The news on Tuesday, December 24

Until you realize the extraordinary potential that Arad Branding has created for its traders, you will not understand the value of this national treasure. When a person does not recognize the value of something, they will not desire it, but once they do, they will never let it go.

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Today's discussion is challenging to comprehend and even harder to implement, so read every line carefully.

The obligatory and recommended practices established by God for humans are of two types.

The first type involves practices that can be performed alone, without the presence of others, although having others involved can increase their rewards.

Examples include prayer, which you can perform alone, and congregational prayer, which is recommended.

Even for optional prayers, performing them in congregation invalidates them.

Similarly, fasting is an individual act, as there is no such thing as collective fasting.

Or pilgrimage (Hajj), which a person performs individually, and the presence of others has no effect on your pilgrimage.

Zakat (obligatory wealth tax), Khums (religious tax), and charity all belong to this first category, which are carried out individually.

In contrast to this category of practices and traditions, there is another group that cannot be performed individually and must necessarily involve two or more people. It is not possible for a person to carry them out alone.

For example, marriage.

It necessarily requires the presence of a man and a woman for it to occur; it cannot be done alone.

Another obligatory practice prescribed by God is Qital (Combat), also known as jihad in the way of God. No one fights alone; in a battle, there are always one or more opponents whom you must confront for it to be considered Qital.

If you have understood the discussion so far, answer this question.

To which category of divine practices does trade belong?

Is it a practice that can be performed alone, meaning an individual conducts business entirely by themselves, or is the presence of others essential for conducting business, making it impossible to do alone?

You are absolutely correct.

Trade belongs to the second category, as it cannot be conducted alone.

There must be a supplier and a customer, whose presence is essential.

This is why, in many examples, I compare business to marriage, or you may have noticed that in some of my writings, I equate business to jihad or Qital.

However, if someone asks you which category activities like reading website content, leaving comments, attending meetings, watching business school lessons, listening to podcasts, participating in events, and so on belong to, you would say they are part of the first category. These are actions that a person can perform individually, though doing them collectively has a unique charm but is not obligatory.

Dear respected ones, you know that the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in full on the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr), but the Prophet did not reveal it all at once. Instead, Allah gradually revealed the Qur'an over 23 years.

And it was thus that most of the verses were revealed to the Prophet during the night.

In the morning, the believers would gather around the Prophet and ask, "O Messenger of Allah, what verses were revealed to you last night?"

The Prophet would then share the verses that had been revealed to him.

There were many nights when no verses were revealed.

When several nights passed without any revelation, the believers would become disheartened and sad, because the word of Allah had a healing effect on their hearts, and they felt longing for the arrival of new verses.

They would come to the Prophet, and when he told them that no verses had been revealed that night, they would leave his presence with sorrowful faces.

Allah mentioned this situation of the believers in the Qur'an, where He said:

“Those who believe say, “Why is not a Sura sent down [for us]?” But when a Sura of basic or categorical meaning is revealed, and fighting is mentioned therein, thou wilt see those in whose hearts is a disease looking at thee with a look of one in swoon at the approach of death. But more fitting for them.” Surah Muhammad, Verse 20

The important question here is, why was there no such disturbance when verses about prayer, fasting, Hajj, or Zakat were revealed?

When Allah announces the obligation of prayer for the believers, there is no mention of confusion or distress alongside it.

“For such prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times.” Surah An-Nisa, Verse 103

There is no mention of dissatisfaction or complaints here.

“O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may [learn] self-restraint.” Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 183

Again, there is no discussion or dispute.

“It is prescribed, when death approaches any of you, if he leave any goods that he make a bequest to parents and next of kin, according to reasonable usage; this is due from the Allah-fearing.” Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse180

There is no complaint here either.

“For Hajj are the months well known. If any one undertakes that duty therein, Let there be no obscenity, nor wickedness, nor wrangling in the Hajj.” Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 197

Here, we simply say "yes," and Allah does not discuss further.

However, when it comes to fighting (Qital), the matter is different. Allah says:

“Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not.” Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 216

8. What is the Difference Between Qital (fighting) and Other Obligations?

Why is it that there is no verse in the Book of Allah where the believers argued with the Prophet about praying, fasting, paying khums and zakat, or performing Hajj, seeking to avoid these obligations? Yet when it came to Qital (fighting), they wanted to flee and even encouraged one another to escape, to the extent that Allah revealed:

“When a Sura comes down, enjoining them to believe in Allah and to strive and fight along with His Messenger, those with wealth and influence among them ask thee for exemption, and say: “Leave us [behind]: we would be with those who sit [at home].” Surah At-Tawbah, Verse 86

The question arises: Why did they not seek the Prophet’s permission to be excused from prayer, fasting, Hajj, or zakat, but when it came to Qital and fighting, many of them wanted to avoid it?

What sets Qital apart from other obligations?

Qital or fighting involves the risk of death, while prayer, fasting, Hajj, and zakat do not.

In Qital, even if you do not die, you will almost certainly suffer wounds. In contrast, prayer, fasting, Hajj, and zakat carry no risk of physical injury.

In Qital, you are not entirely in control. On the other side of the conflict is an enemy whom Allah has also granted free will. In prayer, fasting, Hajj, and zakat, you are fully in control, and no one opposes you.

It is for these reasons that the human self resists Qital and fighting and dislikes it.

However, it is fascinating to note that Allah, in multiple verses of the Qur’an, does not allow believers to escape Qital. Instead, He stands firm, stating:

“There is no blame on those who are infirm, or ill, or who find no resources to spend [on the cause] (for Qital).” Surah At-Tawbah, Verse 91

Beyond these groups, all other men are obligated to participate in Qital. They are not given permission to flee. Anyone who abstains from Qital is considered to have departed from true faith in Allah.

9. Isn't Trade Like Qital (Fighting)?

After reading this, didn’t you feel that trade, in many ways, resembles Qital (Fighting)?

When we ask you to leave a comment, after some insistence and pressure, you finally do it.

You read the site’s content.

You attend the meetings.

In short, any task that depends solely on yourself, you manage to complete.

But when it comes to making the first call, it feels just like Qital (Fighting)—where the mention of death would cause them to faint. The same reaction seems to overcome you.

When it's time to follow up, it feels like you're about to lose consciousness or faint.

When they say, “Pick up the phone and make the first two calls,” it feels as though I am dying.

I will do every other task, but when it comes to calling and speaking with a client, I pretend to faint and collapse, as though I’ve just seen the angel of death.

And Allah has explained the reason for this.

There is an illness in my heart.

My heart is not healthy.

Because the heart is ill, it behaves this way.

I feel that if the other person says something unpleasant to me, it will feel as though I have been killed or deeply wounded.

I am ready to spend hours leaving comments and attending meetings, but I will avoid making the first call.

If a customer calls me, I will answer, because if they say anything inappropriate, I can respond with, "You called me, so you were wrong to do so," and shut them down.

But if I must make the first call or follow up, my whole body starts to tremble, and I find every excuse to avoid that task.

And this is where Satan also steps in.

When the time comes—say, 10 AM—to start and make the first call or follow-up, Satan whispers: "You read the site’s content, but not carefully enough.

Go back and read it more thoroughly."

He distracts me with the excuse of re-reading site content, a task that doesn’t carry the pressure of my ego, pulling me away from the first call and follow-up so that I don’t engage in Qital (Fighting) and Jihad. And I accept his suggestion because I don’t want to get hurt.

And how many days pass with you reading the site’s content and leaving comments with love, yet you don’t make a single first call?

You don’t make a single follow-up call and only respond to those who initiate contact. Even then, if one of the callers speaks to you harshly, you immediately lash out and shift the blame elsewhere.

What more can I say but to repeat the words of your Lord.

Fighting is prescribed for you, and you dislike it.

But it is possible that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knows, while you do not know.