When the Prophet of Islam was in Madinah, these verses of the Quran were revealed:

Apostle, proclaim what has been revealed to you by your Lord, if you do not, you will surely fail to convey His message. God will protect you from all men. (Quran, 5:67)

In this verse, the condition which the Muslims must fulfill in order to be eligible for God’s succour is laid down as communication of the word of God. Since it was revealed history has repeatedly substantiated the truth of this fact. The invasion of Muslims’ territory by the Mongol hordes of Genghis Khan and Hulagu provides one such case.

In the words of the contemporary historian Ibn Athir, “If one were to say that such a calamity has not occurred since the creation of Adam until the present day, it would not be an exaggeration.” The Muslims were helpless before the savage might of these merciless carriors. It was the power of the spiritual message of Islam that finally saved Islam from extinction. Here are two quotations from works by western historians:

Although in after years this great empire was split up and the political power of Islam diminished, still its spiritual conquests went on uninterruptedly when the Mongol hordes sacked Baghdad (AD 1258) and drowned in blood the faded glory of the Abbasid dynasty, Islam had just gained a foothold in the island of Sumatra and was just about to commence its triumphant progress through the islands of the Malay Archipelago. In the hours of its political degradation, Islam has achieved some of its most brilliant spiritual conquests: on two great historical occasions, infidel barbarians have set their feet on the necks of the followers of the Prophet—the Saljuq Turks in the eleventh and the Mongols in the thirteenth century and in each case the conquerors have accepted the religion of the conquered.

T.W. Arnold, The Preaching of Islam, p.2.

Hard pressed between the mounted archers of the wild Mongols in the East and the mailed knights of the Crusaders in the west, Islam in the early part of the 13th century seemed forever lost. How different was the situation in the last part of the same century. The last crusader had by that time been driven into the sea, the seventh of the Il-Khans, many of whom had been flirting with Christianity, had finally recognized Islam as the state religion—a dazzling victory for the faith of Mohammad. Just as in the case of the Seljuks, the religion of the Muslims had conquered where their arms had failed. Less than half a century after Hulagu’s merciless attempt at the destruction of Islamic culture, his great-grandson Ghazan, as a devout Muslim, was consecrating much time and energy to the revivification of the same culture.

Philip Hitti, History of the Arabs, p.488.

In this way history has repeatedly proved the truth of the verses quoted above. But when it was revealed events had not proved the truth of God’s statement.

History was still clothed in the veil of the future. At that time there was nothing more difficult than sacrificing one’s life and property for the sake of communicating the faith. Just as it is easy to see past history, so it is difficult to see future history. The Muslims in the time of the Prophet achieved this most difficult task. They saw events before they happened, and did exactly what was required of them. In comparison the task before us is an easy one. We only have to repeat in our lives a principle that history has already proven to be true. But whereas our predecessors succeeded in their most difficult trial, we have failed in our easy one. □