because it is possible for a person to be learned in one of the aspects of religion but less aware of another, and it is not surprising that Allah conceals something from a well-known scholar and reveals it to another who is not renowned. Similarly, a group of disbelievers found it strange that the Quran was revealed to Muhammad , despite the presence of men they viewed as more significant than he; as Allah Almighty has said about them: ﴿وَقَالُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ﴾[1]; “And they said: ‘Why was this Quran not revealed to a man of significance from the two cities?!’” In response to them, He said: ﴿أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَتَ رَبِّكَ ۚ نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ مَعِيشَتَهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۚ وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا سُخْرِيًّا ۗ وَرَحْمَتُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ﴾[2]; “Is it they who distribute the mercy of your Lord?! It is We Who distributed among them their livelihood in the life of the world and raised some of them above others in rank, so that some of them would take some others in service. And the mercy of your Lord is better than what they amass.” Moreover, Allah is not ashamed to use an obscure creation as a means of guiding His servants; as He has said: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا ۚ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِهَذَا مَثَلًا ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِي بِهِ كَثِيرًا ۚ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِ إِلَّا الْفَاسِقِينَ﴾[3]; “Allah is not ashamed to set forth a gnat or something above it as an example. As for those who believed, they know that it is the truth from their Lord. And as for those who disbelieved, they say: ‘What did Allah intend by this example?!’ He misguides many through it and guides many through it, and He does not misguide anyone except sinners through it.” Rather, it is proven by experience that most of the friends of Allah have been obscure individuals[4]. Therefore, rejecting someone’s call merely due to his obscurity is contrary to wisdom and precaution. Rather, Allah’s way is to bestow favor upon the oppressed of the Earth and make them leaders and inheritors of it; as He has said: ﴿وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ﴾[5]; “And We intend to bestow favor upon those who were oppressed on the Earth and make them leaders and make them inheritors.”

↑[1] . Az-Zukhruf/ 31

↑[2] . Az-Zukhruf/ 32

↑[3] . Al-Baqarah/ 26

↑[4] . As has been narrated from the Messenger of Allah that he said: «إِنَّ خِيَارَ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الْأَتْقِيَاءُ الْأَخْفِيَاءُ، الَّذِينَ إِنْ شَهِدُوا لَمْ يُعْرَفُوا، وَإِنْ غَابُوا لَمْ يُفْتَقَدُوا، قُلُوبُهُمْ مَصَابِيحُ الْهُدَى، يُنَجِّيهِمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ كُلِّ غَبْرَاءَ مُظْلِمَةٍ» (al-Zuhd by al-Mu‘afa ibn Imran al-Mawsili, p. 215); “Indeed, the best of Allah’s servants are the pious and unnoticed ones; those who, when present, are not recognized, and when absent, are not missed. Their hearts are lamps of guidance, and Allah saves them from every dark, murky (trial),” and he said: «إِنَّ أَغْبَطَ النَّاسِ عِنْدِي مُؤْمِنٌ خَفِيفُ الْحَاذِ، ذُو حَظٍّ مِنْ صَلَاةٍ، أَطَاعَ رَبَّهُ وَأَحْسَنَ عِبَادَتَهُ فِي السِّرِّ، وَكَانَ غَامِضًا فِي النَّاسِ، لَا يُشَارُ إِلَيْهِ بِالْأَصَابِعِ، فَعُجِّلَتْ مَنِيَّتُهُ، وَقَلَّ تُرَاثُهُ، وَقَلَّتْ بَوَاكِيهِ» (al-Zuhd by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, p. 13; Sunan of al-Tirmidhi, vol. 4, p. 575); “The most enviable of people in my view is a believer who is lightly burdened, finds joy in prayer, obeys his Lord and worships Him well in secret, and is unknown among people. He is not pointed out by fingers. His death comes quickly, his state is small, and his mourners are few.” It has also been narrated from Ali that he said: “Blessed is every inconspicuous servant; he knows people, but they do not know him; Allah knows him as one with whom He is pleased. They are lamps of guidance. Every dark and murky trial is cleared away from them, and Allah opens for them the doors of His mercy. They are neither spreaders of gossip and revealers of secrets, nor ill-mannered and hypocritical” (al-Zuhd by al-Mu‘afa ibn Imran al-Mawsili, p. 216; Musannaf of ibn Abi Shaybah, vol. 7, p. 100; al-Tawadu‘ Wa al-Khumul by ibn Abi al-Dunya, p. 34), and he said: “Indeed, Allah has hidden His friend among His servants, so do not belittle any of His servants, for he may be His friend while you do not know it” (al-Khisal by ibn Babawayh, p. 209).

↑[5] . Al-Qasas/ 5