WHEN THE TRUTH IS CALLED MISCHIEF

 

FAJR REMINDER: WHEN THE TRUTH IS CALLED MISCHIEF

Rabīʿ Al-Akhīr 2, 1448 AH — 14 September 2026

When Truth Is Misrepresented

How far can a person go when hatred of the truth takes control of the heart?

When a person allows arrogance, desires, and attachment to falsehood to overcome submission to the Guidance of Allāh, he may eventually reach a dangerous state in which truth appears to him as falsehood, while falsehood is presented as truth.

The story of Firʿawn and his people provides a powerful example of this reality.

When Prophet Mūsā (ʿalayhis-salām) came with clear signs from his Lord and called Firʿawn and his people to the worship of Allāh, they did not simply reject his message. They attempted to suppress it, intimidate those who believed, and prevent the truth from spreading.

The chiefs of Firʿawn's people even described the call of Mūsā (ʿalayhis-salām) as something that would cause “mischief” in the land:

وَقَالَ الْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِ فِرْعَوْنَ أَتَذَرُ مُوسَىٰ وَقَوْمَهُ لِيُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَيَذَرَكَ وَآلِهَتَكَ قَالَ سَنُقَتِّلُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَنَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ وَإِنَّا فَوْقَهُمْ قَاهِرُونَ

“The chiefs of Fir'aun's people said: ‘Will you leave Mūsā and his people to spread mischief in the land, and to abandon you and your gods?’ He said: ‘We will kill their sons, and let live their women, and we have irresistible power over them indeed.’”

[Sūrah Al-Aʿrāf 7:127]

Think about this carefully.

How could calling people away from shirk and towards the worship of the One True God be described as “mischief”?

This is one of the ways falsehood attempts to defend itself: by giving the truth a false name.

When people are determined to reject guidance, they may attempt to portray faith as backwardness, obedience as extremism, and sincere adherence to the Religion as something harmful or dangerous. The purpose is to make people uncomfortable with the truth before they have even examined it.

Allāh (ﷻ) says:

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُوَ يُدْعَىٰ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ۝ يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

“And who does more wrong than the one who invents a lie against Allāh, while he is being invited to Islām? And Allāh guides not the people who are Ẓālimūn (polytheists, wrong-doers, and disbelievers). They intend to put out the Light of Allāh with their mouths. But Allāh will complete His Light even though the disbelievers hate it.”

[Sūrah Aṣ-Ṣaff 61:7–8]

And Allāh (ﷻ) says:

يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى اللَّهُ إِلَّا أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

“They want to extinguish Allāh’s Light with their mouths, but Allāh will not allow except that His Light should be perfected, though the Kāfirūn (disbelievers) hate it.”

[Sūrah At-Tawbah 9:32]

The Believer's Response

The story of Mūsā (ʿalayhis-salām) also teaches us something equally important: how should a believer respond when facing opposition, hardship, or hostility?

The answer is not despair.

It is not abandoning the truth because remaining upon it becomes difficult.

And it is not compromising the Religion merely to gain the approval of people.

Rather, the believer seeks the Help of Allāh, exercises patience, places his trust in Him, and remains steadfast.

Allāh (ﷻ) tells us:

قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ اسْتَعِينُوا بِاللَّهِ وَاصْبِرُوا إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لِلَّهِ يُورِثُهَا مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

“Mūsā (Moses) said to his people: ‘Seek help in Allāh and be patient. Verily, the earth is Allāh’s. He gives it as a heritage to whom He wills of His slaves, and the (blessed) end is for the Muttaqūn (pious).’”

[Sūrah Al-Aʿrāf 7:128]

What a powerful instruction.

Seek Allāh's Help.
Be patient.
Remain conscious of Allāh.
Trust His Promise.

Mūsā (ʿalayhis-salām) did not tell his people that hardship meant that Allāh had abandoned them. Instead, he directed them back to the One upon whom their hearts should depend.

He also said:

وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ يَا قَوْمِ إِن كُنتُمْ آمَنتُم بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُوا إِن كُنتُم مُّسْلِمِينَ ۝ فَقَالُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِّلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ ۝ وَنَجِّنَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

“And Mūsā (Moses) said: ‘O my people! If you have believed in Allāh, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims (those who submit to Allāh's Will).’ They said: ‘In Allāh we put our trust. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the folk who are Ẓālimūn (polytheists and wrongdoers) (i.e. do not make them overpower us). And save us by Your Mercy from the disbelieving folk.’”

[Sūrah Yūnus 10:84–86]

The Light of Allāh Cannot Be Extinguished

The account of Firʿawn and Mūsā (ʿalayhis-salām) reminds us that opposition to the truth is not something new.

Throughout history, those who rejected divine guidance have sometimes attempted to ridicule it, misrepresent it, intimidate those who follow it, or attach negative labels to it.

But the truth does not become false because people reject it.

And falsehood does not become truth because it is repeated loudly.

The believer therefore must learn to distinguish between the approval of people and the pleasure of Allāh.

Our goal is not to make everyone pleased with us.

Our goal is to please Allāh.

When the path becomes difficult, we seek His Help.

When people mock us for holding onto the Religion, we remain patient.

When falsehood is given attractive names, we do not abandon the truth simply because it has become unpopular.

And when we face trials, we remember that Allāh is sufficient for those who place their trust in Him.

The promise of Allāh remains true: His Light will be perfected.

Therefore, let us not allow fear to weaken our faith.

Let us not allow mockery to make us ashamed of Islām.

Let us not allow hardship to make us abandon obedience.

And let us not allow the opinions of people to become more important to us than the pleasure of our Lord.

They may oppose the truth, but we must remain firm upon it.

They may ridicule the truth, but we must not be ashamed of it.

They may attempt to turn people away from the truth, but we must continue calling to Allāh with wisdom, patience, good character, and sincerity.

We must not stop believing.

We must not stop worshipping Allāh Alone.

We must not stop seeking His Help.

We must not stop trusting Him.

And we must not forget that the blessed outcome belongs to the Muttaqūn.

A Final Duʿā

I beseech Allāh (ﷻ) to strengthen our hearts upon the truth, grant us patience during trials, protect us from misguidance and ظلم, increase us in sincere faith and righteous deeds, and make us among those who remain steadfast upon His Religion until we meet Him.

May Allāh protect the believers from oppression, grant relief to those facing hardship, guide those who are sincere seekers of truth, and make us people who uphold the truth with wisdom, mercy, patience, and excellent character.

May Allāh grant us steadfastness and make the final outcome good for the Muttaqūn.

Āmīn.