The Behavior of Disbelievers Against the Proofs of Faith
Source: Fatawa ʿUlama-e-Hadith, Vol. 9
❖ Question
What was the character and attitude of the disbelievers when faced with the proofs of faith?
❖ Answer
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
◈ Proofs of Faith and the Attitude of Disbelievers
The existence of Allah ﷻ has countless proofs—indeed, every creature is a sign of its Creator. Yet the disbelievers gain no benefit from these proofs because their hearts are diseased and they lack the capacity to accept guidance.
The state of a disbeliever is that he turns away from Allah’s signs and argues on the basis of false reasoning.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يُجَادِلُ فِي اللَّـهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّبِعُ كُلَّ شَيْطَانٍ مَّرِيدٍ (٣)﴾ (al-Hajj: 3)
"Among people are those who argue about Allah without knowledge, and follow every rebellious devil."
◈ Pride and Denial
The disbelievers arrogantly deny Allah’s signs even while inwardly recognizing their truth.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿وَجَحَدُوا بِهَا وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَا أَنفُسُهُمْ ظُلْمًا وَعُلُوًّا (١٤)﴾ (al-Naml: 14)
"They denied them out of injustice and arrogance, though their souls were convinced of them."
◈ Mixing Truth with Falsehood
Disbelievers attempt to confuse matters by mixing truth with falsehood.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿وَلَا تَلْبِسُوا الْحَقَّ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُوا الْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ (٤٢)﴾ (al-Baqarah: 42)
"Do not mix truth with falsehood, nor conceal the truth while you know."
◈ Preventing Others from the Path of Allah
A sign of the disbelievers is that they prevent others from the way of Allah.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَصَدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ قَدْ ضَلُّوا ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا (١٦٧)﴾ (al-Nisāʾ: 167)
"Those who disbelieve and hinder from the way of Allah have certainly strayed far into misguidance."
◈ Blind Following of Ancestors
Despite clear and undeniable proofs, disbelievers reject faith and cling blindly to their forefathers’ ways.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّـهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ قَالُوا حَسْبُنَا مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ آبَاءَنَا ۚ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ آبَاؤُهُمْ لَا يَعلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ (١٠٤)﴾ (al-Māʾidah: 104)
"When it is said to them: ‘Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,’ they say: ‘Sufficient for us is that upon which we found our forefathers’—even though their forefathers knew nothing and were not guided."
◈ Factories of Doubts and Objections
Another tactic of disbelievers is to create doubts to deprive people of guidance. This was the same approach the Children of Israel took with Musa عليه السلام.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَىٰ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى اللَّـهَ جَهْرَةً (٥٥)﴾ (al-Baqarah: 55)
"Remember when you said: ‘O Musa! We will never believe in you until we see Allah openly.’"
◈ Accepting the Unseen in Worldly Matters but Denying Allah
Disbelievers acknowledge unseen realities like air, gravity, and radio waves—things they have never seen, but only recognize by their effects. If they were just, they would accept the entire universe as testimony to the existence of Allah ﷻ.
◈ The Incident of Musa’s Request to See Allah
When Musa عليه السلام requested to see Allah, Allah manifested His glory upon the mountain, which crumbled, and Musa عليه السلام fell unconscious.
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا (١٤٣)﴾ (al-Aʿrāf: 143)
When Musa regained consciousness, he repented and declared his belief.
◈ A Message of Reflection for Disbelievers
Just as people trust the words of doctors, engineers, and researchers—despite not personally seeing what they describe but accepting their findings through evidence—likewise, if the disbelievers would abandon obstinacy, they could recognize Allah through the teachings of the Prophets.
The Prophets are the most truthful and righteous of people, and their truth is affirmed by the miracles and clear signs Allah ﷻ granted them.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
