Similarly, not all the attributes of all infidels have to be infidel and to arise from their unbelief.
So too, all the attributes of all sinners do not always have to sinful and have arisen from their sinfulness.
This means an infidel’s Muslim attribute prevails over a Muslim’s unlawful attribute. Indirectly, the infidel prevails over him.
Furthermore, in this world the right of life is general and all-embracing. It is a universal mercy that has a meaningful manifestation, a wise inner purpose, which unbelief does not impede.
The third point is this: two of the All-Glorious One’s attributes of perfection, two ‘legislative’ manifestations: the determining through His choice, which proceeds from the attribute of Will, and that is the Shari’a of Creation;
And the well-known Shari’a, which proceeds from the attribute of Speech.
Just as there is compliance and rebellion in the face of the commands of the latter, so there is compliance and rebellion before the creational commands.
The reward and punishment for the former is received mostly in the hereafter, while the penalties and rewards of the latter are suffered mostly in the realm of this world.
For example, the reward of patience is victory. The penalty for laziness is poverty; and the reward of toil is wealth.
The reward of constancy is victory. The penalty of poison is illness, the reward of its antidote is health.
Sometimes the injunctions of both Shari’as are included in a single thing; it has faces looking to both.
That means obedience to the creational command is a truth. Obedience prevails; rebellion in the face of the injunction is a false stand.
If a truth has been the means to a falsehood, when it prevails, it will have been the means to a falsehood. Indirectly, a truth is defeated by a falsehood, but not essentially.
This means that “the truth prevails” means “essentially.” Also, the end is intended, and the restriction of viewpoint is meant.
The fourth point is this: a truth remained unexpressed, or powerless, or adulterated, or convoluted. It needed to be expressed and opened up, or given fresh strength.
In order to improve and gild it, falsehood had to be temporarily imposed on it, in order to to assay that ingot of truth.
Then it could emerge pure and unadulterated from its origins. Even if falsehood prevails in this world, it cannot win the war. “The future belongs to the God-conscious”1 will strike them a blow!
So falsehood is defeated. The mystery of “truth prevails” inflicts punishment on it; see, truth prevails!
Qur’an, 7:128.