Surah Al-Tawbah, verse 41:

Translation: Go forth, whether light or heavy, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of
Allah. That is better for you, if you only knew. (41)
Asalamu Alaikum Quran Weekly,
Were on the 10th juz now, and this is Surah al-Tawbah and ayah number 41. This is a call of Allah to the
Muslims who were actually heading out for the battle of Tabk. This is after Mecca was conquered and
Islam had become a dominant force in Arabia and there was a threat of attack from the Roman Empire.
That the Prophet ( salallahu alayhi wasalaam) basically issued what you can call a military
draft of all the Muslims to be ready for battle because the Roman armies were going to be one hundred
thousand strong or even thirty thousand to one hundred thousand strong and the Muslims, whatever
resources they had had to be put into defending Islam and moving forward and meeting the enemy. And
in this case there were some who felt, Am I really even strong enough to fight because Ive never been
in battle before? Am I good enough? Am I even going to be an asset on the battlefield?
Allah gave universal words that arent just beneficial for that context but they are beneficial for anyone
who wants to serve Allahs religion and protect Allahs religion and serve in any good cause under the
shade of Islam forever and ever. And that is (
Anfir Khiffan Wa Thiqlan) march
forward, light or heavy. Light or heavy. Whether you have a lot of money or you dont have a lot of
money. You have some heavy assets to offer, you have no assets to offer. Whether you have a lot of
talent or you dont think you have any talent. Whether you are strong or you think youre weak. Whether
youre knowledgeable or you think youre not that knowledgeable.
Every one of you needs to march forward because you have something to offer Allah. Every one of us has
to do an assessment of ourselves and in another place in the Quran, Allah says, ( Qul
Kullun Ya`malu `Al Shkilatihi) tell them everyone should work in accordance with their predisposition.
Allah created us with certain talents, certain abilities, certain powers and we have to put those powers to
work for the sake of Allah in some good way. And you have to do a real assessment of yourself. Our
religion isnt just about our own spirituality and our own concern, our own prayers and our own staying
away from forbidden things and thats the end of it. No, no, no. Actually, our religion is about taking care
of yourself and then doing something more, something that serves a cause beyond your own needs.
Something that youre doing to build your Jannah (paradise) by helping other people. By spreading this
deen, by doing good to other people, by spreading charity, by giving good advice, by being a source
youre the reason the world is a better place. You did something that made the world a little better than
what it is. You have to do that. How you can do that? You have to really figure out and that is Allahs call.
(
Anfir Khiffan Wa Thiqlan) march forward, light or heavy.
It doesnt matter what you think you have, you have something to offer and you come forward and Allah
will put you to use. I sincerely pray that Allah puts me and all of you to use for His deen. That He puts us
to use for His deen because to be used for Allahs deen is the greatest honor we can have in this life.

Wasalamu alaikum Quran Weekly.