The Response to Being Chosen by The Most High!

Divine selection (istifa’) is one of Allah’s universal laws (sunan) that govern His creation. It encompasses every realm of existence. Allah (swt) selects messengers from among the angels and messengers from among humanity. He chooses specific times and places— just as He chose Ramadan from all months, and the Kaaba from all locations. This Divine selection always relates to a purpose for which the selection occurs, and generally, that purpose is to serve the message of servitude (‘ubudiyyah) in the universe.

He chose the messengers — “Allah knows best where to place His message” (6:124) — so they would convey the message of their Lord and be a proof against mankind – “[We sent] messengers as bringers of good tidings and warners so that mankind will have no argument against Allah after the messengers. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise” (4:165). 

He chose Ramadan as a time to renew the covenant and strengthen Taqwa (piety), to purify the soul and serve as a driving force for good deeds throughout the rest of the year. And from among all places, He chose the Kaaba, a symbol of Tawheed (monotheism) and servitude to Allah (swt).

In the same way, Allah chose this Ummah — not through selection of individuals by lineage or status, but through faith and spiritual belonging. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed, Allah elevates some people through this Book and brings down others through it.” Also, Allah says: “Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware” (49:13).

Divine selection (istifā’) is, in essence, a trial intended to honor and elevate. This is especially evident in the case of the prophets, whom Allah chose by entrusting them with the immense responsibility of conveying His message. Their true honor lies in their complete and faithful fulfillment of this Divine trust. As Allah says:“Your duty is only to deliver [the message]; judgment is for Us” (13:40). During his Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Have I conveyed [the message]?” They replied, “Yes.” He said: “O Allah, bear witness!”

Had any Prophet failed to convey the message, he would have met the same fate as those who incurred Allah’s wrath and punishment. Allah (swt) says about Yunus (peace be upon him): “And [remember] Dhul-Nun, when he went off in anger and thought We would not decree [anything] upon him … ”(21:87). And Allah says: “And if he [the Prophet] had made up some sayings about Us, We would have seized him by the right hand and severed his aorta” (69:44-46).

Likewise, Allah also chose the believers by granting them the inheritance of the Book – just as He once entrusted the Children of Israel with it. Yet, they did not uphold that trust as it deserved; they exchanged it for a trivial gain. Allah (swt) says about the believers: “Then We caused to inherit the Book those We have chosen of Our servants; and among them is he who wrongs himself, and among them is he who is moderate, and among them is he who is foremost in good deeds by the permission of Allah. That is the great bounty” (35:32).

The selection of the believers lies in their inheritance of the Book and in their being part of the best nation brought forth for humanity – defined by its commitment to reform and establish justice on earth, grounded in sincere servitude to Allah alone.

So what should one’s response be to this Divine selection (istifa’), this profound honor, a mark of distinction and a pathway to success in both this life and the next? Only a few steps – taken with a heart full of sincerity and trust in Allah – separate the servant from eternal success. Can such a path be compared to the condition of one who is blind, who neither considers the way to salvation nor recognizes it, and thus remains among the heedless? "Is one who knows that what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth like one who is blind? Only those with understanding will take heed" (13:19).

To ensure that the believers do not miss the opportunity for eternal success — having been chosen by Allah in this brief worldly life — their gratitude for this Divine selection should be expressed in the following ways:

• That they strive to elevate themselves to the rank of those endowed with insight (ulu al-albāb), so they do not remain among the heedless. This elevation is attained through deep reflection — and the gateway to reflection is attentive listening with a present and engaged heart, which naturally leads to critical thinking, pondering, and meaningful contemplation. “Those who listen to what is said and follow the best of it — it is they whom Allah has guided, and it is they who are the people of understanding” (39:18). The essence of true reflection must center on the lives of those divinely chosen — the noble Prophets — and their way of life, so that one may walk in their footsteps and follow their examples. “Indeed, We chose them for an exclusive quality: remembrance of the home [of the Hereafter]” (38: 46).

• That the servants elevate themselves to the rank of the complete believer, that is, one who has perfected his/her faith. Complete believers do not harbor any objection in their hearts. The more intense the trial becomes, the stronger their faith grows and the deeper their submission becomes. They may call upon Allah (swt) and see no apparent answer, yet their inner state remains unchanged — because they know they are owned, and that their Owner acts according to His will. If any objection arises in their hearts, they depart from the station of servitude (‘ubudiyyah) and enter the station of dispute — like Iblis did. The true strength of faith becomes most evident in times of severe trial. For example, take the case of Yahya ibn Zakariya (peace be upon them). A wicked man was given power over him, he ordered his execution, and he was slaughtered. One might instinctively wonder: “Why wasn’t he protected by the One who made him a prophet?” And likewise, with all instances where disbelievers were given power over prophets and believers – there was no Divine intervention to repel their harm. If a person’s thoughts even momentarily suggest that Divine power was incapable of protecting them, that would be disbelief. But, if one knows that the divine power is fully capable of intervening, yet chooses not to — allowing believers to go hungry while disbelievers are fed, allowing the sinners to live in ease while the pious are afflicted with illness — then, nothing remains but surrender to the Master, even if it is bitter and painful. Yusuf, son of Yaqub (peace be upon them), was lost, and his father wept for him for years, but he never lost hope. And when he lost his second son, he still said: “I trust Allah will return them all to me. Surely He ˹alone˺ is the All-Knowing, All-Wise” (12:83). And Musa prayed against Pharaoh, and his prayer was answered after forty years. It is here — in such trials — that the strength of faith becomes clear, not in the number of prayer units (rak’aat). Al-Hasan al-Basri said: “People are equal in times of ease, but when trials descend, they show their true ranks.” An excerpt from Ibn Al Jawzi’s Sayd Al Khater adds: “And yet these afflictions only increased these noble ones in faith and submission.”

Let the servant be among those who race toward goodness, by Allah’s permission. And if he/she cannot reach that high station, then let him/her not fall below the rank of the moderate (muqtasid).

Know that Allah has chosen the heart to be the place of His gaze — glorified and exalted is He. As the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed, Allah does not look at your appearances or your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds.” Just imagine: the Throne is immensely great, and the heart is so small, yet if “La ilaha illa Allah” resides in the heart, it outweighs the heavens and the earth, and that heart becomes worthy of Allah’s majesty, just as the Throne is worthy of His majesty due to its greatness, perfection, and freedom from defects.

Therefore, gratitude for Divine selection is shown by the servant striving to make his/her heart worthy of Allah’s majesty.