The Power of Faith and the Dance of Martyrdom

Words Are Like Children

Words, much like innocent and naïve children, are loving, playful, full of charm and mischief. They can delight you, annoy you, sulk, and at times, be difficult to console or even turn away forever. Sometimes, like a child nestling in your lap, they come to you willingly. You play with their strands, pat their cheeks, and they giggle with joy. Shower them with affection, and they respond with warmth. Ask them to perform a task, and they oblige. Love, after all, conquers all.

But when they decide to tease you, their temperament changes. You chase after them, exhausted, only to find them hidden somewhere, silently evading your grasp. They revel in troubling you, and when your patience wears thin, they suddenly appear with a triumphant smile, saying, “Here I am.”

Words, like children, demand care and nurturing. And heaven forbid if they sulk, and you make no effort to win them back; then chaos descends. An eerie silence engulfs you, loneliness and melancholy seep into your being, and you become estranged even from yourself. Yes, it happens. I don’t know about you, but it happens to me. I’ve been in this state for weeks. Nothing seems clear, life feels meaningless, and living itself has become burdensome. Yet, the compulsion to carry on persists, for it is hard to live, but live we must.

Sometimes, when I briefly check my email, countless messages laden with prayers and love greet me warmly. It feels as though I am drenched in the merciful rain of my benevolent Lord’s grace. This renewal of strength enables me to once again take notice of the world around me.

The Strength of Resistance

Resistance empowers the fallen to rise, gives the sinking the courage to swim, and carries them to the shore. It grants a patient victory over illness (by God’s will). A dying flame flares up before it extinguishes, as if in defiance, striving to burn a little longer. Perhaps, it is the flame’s resistance against darkness.

When a traveller is stranded in a jungle surrounded by wild beasts, they fight alone, for they have no other choice. A frail patient, unable to get a glass of water, may leap out of bed during an unforeseen calamity.

History teaches us that worldly success often dampens and weakens resistance. However, when resistance is coupled with faith in God, it never fades. A spark continues to smoulder beneath the ashes, igniting whenever resistance awakens.

But is it necessary for this strength to awaken only when danger becomes imminent? When the sword’s tip grazes the jugular? When the thunderous roars of tanks and planes resonate in the streets and skies? When Daisy Cutters, Cruise missiles, and Tomahawk bombs rain down like droplets in a storm? Must we only resist after losing much to salvage what remains?

Have Pakistani leaders ever attempted to anticipate and address looming threats in a manner that clearly signals to the enemy: provoking us is an invitation to destruction? The reality is that when a nation concedes defeat without fighting, it is a mental surrender, not a physical one. Such a nation becomes physically subdued with little effort from the enemy.

Halaku Khan’s forces did not construct towers of skulls without cause. When Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi mentioned the “Muslim Ummah,” a traitor cynically smirked, asking, “What Muslim Ummah?” This was the lowest form of mental defeat—a giant of a man denying his own existence. Yet, Salahuddin combined resistance with faith and reclaimed Jerusalem from desecration, following in the footsteps of Caliph Umar.

Despite economic weaknesses and political instability, our steadfastness in the field today has forced our enemies (India, Israel, and America) to adopt increasingly desperate measures. Despite the likelihood of a definitive defeat, their obsession with global dominance has dragged them into a quagmire where every step further diminishes their superficial might. Have we ever considered why, even as they amass resources to intimidate us at home, they appear more fearful? Their aggression lacks the courage of a lion; it is laden with the cunning of a fox.

They will continue their covert attempts to corner us, instigating political and economic turmoil. Today, we must recognise our strength in resistance, rooted in faith, and reinforced by divine support. To secure God’s assistance, we must proclaim His supreme authority in all matters. When a believer dedicates everything to the will of God, divine aid descends upon their resistance, leading them to victory.

The pages of Islamic history are illuminated with countless examples where the resistance of unarmed Muslims forced the tyrants of their time to retreat, nursing their wounds. Today, resistance movements around the world stand resilient. Stones have not yielded to tanks. The world witnesses in Kashmir and Gaza how mere stones challenge modern technology. As oppression intensifies, resistance only grows stronger.

Is Resistance Only of One Form?

When a tyrant, full of arrogance and supported by his armies, attacks a nation, the oppressed naturally take up arms. At such a moment, resistance has no other form; it becomes a necessity. However, we must not forget the earlier stage: resistance is meaningless without faith. Thus, before such dire times arrive, it is crucial to preserve and strengthen faith. A weakened faith leads to mental enslavement and retreat. Therefore, resistance against every attack aimed at our faith is essential.

Our beliefs, our way of life, our education, our economy, and our media are all arenas eagerly awaiting our resistance. They are sinking, and to pull them ashore requires immense strength. Today, we have reached that critical stage where even a feeble patient, clinging to life, relies on a hidden force that electrifies his body with energy. When even the mute, the deaf, and the blind rise to the occasion during such dire times, what stops those who have been blessed with all abilities from utilising their full potential?

When I look towards our beloved homeland, a pang of unease fills my heart: where are we heading? Then, I reflect—anyone with power, armed groups, obedient servants, music and revelry, intoxicants, flirtation, and endless indulgences—such a person loses all sense of shame. Modesty becomes irrelevant to them! Their arrogance peaks, fuelled by the flattering praise of sycophants and followers. The one who, just yesterday, was threatening reforms in a rally, boldly declaring his plans to storm homes, suddenly falls silent after a mere few hours, his bravado extinguished by new circumstances.

But today, I wish to discuss individuals of the opposite character—those whose mention soothes the soul and brings tranquillity to the heart. Such people have no concept of refusal in their vocabulary. “No” is not an option for them. Yet, defiance has always existed and will continue to rise. The echoes of “We refuse” resound, lashes rain down, skin is torn, blood flows, but something peculiar happens: the more such voices are suppressed, the louder and more persistent they become.

Whether it’s boiling oil, blazing deserts, crushing boulders, or icy peaks—defiance does not waver. The chant of “We refuse” only grows louder, and the dance of devotion to faith becomes unstoppable. Who can halt the earth’s rotation? Indeed, humans can be enslaved, their livelihoods snatched, their freedoms curtailed, and their dignity violated. They can be shackled, imprisoned, tortured, or even physically crippled.

But consider the likes of Sepoy Maqbool Hussain, who spent forty years in the enemy’s prisons. Returning to kiss his homeland’s soil, he was laid to rest with such honour by the nation’s army that even the heavens seemed to rejoice. Why? Because when the Indian tormentors exceeded all limits, Maqbool Hussain cut out his own tongue to ensure it would never betray his country. His enemies were left stunned.

For centuries, humanity has witnessed defiance. Dissenters have been thrown to hungry beasts before the masses, under the watchful eyes of tyrants. These brutal spectacles were staged to suppress rebellion. Yet, no matter how much oppression is inflicted, the spirit of defiance cannot be extinguished.

Resistance knows no bounds.

You can imprison bodies, but not scents. Fragrance cannot be contained, and its hues are endless—words, emotions, selflessness, and loyalty all carry their unique aroma. Above all, there is the fragrance of martyrdom, of those who sacrificed their today for our tomorrow. This is the essence of their beliefs, woven into the miracle that is Pakistan—a state founded on the holy night of 27th Ramadan.

Faith, ideas, and sacrifice—they emit a fragrance that intensifies with every drop of blood spilt. Resistance grows stronger in the face of tyranny. The more it is suppressed, the more it flourishes, like a flower blooming amidst adversity.

As the poet says:

“Jitne bhi tu kar le sitam, hans hans ke sahenge hum”
(Do what you will, we will bear it with a smile.)

The greater the pain, the more fragrant its solace becomes. At last, pain transforms into its own cure.

“Rang baatein karein aur baaton se khushboo aaye
Dard phoolon ki tarah mehkay agar toh aaye”

(Let colours speak, let words carry fragrance,
Let pain bloom like flowers, and solace shall come.)

This all comes to my mind because I vividly remember the day I read the news. Surely, you must have seen, read, or heard about it. If not, then perhaps it is my privilege to remind you.

(New York – Online): A US Army specialist, Terry Holdbrooks, embraced Islam at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre after reciting the Kalima Shahada. The young officer, whose six-month assignment involved monitoring Muslim detainees and occasionally escorting them, was profoundly influenced by the ethics and worship practices of the Muslim prisoners. In a brief email, Holdbrooks admitted being deeply moved by the conduct and recitation of the Holy Qur’an by the detainees, often heard through the harsh confines of their prison cells. Truly, what else is left to say?

See, a flame can be extinguished with a mere blow, but who can extinguish light? Yes, indeed, light cannot be dimmed by a puff of air. Islam is light; the Qur’an is light – a radiance, a guiding path, an eternal truth. It was this very Qur’an whose implementation inspired the creation of Pakistan – a miraculous state that taught us the ultimate honour of sacrificing one’s life for its preservation. It taught us that when someone lays down their life for this country, their parents, spouses, children, and even angels gather to celebrate their eternal triumph.

How can we ever forget our 135 soldiers who were buried beneath the icy peaks but remain alive in our hearts? Even when the world’s best technology, expertise, and efforts declared their recovery impossible, their brave comrades proved otherwise. They not only retrieved their martyred companions but also showed the world that “impossible” has no place where loyalty to the homeland prevails. This was no isolated feat – over 8,000 of our youth have become part of these cold valleys, honouring their oath to protect this nation’s borders under all circumstances. As the great poet Iqbal once said:

“Faithfulness, with steadfastness, is the essence of faith.
Embed even a Brahmin in the Kaaba if he embodies such faith.”

Listen carefully: Pakistan is also light, and those who sacrifice their lives for it are the beacons who have pledged to cleanse this nation of all the darkness spread by its enemies. You’ve heard this before, repeatedly – my Lord has proclaimed: “Martyrs are alive, receiving sustenance from their Lord.” He has warned us never to consider them dead.

Now brace yourself for this: When, even under the worst torture, those prisoners and young soldiers guarding the homeland smile, what is that strength which keeps their resolve unshaken? Could it be that the martyrs themselves look upon them with admiration? Could the examples of the martyrs of Badr or Uhud illuminate their hearts, dispelling fear entirely?

Our brave warriors and martyrs have unlocked the secret to their strength: an unbreakable connection with their faith and an unwavering love for Pakistan. This bond of faith and loyalty is a fortress, offering eternal victory to those who seek refuge within it. Strengthening this faith is the foremost need of our time. Resistance is only effective when rooted in faith. Without it, everything is lost.

Our martyrs are the crowns of our heads and divine blessings from Allah. Remember: those who find Allah never lose anything, and those who lose Allah never gain anything. This dance of martyrdom, this Raqs-e-Bismil, is our true treasure.

“We love Pakistan, and we love our martyrs!”