This is the law of creation, with regards to the truth and falsehood. Throughout the eras, the various Messengers who had been sent to their own people, such as the Prophets Noah, Hud, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, David and Solomon (PBUT), had been rejected. However, they remained patient, for patience is the weapon of the believer, Allah (swt) explains to His Messenger (saws):
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمَوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ
(We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure) (Al-Baqara: 155) And:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَعِينُواْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلاَةِ إِنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ
(O believers! Seek comfort in patience and prayer. Allah is truly with those who are patient) (Al-Baqara: 153)
At the end of this verse, Allah (swt) did not say that He is with those who pray, but with those who are patient. This is because, the prayer could just be made up of cycles and prostrations and movements, whereas the real expression of the true prayer is when a person is patient while going through what has been decreed by Allah (swt). It is also when he is patient while going through any painful situation, because he knows that Allah’s decree is the best for him, and that this test will one day become a blessing, because behind every test lies the blessings of Allah.
We can see an example of this rejection in what happened to the great grandfather of the Prophet (saws), Prophet Abraham (PBUH):
إِذْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ وَقَوْمِهِ مَا هَذِهِ التَّمَاثِيلُ الَّتِي أَنتُمْ لَهَا عَاكِفُونَ (52) قَالُوا وَجَدْنَا آبَاءنَا لَهَا عَابِدِينَ (53) قَالَ لَقَدْ كُنتُمْ أَنتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُمْ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ (54) قَالُوا أَجِئْتَنَا بِالْحَقِّ أَمْ أَنتَ مِنَ اللَّاعِبِينَ (55) قَالَ بَل رَّبُّكُمْ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ الَّذِي فَطَرَهُنَّ وَأَنَا عَلَى ذَلِكُم مِّنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ (56) وَتَاللَّهِ لَأَكِيدَنَّ أَصْنَامَكُم بَعْدَ أَن تُوَلُّوا مُدْبِرِينَ (57) فَجَعَلَهُمْ جُذَاذًا إِلَّا كَبِيرًا لَّهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ يَرْجِعُونَ (58) قَالُوا مَن فَعَلَ هَذَا بِآلِهَتِنَا إِنَّهُ لَمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ (59) قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا فَتًى يَذْكُرُهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (60) قَالُوا فَأْتُوا بِهِ عَلَى أَعْيُنِ النَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْهَدُونَ (61) قَالُوا أَأَنتَ فَعَلْتَ هَذَا بِآلِهَتِنَا يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ (62) قَالَ بَلْ فَعَلَهُ كَبِيرُهُمْ هَذَا فَاسْأَلُوهُمْ إِن كَانُوا يَنطِقُونَ (63) فَرَجَعُوا إِلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ فَقَالُوا إِنَّكُمْ أَنتُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ (64) ثُمَّ نُكِسُوا عَلَى رُؤُوسِهِمْ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا هَؤُلَاء يَنطِقُونَ (65) قَالَ أَفَتَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَضُرُّكُمْ (66) أُفٍّ لَّكُمْ وَلِمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
(Remember) when he questioned his father and his people, “What are these statues to which you are so devoted?” (52) They replied, “We found our forefathers worshipping them.” (53) He responded, “Indeed, you and your forefathers have been clearly astray.” (54) They asked, “Have you come to us with the truth, or is this a joke?” (55) He replied, “In fact, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who created them (both). And to that I bear witness.” (56) (Then he said to himself), “By Allah! I will surely plot against your idols after you have turned your backs and gone away.” (57) So he smashed them into pieces, except the biggest of them, so they might turn to it (for answers). (58) They protested, “Who dared do this to our gods? It must be an evildoer!” (59) Some said, “We heard a young man, called Abraham, speaking (ill) of them.” (60) They demanded, “Bring him before the eyes of the people, so that they may witness (his trial).” (61) They asked, “Was it you who did this to our gods, O Abraham?” (62) He replied (sarcastically), “No, this one—the biggest of them—did it! So ask them, if they can talk!” (63) So they came back to their senses, saying (to one another), “You yourselves are truly the wrongdoers!” (64) Then they (quickly) regressed to their (original) mind-set, (arguing), “You already know that those (idols) cannot talk.” (65) He rebuked (them), “Do you then worship—instead of Allah—what can neither benefit nor harm you in any way? (66) Shame on you and whatever you worship instead of Allah! Do you not have any sense?”) (Al-Anbiya: 52-67)
What was the response after all these dialogues and discussions which happened between Prophet Abraham and his people who worshipped the idols as godlings? It was:
قَالُوا حَرِّقُوهُ وَانصُرُوا آلِهَتَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ فَاعِلِينَ
(They concluded, “Burn him up to avenge your gods, if you must act.”) (Al-Anbiya: 68)
They could not find any evidence to prove their stand, thus they resorted to cancelling off the opposition via their power.
قُلْنَا يَا نَارُ كُونِي بَرْدًا وَسَلَامًا عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ (69) وَأَرَادُوا بِهِ كَيْدًا فَجَعَلْنَاهُمُ الْأَخْسَرِينَ
(We ordered, “O fire! Be cool and safe for Abraham!” (69) They had sought to harm him, but We made them the worst losers.) (Al-Anbiya: 69-70)
Many verses which speak of the Messengers and their peoples’ rejection, harming, abusiveness and spite towards them have passed. These people did not have any evidence or proofs to support their rejection. Thus, Allah (swt) tells us:
( وَلَقَدْ جَاءَكَ مِن نَّبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ… ) (…And there has certainly come to you some information about the [previous] messengers).