[7:76] The arrogant ones said, "We disbelieve in what you believe in."

[7:79] He turned away from them, saying, "O my people, I have delivered my Lord's message to you, and advised you, but you do not like any advisers."

Please reflect on the following lessons that portray the typical human behavior of the arrogant ones. Please pay attention to God's gentle, kind and merciful hands patting the shoulders of His honest believers:

- Pressuring the believers, persecuting them, and monopolizing the stage to go against them:

[17:47] We are fully aware of what they hear, when they listen to you, and when they conspire secretly - the disbelievers say,"You are following a crazy man."

[54:9] The people of Noah disbelieved before them. They disbelieved our servant and said, "Crazy!" He was persecuted.

What Noah did:

[54:10] He implored his Lord, "I am oppressed; grant me victory."

How God responded:

[54:11] We then opened the gates of the sky, pouring water.
[54:12] And we caused springs to gush out of the earth. The waters met to effect a predetermined decision.
[54:13] We carried him on a watercraft made of logs and ropes.
[54:14] It ran under our watchful eyes; a reward for one who was rejected.
[54:15] We have set it up as a lesson. Does any of you wish to learn?

- Mocking the believers:

[68:51] Those who disbelieved show their ridicule in their eyes when they hear the message and say, "He is crazy!"

[2:14] When they meet the believers, they say, "We believe," but when alone with their devils, they say, "We are with you; we were only mocking."

What God does:

[2:15] GOD mocks them, and leads them on in their transgressions, blundering.

[6:10] Messengers before you have been ridiculed. It is those who mocked them who suffered the consequences of their ridiculing.

[15:94] Therefore, carry out the orders given to you, and disregard the idol worshipers.
[15:95] We will spare you the mockers,
[15:96] who set up another god beside GOD. They will surely find out.

Acknowledging the pain and advising the sincere:

[15:97] We know full well that you may be annoyed by their utterances.
[15:98] You shall Glorify and praise (sing the praises of) your Lord, and be with the prostrators.
[15:99] And worship your Lord, in order to attain certainty.*

[68:2] You have attained a great blessing from your Lord; you are not crazy.

- Blocking their ears to reside in silence:

[52:30] They may say, "He is a poet; let us just wait until he is dead."

[23:25] "He is simply a man gone crazy. Just ignore him for awhile."

Believers trust in God and resort to Him:

[52:31] Say, "Go on waiting; I will wait along with you."

[23:26] He said, "My Lord, grant me victory, for they have disbelieved me."

- Hating the truth:

[23:70] Have they decided that he is crazy? Indeed, he has brought the truth to them, but most of them hate the truth.
[23:71] Indeed, if the truth conformed to their wishes, there would be chaos in the heavens and the earth; everything in them would be corrupted. We have given them their proof, but they are disregarding their proof.

[2:87] We gave Moses the scripture, and subsequent to him we sent other messengers, and we gave Jesus, son of Mary, profound miracles and supported him with the Holy Spirit. Is it not a fact that every time a messenger went to you with anything you disliked, your ego caused you to be arrogant? Some of them you rejected, and some of them you killed.

- Insulting the believers by attacking their character:

[7:66] The leaders who disbelieved among his people said, "We see that you are behaving foolishly, and we think that you are a liar."

[34:8] "Either he fabricated lies about GOD, or he is crazy." Indeed, those who disbelieve in the Hereafter have incurred the worst retribution; they have gone far astray.

[44:14] But they turned away from him, saying, "Well educated, but crazy!"

[51:39] But he turned away, in arrogance, and said, "Magician, or crazy."

[21:5] They even said, "Hallucinations," "He made it up," and, "He is a poet. Let him show us a miracle like those of the previous messengers."

[37:36] They said, "Shall we leave our gods for the sake of a crazy poet?"

- Arrogance; challenging the proven truth without knowledge and questioning God's wisdom:

[54:24] They said, "Shall we follow one of us; a human being? We will then go astray, then end up in Hell.
[54:25] "Did the message come down to him, instead of us? He is a flagrant liar."
[54:26] They will find out tomorrow who the flagrant liar is.

[2:247] Their prophet said to them, "GOD has appointed Taloot (Saul) to be your king." They said, "How can he have kingship over us when we are more worthy of kingship than he; he is not even rich?" He said, "GOD has chosen him over you, and has blessed him with an abundance in knowledge and in body." GOD grants His kingship to whomever He wills. GOD is Bounteous, Omniscient.

[10:78] They said, "Did you come to divert us from what we found our parents doing, and to attain positions of prominence for yourselves? We will never join you as believers."

[11:27] The leaders who disbelieved among his people said, "We see that you are no more than a human being like us, and we see that the first people to follow you are the worst among us. We see that you do not possess any advantage over us. Indeed, we think you are liars."
[11:28] He said, "O my people, what if I have a solid proof from my Lord? What if He has blessed me out of His mercy, though you cannot see it? Are we going to force you to believe therein?

[26:186] "You are no more than a human being like us. In fact, we think you are a liar.
[26:187] "Let masses from the sky fall on us, if you are truthful."

[28:38] Pharaoh said, "O you elders, I have not known of any god for you other than me. Therefore, fire the adobe, O Hamaan, in order to build a tower, that I may take a look at the god of Moses. I am sure that he is a liar."

[43:52] "Which one is better; me or that one who is lowly and can hardly speak?
[43:53] "How come he does not possess a treasure of gold; how come the angels do not accompany him?"

- Jealousy:

[2:90] Miserable indeed is what they sold their souls for - rejecting these revelations of GOD out of sheer resentment that GOD should bestow His grace upon whomever He chooses from among His servants. Consequently, they incurred wrath upon wrath. The disbelievers have incurred a humiliating retribution.

[2:105] Neither the disbelievers among the followers of the scripture, nor the idol worshipers, wish to see any blessings come down to you from your Lord. However, GOD showers His blessings upon whomever He chooses. GOD possesses infinite grace.

[4:54] Are they envious of the people because GOD has showered them with His blessings? We have given Abraham's family the scripture, and wisdom; we granted them a great authority.

[2:109] Many followers of the scripture would rather see you revert to disbelief, now that you have believed. This is due to jealousy on their part, after the truth has become evident to them. You shall pardon them, and leave them alone, until GOD issues His judgment. GOD is Omnipotent.

- Hatred:

[3:118] O you who believe, do not befriend outsiders who never cease to wish you harm; they even wish to see you suffer. Hatred flows out of their mouths and what they hide in their chests is far worse. We thus clarify the revelations for you, if you understand.

The Most Gracious pats the shoulders of believers and guides them through pain and disappointment to go on and progress on their redemption path:

[25:33] Whatever argument they come up with, we provide you with the truth, and a better understanding.

[14:27] GOD strengthens those who believe with the proven word, in this life and in the Hereafter. And GOD sends the transgressors astray. Everything is in accordance with GOD's will.

[28:56] You cannot guide the ones you love. GOD is the only One who guides in accordance with His will, and in accordance with His knowledge of those who deserve the guidance.

[51:54] You may disregard them; you cannot be blamed.
[51:55] And remind, for the reminder benefits the believers.

[6:33] We know that you may be saddened by what they say. You should know that it is not you that they reject; it is GOD's revelations that the wicked disregard.

[3:176] Do not be saddened by those who hasten to disbelieve. They never hurt GOD in the least. Instead, GOD has willed that they will have no share in the Hereafter. They have incurred a terrible retribution.

[3:111] They can never harm you, beyond insulting you. If they fight you, they will turn around and flee. They can never win.

[50:39] Therefore, be patient in the face of their utterances, and praise and glorify your Lord before sunrise, and before sunset.
[50:40] Also during the night glorify Him, and after prostrating.

[52:48] You shall steadfastly persevere in carrying out your Lord's command - you are in our eyes - and glorify and praise your Lord when you get up.
[52:49] Also during the night glorify Him, and at dawn as the stars fade away.

[20:130] Therefore, be patient in the face of their utterances, and praise and glorify your Lord before sunrise and before sunset. And during the night glorify Him, as well as at both ends of the day, that you may be happy.

[52:29] You shall remind the people. With your Lord's blessing's upon you, you are neither a soothsayer, nor crazy.

[40:55] Therefore, be patient, for GOD's promise is true, and ask forgiveness for your sin, and glorify and praise your Lord night and day.

[18:6] You may blame yourself on account of their response to this narration, and their disbelieving in it; you may be saddened.
[18:7] We have adorned everything on earth, in order to test them, and thus distinguish those among them who work righteousness.

[3:139] You shall not waver, nor shall you grieve, for you are the ultimate victors, if you are believers.

[10:109] Follow what is revealed to you, and be patient until GOD issues His judgment; He is the best judge.

[10:65] Do not be saddened by their utterances. All power belongs to GOD. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient.

Peaceful Friday, salaam, and God bless.