Allah has His own ways—unchanging patterns—through which He tests people and reveals their true nature. One of these ways is to separate those who are sincere from those whose faith is merely an outward show.
For many people, a large following is a cause for celebration. When many people gather around an idea or ideology, it seems as though victory has already been achieved.
But Allah is not like a human being. He is not limited by our perspective; He is not biased, and He does not measure truth by the number of its supporters.
The Test Within the Gathering
When people gather around religion, and the voices against Islamophobia and the persecution of Muslims grow louder, we may perceive this as an obvious success. But it is precisely at these moments that Allah may test people—to separate the sincere from the insincere, the wheat from the chaff:
Do people think that they will be left [to themselves] simply because they say, “We have believed”? And Allah will not test them [for] what they claim. And Allah will surely cut off the hypocrites and the believers from each other. And Allah will surely see what you do.
(Quran, Surah al-Ankabut, Chapter 29, The Spider, Verse 2–3)
There are well-known people who may be living their last days. We do not know the unseen and cannot judge who is destined to die and when. But we know something else: trials are capable of revealing what a person has long hidden behind beautiful words and social masks.
Striving and Staying Back
Allah says:
Do you think that those who fought [in the past] and those who migrated [from their homes] and who fought and were persecuted can be compared to those who stayed back [in comfort and security]? Allah has not made [any] distinction between [the two kinds of] those who strive and migrate and those who stayed back. But Allah has been gracious to every [one] of them according to [his] deeds. And Allah is to every [one] fully rewarding.
(Quran, Surah al-Tawbah, Chapter 9, The Repentance, Verse 16)
Beyond the Outward Symbol
Look at the hijab. Many women wear it—and that is wonderful. But can we judge a person’s sincerity based solely on their outward appearance?
Allah’s way is also manifested in the fact that a familiar religious symbol acquires a new social meaning. In Azerbaijan, the hijab was a common element of religious life for many. But under pressure, it gradually becomes a symbol of protest—not only against the enemies of religion, but also for freedom of conscience, dignity, and the right of a person to determine their own life path.
The Test Extends Further
And here, something deeper is happening: Allah is testing not only religious people, separating the sincere from the insincere. He is also revealing the essence of those who call themselves liberals, democrats, and defenders of freedom.
Who truly stands for freedom of religion? And who defends freedom only when it aligns with their own beliefs? Who is genuinely against oppression, and who simply uses beautiful slogans when it is convenient?
Our perspective is limited: we see only individual events and judge based on external signs. But Allah sees the whole picture—our intentions, hidden motives, and what is yet to be revealed.
The Wavering Hearts
The Most High says:
And [remember] when the hypocrites and those whose hearts were sick said, “Allah and His Messenger have only deceived us.” And when a group from among them said, “O people of Medina, there is fear [for you] from those who came to you, so fear them [that they may spare you] and obey [us] that perhaps you will be successful.” But if a [true] wound came to them, you would see them wavering between [doubt and belief]. And if they had not been given a promise from Allah and a term [set] for the disbelievers, they would have certainly died [immediately]. And if you return [to your affairs], so will they. And Allah is aware of what is within the breasts.
(Quran, Surah al-Imran, Chapter 3, The Family of Imran, Verse 54)
A Final Reflection
That is why we should not rush to conclusions, evaluating what is happening only by today’s events. What seems to us like a defeat may turn out to be a trial that reveals the truth.
And what looks like a victory—is a test that reveals true intentions.
Ultimately, trials not only show who has remained true. They reveal who and for what they were standing alongside the truth in the first place.