This excerpt is taken from Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah's book Al-Jawab al-Bahir fi Zuwar al-Maqabir, translated by Sheikh Ataullah Saqib.
Honor and Victory are Inherent in Sincerity and Obedience
In the early days of Islam, the situation in Syria was the same. These people were rich in the blessings and leadership of religion and the world. But due to their misdeeds, sedition and corruption made Syria their abode. Even the country and kingdom slipped from their hands. Jews, hypocrites, and Christians established their dominance over them and took control of Bayt al-Maqdis and the Cave of the Patriarchs. In fact, the wall around the Cave of the Patriarchs was demolished and converted into a synagogue.
After a long time, when the people of Syria sincerely made Islam their goal, Allah restored their lost honor and they overcame their enemies. This was the result of obedience and compliance with Allah and His Messenger ﷺ and embracing the divine commands.
Obedience to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ is a center and pivot on which the success of this world and the hereafter depends. The Divine command is:
وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ ۚ وَحَسُنَ أُولَٰئِكَ رَفِيقًا ﴿٦٩﴾
“Those who obey Allah and the Messenger will be with those whom Allah has blessed — of the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. What excellent companions are these!”
Reference: (4-An-Nisa:69)
The Holy Prophet ﷺ used to say in his sermons:
”من يطع الله ورسوله فقد رشد ومن يعصهما فإنه لا يضر إلا نفسه ولن يضر الله شيئا“
“Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger ﷺ is on guidance and growth, and whoever opposes them harms only himself and cannot harm Allah in any way.”
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawood, Book of Prayer: Chapter on a man delivering a sermon on a bow (Hadith: 1097) and its chain is weak
Makkah cannot remove the hardships of the people of Makkah nor can it provide them sustenance. However, obedience to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ can be a cause of abundant provision, as Prophet Ibrahim Khalil-ur-Rahman عليه السلام prayed to Allah:
رَّبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُم مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٣٧﴾
“My Lord! I have settled some of my descendants in a barren valley near Your honored House. My Lord! That they may establish prayer there. So make the hearts of people incline toward them and provide them with fruits so that they may be grateful.”
Reference: (14-Ibrahim:37)
Even the people of ignorance respected and honored the sacred sanctuary of Makkah. They circumambulated the House of Allah and performed Hajj. The polytheists of Makkah were better than the general polytheists. Allah’s way is that He does not wrong anyone. For this reason, Allah honored them in ways He did not honor the general polytheists and showered them with blessings that other city dwellers did not receive because the people of Makkah held the Abrahamic religion more firmly than others. If they excelled others in Islam, they will be rewarded accordingly, and if their deeds were worse than others, they will be punished according to their bad deeds.
Therefore, whether it is mosques or any other important place, its inhabitants benefit from obedience to Allah. Reward is not given merely because of the sacredness of a place, nor is punishment given for that reason. Reward and punishment depend on righteous deeds and avoidance of evil.
