﴿مَا ظَنَنْتُمْ أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا﴾ This is part of the second verse of Surah Al-Hashr, in which Allah, the Almighty, refers to the episode of Banu Nadir and their expulsion from Medina. The People of the Book who lived in Medina had maintained a strong position there for centuries. For many people, it was almost unimaginable…
You never thought that they would leave.
مَا ظَنَنْتُمْ أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا
This is part of the second verse of Surah Al-Hashr, in which Allah, the Almighty, refers to the episode of Banu Nadir and their expulsion from Medina. The People of the Book who lived in Medina had maintained a strong position there for centuries. For many people, it was almost unimaginable that one day they would be expelled from the city.
Allah says:
﴿هُوَ الَّذِي أَخْرَجَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ لِأَوَّلِ الْحَشْرِ ۚ مَا ظَنَنْتُمْ أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا وَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ مَانِعَتُهُمْ حُصُونُهُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ فَأَتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَمْ يَحْتَسِبُوا…﴾
(Surah Al-Hashr, 59:2)
A similar mindset has existed among many Muslims around the world since February 2026, particularly in Iran and Pakistan. Sadly, for some, that mindset still persists.
We are witnessing in our own time how even people of faith can sometimes find themselves trapped in this state of mind. Many did not believe that the IRAN would be able to stand against USA even for a few days, whereas this confrontation has now been continuing for almost six months.
Many people have now begun to understand the reality of the situation. Yet this part of the verse from Surah Al-Hashr still speaks to a large number of people in the Muslim world, particularly in Iran.
These are people who witnessed with their own eyes the collapse of the Pahlavi monarchy, saw the United States driven out of Iran, and witnessed the defeat of Iraq’s Ba’ath Party. Yet even for them, it remains difficult to accept that one day the United States, too, may be forced to leave this region.
It is as though this verse is saying to them: Just as you once found it impossible to imagine how certain events of the past would end, today you still struggle to comprehend that one day the United States could be driven out of this region.
During the time of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Banu Nazeer and other conspiratorial forces also relied on their power, fortified strongholds, and seemingly secure position. Yet the Qur’an tells us that the very fate they considered unimaginable eventually came upon them.
There is, however, a leadership and a sincere community devoted to that leadership even if they are few in number, that remains confident in this reality: circumstances do not remain the same forever, and the existing balance of power is not destined to last indefinitely.
Yes, it is true that the difficulties are extremely severe.
Inflation is extraordinarily high.
The economy is in a deeply distressed condition.
People are under immense economic pressure.
But humiliation is far from us.
Despite the economic pressure, people continue, according to their means, to live their lives, provide for their families, and confront these difficulties because the true Provider is someone else. The Provider is not America.
We are witnessing these circumstances ourselves. We see the effects of inflation and feel the pressure being placed on the people, but at the same time, we also see resilience.
It is true that one segment of society is deeply dissatisfied, and it is equally true that economic pressure is being felt by almost everyone. But it is not correct to interpret every hardship as defeat and every crisis as collapse.
When one has chosen the path of Imamate, the following words of Allama Iqbal should also remain in our minds: `تو نے پوچھی ہے امامت کی حقیقت مجھ سے`
“`حق تجھے میری طرح صاحبِ اسرار کرے
ہے وہی تیرے زمانے کا امامِ برحق
جو تجھے حاضر و موجود سے بیزار کرے
موت کے آئینے میں تجھ کو دکھا کر رُخِ دوست
زندگی تیرے لیے اور بھی دشوار کرے“`
You have asked me about the reality of Imamate;
May God make you, like me, a possessor of hidden mysteries.
The true Imam of your age is the one
Who makes you weary of the merely present and existing world;
Who makes you behold, in the mirror of death, the beloved’s face,
And makes life even more difficult for you.
Therefore, if life is becoming more difficult, perhaps that very difficulty is an announcement of our loyalty.
Now, let me briefly address another point.
Whenever some people hear or read such words, certain so-called intellectuals and enlightened thinkers immediately object that these are merely emotional consolations, detached from the practical world and from the ground reality.
To such people, I would simply say: Take your intellect and your ground reality and turn toward the very system of domination that, despite exerting all its power, is still unable to overcome its humiliation.
Even materially, that system is under increasing pressure. Its allies and partners are facing problems of their own. The United States itself is asking its allies to increase defense spending, while Europe continues to express serious concerns about its defense capabilities and weapons stocks.
Yes, it is also true that the dollar in Iran has risen to extraordinary levels. The economic difficulties are a painful reality in their own right, and they cannot simply be ignored.
But, as Iranians often quote Allama Iqbal, he too lifts the veil from this reality:
اے طائرِ لاہوتی! اُس رزق سے موت اچھی
جس رزق سے آتی ہو پرواز میں کوتاہی
O celestial bird! Better death than that sustenance
Which causes your wings to falter in flight.
The question is not merely how much we have in our pockets today. The question is also: At what price do we want to remain alive?
If prosperity requires us to sacrifice freedom, dignity, sovereignty, and principles, then the question is no longer merely about economic well-being. It becomes a question of the price we are willing to pay for our flight.
Syed Kumail Naqvi
Tehran
29 August 2026
