A Small Group of Believers Can Overcome a Vast Majority of Disbelievers

One of the miracles of God is that believers, despite being in the minority, always vanquish their opponents by the Will of God. This is an important secret that God reveals in many verses and leads disbelievers to be mistaken. As seen in the story of Saul, God has made believers victorious because of their obedience, despite the fact they are small in numbers. God concludes the story of Saul with the following words:

"How many a small force has triumphed over a much greater one by God's permission! God is with the steadfast." (Surat al-Baqara: 249)

STEADFASTNESS BRINGS GREAT STRENGTH TO BELEIVERS

As frequently emphasised in this book, there are many secrets hidden in numerous verses of the Qur'an. One of these secrets is about steadfastness. God gives the glad tidings that those who are steadfast will become stronger. Remember that all power belongs to God. Even the strength of a person who is against God, in fact, belongs to God. God grants some faculties to people so as to put them and those around them through a test. Likewise He takes away as easily as He gives whenever He wills. God informs us that those who are steadfast will be strong, that is, He will reinforce them. Of this, God states the following:

Yes indeed! But if you are steadfast and have fear of God and they come upon you suddenly, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels, clearly identified. (Surah Ali 'Imran: 125)

As stated in the verse above, if God wills, He can make people victorious in imperceptible ways. In one's endeavour to uphold God's religion, for instance, God can provide subtle support to enable the person to make the most inspiring and influential speech and turn the hearts of people who listen toward the religion. Consequently, no one can win a victory or exert an influence on others unless God wills it. The owner of all accomplishments, victories and inspiration is God. What falls to mankind is to follow the commands of God and to observe His limits. In another verse, God informs believers how to achieve great strength:

O Prophet! Spur on the believers to fight. If there are twenty of you who are steadfast, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are a hundred of you, they will overcome a thousand of those who are disbelievers, because they are people who do not understand.

Now God has made it lighter on you, knowing there is weakness in you. If there are a hundred of you who are steadfast, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are a thousand of you, they will overcome two thousand with God's permission. God is with the steadfast. (Surat al-Anfal: 65-66)

As God states in these verses, if believers do not have any weakness in themselves, and are firm in steadfastness and faith, the strength of a single believer can be equivalent to that of 10 men. In this context, the word "strength" holds other connotations other than physical strength. For example, the efforts of a believer to convey the message of religion and to call people to God's way can be equivalent to the efforts of a total of 10 people. Alternatively, the knowledge of a believer can be equivalent to the knowledge of ten people. A good deed a believer performs solely to earn God's pleasure may be equivalent to a deed that 10 people perform together. A single believer can invite as many people as ten disbelievers lead astray to the right path of God and can be a means to the improvement of their faith. A single believer can demolish the disbelief ten disbelievers communicate and replace it with the truth.

This secret that God reveals in the Qur'an is of great importance. This is because, if all Muslims race each other toward the right path, no matter how a small a group it may be, God will make them victorious in every affair they undertake. For example, if there is a whole world of disbelieving people, faithless professors from universities all around the world who lead all the people in every country to disbelief, God renders a small group of Muslims strong, competent and wise enough to show all these people the true path. God gives believers ease in their affairs while making things hard for disbelievers. For this reason, believers who know this secret should never belittle their efforts and say, "Would my efforts be of any help to change the situation?", but rather be assured that any sincere deed done with the sole purpose of pleasing God will be very effective. A piece of sincere writing on the existence of God, a word that calls people to God or an act in compliance with the moral values of the Qur'an may well lead many people to salvation and kindle in them love and fear of God. We need to keep in mind that the laws and cause-effect phenomena that apply to this world are solely what is revealed in the Qur'an by God. Anyone who thinks in accordance with the Qur'an can grasp these secrets in God's creation and, by the Will of God, attain a superior strength and wisdom above and over that any man can attain. God gives true believers the good news that they will overcome disbelievers as long as they are firm in their faith:

Do not give up and do not be downhearted. You shall be uppermost if you are believers. (Surah Ali 'Imran: 139)

As seen in verses, the requisite condition for being victorious and superior both in this life and beyond, is sincere faith. Another secret revealed on this issue in the Qur'an is having faith without ascribing partners to God.