Example of Power vs. Power of Example

Abraham prayed: [26:83-85] “My Lord, grant me wisdom, and include me with the righteous. Let the example I set for the future generations be a good one. Make me one of the inheritors of the blissful Paradise”.

GOD willing, as Submitters, we lead by the power of our example, not by the example of power.

EXAMPLES OF POWER

[28:4] Pharaoh turned into a tyrant on earth, and discriminated against some people. He persecuted a helpless group of them, slaughtering their sons, while sparing their daughters. He was indeed wicked.

[26:49] He said, “Did you believe with him before I give you permission? He must be your teacher, who taught you magic. You will surely find out. I will cut your hands and feet on alternate sides. I will crucify you all.”

That, my fellow submitters, is an example of power.

[12:28-29] When her husband saw that his garment was torn from the back, he said, “This is a woman’s scheme. Indeed, your scheming is formidable.   “Joseph, disregard this incident.  …”

 

[12:35] Later, they saw to it, despite the clear proofs, that they should imprison him for awhile.

That, my fellow submitters, is an example of power.

Hitler and the Nazis thought that people could be divided into different races and that there was a struggle going on between these different races. According to the Nazis the ‘Aryan race’ was the best and strongest race. Jews were of another inferior race. In fact so inferior that they were not considered to be ‘people’ by the Nazis, hence their extermination at the gas chamber.

That, my fellow submitters, is an example of power.

We must remember not to feel despair when we see those who abuse their powers. To quote Gandhi, “all through history the way of truth and love has always won; there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall.” The Quran clearly tells us tyrants will end up doomed (10:83-92, 14:15, 28:81, 40:35).

POWER OF  EXAMPLE

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a storm.

When she came to a starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. Then a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!” So she picked up another starfish, and threw it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “By God’s leave, I made a difference to that one.” The man thought about what the little girl had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and thousands of starfish were saved.

That anecdote, my fellow submitters, shows the power of example.

Malala Yousafzai, as a young girl, was shot by the Taliban for advocating the rights of girls to obtain education. In her own words she said: “I had two options—one was to be silent and be killed. The second was to speak up and then be killed.  I chose the second and decided to speak up”.

For speaking up she got shot in the head but God let her survive. Yet, instead of hate and revenge, her message

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